1.2.1 Relationship Flashcards
After 1066 and the Norman invasion of England, kings of ________ controlled several of the important areas of France
England
What is Normandy? (3)
- From the mid-800s, the Vikings began to set their sights on France as well as England
- For a while, the leaders of France paid the Vikings to retreat
- After a while, the French king gave in to the Vikings and granted their leader, Rollo, much of northern France. Since they were ‘north men’, this land came to be known as Normandy
How did the Normans come to rule England?
- In 1066, the English king Edward the Confessor died, and there were three claimants for the English throne: Harold Godwinson (an Englishman), Harald Hardrada (a Viking who was related to King Cnut), and William of Normandy (a Norman Duke)
How did William Duke of Normandy present his right to the throne?
He claimed both Edward and Harold Godwinson had agreed he should take the throne
How did Harold Godwinson present his right to the throne?
He was the most powerful man in England; the Witan supported his claim to the throne
How did Harald Hardrada present his right to the throne?
Viking ruler of Denmark; stated that as Vikings had conquered England for many years he should be king
Who got to be king from the three claimants after Edward’s death?
The day after Edward’s death the Witan elected Harold Godwinson as king. They crowned him immediately but that did not stop Hardrada and William planning invasions to take the throne
What was the Battle of Stamford Bridge?
- September 1066: Harold and Harald fought each other in the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Harold was successful and Harald was killed, therefore ending any more Viking claims on the English throne
What did King William I do? (3)
- England was invaded by William and he defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings
- William then became King William I of England, as well as being the Duke of Normandy
- Therefore, William and future English kings in the Middle Ages had an interest in what was going on in France
Which English king died in 1066?
Edward the Confessor
When was King Harold defeated by William Duke of Normandy?
14 October 1066
When was William Duke of Normandy crowned king?
Christmas Day 1066
How did King William control the English? (4)
William faced rebellions which he put down fiercely. He kept control by:
- giving Normans land in return for loyalty and support
- each Norman baron and lord had his own knights and soldiers to keep the peace
- giving supporters top jobs in the Church
- encouraging Norman barons to build castles to control the whole of England
How did England change under the Normans? (3)
- French customs were introduced
- French became the language of those in power
- The Normans built hundreds of new churches, cathedrals and monasteries
What happened when William the Conqueror died in 1087?
The Norman Kingdom was divided up between his two eldest sons. His youngest son Henry got nothing, until one of his brothers died and he became King of England. Henry then went on to defeat his other brother, and so the Norman Kingdom was again united under one man: Henry I of England and Duke of Normandy
What was Henry I’s plan for when he died?
He wanted his daughter, Matilda, to rule when he died. He married her to a powerful French lord, Geoffrey, Count of Anjou. (Anjou was another region of France and the leaders of Anjou was known as the Angevins)
What actually happened when Henry died? (4)
- A powerful noble named Stephen (Matilda’s cousin) seized the throne. Many people fled he had a claim to the throne.
- For the next 19 years there was a series of battles as Matilda fought back
- In 1153, an agreement was reached that Matilda’s son, Henry, would become king when Stephen died
- In October 1154 King Stephen died and Matilda’s son became King Henry II of England
When did King Stephen die and Maltida’s son become king?
October 1154
What did Henry II have interests in once he became king?
The King of England now had interests not just in Normandy, but also in Anjou, and in Aquitaine (through Henry II’s marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine)
What was King Henry II known as before he became king of England?
Henry of Anjou
When King Henry II was King of England, he had interests not just in __________, but in _____________, ______, and _____________!
England, Normandy, Anjou, Aquitaine
