Centralizing Power

Medieval England and France

William the Conqueror 1066-1087) Illegitimate son of Robert

Duke of Normandy Married Mathilda, daughter

of Count Baldwin of Flanders

Brought archers and cavalry to claim English throne; Harold’s infantry had neither

Crowned king Christmas Day 1066

Half brother Odo, bishop of Bayeux serves as regent when William absent

Henry I (1100-1135) Younger brother of William

Rufus (II) Crowned three days after

brother’s death in a hunting accident

Nickname “Beauclerc” indicates he had received some learning possibly in preparation for career in the church

Legitimate sons drowned; succeeded by nephew Stephen since barons opposed to female ruler (daughter Matilda)

Henry II (1154-1189) Spent only 13 years in

France; 21 on the continent

Ruled an empire from Scotland to the Pyrenees

Died in France fighting his son Richard who had joined forces with the French King

Richard the Lionheart (1189-1199)

Went on crusade 1190 Captured by the Holy

Roman Emperor and held for ransom

150,000 silver marks John’s efforts to seize

the crown blocked by Eleanor of Aquitaine

John (1199-1216) Nicknamed Lackland and

Soft sword Excommunicated in 1209 Forced to sign Magna

Carta as peace treaty ending rebellion of barons

England is in Civil War when John dies; barons have asked French king to rule

                               

      

British Hat RackNobility English lords supporting Harold lose lands Barons swear direct allegiance to WI W grants fiefs to Normans but they must

secure his permission to fortify castles

LandWilliam conquers England

Henry II marries Eleanor of Aquitane

English kings involved in hundreds of years of war trying to hold lands in France

MilitaryWilliam the Conqueror

ToPWilliam’s heirs follow in his footsteps

Economy William’s Domeday Book Henry I sets up tax collectors behind checkered

tables – Chancellor of the Exchequer Edward secures support of Parliament to raise taxes

Religion Henry II appoints Thomas Beckett Archbishop

of Canterbury; may have been responsible for his murder

Issue: extent to which churchmen are subject to King’s courts

Bureaucracy Henry I institutes bureaucracy names those loyal

to him

Judiciary Henry II institutes jury system Henry II sends royal judges all over England

once a year Beginnings of a unified body of law –Common

law

Hugh Capet (987-996)

Chosen instead of the last Carolingian

Spent much of is reign fighting

Ruled with son Robert Gave away his lands

to secure the dynasty

Philip II (Augustus) 1165-1223 More than doubled

domains of French king

Fought major barons and won before taking on John

Began the building of Notre Dame

Walled the city of Paris

Louis IX (the Pious) (1226-1270)

Curbed private feudal warfare

Encouraged use of Roman law

Went on 7th Crusade 1248; stayed in the Holy Land until 1254

Helped to fortify cities Died on 8th crusade

Philip IV (The Fair) 1285-1314 Arrested Jews and seized

their assets Levied a 50% tax on clergy’s

income Arrested Knights Templar

and may have seized their significant treasury

Trying to pay for the costly crusades of his predecessors in part and for the increased cost of war

Expands bureaucratic model

French Hat RackNobility Tough to control since so many are more

powerful than the French kings Capetians build bureacracy to outmaneuver and

build their lands through marriage and conquest

Land Capetian lands not extensive but sit across trade

routes Philip II (Augustus) triples lands controlled by

Capetians through conquest, becoming more powerful than his nobles

MilitaryPhilip Augustus successfully fights King John (Lackland, Softsword) of England regaining Normandy

ToPHugh Capet surprises everyone –he and his heirs produce baby boys who live

Economy Bailiffs collect taxes (PII) Philip IV insists on collecting taxes from the

Church that had previously paid no tax Gets backing for this policy from Estates General

ReligionPhilip IV defies Pope Boniface VIII (clearly unafraid of excommunication or interdict – gets backing from Estates General Captures the PopeManipulates the election of French pope who moves papacy to Avignon for 100 years

BureaucracyPhilip II sets up beginnings of the French bureacracy when he creates royal officials to serve the courts and collect taxes

JudiciaryBailiffs serve in royal courts Royal courts of appeal set up by Louis IX Weakens ties to lords who formerly set up courts