NORMAN AND EARLY ANGEVIN TIMES

ANGLO-NORMAN FEUDALISM

Jan 1, 1066

The term feudalism, is used to describe political, economic, social, and military conditions in Europe during the Middle Ages. The personal element was prominent, the serf also had many economic relations with his lord and owen him services of an economic nature. Chivalry:This social aspect of feudalism, which really affected only a few of the upper classes. A king might be a vassal of another king and really be more powerful than his lord

THE REIGN OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR

Dec 25, 1066

During the ninth, tenth, and eleven centuries, government of France was breaking up into numerous small states, with feudalism as the principal bond of unity. William, Duke of Normandy, now claimed the English throne on the grounds that Edward has promised to make him his successor. William then proceeded to centralize the feudal system of England, he asserted all the Norman and English rights of kingship and continued to collect the Danegeld.

WILLIAM RUFUS

Sep 9, 1087

William Rufus, this son of William the Conqueror became King of England by the will of his father and without the sanction of the Great Council.William Rufus was a good soldier and was courteous and energetic; but he was harsh and tyrannical at times, disliked the clergy, and was immoral. He also invaded Scotland and Wales. For these activities he needed much money, and to get it he abused the rigth of wardship almost to point of extortion by leying fees on heirs.

THE CRUSADES

Feb 1, 1095

Thw Crusades, a series of struggles that occurred between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries, consisted mainly of efforts to capture the Holy Lands from the Mohammedans.
The capture of the Holy Places by the Turks and the alleged mistreatment of Christian pilgrims were important causes. On first Crusade invaders captured Jerusalem and established in Palestine a feudal kingdom... The crusades introduced many new commodities from the East into Western Europe.

HENRY I

Aug 3, 1100

This rule is best known for his Charter of Liberties, in which he promised to stop all extortionate methods of collecting money from the church and from the nobles and to return to the good government of edward the Confessor and William I.
It provided that higher clergy should be elected in the presence of the king or his official. Henry I did important work. He reformed the Great Council, he began the practice of extending the King´s justice throuh itinerant judges.

INTELLECTUAL AND RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENTS

Jan 1, 1101

Before the Revival of learning, England had developed an interest in learning, more schools were established and a greater interest developed in medicine, astronomy and other sciences. One notable result of this intellectual revival was the rise of universities.
The dominicans were interested in punishing heretics and in doi ng missionary work by preaching and teaching, while the Franciscans stressed holy living and poverty and ministered to the poor.

STEPHEN VERSUS MATILDA

Dec 22, 1135

Upon the death of Henry I his nephew, Stephen of Blois, ascended the throne in spite of the claims of Henry´s daughter and only heir, Matilda, who now fled to Normandy. Matilda continued to assert her claims to the throne, whereupon a period of civil war, confusion, and disorder resulted. Finally the warring factions, unable of crush each other, signed the Treaty of Wallingford. It provided that Stephen should be king for life, but that Matilda´s son, Henry, should succed him.

ANGLO-NORMAN CIVILIZATION

Oct 25, 1154

A new family, the Angevins came into power. The Norman clergy who came to England introduced many reforms and improved economic conditions in the church.
The Norman invaders brought their language with them, and it became the tongue of court circles. Among the common people the English language survived; and the two finally became one.Latin was the language of the church, law and learning. The Normans continued the agricultural system of the Anglo-Saxon.

HENRY II

Dec 19, 1154

The new sovereign, who was the first of the Angevins, was of French birth, for the came from the per; indeed, during Stephen´s reign it had become almost supreme.Henry is probably best known for his judicial reforms. He provided jails to lodge accused persons until they could be tried.rovince of Anjou. His empire included Normandy and another countries. In the century or so preceding Henry´s accession to the throne, the church had grown amazingly in pow

RICHARD I

Jul 3, 1189

Richard, Henry´s oldest surviving son, was a warlike knight, who loved adventure and conflict and typified the chivalry of the time. Richard and the Third Crusade, during his last years, Henry II had made some preparations for conducting a crusade to the Holy Land, and upon Richard´s accession to the throne he continued the work enthusiastically. Upon returning to England, Richard subdued a rebellion in which his brother John was interested.

THE REIGN OF JOHN LACKLAND

Apr 6, 1199

John, the fourth son of Henry II and the younger brother of richard , seemed to lack all those qualities which should be found in a good king. He was strongly suspected of having caused the murder of Arthur, younger son of Geoffrey and legal heir to the throne. The barons occupied London and compelled the king to sign the Magna Carta, June 15, 1215. This document of 63 sections provided that the church and the barons were to retain their old rights and liberties.

EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN THE CHARTER

Jun 15, 1216

The signing of the Magna Carta did not mean peace, for neither John nor the barons kept to its provisions. Certain northern barons, who had not been at Runnymede for the signatures, continued to fight against the King.
Upon the death of John, his nine-year-old son was crowned as Henry III. A regency being necessary until the young king could assume responsability, William Marshall became regent.

POLITICAL AND LEGAL PROBLEMS

Jan 1, 1290

The rule was adopted that the oldest son should inherit the throne, and it was applied in the selection of Richard I and Henry III. The kings also asseted the rigth to require military service abroad of their subjects, and to collect the scutage tax when that service was not rendered. The extension of the king´s justice into local courts efficiency and introduced uniform methods of procedure. the increase in government activities also enlarged the work of the Curia Regis and the Exchequer.

THE GROWTH OF TOWNS AND BUSINESS

Jan 1, 1290

The normans stimulated the growth of towns, for they brought the English townsmen into closer touch with European commerce.Merchant gilds first appeared, and they consisted of townsmen who engaged in trade. They attempted to monopolize the trade of a twon and to make outsiders pay tolls for trading privileges. Every town and many villages had markets, where local trade was carried on, especially in farm products. Forgeins in England, especially the Jews, dominated banking enterprises.