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Britain

Britain. For three centuries England was controlled by the Jutes, Angles, and the Saxons. They fought amongst themselves, but Viking raids brought them into a union under the Anglo-Saxon king, Alfred the great. The Norman Conquest (1066 CE).

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Britain

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  1. Britain • For three centuries England was controlled by the Jutes, Angles, and the Saxons. • They fought amongst themselves, but Viking raids brought them into a union under the Anglo-Saxon king, Alfred the great.

  2. The Norman Conquest (1066 CE) • One of the most significant events on English history when Williamthe Conqueror (Duke of Normandy) crossed the English Channel an army of 7000 soldiers.

  3. At the Battle of Hastings he defeated the Saxon king, Harold. • It is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry

  4. Once he had conquered the country he built his castle, the Tower of London, to protect and control the city of London. • He also built many others as signs of power over the conquered people.

  5. In order to control and govern the country he introduced the Feudal System.

  6. Large plots of English land were divided amongst Norman noblemen who served him in battle. • In return they swore an oath of loyalty to him. • These Lords (barons, earls, and dukes) collected taxes, provided soldiers. • In order to govern these lands the lords further divided the lands amongst their loyal Knights, who swore an oath to them, collected taxes, and provided soldiers. • All were effectively tenants, loyal to the king who owned the land, and through this system the peasants (serfs) of England were controlled.

  7. Feudalism

  8. Feudalism was an economic, political, and social organization for life in the Middle Ages. • Economically, it controlled the distribution of land. • Politically, it ensured the protection of all people. • Socially it provided a structure to define each persons place, rights, and responsibilities.

  9. Feudalism had a hierarchy– people were ranked in classes, one above the other. (see feudal pyramid p. 302) • The King was at the top of the hierarchy. He was overlord. The highest lords were his vassals. • Greater Lords received land from him in exchange for military service (about 40 days per year). These lands were called fiefs. • Greater Lords divided their land amongLesser Lords. Lesser Lords were their vassals and owed them military service. • The Lesser lords further divided their lands between their knights. Knights in turn owed them military service as professional warriors.

  10. Knights were noblemen trained from childhood to fight – it was their only occupation. They wore armor and rode horses. • Because they were so expensive to train and equip, they were given land instead of money so they could provide for themselves. • Only the lowest knights had no vassals.

  11. Peasants - Serfs • Peasants (commoners who made up the lowest class) became known as Serfs. Most were farm workers. • They provided all manual labour for the estate of the lord and lady.

  12. All of these classes were hereditary. • A serf was born a serf; a lord was born a lord, etc.

  13. Townspeople • A new class emerged with the birth of towns in the 11th century. • Townspeople included all those serfs who paid a fee for their freedom. • They worked as merchants and craftsmen. • They could buy their own land to be independent of the lords, thus forming the middle class.

  14. Vassal - A feudal landowner who is obliged to pay homage and loyalty to another feudal Lord in return for being allowed to occupy that Lords land and receive protection. • Fief - An area of land given to a person to farm in exchange for certain obligations. • Feudal contract - The mutual exchange of responsibilities between lord and vassal.

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