Chapter 13Section 4

Struggle for Power in England

Struggle for Power in England

• Anglo-Saxon and Norman England– Before the1000’s – Kings and lords struggled for power

• Anglo-Saxon England– By 450 Roman rule in Britain ended– Germanic tribes moved in

• First as raiders, then as settlers– Culture that emerged from Germanic settlement called “Anglo-Saxon”

• In reference to the two tribes

– Over time they formed several independent kingdoms• Northumbria – Northern England• Mercia – Central England• Wessex – Southern England• These kingdoms were divided into districts called Shires• Governed by shire-reeve which becomes the word Sheriff

Section 4

Alfred the Great

• By the 800’s the Kings of Wessex controlled almost all of England

• Vikings (Danes) challenged the rule of Wessex kings– Over ran much of England

• Alfred the Great - 871 CE– Came to throne of Wessex– Tried to drive the Danes from the island– Made a temporary peace after being defeated by

them– Spent 5 years building a powerful army and navy– 876 - Attacked the Danes– 886 - Danes surrendered

• Treaty allowed Danes to live and govern themselves in Mercia and Northumbria

Danish Rule

• Alfred’s successors were able to win more lands from the Danes– During the 900’s– Unified the country– Strengthened the government– Spread Christianity

• Danes began to attack again – By 1013 Danes again controlled the entire country

• 1016 – King Canute of Denmark took the throne of England

• Also most of Scandinavia in a combined kingdom– Canute was a wise ruler – but sons were weak rulers

• By 1042 Danish line had died out– Anglo Saxon nobles chose Edward the Confessor as new king

The Norman Conquest

• Edward died without leaving an heir in 1066 – Duke William of Normandy

• From France – A distant relative - claimed the throne– Anglo-Saxons refused to recognize his claim– Selected Harold of Wessex to be king

• Edwards brother-in-law

• William was determined to win the throne– Crossed the English Channel with group of knights– Defeated Harold’s army

• Crowned William I King of England– Known as William the Conqueror

The Conqueror and his Successors

• William the Conqueror ruled from 1066–1087– Brought feudalism from France to England– Modified feudal system so the king not

nobles held supreme authority– Each feudal lord had to swear personal

loyalty to king• So all English lords were Vassals of

the king– Stopped the lords from uniting against

him • Scattered their fiefs throughout

England

• Laid strong foundation for centralized government and a strong monarchy

The Conqueror and his Successors

• Sent royal commissioners to every English shire–Count each shire’s people–Assess landholdings–Measure type and value of property–Results used to created a central tax

system• Records that were gathered became

known as the Doomsday Book

Reforms under William’s Successors

• Henry I – Ruled from 1100 - 1135 – Williams son, Able ruler– Set up the new department of the

Exchequer• To handle kings finances• Made central government more

efficient

– Sent traveling judges throughout the country to try cases

• Weakened feudal lords• Kings royal court, not the lords

feudal courts dispensed justice

Henry II• Henry II ruled from 1154 – 1189

– Continues to increase royal authority– Vassals could pay the king a fee instead

of performing military service• Used the money to hire mercenaries

or soldiers

• Military loyal to him not the nobles

– England’s legal system grew• Traveling judges established routes or

circuits• Used a 12 member jury system

– Replaced trial by ordeal or combat– Decided civil as well as criminal

cases

Henry II• Sought to try members of the clergy who had

already been judged in church courts– To decrease the influence of church courts

• Thomas Becket - Archbishop of Canterbury– Refused to allow his clergy to be tried– Becket and Henry became bitter enemies

• 4 of the king’s knights murdered the archbishop in his cathedral, to help the king

• Henry denied any part of the murder, but did penance to appease the church

– Henry decides to leave the church alone

Henry II• The Last years of his reign were trouble

– Sons plotted against him– Marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine was stormy– She brought into their marriage a lot of French

lands which ended up causing conflicts with the French

• Overall Henry strengthened the English monarchy, reduced influence of the nobility.

King John and Magna Carta

• King John– Henry II’s son

• Demanded nobles pay more taxes– To support wars with France– His actions led nobles to revolt– In 1215 group of nobles joined together

against the king• Threatened armed revolt against him • Forced John to accept a document

known as the Magna Carta

Magna Carta and beyond• Magna Carta

– Protected the liberties of the nobles– Provided a limited outline of rights for England’s ordinary

people– King John agreed no new or special taxes without consent

of the Great Council• A body of nobles and church leaders who advised the

king– Promised not to take property with out paying for it– Promised not to interfere with justice of the courts– Agreed to trials by jury of peers– Importance: King is not above the law

• Two other major changes took place following the Magna Carta

– Growth of Parliament – Beginning of Representative government

– Growth of Common Law – laws based on customs and judges decisions rather than law written law codes

Parliament

• 1260’s - Nobles revolt against King Henry III– Threatened the Monarchy– Revolt was led by Simon de Montfort (Lord)– Tried to build middle class support for the nobles

• To unite against the king

– The Great Council – Nobles and Clergy• Middle class representatives

– As this practiced continues - becomes the English Parliament

– Parliament was divided into 2 parts called “houses”» Nobles and clergy - House of Lords» Knights and burgesses - House of Commons

• Advised the king– But could refuse taxes (important)

Common Law

• Edward I - ruled from 1272 – 1307– One of England’s greatest monarchs– Divided the king’s court into 3 branches

• Court of Exchequer – Keep track of the kingdom’s financial accounts– Tried tax cases

• Court of Common Pleas– Heard cases between ordinary citizens

• Court of the King’s Bench– Conducted trials that concerned the king or government

• Decisions made by royal courts were collected and used as the basis from future court verdicts– Known as Common Law– Applied equally to all citizens– Living Law, not based on code, but on times.