Norman Conquest, Medieval England detailed summary, Unit 3: Impact of Socio- Political History on Literature from 11th to 17th Century, Allied Paper, 1st Year 1st semester B.A English Literature

 MEDIEVAL ENGLAND

 Norman Conquest [1066]

The Norman Conquest was an epic making event in the British History. The rulers of Normandy had originally been Scandinavian Vikings. They occupied parts of Northern France (Normandy)and in the early 10th century AD, they were recognized by the French Crown. By the middle of 11thcentury AD, they lost their Scandinavian speech, instead spoke French and were essentially French in culture. 

During the reign of English king Edward the Confessor, Harold the Earl of Wessex happened to visit Normandy. William, the Duke of Normandy had a hope to become the king of England after the death of childless Edward and Harold offered to help him in this matter. But the Witan (Body of elders) in obedience to the dying words of the Edward elected Harold as the King. The infuriated William landed in England with a mighty army in 1066 AD. Harold could not get the whole hearted support of the all nobles. So in the historic Battle of Hastings fought in 1066 AD, Harold, last of the Saxon kings, was defeated and William the conqueror became the new king of England. Since William also continued to be the duke of Normandy, there was a steady flow of people between England and Normandy.

Results of Norman Conquest

The Norman Conquest was a turning point in the history of England. The immediate result of the Norman Conquest was that the government passed from the hands of the English to those of the Normans and Norman barons and knights. The Anglo Saxon nobility was completely destroyed and most of the English men became villains. England lost her royal dynasty and she also lost her freedom. King William had to curb the power of those elements which threatened the security of his rule. Each rebellion was followed by confiscation of English lands and these lands were rewarded to his Norman followers. All rebellions were suppressed and the feudal system was encouraged. The Norman feudal system completely altered the face of England.

The first great change made by the Norman Conquest was that England came in to close contact with what was happening in Europe. The English began to display great interest in intellectual, political and religious movement in Europe. Kings and people began to play an important part in France, in the policies of Europe and even in the crusades. The trade of England goes very much affected. Merchants from England began to travel all over Europe and were able to set up their trade relations in the countries with which they came in to contact. Jews came and settled in England. An immediate result of the conquest had been a great immigration of Normans into England. They all gradually mixed with English people. Norman conquest supplied England an illustrious line of able rulers. They used new feudalism to attain national unity. Most of the institution which are the pride of English men today like representative assembly (magnum Concelium), universities, juries and the common law was acquired during these periods of foreign rule and influence. "Dooms day book" and "Oath of Salisbury" are the other results.

The Church of England came into close contact with the church of Rome. They reformed the English church and made it the real leader of the people in morals, learning and in charity. Ecclesiastical courts were separated from the secular courts. Church encouraged education, art and architecture. School started in all monasteries where Latin was taught. Large numbers of cathedrals were built in Norman’s time. Thus church began to play a vital role in the lives of the people. The Norman Conquest also profoundly affected learning in England. The Latin language began to be studied with great interest. Latin and French became the official language of the government. Under French influence, English language was completely changed. The two languages gradually merged into what is known as "Middle English". Trevelyan points out that one outcome of the Norman conquest was the making of the English language. On the whole, it can be said that the Norman conquest was very important event in the history of England. It revolutionized everything in the country. Although English men suffered for sometimes as a result of the Norman conquest, their initial loss were more than made up later.

William The Conqueror

William 1st real claim to the English thrown rested on his victory in the Battle of Hastings in 1066 AD against Harold. However the defeat of Harold alone did not result in the submission of all the English men. As a matter of fact, there were many revolts in south-west, Mercia and Northumbria and one by one they were all ruthlessly suppressed. Each revolt was followed by fresh confiscation of land possessed by the English nobility. The land thus captured was used for rewarding Williams own Norman followers. At the same time he had to make himself master of both English and Normandy. To the English, William was a foreign ruler. So in order to secure his position, William decided to confiscate the land of rebels by suppressing the uprisings with an iron hand, by developing the feudal system and by using the English against his own rebellious barons.

Norman Brand of Feudalism

In feudalism land played an important role. It was the basis of the relationship between the land lord and the vassal. Theoretically, in feudalism, the king was the owner of the whole land. But it was actually controlled by the feudal lords. The lords everywhere lived a happy luxurious life. Their lands were cultivated by the serfs. They could not sell or mortgage the land but go on tilling that throughout the life. Not only this, the land lords could levy taxes on them and punish them of their offences. Under feudalism a feudal lord had two courts; one for the nobles and the other for the vassals & other tenants. From these courts a new type of legal system evolved. All the feudal lords were supposed to be loyal to the king but as the time passed they posed a great threat to his authority. The knights enjoyed a significant position in the feudalism.

Medieval England Timeline:

Year	Historic Events
1066-1075	William crushes uprisings of Anglo-Saxon earls and peasants with a brutal hand; in Mercia and Northumberland, uses (literal) scorched earth policy, decimating population and laying waste the countryside. Anglo-Saxon earls and freemen deprived of property; many enslaved. William distributes property and titles to Normans (and some English) who supported him. Many of the English hereditary titles of nobility date from this period. English becomes the language of the lower classes (peasants and slaves). Norman French becomes the language of the court and propertied classes. The legal system is redrawn along Norman lines and conducted in French. Churches, monasteries gradually filled with French-speaking functionaries, who use French for record-keeping. After a while, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is no longer kept up. Authors write literature in French, not English. For all practical purposes English is no longer a written language. Bilingualism gradually becomes more common, especially among those who deal with both upper and lower classes. Growth of London as a commercial center draws many from the countryside who can fill this socially intermediate role.
1204	The English kings lose the duchy of Normandy to French kings. England is now the only home of the Norman English.
1205	First book in English appears since the conquest.
1215	The demands of the barons were recorded in the document known as the Articles of the Barons. Following further discussions with the barons and clerics led by Archbishop Langton, King John granted the Charter of Liberties, subsequently known as Magna Carta,
1258	First royal proclamation issued in English since the conquest. The Provisions of Oxford were constitutional reforms developed in 1258 and resolved a dispute between the English barons and King Henry III of England.
ca. 1300	Increasing feeling on the part of even noblemen that they are English, not French. Nobility begin to educate their children in English. French is taught to children as a foreign language rather than used as a medium of instruction.
1337	Start of the Hundred Years' War between England and France.
1362	English becomes official language of the law courts. More and more authors are writing in English.
ca. 1380	Chaucer writes the Canterbury tales in Middle English. the language shows French influence in thousands of French borrowings. The London dialect, for the first time, begins to be recognized as the "Standard", or variety of English taken as the norm, for all England. Other dialects are relegated to a less prestigious position, even those that earlier served as standards (e.g. the Wessex dialect of southwest England).
1474	William Caxton brings a printing press to England from Germany. Publishes the first printed book in England. Beginning of the long process of standardization of spelling.

 ************

Don't forget to follow our YouTube channel for more videos : Saipedia