Royal Power Grows

Section 8-1 pp. 244-249

Preview Questions

• How did monarchs gain power over nobles and the Church?

• What traditions of government developed under John and later English monarchs?

• How did strong monarchs succeed in unifying France?

Monarchs, Nobles, and the Church

• Nobles and the Church each had their own land, taxes, and courts.

• Monarchs attempted to gain power by: – Centralizing the government – Gaining support from the middle class

Strong Monarchs in England

• The Norman Conquest (1066) – William of Normandy

defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings to become King of England

– Resulted in a blending of Anglo-Saxon and Norman cultures.

Strong Monarchs in England

• Growth of Royal Power– William made nobles swear

loyalty to him above all other lords.

– The Domesday Book was a census used for tax purposes

– The royal treasury, called an exchequer, grew

Strong Monarchs in England

• A Unified Legal System – Henry II established common

law • Based on customs and royal court

rulings• Applied to all of England• Undermined power of nobles and

Church• Used juries

Strong Monarchs in England

• Conflict with the Church – Archbishop Thomas Becket

didn’t support Henry II’s attempt to try clergy in royal court

– Knights assassinated Becket, who was honored as a martyr

– Henry II eased attempts to regulate the clergy

Evolving Traditions of English Government

• King John I – Oppressive and cruel ruler – Lost English lands to French King

Phillip II – Excommunicated by Pope Innocent III

• Magna Carta (1215) – English nobles force John to sign this

to affirm their rights – Main Idea: No one, even the king, is

above the law

Evolving Traditions of English Government

• Development of Parliament – England’s legislature – Contains a House of Lords

and a House of Commons– Most important power =

power to approve taxes

Successful Monarchs in France

• The Capetians – Hugh Capet was chosen as

King of France in 987 – He increased the power of the

monarchy • Hereditary rule • Pitted nobles against each

other• Gained support of Church and

middle class• Established strong bureaucracy

Successful Monarchs in France

• Philip Augustus – Gave royal jobs to middle class members who

were paid – Expanded landholdings of the monarchy

• Louis IX – Model ruler – Made a saint

Successful Monarchs in France

• Philip IV– Clashed with Pope Boniface over taxing clergy– Arrested the pope – he later died– New pope was a Frenchman who moved the papacy to

Avignon

• The Estates General – Representative body from nobles, clergy, and

townspeople– Had less power than English Parliament