ENGLISH CIVILISATION Programme I/ Britons and Romans (C. 100 BC – AD 409) II/ Saxons, Danes and Normans (409 – 1154) III/ Medieval Empire (1154 – 1450) I/ Britons and Romans (C. 100 BC – AD 409) ( Very unstable situation No unity, no charismatic leader for the whole country, no unification during the 1st century BC, before the come of the Romans. Instability politically speaking, wars and conflicts. The leaders were warriors, hence the fact that the tribes were settled on military principles. Military was unifying element. They lived in emergency situation.
They weren’t strong enough to stop an invasion from the exterior. Two important tribes were in conflict for many years: Iceni and Catuvellauni. Both of them were already latinazed, even before the come of the Romans. How is that possible? The Romans had a very large influence: others tribes were fascinated by it, by their lifestyle, their economics, their military principles, etc… It was an inescapable influence. The Romans exported their own vision of the world and even their mentality. However and paradoxically, the English tribes spoke the Celtic language. Britain, a suitable candidate for incorporation in the Roman Empire The Roman did NOT colonize the countries they were interested in (yet). It was a tactical approach: economic reasons, mutual profits, … Britain had many advantages, and the Romans were intrigued: – coinage system: Britain had money and its economic was based on money system (not everywhere in Britain however) ; some tribes were able to stripe their own coins = complex and sophisticated for the Romans, who saw that as a way to possibly improve their empire – building of hill-forts : like a military self-efficient camp.
You couldn’t capture one easily. It reflected a certain degree of genius and understanding in a architectural way. The Romans had hill-forts too, and were attracted by the Britain’s one. Despite the instability between the tribes, Britain had managed to show the world what she was capable of. – efficient farmers : sophisticated plough which attracted the Romans who imported the goods at that time. Farming in B started very soon (agriculture revolution started in B). Very good and sophisticated basis. – social organisation : black-out but we know that there were wars between the tribes.
Within the tribes, people had a deep respect for each other, it was a vertical organisation (poor -> merchant, sailor, farmer -> middle class, military groups -> nobles). All the leaders were warriors. No threat of rebellion within a tribe. That’s what attracted the R : the order and the respect of the hierarchy. It still is unclear because B was out of history before the come of the R: invasion brought B from outside history into History. – features of R civilisation even before the invasion = latin names for their tribes for instance. So it was easier to invade: British people were already ready to accept the R. 55 BC, first contact with Britain : Julius Caesar vs. Cassivellaunus (king of Catuvellauni) Turning point in the B history, 1st contact between the B and the R, by the initiative of Julius Caesar. Resistance came from Catuvellauni only (Cassivellaunus had had a contact with the Romans before). The others tribes welcomed the Romans. Because of the social organisation, the whole tribe followed Cassivellaunus, and they gave hell to the Romans. This first contact was to assess, evaluate the wealth; the Romans were pragmatic and took their time ( they only came to observe and that’s why many of the tribes welcomed.
Ones didn’t want them to come, but didn’t want to fight either. So the Romans made them pay a tax, a fine. For the first time, tribes were given a chance to unify against the others, against the enemy, who were the Romans. Situation not very clear, or easy to define: some say it was an invasion, others a contact. This first contact is to associate with the idea to develop and enhance commercials relations. 1st priority of the Romans = the agriculture technologies. It took them 100 years to come to the conclusion that they had learnt from the British. It was a commercial connexion: they came to take from the country, not to exchange. 3 AD – Rome decided Britain must be an integral part of the Roman empire. The name of the invader was Aulus Plautus, who was acting on the decisions of Claudius. It wasn’t easy to annex Britain. 15 opposed resistance: the country was to be directed by the emperor, and the tribes’ chiefs didn’t want that. The Roman were the only one who had a standing army (7000 men). They were paying the soldiers. They went to Britain but they had to settle there. The tribe of Iceni is the most famous tribe which had defended itself. Boudicca was the queen of Iceni (1st woman on the head): she promised to win and to expel the Romans from the Iceni tribe.
