The Middle Ages/Medieval Period

1066-1485

William the Conqueror

Plantagenet

Lancaster

York

Henry II: 1154-1189

• increase royal power

• control the church

• indirectly murdered Thomas a Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury

Richard I: 1189-1199

•considerable political and military ability

model of a true knight

•fought in the Crusades

sought Holy Relics

gave to the poor

Richard the Lion-Hearted

•killed in battle in France

Richard II:1377-1399

uncle was John of Gaunt, ruled briefly in his place

•peasants’ revolt of 1389

•confiscated the lands of the House of Lancaster, belonging to John of Gaunt, when John died

John’s son, Henry Bolingbroke, invaded and took over

Henry IV: 1399-1413

House of Lancaster

spent much of his reign just trying to establish himself

had to quell many rebellions

son (Henry V) maintained close relationship with Richard II

Edward IV: 1461-1470 and 1471-1483

House of York

encouraged William Caxton and his printing press

MANOR home of the lord and the land around it

SERFS completely dependent on overload

SOCIAL LIFE farming, herding, church

DAY TO DAY These matters were seen to by knights and serfs.

FEUDALISM

Imperialism

• London• Scotland• Wales• Ireland• France• Territories extending

southeast into Holy Land

KNIGHTHOOD

not necessarily passed on from generation to generation

did not have to be nobility to be a knight

went on local quests

went to fight the French

•went on crusades to the Holy Land

•jousted in tournaments

Chivalry

• Code of behavior for all knights

• Honorable• Courteous• Generous• Brave• Skillful in battle• Merciful• Respectful to woman• Helpful to the weak

Roman Catholic Church-united all people from kings to serfs in one common faith and

church

This church in Rottingdean, East Sussex, is nearly 1000 years old. It was made of stone and built to last. It would have been much larger than a

Medieval peasant's cruck house.

Ely Cathedral

• site of Christian worship since 673

• was originally a monastery

• sacked by Danes in 870s

• This structure was built after the Norman Conquest.

• became a cathedral in 1109

Crusades

• series of military campaigns

• between late 1000s and late 1200s

• usually approved by the Pope

• combination of war/pilgrimage

• aimed to take Jerusalem back from the Moslems

Hundred Years War

• 1337-1453• between England and

France• English were

eventually driven out of France

• England had major victories over France and Scotland

Monastery life

• self-sufficient community

• day consumed with work and prayer

• between prayers monks were permitted to write and transcribe

• wrote and studied in Latin

• also spoke other common languages

• opened to weary travelers

120 churches

London Bridge

Life in London

• street games• wealthy merchants

hunting on horseback• ice-skating on sheep bone

skates• narrow and twisting

streets• most buildings made from

wood and straw• center of commerce and

trade

The Black Death: 1348-1349

• Bubonic plague• killed 1/3 of population

of London• occurred world-wide,

killing estimated 75 million

• serious blow to the Roman Catholic Church- “live for the moment”

• likely spread by the fleas on rats

Guilds

• people learned through apprenticeships

• covered all kinds of skills, from barrel-making to money-management

• series of steps to progress through, including craftsman and master

Guildhall in London

Herding

• British wool became famous

• herding replaced farming in importance

• cottages were turned into mills

• textile industry began

Printing Press

• Gutenberg: 1440s• movable type• 1476-William Caxton

brought to London• English dialect of

London became available to much wider audience

• writing became more standard-less influenced by copying preferences and errors