¶ … Norman Conquest of England: The Consequences
The Norman Conquest was a crucial event in the history of England. It was the occurrence of this event that led to further developments in the English Monarchy, as well as with regard to the government. It also influenced the English society and the language ultimately giving England a new perspective. There were numerous events that ultimately lead to the conquest of England. It all started off when, King Knute the mighty reined over England and Duke William the Bastard was the Duke of Normandy. England and Normandy had good relations before the conquest occurred, as Aethelred the Unready, was married to a Norman princess, and had fled the country seeking protection in Normandy. His son Edward was born and brought up in France and later his son returned to England to conquer the English throne in 1042. Edward was also known as the 'Confessor'.
After assuming power, Edward established an Anglo-Saxon dynasty and to do so he brought many of his Norman friends and gave them posts in his government. In the year 1066, Edward died childless and after him, Harold who was actually the son of Edward's principal advisor, Godwin came to throne. But William, who was a duke of Normandy, did not appreciate this as being the second cousin of Edward he expected to be King after the demise of Edward. Hence he attacked England in September 1066. Unfortunately, Harold was in the North of England fighting against attacks from Norwegian Vikings. Taking advantage of the situation, William and his troops landed in Pevensey, which is on the south coast of England and captured the territory. On hearing of the attack, Harold tried to set up an opposition but was outnumbered by William's men. Hence the Norman's won the battle because of being more in number and William became the King of England on Christmas Day in 1066.
The period, when the Norman Conquest was being carried out, England was in social chaos. The results of the conquest were disastrous, having different affects on different locations. A very good example is the fact that the Normans found it very difficult to establish control over their newly acquired grounds, both the north and southwest. Right after the conquest, there was a system that let the Englishmen keep their land if they pledged to be loyal to the King. But at the same time, there were quite a few upheavals against the Norman rule between 1067 and 1070, Though quite a few of them were subservient to the Norman empire. Though it can be said in course of time, the defeat and the harsh conditions that the English had undergone which ultimately lead to various social and political turbulences after the conquest were forgotten. (Van Houts, pp: 9). The people just felt that the new rule established was meant to be and for their benefit and just got accustomed to it. The Normans and the English started to intermingle but faster than their mingling was that of national interest. This brings us to the realization that Norman Conquest did not just bring about political or military changes but brought about a rapid change in language, landscape and the building styles.
After the Norman Conquest, French culture started to spread in England. It was during this time that a lot of changes were implemented in England that led to the formation of Modern England. The spread of French was so rapid that French actually became the language of law, and it was also used in most songs, verses and for romance too. It spread so quickly that in a small span of time, all the noble men in Europe knew French and French was considered the ' Language of the civilized'. French culture slowly started to seep into every feature of English lives. The troops that had helped the conqueror while establishing control over England had retained back in England...
Among the practices of the Anglo-Saxon in England before the conquest include, the introduction of their religious beliefs into the country. England became a Christianity practicing nation, as most of the Anglo-Saxons were Catholic Christians. Additionally, their political landscape had the organization of a divided nation, which devolved power to the states, then later the unified state. Therefore, due to this dynamic organization of the states in England, England was
King Edward I of England and his Castle Building Scheme The reign of King Edward I (1272-1307) was marked by almost constant military activity in the British Isles and France. Edward's policy of expansion and conquest in Scotland and Wales was aggressive and, broadly, successful. Among the notable characteristics of Edward's warlike policies was the construction of a large number of castles, above all in Wales, as centers of military and
setting background presented set main tenets major legal systems explain select preferred forum resolving legal disputes business, . This assignment intended demonstrate basic understanding legal system adopted United States identifying main tenets comparing contrasting main tenets major legal system. Legal system The United States of America is currently the largest economy of the globe, and the source of most technological innovations and social advancements. Aside from these accomplishments, the U.S. is
Crime The current designation of the major categories of crime in the U.S. can be traced to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066. Prior to this period the Church was the primary regulator of morality, but over time the Church began to lose control over the lives of people and the local governments began making regulations (Dworkin, 1978). After 1066 Henry II institutionalized law throughout England in order that it
They were seen as wives, mothers, daughters and usually "portrayed in relation to a man or group of man" (Klapisch-Zuber285). While they were given little freedom outside this restricted sphere, critics observe that medieval women were granted substantial autonomy within that sphere. Men "imposed a closely circumscribed domain in which women exercised a degree of autonomy... primarily the house, a space both protected and enclosed, and, within the house,
Social History in Perspective: Family and Household in Medieval England, by Peter Fleming. Specifically, it will examine several questions regarding the book and its author. Peter Fleming's book deals mainly with the laws surrounding medieval families, and how they affected so many parts of family life. Less attention to the law, and more attention to the actual activities of the family might have made it a more interesting read. FAMILY
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