Transcript Birth of Kingdoms

Birth of Kingdoms
Objectives
• Describe how William the Conqueror and
Henry II strengthened English royal power.
• Analyze the traditions of government that
developed under King John and later
English monarchs.
• Explain how strong monarchs unified
France.
Power Struggle
• Form the
framework for
Nation-States
Church
– Modern day
countries
– Power shifts
from about
1000-1300
Nobles
Monarchs
History of England
• Angles and Saxons
• Alfred the Great united
tribes(1st King)
• King Edward dies, with no
heir, competing claims
between Harold and
William
• William the Conqueror
and Battle of Hastings
(1066).
• New Norman rulers and
diffusion that took place.
Expanding Royal Power
• William had a
complete census
taken. Why?
• “Domesday Book”
– Listed every castle,
field, and pigpen in
England
Developing a Unified Legal System
• 1154 – Henry II
– Creates English
common law
• Legal system based on
custom and court
rulings
• Applied to all of
England
– Creates jury system
• Group of men sworn to
speak the truth
Henry II
• Clashed with the
church (right to try
clergy)
• Archbishop of
Canterbury – Thomas
Becket
• “Who will rid me of
this meddlesome
priest?”
Richard I (1189-1199)
De Lion”
 Spoke little English
 Only 7 months in
England
 Emptied the treasury
with many wars,
ransom
 Died in France leaving
his brother, John, as
King
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“Couer
Fight for Control
• King John I
constantly at
war
– 1215 signs Magna
Carta. Lords look
to limit Kings’
power.
– Limited the power
of the monarch
The Magna Carta
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Rule of law
Powers and privileges of the king are clearly defined and limited
Charter provides for enforcement of restrictions placed on the king
Fairness of the laws and their execution
Equal justice under the law
Recognition of customs, traditions, and established rights
Punishment in proportion to the crime
Commitment to "due process of law"
No trial without evidence/testimony to support accusations
Reliance on local courts and magistrates
Trials held in a timely manner
Trials open to the public
Trial by a jury of one's peers
Right to property
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What do these rights of Englishmen remind you of?
France
The
Capetian dynasty:
Hugh Capet 1st Capetian
King in 987
They controlled very
little land
Most of the country
dominated by powerful
feudal princes
Slowly established a
solid power base and
eventually imposed their
will on French Nobles
The Kingdom of France
at the time of Hugh
Capet. French royal
domain in blue.
Phillip II Augustus
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Phillip II Augustus King at 25
Goal: To weaken power of English Kings in
France
 Took Normandy back from John in 1204
New administration for France
 Used middle class “bailiffs” instead of nobles
to collect taxes and administer the kings law
Absolute Monarchy is the result
 Estates General eventually created but is
too weak to cut into kings power (no power of
the purse)
Louis IX
• Beloved King
• Persecuted heretics
– Those who held
beliefs contrary to
church teachings,
Jewish population
– Led French knights in
two crusades against
the Muslims
Church Power
• Pope Innocent III – claimed
supremacy over all rulers.
• “[The Pope] stands between
God and man, lower than
God but higher than men,
who judges and is judged by
no one”
• Showed power over King
John of England and Philip II
of France.
• Extended Papal States
Beginnings of Democratic Ideas
• INFORMALLY began after Magna Carta:
• King Edward calls “model parliament”
1295 for first time 
– Two houses, commons and lords.
– Today’s impact. United States?
– French Estates General set in 1302 after
struggle with the Church.
• 3 “Estates” to balance power of church