Iceni resisted almost one year, and Boudicca tried to negotiate with the Romans. She lost the battle but refused to be taken prisoner to Roma, so she killed herself with poison. It took the Romans 6 to 10 years to subdue the tribes. City and towns were called centres: Londinium, Colchester, St Albans. Most of the important buildings were concentred in these 3 centres and from there, the Romans could run the whole country. Whenever it was possible, the Roman imposed their lifestyle, language and own culture. But some people still spoke English (though it was not systematic).
The upper-classes of the British population were very receptive to the Romans: they adopted their way of life, way of dressing, because they were fascinating by this sophisticated civilisation and tried to imitate it. That was not the case of the lower-classes: the peasants still spoke English and kept their way of life. They were the majority. The all-South witnessed a peaceful period under the Roman invasion and control: no conflict, and prosperity everywhere. BUT the North and Scotland remained continuously in opposition with the Romans, with threats of wars. Prosperity became precarious, and peacefulness came to an end.
The Romans wanted to secure the country from the North: they built a wall in the north not get invaded and to secure prosperity for the tribes in the south. So the Hadrian wall was built in 122 AD (400km). The Romans were builders, so it didn’t take them much time to built it. After 127 AD the centres grew in power (the first patterns of the city of London had started at that time). The Romans could now concentrate on the expansion of the centres. For more than 300 years, British people were living good. Peaceful situation. ( IV Century, disintegration of the Roman civilisation Threats of the Saxons and of others tribes.
The Saxons were better sailors than the Roman. The disintegration came from within the empire itself: competition between leaders to became emperors, the empire became so big that running, the distant territories from Roma was quite problematic. The Saxons were more or less a third reason for this fall of the Roman empire, as dangerous as they were unexpected. The Roman were not living in a emergency situation: they were trapped in their own peaceful strategy. The Saxons came with only half the army the Romans had 300 years earlier. Others tribes became interested too, and followed the Saxons’ example. 67 AD – the threat from the North and the Eastern Coast became concrete with a combine attack (not a coalition) on the Roman settlement in Britain. This progression took more than 13 years. In 410 AD, the decision came from Roma to leave Britain. The army was called back. Many stayed: they had now family here. Disintegration of the whole Roman system, and that everywhere. The Celtic culture came back very soon and the Roman lifestyle disappeared with the last Roman soldiers leaving Britain. II/ Saxons, Danes, and Normans (409 – 1154) ( Saxon Britain and the 7 kingdoms Saxons came before the decline of the Romans. 50 AD – the Saxons controlled 3 settlements: Essex, Sussex and the county of Kent. The Saxons were very mobile, quicker than the Romans, and pagans. It took them time to settle themselves. Four kingdoms (East Angelia, Kent, Essex, Sussex) and three superpowers, military, social and political organisation (Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex). The only part Saxons could not subdue was the Eastern part. For the next 7/8 centuries, Britain is not organised around a queen. ( Saxon way of life They stayed during 200 years and it was peaceful everywhere. War was not on the agenda of the Saxons.
Social order = Saxons preferred that each tribe had its own leader/king. He was to be surrounded by people who helped him, gave him moral and social support, gave him advice (( a sort of government). The king had to have military experience. The peasants paid allegiance to the chief, showed him deep respect. The king protected his people. The queen had no political power but she embodied what people wanted to be, someone in whom you can place your trust. In case a member of a tribe killed (accidentally or on purpose) a member of an other tribe, he had to pay the grieving family.
Wergild = laws, codification of some sort of habits (for example, when a chief died, all his people were buried with him). This social organisation influenced Britain for many years: idea of established order. The Saxons were excellent farmers, they liked to work the land with their plough. In 470 AD they devised an instrument to work the land which is going to remain the same and as useful until very much later. They cleared the whole Eastern coast to give easier access to the sea. ( One country but two churches 597 AD – Establishment of the ecclesiastic capital: Canterbury.
Celtic church and Roman church. Works of art inspired by Christianity: The Books of Kells, best manifestation of the deeply-rooted christianity in the country. Second main ecclesiastic figure after the Queen: the archbishop of Canterbury. [England since the XVI century is no longer = Anglican organisation]. Saint Augustine was sent by the Pope Gregory in order to christianize the country. New calendar = Gregory’s calendar. It brought into England another vision of the world. The Saxons were ready to accept any vision coming from the outside world. The North is converted.
