The Norman Conquest

Competition for the Crown

Death of King Edward the Confessor: January 1066

Succession: ǀ Harold Godwinson →

brother-in-law of Edward

Four Kings

Edgar The Aetheling

Harold Godwinson

William, DukeOf Normandy

Swegn Estrithson, King

Of Denmark

• Two invasions:

– Harald Hardrada of Norway

– William, the duke of Normandy

The Battle of Hastings

14 October 1066

Army of 20000 Norman warriors

Combination of different arms

Offensive strategy

The Church

• Controversy: Dead religion

before the Norman Conquest?

Normans and Britons – many things in common?

Reforming Christianity?

Powerful positions:French clergy

Constructionof new churches across England

ArtsClunaic reform:

recovery of consecrated scriptoria

Norman stonework

The Bayeaux Tapestry

Literature

Old English topics

French ones• Romance• Allegory

• Popular tales• Exempli• Fabliau• Bestiaries• Chronicles

The Bayeaux Tapestry

Very significant work of medieval art

Bishop Odo of Bayeaux, half-brother of William the Conqueror

The Norman perspective Justification of the

illegitimate invasion

Harold slain with an arrow through his eye

English Romanesque Architecture

800AD – 1100 ADOrigins: The

Bizantine EmpireNew kind of

buildings, materials and techniques

Stone vault ceilings

Archs

Buttressess

The expansion of castles in England

• The Motte and • Bailey Castles

FearSubmission

Wealth Envy

• Virtual tour of the Motte and Baley Castle

• http://www.timeref.com/3dindex.htm

Language changes

Society• Intermarriage

common among all levels of society

• Population Bigger cities and towns

• Rural society changed:CROP ROTATIONKept the country profitable

Wool processed in England

Generated new jobs

Construction of buildings and cathedrals artisans and craftmen with jobs for lifetime.

Economy 10thC economy

Markets

Towns

• Kings and lords Stimulated the wealthof their country coinage boroughs

• Men wealth strength of hierarchic society role or lordship

Summary

• Elite replacement• Change on governmental system Feudalism• Language: French – Latin – English• Castles introduced in England• Laws passed to give normans more power• Change of buildings’ style• Army occupation in much of the country• English bishops and monks Norman

bishops and monks

Questions 1.- Which of these were the consequences of the Norman

Conquest?a)Introduction of French b)Establishment of the monarchyc)Introduction of Feudalismc) All of thesed) None of these

2.- After The Norman Conquest there was a linguistic change: a)The common people started to speak French.b)The aristocracy and the clergy spoke Latin.c) Everyone took French as the daily language.d)None of these.

3.- The innovation in architecture was the proliferation of castles. T/F

4.- The English law system was the same as the Norman law system. T/F

Extra exercises

• To help you revise:http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/lessons/1066_claims/diagram.htm

Quizz on the Feudal System:http://www.btinternet.com/~mrfield/Conquest/feudalism/fedud_recap.htm

Ordering Game of The Battle of Hastingshttp://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/year7links/1066/orderinghomework.pdf

A 1066 word search

http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/year7links/1066/1066Search.PDF

Bibliography used

• www.SchoolHistory.co.uk• www.passmorehistory.homestead.com • www.eyewitnesstohistory.com • http://geoffboxell.tripod.com/1066.htm • www.localhistories.org/middle.html• http://en.wikipedia.org • www.essentialnormanconquest.com/encyclopedia.htm• www.bbc.co.uk/history• www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/architecture_01.shtml

Done by:

Christina Munder Estelles andArmonía Hita Garrido