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The Middle Ages. The Middle Ages. 1066-1485. William—Duke of Normandy. Invades England in 1066 A.D. Was cousin to King Edward of England—who died childless earlier that year; Harold, earl of Wessex had been crowned the following day. Claimed that Edward had promised him the throne.
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The Middle Ages The Middle Ages 1066-1485
William—Duke of Normandy • Invades England in 1066 A.D. • Was cousin to King Edward of England—who died childless earlier that year; Harold, earl of Wessex had been crowned the following day. • Claimed that Edward had promised him the throne. • Sails the English Channel with a giant army in October 1066—Battle of Hastings (day-long battle). • Doesn’t want to conquer the Anglo-Saxons, just to govern them.
New Government • Combines the English (Anglo-Saxon) culture with the new government. • William gives land to all his Barons who had been loyal to him. • He makes a record of every piece of property—land, cattle, buildings—in a book called the “Domesday Book.” • Sets up an entirely new social system—Feudalism.
Feudalism • A political and military system based on religious concept of rank: King • All-powerful over-lord and landowner through “divine right” • Noble who had the power to grant land to vassals. Lord • Tenant who received land (fief) from a lord in exchange for military service and loyalty. Vassal • Armored warrior—vassals had to provide their lords with military service in the form of knights (the larger the fief the more knights). Knight • Peasants who worked on and were bound to vassals’ lands. Serf
Heavily padded undergarment of leather • Mail shirt • Mail covered neck elbows, and other joints • Armor—breast plate, plate arm, leg, and foot pieces • Gauntlets constructed of linked plates covered the hands
Some suits of armor weighed 120 pounds! • Contained up to 200 custom-fitted iron plates or more • Held together by rivets, leather straps, hinges, turning pins, buckles, and pegs • Carried a variety of weapons: lance, dagger, sword, battle-ax, and club-headed mace
Dangers: • Limited ventilation lead to heat stroke. • Suffocation • Heart failure • Drowning • Falling—couldn’t get up from on their back
Knighthood • Because the primary duty of a male (above a serf) was military service, boys began training at a very young age. • When training was completed, he was dubbed, or ceremonially tapped on his shoulder • (originally a hard blow to test the boy’s courage) • Knighthood was the feudal ideal of loyalty and it was based on a complex system of social codes—and breaking them would undermine the knight’s position.
Chivalry • A system of ideals and social codes governing the behavior of knights. • i.e. never attacking an unarmed opponent. • Took an oath of loyalty • “Courtly love” - ideal form of love, where a knight would adore a lady—nonsexually. (**NOT physical love) • Wear his lady’s colors in battle and be inspired by her • She remains pure and out of reach
Medieval Women • “No voice, no choice” • Women had no political rights • The social standing of her husband or father determined the degree of respect she commanded • The only role of peasant women was childbearing, housework, and hard fieldwork • Women of higher stations would manage entire estates while husbands were at war or gone on business but when the men returned, it was back to normal
Rise of Merchant Class • Increased trade with the east gives them another way to make money • Creates a merchant class—people aren’t tied ONLY to landowners and knights anymore • Cities begin to emerge—people in cities are not bound to a landowner or knighthood or chivalry—somewhat free to do their own thing
Crusades (905-1270) • Pope Urban II urges England to wage war on Muslims occupying Jerusalem • So-called “Holy Wars” • Disastrous military expeditions—lasted 200 years • Slaughtered thousands of Jews and Muslims – even woman and children • Benefits - English is exposed to mathematics, astronomy, architecture, and crafts
End of Feudalism • English barons force King John to sign the Magna Carta in 1215 in an effort to curb the king’s power. • Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453) between England and France • Forces a new type of warfare—switch from knights in armor to small land owners baring cross-bows • Invention of guns and gun-powder by Chinese in 1325 • The Black Death – bubonic plague wipes out a third of the nation’s population