Saint Patrick went to Roma to receive a training. He came before Saint Augustine. Both men came from the same church but they had two different education and organisation of the church, with different ritual and celebration. Both had this long desire of unification of the country. Monasteries were built ( wealthy, powerful, protected. Split between the two churches. ( Invasion of the Vikings, of the Danes Danelaw : territory occupied by the Vikings (East part of Britain). During the VIII century, the map of England changed progressively (composed of 3 entities at that time).
We found a litany in Saxons’ praying books, who were all Christians: “From the fury of the Norsemen, Lord deliver us”. It must design the Vikings, who did come from the North. The reputation of the Vikings preceded the Vikings themselves: the Saxons already knew they were harsh. 793- Before the creation of the Danelaw, the Vikings attacked = destruction of the Lindisfarm, the most important religious settlement, considered as a symbol of Catholicism. The Vikings killed salvagy more than 300 “moines” : a total bloodshed. They attacked the embodiment of Saxon’s culture, the heart of this country.
Great shock for Britain, but also for Rome and Europe. First time a religious place was under attack. 865- Systematic settlement of the Vikings in England, which was programmed before. Creation of the Danelaw. ( Dynasty of Alfred the Great (871 – 899) the battle of Eddington (Alfred vs. the Vikings) and the partition of the country : Wessex and Danelaw Objective of the Vikings : occupy the East territory. First target : the Wessex, who was under the reign of Alfred the Great, who was determined not to lose, to fight and to defeat these “barbares coming from the North”.
Battle of Eddington 878 : turning point. Starting from there, England is divided into two parts : Wessex and Danelaw or in other words, Saxons and Vikings. It is the partition of the country and the beginning of the physical creation of the Danelaw. The enemy is within the country itself. Alfred’s reforms (871 – 899): reorganisation of the Wessex, building of settlements, building of navy code, of a legal code, translation of religious instruction, etc… Alfred is going to create an army based on a “rota basis”, which means based on a list of people compelled to become part of this army.
Alfred was a soldier himself: his army was consequently very sophisticated and won a lot of battles against the Vikings. Even after his death, his army kept protecting the Wessex, for more than 400 years. It was an undefeated army, the national policemen (they also protected others tribes). Building of capitals, networks, urban organisation, even if the Wessex was 90% agriculture. First people to build a navy. Creation of a legal code based on texts = a sort of judiciary system on the basis that if you go North or East, you’ll be given the same justice.
It gave the Wessex a sort of a legal unification. It will be kept for the next 10 centuries or so. First legal code ever created. Alfred was a pious man, a defender of Roman’s church and Christianity. He was acting as a statesman, he ruled this huge organisation of the country and he created a dynasty, which lasted until 1606. – Edward the Elder (899-925): son of Alfred, he spread over English influence and control. He had exactly the same capacities as his father: he was acknowledged York by the Vikings ( he could override the Viking army with his own and with his courage.
Wessex flourished under him, became prosperous. Navy developed: Edward imposed his control over the sea. Supremacy of Wessex: he followed his father’s path. He broke the agreement with the Vikings (no one dared to do that after him). – Athelstan (925-939): son of Edward. He had others ambitions: he strengthened royal control over his large kingdom. Most peaceful period: the Vikings had understood that they were not strong enough to conquer. He was interested in Ireland. The territory became bigger and much more important than before. – Edmund I (939-946): second one of Edward, religious, less soldier.
He was called the Deed-Doer and his priority was to spread over the Catholicism. He thought exploring was no use. – Edred (946-955): third son. Military actions over the Vikings: he wanted to break the Danelaw back to the Wessex but failed. – King Edwy (955-959): useless. – Edgar (959-975): Edmund’s son. A more united kingdom based on royal justice and order emerged: he spread the legal cause, he wanted to give justice event to the peasants. – King Edward the Martyr (975-978): Edgar’s son. – Ethelred (978-1015): Edward’s half brother. Known as the Incapable to protect his country.
