Middle Ages in England

Society Ideals & Events

How It Began

• 5th century to the 15th century• The Middle Ages is one of the three major periods in the

most enduring scheme for analyzing European history: classical civilization, or Antiquity; the Middle Ages; and the Modern Period

• The middle period between the decline of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. The early Middle Ages are often referred to as the Dark Ages. The Middle Ages are also referred to as the Medieval era.

• Encompass one of the most exciting and turbulent times in English History.

Important Events

• Doomsday Book – 1086: A survey, or census, commissioned by the Norman (Think Viking from northern France) Conqueror King William I, of his newly conquered lands and possessions in England. It was intended to document "What, or how much, each man had, who was an occupier of land in England, either in land or in stock, and how much money it were worth". This great survey enabled the Normans and William the Conqueror to administer England and levy taxes– Enabled William the Conqueror the ability to ensure that all

landholders and tenants swore allegiance to him– This name was given to it, because, like the Day of Doom, it

spared no one

Important Events Cont.• The Black Death victims in the Middle Ages were terrified of the

deadly disease. The plague held a massive mortality rate between 30 and 40%

• The Magna Carta: The purpose of the Magna Carta was to curb the King and make him govern by the old English laws that had prevailed before the Normans came. The Magna Carta was a collection of 37 English laws - some copied, some recollected, some old and some new. The Magna Carta demonstrated that the power of the king could be limited by a written grant.– The content of the Magna Carta was drafted by Archbishop Stephen

Langton and the most powerful Barons of England.– King John signed the document which was originally called the 'Articles

of the Barons' on June 10, 1215

War of the Roses

• Wars of the Roses: Civil wars fought by members of the House of Lancaster and the House of York. Both houses were branches of the Plantagenet royal house (a royal dynasty that produced fourteen kings of England), tracing their descent from King Edward III (famous for military power).

• The White Rose was the symbol of Yorks supporters who opposed the rival House of Lancaster, whose symbol was the Red Rose of Lancaster.

• The Wars of the Roses ended with King Henry VII who started the Tudor dynasty

The Hundred Year War

• Actually lasted for 116 years (1337 – 1453)• Fought between England and France and later Burgundy• The cause of the war: Edward III, king of England,

asserted that he in fact had a superior claimed to the throne because his mother was Philip the Fair's daughter (Philip IV King of France). Also there was economical conflict between the two countries because France wanted to tax northern European towns that were dependent on English wool because they were cloth-makers.

What the People Were LikeThe Medieval people were warlike, they have even been described as barbaric yet we’re very heavy on moralist ideals.

• Feudalism was the law of the land. It was the basis by which the upper nobility class maintained control over the lower classes. The kings held this land by what they believed was "divine right", the right to rule granted by God and then passed on through heredity

• Other crucial contributors to this structure were the leaders of the church– Many church leaders were involved in

politics– The general religion of the time was

Catholicism & was a part of upper class

• Consisted of kings, lords, and the peasants.– There were two types of peasants:

free (worked in their own independent businesses, usually as carpenters, blacksmiths, weavers, or bakers) and a type of indentured servants (lived on the land without paying any money, but worked for the lord, earning their stay.)

Knights

• Middle Ages Knights: It was the duty of a knight to learn how to fight and so serve their liege Lord according to the Code of Chivalry.

• The Code of Chivalry dictated that a Knight should be brave and fearless in battle but would also exhibit cultured Knightly qualities showing themselves to be devout, loyal, courteous and generous.

• Knighthood was not bestowed purely because a young man was the son of a noble. There were many steps to achieving a knighthood, requiring years of training.

The Code of Chivalry • To fear God and maintain His

Church• To serve the liege lord in valor

and faith• To protect the weak and

defenseless• To give succor to widows and

orphans• To refrain from the wanton

giving of offence• To live by honor and for glory• To despise pecuniary reward• To fight for the welfare of all

• To obey those placed in authority• To guard the honor of fellow

knights• To eschew unfairness, meanness

and deceit• To keep faith • At all times to speak the truth• To persevere to the end in any

enterprise begun• To respect the honor of women• Never to refuse a challenge from

an equal• Never to turn the back upon a foe

Courting Love

• The art of courtly love was practiced in English courts from the 1300's to the 1500's

• The violence and wars of the Middle Ages were tempered by the Rules of Courtly Love

• The following rules and elements of Courtly Love during the Middle Ages were written by the 12th Century Frenchman, Andreas Capellanus

Courting Love Rules• Marriage is no real excuse for not loving• He who is not jealous, cannot love• No one can be bound by a double love• It is well known that love is always

increasing or decreasing• That which a lover takes against the will

of his beloved has no relish• Boys do not love until they arrive at the

age of maturity• When one lover dies, a widowhood of

two years is required of the survivor• No one should be deprived of love

without the very best of reasons• No one can love unless he is impelled by

the persuasion of love• Love is always a stranger in the home of

avarice

• It is not proper to love any woman whom one would be ashamed to seek to marry

• A true lover does not desire to embrace in love anyone except his beloved

• When made public love rarely endures• The easy attainment of love makes it of

little value; difficulty of attainment makes it prized

• Every lover regularly turns pale in the presence of his beloved

• When a lover suddenly catches sight of his beloved, his heart palpitates

• A new love puts to flight an old one• Good character alone makes any man

worthy of love• If love diminishes, it quickly fails and

rarely revives

Courting Love Rules Cont.• A man in love is always apprehensive• Real jealousy always increases the feeling of love• Jealousy, and therefore love, are increased when one suspects his beloved• He whom the thought of love vexes eats and sleeps very little• Every act of a lover ends in the thought of his beloved• A true lover considers nothing good except what he thinks will please his

beloved• Love can deny nothing to love• A lover can never have enough of the solaces of his beloved• A slight presumption causes a lover to suspect his beloved• A man who is vexed by too much passion usually does not love• A true lover is constantly and without intermission possessed by the thought

of his beloved• Nothing forbids one woman being loved by two men or one man by two

women