Rise of England – Anglo-Saxon Settlement

Alfred the Great• Strong ruler from Wessex• Accomplishments:

• Resisted Danish Invasion• Strengthened local administration

• Shires, shire-reeve• Strong character

• Danish ruler Canute tried to take over Britain• Edward the Confessor’s victory over

the Danes

William the Conqueror• From Normandy, France• Contested the throne with Harold, Earl of Wessex• Battle of Hastings (1066)• William wins• Began the Norman Dynasty

• As king, centralized feudalism• Lords became his vassals, called

tenants-in-chief• All of England became his fief• Extended authority over English church

Pope lost influence in England• Domesday Book – “Census” of people

and property; for taxation purposes

Strengthening of Royal Power• Henry II – from the Plantagenet

family• Had vast landholdings in France—

even more than the French king!

• Took several measures to strengthen the English monarchy• Expanded jurisdiction of the royal

court system• Developed common law• Ensured justice, unified the people• Appointed his friend, Thomas a

Becket, archbishop• However, he became a bitter

opponent of Henry’s interference in church affairs.

Limitation of Royal Power• Rule of Richard I• Known as Richard the Lionhearted; fought in the Third Crusade• Only spent 6 months of his ten-year reign in England• His brother and the king of France plotted to overthrow him

• King John (Richard’s brother):• Cruel and weak willed• Continual conflict with three “enemies”—the French

King, the Pope, and the English nobles—caused the power of the English monarchy to be greatly restricted• French king, Phillip II, took control over John’s French

provinces. • John clashed with Pope over appointment of the next

bishop of Canterbury• Pope sent a man named Stephen Langton to become the next archbishop• John got furious and lashed out by refusing to allow Stephen into the

country.• Pope put England under an interdict and excommunicated King John• Due to the fact that he had no allies, John submitted and became the

Pope’s vassal, giving all of England as a fief to the papacy.• Feeling oppressed by high taxation and a disregard for their feudal

privileges, the English nobles rebelled• Forced John to sign the Magna Carta, a document that guaranteed the

rights of the nobility within their feudal relations.

Development of Parliament• Developed under King Edward I (1272-1307)• There had been a long custom of the English kings seeking

counsel from a group of advisors• Witan – Anglo-Saxon gathering of nobles• Curia Regis – William the Conqueror’s “Great Council”

• Edward the Confessor enlarged the membership of the “Great Council” to include more members of society• House of Lords – Represented nobility• House of Commons – Represented commoners

• Eventually the kings had to get approval from Parliament for new laws• “Power of the Purse” – Could hold back money from the king

unless he listened to them• Became a legislative body

Part Four: Rise of France

Royal Foundations – The Capetian House

Hugh Capet, Count of France, elected 987

Royal Expansion – King Phillip II (1180-1223) Tripled the size of his

domain by gaining land previously held by Plantagenet family

Royal Dignity– Louis IX (1226-1270)

• “Ideal” medieval king• Sincerely concerned for justice and

peace

Royal Power – Philip IV (1285-1314)

Used taxation to gain power• Accepted by people• Contested by Pope• Established representative

body called Estates-General • Began movement of citizens’

loyalties from the church to the state

• From his precedent, French monarchy grew without restraint

The Crusades : “Holy” War?• Invasion of Palestine: 11th

century• Urban II’s plea:“This royal city . . . Situated at the center of the earth, is now held captive by the enemies of Christ. . . . She seeks, therefore, and desires to be liberated and ceases not to implore you to come to her aid. . . . Wrest that land from the wicked race, and subject it to yourselves.”

Reasons for going:• Personal reasons:• Piety & Service• Desire for adventure• Material & Commercial gain• Violent lifestyle

• Roman Church’s influence:• Guarantee of protection for family

of Crusader• Pardon for criminals and debtors• Earning of spiritual forgiveness• Jihad

Consequences of the Crusades• Weakened the feudal structure of Europe• Expanded commercial activity of Europe• Strengthened the leadership of the papacy• Opened new horizons—culturally, intellectually, and

geographically• Preservation of ancient Greek, Arab, and Indian texts—science,

philosophy, literature by Muslims• European warriors’ reencounter with these texts—causal

connection to European Renaissance• Relationship between Christianity and Islam further severed to

this day• Fear• Resentment• Hatred