He was not a soldier, wasn’t even interested in becoming King. He provoked the Vikings and showed them how weak and unorganised he was. He handed to his son a country on the border on a downfall. – Edmund (1015-1016): Ethelred’s son. Defeated by the Vikings (Canute) at Ashingdom. He had absolutely no chance to win, he couldn’t cope with the situation. ( Vikings kings of Britain (1016-1043) Battle of Ashingdom in the S/O: turning point. Inauguration of the Vikings kingdom and dynasty: 3 kings, one father and his two sons. One of their biggest problem was succession, because the sons had no offspring.
It was the determined factor of their fail. Canute (1016-1035) wanted to unify the country: 1st King of United Kingdom, composed of the Wessex, the Danelaw, Denmark and Northway. He was successful, at least in his own lifetime. Canute converted himself into Christianity and asked the Vikings to do the same; All the popes at that time were very militant. They wanted to make sure Canute was sincere in his faith. So in 1027-1028, Canute went on a pilgrimage to Rome and stayed there one year, devoting his time to religion ( proof of his conversion.
The pope could now rely on him. The fact that he stayed one year reinforced this impression and his mistakes were partly forgotten and excused. He put forward the argument that if he married Emma, Ethelred’s wife, it would bring peace and unify the country, avoiding bloodshed. The pope agreed. The marriage was staged, in that purpose. Harmony, understanding and corporation during his reign. If the church would find itself threatened by a danger, Canute’s army will protect it = corporation. Canute followed exactly the same methods the kings of Wessex used before him.
No break in term of government, bring respectable laws to the distant realm, bring justice everywhere, lay the foundation of the kingdom, to create unity. The word “kingdom” was first used at that time, which means unity, unification, justice. It was a really complex reality. Kingdom is involving much more reality and stability than the realm does. He had two sons: Harefoot and Hardicanute, respectively 1035-1040 and 1040-1043. They did not have sons ( question of succession. What happened after this very peaceful dynasty? ( Back to the House of Wessex
Edward the “Confessor”, son and Emma and Ethelred, wasn’t brought up in England. He was closer to the Vikings: after all, his mother was married to a very famous one! He was brought up in Normandy, as a successor. He came to Britain to take the throne with Earl Godwin (kind of a Prime Minister), one of the most powerful nobles at that time. Earl married his daughter to Edward ( this noble was in a way controlling everything. His ambition was that Edward will have a son with his daughter, and so he would run the country. But his daughter never gave a son to Edward. So Earl Godwin’s own son became king next.
For the first time, the king came from a noble family and not a pure and royal family. His name was Harold Godwinson. Legally, he had no right to become king. He wasn’t brought up in a royal family. Duke William of Normandy, whose father was Emma’s brother (named Robert), was also claiming for the throne. He vowed to start a war if Harold took the throne. Edward died, Harold became king. And he had an other enemy : Tostig, his half-brother… ( The Normans (1066-1154) King Harold and the double threat- Duke William of Normandy and Tostig = Earl Godwin’s other son, Harold’s own half-brother.
King Harold became king being absolutely prepared to fight. Battle of Standfort Bridge, 25 September 1066- King Harold had no time to settle himself as a king: as soon as he came on the throne, he had to prepare his army to fight against Tostig, who came to Britain at the head of a very large army (7000 men). 80% of the soldiers came from the North. Harold had to face the largest coalition of those times. Most important battle of English history. Harold had the support of the British people but very few soldiers, even if they were really fond of him.
He had the popularity of being a good man. If he could win the battle, it was because his people were trusting him. Harold won, took Tostig prisoner, and negotiated with Denmark to exchange him against money. Battle of Hastings, 14 October 1066- As soon as this battle was over, Duke William of Normandy came back from France, claiming the England land. He was very powerful and threatening. He engaged the battle of Hastings at the head of a very large army (8 000 men). Harold couldn’t possibly have the time to prepare and train his own army: the battle was lost from the beginning.
