The Middle AgesThe Middle Ages

1066-14851066-1485

William the Conqueror & William the Conqueror & NormansNormans The Normans never withdrew The Normans never withdrew

from England.from England. William, the duke of William, the duke of

Normandy, wanted to rule Normandy, wanted to rule the Anglo-Saxons, not the Anglo-Saxons, not eliminate them.eliminate them.

Domesday Book – an Domesday Book – an inventory of nearly every inventory of nearly every piece of property in England piece of property in England that allowed taxes to be that allowed taxes to be based off what people owned.based off what people owned.

The Normans Change The Normans Change EnglandEngland

Combined Anglo-Combined Anglo-Saxons’ democratic Saxons’ democratic and artistic tendencies and artistic tendencies with the Normans’ with the Normans’ administrative ability, administrative ability, emphasis on law and emphasis on law and order, and cultural order, and cultural unity.unity.

Brought French and Brought French and feudalismfeudalism

Feudalism: From the Top Feudalism: From the Top DownDown

Feudalism – Feudalism – based on a based on a religious concept religious concept of rank, with God of rank, with God as the supreme as the supreme overlordoverlord

Hierarchy of Hierarchy of lords and vassalslords and vassals

Knights in Shining Knights in Shining ArmorArmor

The primary duty of males The primary duty of males above the serf class was above the serf class was military service to their lords.military service to their lords.

Boys were trained as Boys were trained as warriors from an early age.warriors from an early age.

Knighthood was grounded in Knighthood was grounded in the feudal ideal of loyalty and the feudal ideal of loyalty and based on a complex system of based on a complex system of social codes (chivalry).social codes (chivalry).

Women in Medieval Women in Medieval SocietySociety

No political rightsNo political rights Always subservient to Always subservient to

a man, whether a man, whether husband, father, or husband, father, or brotherbrother

Husband’s or father’s Husband’s or father’s social standing social standing determined the degree determined the degree of respect she of respect she commandedcommanded

Chivalry and Courtly Chivalry and Courtly LoveLove

Chivalry – a system of Chivalry – a system of ideals and social codes ideals and social codes governing the behavior of governing the behavior of knights and gentlewomenknights and gentlewomen

Courtly love – nonsexual Courtly love – nonsexual love where a knight love where a knight glorified and adored a glorified and adored a lady who always lady who always remained pure and out of remained pure and out of reachreach

The CrusadesThe Crusades A series of holy wars A series of holy wars

waged by European waged by European Christians against Christians against MuslimsMuslims

Crusaders slaughtered Crusaders slaughtered thousands of Jews and thousands of Jews and Muslims.Muslims.

Europe benefited from Europe benefited from its contact with the its contact with the sophisticated Middle sophisticated Middle Eastern civilization.Eastern civilization.

The Martyrdom of Thomas The Martyrdom of Thomas a Becketa Becket

King Henry II set his friend, King Henry II set his friend, Thomas, as archbishop of Thomas, as archbishop of Canterbury (head of the Canterbury (head of the Catholic Church in England) in Catholic Church in England) in the hopes that he could gain the hopes that he could gain the upper hand in disputes with the upper hand in disputes with the pope, but Thomas took the the pope, but Thomas took the pope’s side several times.pope’s side several times.

Henry raged, “Will no one rid Henry raged, “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” me of this turbulent priest?” and four of his knights and four of his knights murdered Becket in his own murdered Becket in his own cathedral.cathedral.

Effects of the Catholic Effects of the Catholic ChurchChurch At this time all Christians At this time all Christians

belonged to the Catholic belonged to the Catholic Church.Church.

Fostered cultural unityFostered cultural unity Continued to be the center of Continued to be the center of

learning – its monasteries learning – its monasteries were the libraries and were the libraries and publishers of the time, and publishers of the time, and its language (Latin) remained its language (Latin) remained the international language of the international language of educated Europeanseducated Europeans

The Black Death (Bubonic The Black Death (Bubonic Plague)Plague)

Highly contagious and spread by fleas from Highly contagious and spread by fleas from infected ratsinfected rats

Reduced the nation’s population by a third – Reduced the nation’s population by a third – causing a labor shortage and giving the causing a labor shortage and giving the lower classes more bargaining powerlower classes more bargaining power