Sakib Hossain

Hon’s 2nd year student.

English Discipline

Khulna University,

Khulna, Bangladesh.

Contact: +8801680698689 isolated420@gmail.com.

1. Loss of Normandy

2. Separation of Nobility

3. The Reign of Henry III

4. Rise of Nationalism

5. Other Changes.

In 1204, King John, the king of England and duke of Normandy lost Normandy.

He married Isabel of Augoleme who was the suitor of Hugh of Lusignan. Hugh was the head of a noble family. He complained to the king of all France, Phillip.

Phillip summoned on king John to appear before him, answer the charges and submitted to the judgment of the court.

John denied the summon.

Eventually he lost his ‘Dukedoom’ of Normandy to Phillip

With the separation of Normandy many nobles had to chose England or Normandy.

This separation continued till 1250.

After 1250 there was no need of French Language.

The reign of Henry III was full of excess and liberties. He freely gave land to the foreigners.

This creates resentment of the foreigners and of Henry III.

Opposition to the foreigners promoted national feeling. This was driven to the barons and the middle class in a common cause. Ironically the leader of the causes was Simon de Montfort- a Norman by birth.

The 100 years war against French raised national feelings and abhorrence to the French and French language used less and less.

1. Though England began to unite, French was till the supreme language as it was the language of the continent. French was used by the upper class as the matter of custom and administrative conventions. By the end of 13th century, French was considered as a foreign language. There were some attempts to preserve French but not much.

2. Another fact was the raise of middle class with the outbreak of ‘Black Death’ in 1348, approximately 30% people died. It brought shortage of labour. Consequently the importance of working class grew. As English was the language of the labour, it widely spread.

3. By the beginning of the 14th century English was once again the dominant language in England. In 1362, parliament enacted a law requiring all lawsuits to be conducted in English. English was then officially recognized.

4. Henry V’s reign was the turning point of English as a written language. He wrote letters in English. The practice diffused among the English.

5. French literature was not easily replaced by English literature. Literature in Middle English came in the form of religion.