Hastings was a turning point: Harold was taken prisoner and died later, and Duke William proclaimed himself king of United Kingdom (no more Danelaw, no more Wessex, etc…). This battle is a landmark in British history. William spoke only Old French. Funny thing: until the XVIII century, English kings considered themselves as the righteous heirs of the French throne, because of the Duke! What did the Normans bring to England during the XI century? Social changes, military changes, even the language changed. William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), king of England
It took him 5 years to subdue the British population, but it wasn’t 5 years of fighting, only settlement. However, it took him 10 years to establish his new regime: the feudal system, organised around the relationship between Lords and vassals, linked by the Feudal Contact (= need to supply food and knights). This contract is based on constructing the Feudal Pyramid of Power. Serf = someone who belongs to a territory, which belongs to a noble. So it was a serfdom system. The relationship between Lords and vassals was political: it made up a big part of the political and social structure of the feudal system.
The king was no longer a warrior, as we are in the Middle Age: he was becoming a political lord ( construction of the political system. This is the backbone of the feudal system: if the king had no respect for his vassals, we could be sure he wasn’t going to last very long on the throne. Vassals had certain duties to perform to the lord: find new territories, new peasants,… All nobles were ultimately vassals of the King (he considered them all as vassals). Feudal Contract: lords give protection to vassals and vassals give service to lords. It was a turning wheel when one was in need of the other.
It worked until the XVI century. Pyramid of Power: KING loyalty and serviceland POWERFUL NOBLES loyalty and military serviceprotection LESSER NOBLES (KNIGHTS) labourprotection SERFS AND FREEMEN Domesday Book: How did it help? It deals with the wealth of the country. William the Conqueror brought from France this capacity to know very exactly what was going on in this or this region. Hence it’s the book with all the details about the production, about everything that concerns agriculture and farming (cattle), about the consummation, … classifying the regions according to their characteristic.
Knowing these information will help him give the appropriate taxations to the appropriate region for example : if the region is wealthier than an other one, it’ll have to pay more taxes. Where does this name come from? Domesday in front of God = like the final confession, you have to give all the details of what you did in your life, why and how you did it. William thought he was supposed to know all the details of all the regions of his kingdom, hence this name, giving himself by this way the honorous title of “God”. So he considered himself as the eyes of the country.
He wanted to know everything about the exchequer (= finances). It was a modern conception about what is the government. One central book in London, but representatives supervising every region day after day for him and who stayed in the region they were supposed to observe. How did William survey the country? 1085, birthday of the Domesday, William ordered survey. Commissioners visited 13 000 villages. They go first to interview the priest, supposed to speak the truth and not saying rubbish. The priest would give exactly that the village produced.
After the priest, it was the turn of the wise men of the village, the elderly ones. Soldiers threatened to kill the liars ( William wanted the total truth. He was also very suspicious, so he went to see the villages again, to check and compare the information given. How did the Domesday Book help William? The king was wealthy at that time only because of the taxes : if we are collecting taxes today for the government, it’s for everyone behealth; at that time it was only for the selfish purpose of William. That jerk. He wasn’t devoted in the construction of roads, or school, for example.
He only needed money to be able to pay for a war (wars were expensive). William was very ambitious and he had to protect UK and Normandy. He decided to settle one for all the quarrels over the land. What did the commissioners ask? How many people lived there? Who held the land? What type of people worked on the land? How many pigs, sheep and cows did each man own? How many ploughs? How many mills (= moulins) and ponds? William I’s sons and daughter: – Robert – William II – Henry – Adela They are all heirs to throne. Robert was the eldest, so supposed to be the King.
But he was given the Normandy and became Duke of Normandy. All the Dukes of Normandy wanted to take the UK’s throne, just like William I did. The second son, William II became king. William II (1087 – 1100), nicknamed “Rufus” He received a organized country (standing army, Domesday book,…), but in continuous rebellion against the central power: the peasants were challenging the authority of the kings. William was hence tested and had to spend a lot of time with policies of subjugation = it means that he had to tame, to show that he was as strong as his father was before him, to show how powerful he was.
Contrary to the Vikings, he was a very capable man and could preserve the realm, protect it and continue his father’s deeds. He had to uphold the power of the centre and spread these words over the country : “the king is the only potent one, the king is the one in control”. Policies of subjugation. When he died in 1100 by a stray arrow in his eye, nobody was sad and there was no mourning. Henry I (1100 – 1135) He had to war his brother Robert, the Duke of Normandy, to obtain the throne. Battle of Tinchebrai in 1106. Henry had the support of all the English people (he was appreciated), Robert had no one supporting him.
