Transcript The Medieval Period— The Middle Ages

The Medieval Period—
The Middle Ages
1066—1485
1066—The Norman Conquest
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Edward the Confessor promised crown to
William of Normandy
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Had no children
Considered William his son
On his deathbed, sent his brother-in-law
(Harold) to pledge loyalty to William
Harold crowns himself King the same day
as Edward’s burial
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Supported by wealthy English
1066—The Norman Conquest
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William retaliates through an attack at
Hastings
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Portrayed on the Bayeux Tapestry (next slide)
William the Conqueror (Norman) succeeds
Results:
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England forms tighter bond with continental Europe
Established powerful monarchy
New form of government
THE BIRTH OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE!!!!
Bayeux Tapestry—Harold’s Death
1. The Feudal System
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The King owned all the land
in England
Nobles and Bishops owned
divisions of the land and paid
taxes to the King
Knights defended the land in
return for a place to live
Serfs, Yeoman, and
Peasants worked the land
and paid taxes to the Nobles
and Bishops
2. New Laws
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William the Conqueror established general
laws
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All people must be practicing Catholics
No death penalty (repealed after his death)
Allowed nobles and bishops to create their
own laws
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Droit de Seigneur or Primae Noctis
3. Language
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Lords spoke French
Serfs spoke Old English
Combined to form Middle English
L:
boef
S:
ox
moutons
sheep
porc
swine
veau
calf
3. Language
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Old English became less guttural
French became tougher
Old French
est, ami, bel, bon, en, fier, chevalier
Dieu, seul, cuer, tu, venu, lui, frais, raison
Old English
Verse 26-31
Here’s what it sounded like
Selection from the Prologue of Beowulf
Middle English
Whan that aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes…
Selection from the Prologue of Canterbury Tales
3. Language
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Created many new
words for:
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Food
Military
Social Order
Government
Law
Geography
French
English
Soudier
Soldier
Corune
Crown
Paisant
Peasant
Sucre
Sugar
Liberté
Liberty
Traitre
Traitor
Felonie
Felony
Acuser
Accuse
Cité
City
4. The Church
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Catholicism was the only
Christian religion in the
world during the Middle
Ages
Very powerful
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Hierarchy
Mass in Latin
Indulgences
Grand cathedrals
(Westminster Abbey)
Westminster Abbey
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Built in 1065
All royal funerals and
coronations are here
Poet’s Corner—
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Chaucer, Tennyson, Browning,
and Charles Dickens are among
those buried here
The University of Oxford
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Oldest Englishspeaking university
in the world
Teaching existed in
some form in 1096
Each college was
self-governing and
owned land
The Crusades
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Jerusalem and Modern-day Israel
Attacks on city—Holy Land for many religions
Pope Urban II—rid Holy Land of Muslims
England produced large army—led by Richard I
* 84% serfs (slaves)
* 16% Yeomen (free men)
Decline
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3.
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The
The
The
The
Black Death
Failing Church
100 Years War
War of the Roses
1. The Black Death
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Commonly known as the Bubonic Plague
½ of Europe’s population killed
Symptoms include:
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Swollen lymph nodes
High fever
Hallucinations
Blackening of the skin
Transmitted by fleas on rats
2. The Failing Church
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Antipope—a false pope; not recognized
because not canonically elected
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Spreading Protestant Reformation
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14 Antipopes during Medieval Period
Lead to War
Martin Luther and his theses
1384—John Wycliffe translates the Bible
into English
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Wycliffe says the Bible is the supreme law of
the church
3. The 100 Years War
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1339—1453
Edward III tries to claim French throne
War ends in 1453—England is totally out
of France
Brought unity to England
4. The War of the Roses
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1455—1485
House of York (white) against the House of
Lancaster (red)
Both descendants of Edward III—fight over
which family has stronger claim to throne
Result—Henry VII becomes first Tudor King
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Henry is a Lancaster
Marries Elizabeth, a York
Unites England
End of the Medieval Period