4. Key moments in british history

THE NORMANS

• Wiliam of Conqueror established a new Anglo – Norman state

• England became under military rule

• castles appeared all over the England to enforce the norman rule

• the new language Norman-French gave a birth to middle English and had a lasting effect on English

• Wiliam wrote Domesday book = the list of economic survey and livestock

• country was strictly organised according to the FEUDAL SYSTEM

• Henry II became king in 1162. Thomas Becket was named Arcibishop of Canterbury.

• in 1170 Becket was murdered at catedral and became martyr

• Canterbury Tales (Geoffrey Chaucer)

THE MIDDLE AGES

• middle ages were full of conflicts and battles

• Henry II – Richard I (nicknamed the Lionheart) – John the Lackland

• 1215 Magna Carta was written

• Limited power of king

• Showed that feudalism began to decline

• Part of unwritten constitucion (which is actually written in many documents: Magna Carta, Bill of Rights, “tradition”)

• Quaranteed the rights of freeman

• Quaranteed the freedom of church

• Black death (plaque) killed about one fifth of the British population

The Hundred years war (1337 – 1457)

• England lost everything in France apart from Calais

• it was war with France, Edward III wanted to be the King of France but the French King wouldn´t agree to this and so began the war

• the war ended in England´s defeat

War of roses

• conflict between Yorks and Lancesters

• finished in 1485 by Battle of Bosworth field

• Henry Tudor became king and started the reign of Tudors

• a dynastic struggle for the possession of the Crown between the House of York and the House of Lancaster, whose emblems were a white and red rose

• two powerful branches of the Royal Family for 30 years carried on civil war in order to secure the throne for themselves

• peace was made when Henry VII of Lancaster married Elizabeth of York

THE TUDORS (1485 – 1603)

• Henry Tudor ashered the new era of prosperity and stability, he laid foundations for one of the most fruitful periods in English history

• his son Henry VIII was a brilliant scholar and ambitious politic. He quickly dissipated money and was always looking for a quick way how to raise money. After his first wife failed to give birth to his male heir he wanted to divorce. He persuaded English bishops to make him head of the Anglican church (Act of Supermacy 1534). Thanks to this he had access to properties of Anglican church and did the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536-39). Henry died in 1547 and left three heirs: Edward, Mary and Elizabeth Tudor.

• Edward was too young to rule so the country was governed by a council untill Edward died at the age of 16 and Mary (Bloody Mary) became queen.

• by this time religion tension reached the peak and Mary burned hundreds of protestants at the stake. Mary died in 1588 and was succeeded by Elizabeth I.

• Elizabeth I was force for peace, reconciliation and prosperity. Elizabeth encouraged colonies abroad. The area of Virginia was named after her (was known as the Virgin queen since she never married).

• also the slave trade began and Bristol became very important in this respect

• in 1588 Spanish Armada was defeated by English Navy

• 1601 Poor law was established (made the local authorities responsible for their poor. They had to provide them home, food and work.