Support was a great value in this time of wars = it gave courage to the soldiers. Robert lost the battle and was taken as a prisoner to England. Henry did something very interesting, not completely new but very appreciated by the people: he focused on the legal system. He enforced laws all over the country and settled a Court which was mobile and travelling around the country. The Court was made of 5/6 judges, who were towering the country and giving their decision about lands/animals/… problems. Henry was not concerned by wars, which means he needed less money, so less taxes.
Consequently, people appreciated him and support him. A great king, that one. Concerning the Domesday book, Henry is the one who used the word “exchequer” for the first time. Henry had problems of succession. , he had only one legitimate son who died before his father, drowned in a ship named the White ship. He had a daughter, Matilda, and the Barons weren’t sure if she would be able to protect the country, even if they appreciated her. They choose Stephen. First document to regulate the King’s action: The Charter of Liberties, in 1100. Stephen (1135 – 1154) His mother was Adela, daughter of William the Conqueror.
His reign was called the “Nineteen long winters”. He was hated by the people, because he didn’t keep the promise he had made to Henry the First that he would share the throne with Matilda. National war in which all the parts of the UK were involved. People were supporting Matilda, who had a son named Henry, later called Henry the II. He was living in Scotland. He drove the whole Scotland army behind him and forced Stephen to sign a paper on which it was decided that after Stephen’s death, the throne will go to him. Stephen did it. Henry had more support from the British. ? The Talks of Wallingford ? Durham ? 1156- end of the first civil war of British history. III/ Medieval England (1154 – 1450) ( Henry II’s reign, the dynasty of Plantagenet Henry the II came to power in 1154. He was married to a French woman, very wealthy, named Eleanore d’Acquitaine. Her family owned very larges territories. But she brought him power and French support too. He was also king over some large parts of France. Henry had to be watchful in case for example the French may claim for their territories back. He changed the name of the dynasty to “Plantagenet”, inspired by a French flower which became the symbol of the dynasty.
This dynasty opened a new area. Establishment of the authority of the centre – Henry came at a special time: Stephen had let a weak kingdom, he devoted his time to the civil war. Henry refocused on the idea of the centre, of the authority of the centre, of a structural government,… Remodeled the Exchequer – Henry spent lot of time working on the Exchequer (= ?? ). He followed the path his grandfather had took, but reorganized the model, the organisation. Big problem in 1154 of the civil war = the exchequer was not working efficiently.
So there was a lack of information for some region, and Henry had to find a way to know what had happened during these years, and how the production had worked. Most modern application than it used to be in the past with him. Improved the Common Law – An authority of the centre can only be based on justice, thought Henry. A tyrannical approach would destroy this authority. He created Courts everywhere in the country, holding hearings for the requests, the complains, and giving justice. He wanted to reinforce the idea of equality: this is what the Common Law represents. So far, a pretty good king, isn’t it?
Henry and the Church (Thomas Becket) – Becket occupied one of the highest rank in the Church and in the government, an equivalent of a prime minister, president of the Church, … He was the key to Henry’s system (? ). He was in conflict: pay a tribute to the king Henry, or worship God. He choose the second, and Henry saw that as a betrayal: Becket was putting more faith in God than in him. Unbelievable! Many people wrote to Becket, trying to convince him to chose the King. But Becket refused. Becket was sentenced to death. First time a religious man was executed by order of the king. His killing took place in the cathedral, in the church.
The whole Christianity was so angry, the Pope tried to ex-communicate Henry. He didn’t manage, but became the ultimate authority in terms of bishop in the country. ( Richard’s reign (1183 – 1199) Very deep conviction and faith in Roman Christianity and devoted his life to God. So he had no problems with the Pope and was viewed as a good man ( very little money to spend, because no wars and no conflicts. Absent from England most of the time. Most interesting thing about him: he did much concerning Britain and its image abroad. Wish fulfilment for Richard to be outside of Britain. ( John Lackland’s reign (1199 – 1216)
His name is associated to the first important document that bonded the King with the law. This document is called the “Magna carta”, and was signed at Runnymede in 1215. His reign opens a period of long wars and conflicts between the King and the Barons, similar to a civil war. The first reason concerned taxes: John started a system which imposed taxes on the barons, he pressured them to work more, to be more efficient. John was considered as an enemy of the church, he refused to spread God’s words ( the perfect opposite of Richard. He harassed illegally nobles, and put them in jail without trials, or mocked ones.
