medieval period history notes

Norman Conquest

• King Harold was chosen by British to succeed

• Met William at the Battle of Hastings

• William crushed all competition, Normans won

• British submitted to William

William the Conqueror

• Crowned King on Christmas

• Illegitimate

• Anglo-saxon nobles had their land usurped

• French nobles took over

• William was king of Normandy and England

• Lived in a castle - safe for war

Feudalism

• City-states ruled by central king

  • Ran by Baron

King Henry

• Had problems with power of the Church

• Church official of Canterbury was vacant

• Henry nominated his friend, Thomas Beckett

• Beckett sided with Church instead of King

• Knights murdered Beckett- thought King wanted it

• Henry went on pilgramage to Canterbury to show remorse

• Three kids

  • Robert, King of France

  • Richard, King of England

  • John Lackland

King Richard/King John

• Richard left for the Crusades - left John in charge

• Very unpopular, heaviliy increased taxes

• Eleanor of Aquataine tried to keep everyone a fan of Richard

• Richard died, and John was in charge

• Signed magna carta: Constitutional government, shared power with Barons to avoid Civil War

• John is excommunicated from Church

Feudalism Falling

• Rise of towns

  • Guilds and merchants

• People lived in close proximity - lots of plagues

  • Bubonic plague

• Corruption in Church

• John Wycliff tried to change Church - didn’t like indugences

  • Translated Bible into English, took power away from the Church because now everyone can read Bible

War of the Roses

• King Henry VI

  • Lost area in Normandy

  • Unsuccessful King

  • Got very sick and went crazy

• Richard of York was put in charge

• Didn’t want to give up power when Henry got better

• They fought, Richard won

  • Richard’s son Edward succeeded, but died young

  • Richard III was King

• Henry Tudor killed Richard and became King

  • House of Tudor began, end of middle ages