English: Background for the Medieval Period
What is Satire?
- "the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues." - Geoffery Chaucer used satire when he wrote his Canterbury Tales. Chaucer satirizes knights and chivalry in two different ways: in the prologue and in the Knight's Tale. Chaucer wanted to present a realistic knight, but he also wanted to give the Knight some very real, and obvious flaws, as a sort of social commentary on the way that knight's were perceived in the 14th century. - Satirical poetry is believed to have been popular, although little has survived.
Who is Thomas Becket?
- Archbishop of Canterbury - Best friend of Henry II Killed by Henry because he agreed with the Church whereas Henry believed in aristocracy - Henry believed that England was too lawless and undermined his authority and that the Church was too soft, so he combined both to have more of a say in church courts and that Becket would make the punishments more strict. - Becket could take Henry II out of throne, but Henry II could not take Becket out as archbishop - Henry tried to pass a law stating that any person punished by a church court would have to be punished by a royal court as well. - Becket did not agree and fled (temper) - 6 years later, Becket comes back and asks to have the Archbishop of York to be excommunicated from the Church, since he had taken sides with the king, and he did not. - Henry was mad, and was said to have shouted "will no one rid me of this trouble some priest?" - 4 Knights took this as a call to kill priest - Becket was killed in the Canterbury Cathedral - Death place is now a place for pilgrimage - Henry II asked for forgiveness and walked barefoot to the cathedral and was whipped by monks as he prayed
What is Tithe?
- Catholic church in Europe collected a tax of its own (separate from the kings' taxes) called a tithe. - Tithe means "one-tenth", because people were supposed to give the Church one-tenth of all the income they earned
In the Medieval Period, what are some of the problems of the Church
- Corruption (selling of indulgences & relics) - Hierarchies that poor people had to observe
What is the Domesday Book?
- Domesday book: It was a book where William kept a record of everything - Everything was considered inventory - Everyone had to pay taxes of possessions to the king - William wanted the money for wars and to finance the military
Who was Edward the Confessor? When did he die?
- Edward the Confessor was the last Anglo- Saxon kings of England. He was known as the "Confessor" because of his great piety. - He died in 1066 and his death marks the beginning of Medeval times.
What is the War of the Roses?
- England's War of the Roses, the Yorkists defeat King Henry VI's Lancastrian forces. The struggle between the House of York (white rose) & the House of Lancaster (red rose) - This occurred for 30 years. - York raised an army of 3,000 men which led to the Yorkists marching to London - On May 22, 1455, York met Henry's forces at St. Albans while on the northern road to the capital. The duke of Somerset was killed, and Henry was captured by the Yorkists.
After Edward the Confessor died, three men claimed the throne of England. What claim did Harold Godwinson have?
- Harold Godwinston: a distant cousin of Edward the Confessor (brother of Edwards wife) - On Edward's deathbed, Edward said that he wanted for Godwinston to be the next king - He also had the backing of the nobility
After Edward the Confessor died, three men claimed the throne of England. What claim did Harold Hardrada have?
- Harold Hardrada: King of Norway and Viking warrior and one of his ancestors had once ruled over England - Thought that the throne should go back to them
What were the classes in Feudal Society?
- King and clergy - Nobles and Lords - Knights or Vassels - Peasants or Serfs (Tier system; suffocating and rigid system)
Who is King John?
- King from 1199 until his death 1216 - Most famous for signing the Magna Carta - He was a bad king that exploited his feudal rights Nobels were sick of it and made him sign the Magna Carta
Who is Henry II?
- King of England (1154-1189) - Educated - Powerful - Polished - Literate - Great King
Who were the Normans? Who was the Duke of Normandy?
- Normands: vikings and live and settled the coast of France (gave their name to Normandy) - Duke of Normandy: first Normand ruler William the Conquerer (first) (powerful warrior )
Who is a Vassal?
- One of the visions in the feudal system. - Someone put in charge of things - Higher than the serfs.
What are the Crusades?
- Pope Urban II called for Crusades in 1095 - HOLY WARS - Religious motivation- "to recover the Holy Land from the 'infidel' Muslims." - Economic and political reasons- "The Crusades were a vast outpouring of landless peasants and landless nobles hoping to carve a better future in the lands to be taken from the Muslims - 9 total crusades but the first four are most important.
Who is Richard the Lion Heart?
- Richard I was King of England from July 6, 1189 until his death in 1199 - He was the third of five sons of King Henry II of England - By the age of 16, Richard had taken command of his own army, putting down rebellions against his father Richard was a central Christian commander during the Third Crusade - He was known as Richard the Lionheart because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior.
After William the Conqueror, who are his descendants who come to the throne?
- Robert and William Rupus (sons of William the Conqueror) - Henry I (Grandson of William)
What is Church Hierarchy?
- Structured power on the top and then filtered or trickled down to the people in an unstructured way - mimicked feudalism in structure
What is Primogeniture?
- System of inheritance - Feudal England had developed an inheritance process for land which was designed to retain lands, as intact as possible, in the hands of males and especially first-born males. - The right of succession belonging to the firstborn child's especially the feudal rule by which the whole real estate of an intestate passed to the eldest son. - The title was passed "automatically", requiring no action on the part of any person or court
What is the Magna Carta?
- The Magna Carta is a charter of liberties that was meant to reduce the power of the monarch and make peace between him and a group of rebel barons. - It was established in 1215. It primarily secured liberties for England's elite classes. - It also promised the protection of church rights, access to swift justice, and limitations on feudal payments to the Crown. - Served as the foundation for the English system of common law
Who fought in the Battle of Hastings? Who becomes king after this battle?
- The Normans (William of Normandy) vs. the Anglo- Saxons (Harold Godwinston) - William won and became the new king - He established Norman rule in England - Harold Godwinston had already killed Harold Hardrada in a previous battle - In this battle Harold Godwinston was killed
Who is Robin Hood?
- The Robin Hood was a legend, no one is sure if he was real or not. He was the legendary thief of England, he stole from the rich and gave the wealth to the poor. His life seemed like a great and noble adventure because he lived in the forest, hunting with other outlaws and helping those in need. - Stories about his life and adventures first appeared in the late 1400s. - These stories show the peoples discontent with the political conditions, because those who put themselves outside the law had become popular heroes. (Against King John) - Robin Hood and his contemporaries were cunning, merciless and often brutal; but by the codes of their time, they were also honorable.
What is Feudalism?
- Way of organizing society Everything belongs to the king - Lords gave his most trusted men land and power over people in exchange of loyalty and taxes - Grant land in exchange of taxes - Most of the money went to military campaigns
What influence did the Normans bring to England?
- dominated politically and economically - Built castles (symbols of dominance and power) - French and Latin became the new languages - Laws - French culture - Also brought over their drinking habits - England became an extension of France - French was incorporated into the English culture and it became Middle English
Who is Edward III?
From the House of Windsor King of England from 1327-1377 Ongoing disputes with France reached its peak under his reign Initiated the Hundred Years' War with France
After Edward the Confessor died, three men claimed the throne of England. What claim did William of Normandy have?
William of Normandy: Edward was his first cousin removed and he said that Edward had promised William the throne