The barons imposed on John a document that linked him to the law, that said that the law is a part of the King, that the King has to respect it. No resistance from John: “either you sign or we reverse the system” ( threat of the nobles. First time a King accepted to be dictated by a law: John inaugurated something really new. John was not allowed to raise taxes without the baron’s agreement, was not allowed to put people in jail before a trial proved them guilty. He had to protect all the English people, not abuse them. He couldn’t take a decision alone, he had to ask the board first.
The Magna carta, the Charter of Liberties and the Habeas Corpus were slowly introduced in the British society, to form the beginning of the Constitution. They also inspired others countries’ Constitution. John had another problem: he preferred to stay in power, to deal with politics and spread his power. Opposed to the Church. His power was miscalculating. He lost Sicilia: he was forced to step down and give back the crown of Sicilia. John died, his first son was too young to control the whole country ( a regency was created, first time it was dictated by a document like Magna carta. Henry III’s reign (1216 – 1272) The provision of Oxford 1258 First Parliament 1264 The Provisions of Oxford 1258 (replaced by the Provisions of Westminster in 1259) (a panel of 4 knights and the Sheriffs) + a council of 15 members Henry overthrow the Provisions of Westminster in 1261. The provision of Oxford is the first step of the Constitution of the government for the future. Beyond the codification between the King and a board of 15 people, it installs in each county a local governor, which represented the King and was called sheriff.
His mission was to install the law, to make the King’s name respective and make sure that each county was organized in the same way. Political organization of the British territory. The problem is that the Board was surrounding the King and giving him advice and agreement, and the King had a personal representation of power. He didn’t want to share decisions with the Board, he didn’t want people to dictate what he should do. The thorny problem was mainly taxation. The King was supposed to pay the servants, to respect the law imposed by the barons. Separation of the three powers, thanks to this document.
What are the differences and similarities between the Magna Carta and the provision of Oxford? They both claimed that the King wasn’t allowed to take decisions on himself. The Magna Carta was however much more directed to the King. The providence of Oxford dealt with organization of the government and of the territory. First Parliament in 1264. At that time, Parliament was composed only of those rich landlords. It was not a Parliament representative of the people. “House of Lords” ( Edward the First (1272 – 1307) – Late Medieval England Welsh and Scottish campaigns. 1301 = annexion of Welsh.
Edward based his government on the Provision of Oxford. Emergence of a local government in every region. Edward improved and modernized the role of the government and linked the work of the government to a legal affair = law has just become completely related to the government. The law could find its real relevance in terms of parliament actions and government actions. A sort of modern government and parliament has just emerged. The King has to answer to the Board. But this Board was not representative of the poors. The more wealthy you are, the more you are authorized to belong to this parliament.
Democracy was base on how wealthy you were and how big were your territories. Edward was aware he had to work in correspondence with the law. Persecution of the Jews. Dark page of the British history of the Medieval times. First: The Statute of Jewry in 1275. Second: Edit of Expulsion of 1290. The problem of Edward was that he had to share the decisions, so his popularity were challenged by the barons. The barons had a different analysis of how the country should be controlled. Most of the British Jews at that time were working in finance, had the job to lend money to others with interests.
Edward found this practice completely illegal, so he issued in 1275 the Statute of Jewry making this function illegal and putting many Jews in jail or executing them or expelling them from Britain. It brought him support from those who were not Jews, a popularity in short terms. All the “coin clippers” were dominated. ( Edward II’s reign (1307 – 1327) – deposed Before being King of England, he was supposed to be Prince of Wales. First Prince of Wales. Continued his father’s work in term of campaigns. Beginning of a strange civil war between by two families: he was deposed by his uncle.
The war of Roses started in 1327. ( Edward III’s reign (1327 – 1377) Moment of peace with Scotland. But problem with France because all the British’s kings wanted to become king of France too someday. France disagreed: there will be no English kings on the French throne ( Treaty of Bretigny. So wars with France. Very dangerous period. He saved lives in his country and money by signing this treaty. He didn’t want to be as unpopular as his father was. Towns were becoming important (London), and caused the expansion of the non-respect of hygiene rules ( first reason why the disease stroke Britain.
These sanitation problems led to the Black Death, which killed one third of the British population. In turn, peasants made more money because of labor shortage (side effect of the plague! ). The killing of one third of the population affected the feudal system and threatened it: landlords and barons were in short of workers, lands were neglected, no crops, no production = so some of the peasants were authorized to move from one region to another, to change of barons, but had fist to ask an authorization, like slaves ( the Statute of Labourer in 1351.
Sheriffs asked the King to do everything he could to maintain the feudal system in the country. And it will be. The Statute of Laboured provoked the reaction of the peasants. Watt Tyler, a anonymous peasant, organized meetings of the peasants in London and the first political demonstration , asking for the peasants to go to the King residence and obliging him to go back on his decision on the Statute of Labourer. But W. Tyler had no experience in the political area = peasants came to London, went out of control and killed Sir Robert Hale, who was the equivalent of the minister of finance.
The news came very quickly to the King and his guards, who came to arrested the angry peasants and W. Tyler, who was executed, and many peasants, who were tried or executed. Or both. End of the first peasant rebellion. ( Richard II’s reign (1377 – 1399) Not a King in full power. The power was mainly in the hands of Councils, which was led by his uncle John of Gaunt. The government of Richard was weak = he was 9 years old. According to the Magna Carta, a regency was issued. The Statute of Laboured provoked the reaction of the peasants.
Watt Tyler, a anonymous peasant, organized meetings of the peasants in London and the first political demonstration , asking for the peasants to go to the King residence and obliging him to go back on his decision on the Statute of Labourer. But W. Tyler had no experience in the political area = peasants came to London, went out of control and killed Sir Robert Hale, who was the equivalent of the minister of finance. The news came very quickly to the King and his guards, who came to arrested the angry peasants and W. Tyler, who was executed, and many peasants, who were tried or executed. Or both.
End of the first peasant rebellion. John Wyclif and the Lollards in 1381. ( Outstanding and respective figure at that time. He wanted to clean the Church from the rituals. Prefiguration of the Protestant movement in England. He founded his own movement, he called it the Lollards = first group of people having protestant rituals in term of praying and worshipping. Persecution of the Lollards. ( Wars of Roses (1455 – 1485) The Wars of Roses were a series of battles between the houses of Lancaster (the red rose) and York (the white rose) in the fifteenth century. The Wars of Roses were not civil wars in the true sense of the word.
So it was a family war. Both houses belonged to William the Conqueror. Richard the II was too young, so his uncle, who was pleased by the idea of power, took the throne. It was not a continuous war, it was a series of battle, and one of them was a total bloodshed. Sporadic and few battles between two families, involving few people. The armies were raised mainly through levy and from tenants = brought the limits of the wars of roses. The government was not involved. The family needed money, so they imposed levies, but they couldn’t impose them over a large territory.
They could not afford it, and that is why the war was stopped in 1485. The families were dependent of the soldiers: they hired them, but they weren’t professionals. ( Henry IV (1399 – 1413) Not predestined to become a King: son of John of Gaunt, House of Lancaster, the Red Rose. A very weak ruler. Not brought up to be a Prince. This led to great turmoil and the creation of robber-barons. Barons were more powerful than the King. Corruption was wide spread. Provision of Oxford was less respected by the King. Henry the IV tried to rule alone, and this decision wasn’t really accepted. ( Henry V (1413 – 1422)
Eldest son of Henry IV. Revived the Hundred Years’ War by invading France, defeating the French at Agincourt. A popular king for his military prowess and his interest in the poor. Unexpectedly, he succeed in both the wars he was engaged on = the Wars of Roses and the war against France. ( Henry VI (1422 – 1461) (1470 – 1471) Incompetent and mentally unstable. Last king belonging to the Lancaster House. During his reign, all English possessions in France, except Calais, were lost in 1470. Warfare broke out between the Yorkist and Lancastrian factions. Deposed by Edward IV in 1460. ( Henry V (1413 – 1422)
