English Monarchs 1000-1300 Flashcards
Athelred II - the Unready
Key facts
Reigned: 18th March 978- Dec 1013, 3 Feb 1014-23 April 2016
Born c 968 Died 23rd April 1016
Family:
1) Elfleda, daughter of earldorman; 8 sons (inc. Edmund II) and 5 daughters
2) Emma, daughter of the Duke of Normandy; 2 sons (Inc. Edmund the Confessor) and 1 daughter
Athelred - the Unready
Biography and key events
Period in 980s of trying to reduce power of the Church, but later encouraged construction of new monasteries
Wantage Code 997 accepted local customs and recognised importance of local customs
Danish raids from 980-982 damage London and Southampton, then again in 987 in the South West and at Maldon, Essex, in 991
–> Danegeld tax
London raided again in 994
Danegeld paid at 16 000 in 994 if Olaf, Danish King, would accept Christianity and never return. Olaf agreed but later authorities did not. Raids continued
–> Monasteries plundered, armies mobilised so frequently that men couldn’t work, England’s wealth decreased
Athelred acted erratically:
- in 1009 he instructed an entire new fleet but could not find able commanders and had no battle plans. It was mostly moored and destroyed in battle
- Marriage to daughter of Duke of Normandy, Richard, was tactical to create anti-Danish alliance. This was ineffective
- St. Brice’s Day massacre 13th November 1002: Killing of all Danes except the Anglo-Danes of Danelaw
- -> Swein returns to campaign from 1003-1007, halted by peace treaty and payment of £30 000 Danegeld
- Succeeded by the first Danish King, Canute but later drove him from North in second period of reign.
Swein, overview
Reigned: Denmark 986, England 1013, ended 3 February 1014
Born: c.960 Died: 3rd February 1014
Warrior king, usurped Athelred ‘the unready’. Athelred’s trusted thegn and friend Edric Sreona persuaded Witan to elect Swein. in Autumn 2013 but died months later after falling off his horse
Father of Canute
Canute, key facts
Reigned: England 30th November 1016- 12 November 1035, Denmark 1013-death, Norway 1013-death
Born: c.995 Died: 12th November 1035
Family:
1)Elgiva, daughter of Ealdorman of Diera, and 2 children;
2)Emma of Normandy, widow of Ethelred II, 3 children
Canute
Biography and key events
Most powerful King in Europe at the time as head of three countries
Accompanied Swein over to England in 1013, given charge of Northern fleet, secures position in North
Witan elects Athelred as King with Swein’s death, driving Canute from North.
Returned from Denmark to England in late 1015, which was in conflict between Danes/Saxons under Edmund ironside
Edmund and Canute divided England between them, with Canute taking Mercia/Northumbria. Edmund died in 1016, leaving Canute as King
AS KING
- Murdered/exiled some but not all of Saxon nobility as he would need their help to rule
- Divided England into 5-6 great Earldoms. Godwin became Earl of Essex in 1018, making him v. powerful
- Danegeld continued as a regular tax
- Became a true Christian. Established good relationships with Wulfstan and Lyfing, the archbishops of York and Canterbury
- -> Worked with Wulfstan to create law codes
- Tactical marriage to Athelred’s widow to secure throne
- Some unrest. Ealdorman of Western provinces banished. Thorkell, Ealdorman of East Anglia banished for some time until 1023
FOREIGN POLICY
- In Denmark from 1018-1020
- Conquered Norway, installing Swein (eldest son) as King from 1030
- Visited Rome in 1027+1031
- Visited Scotland in 1031 to form alliance with Malcolm II. Anglo Saxon Chronicle records that 3 Northern kings submitted to him
- Unlikely that Canute had actual authority in Wales
DEATH
- Died young, 40
- Evidence of terminal illness but death still surprise as heir, Harthacanute, in Denmark at time
Edmund Ironside
Overview
- Son of Edmund (Athelred the Unready)
- After death of Father in April 1016, fought against Canute for seven months
- Truce in October 1016, Canute taking Mercia and Northumbria
- Died/murdered November 1016
Harold Harefoot (Harold I) and Harthacanute
Overview
- Harold I ruled 1037-1040
- Harthacanute (1035-7, 1040-42)
- Harold’s body exhumed, beheaded and thrown into marshes by Harthacanute after Harold’s death
- Harthacanute was “harsh and intolerant”
- Raised 4* as much tax as his father for the fleet
- -> Worcester rebellion in 1041
- Died drinking at wedding party from a fit, or poison?
- -> No heir, Kingdom passes back to Saxons. Witan chooses Edward, youngest son of Athelred the Unready, as King
Edward the Confessor
Key facts
Reigned: 8 June 1042- 4 January 1066
Born: c.1004 Died: c.1066
Family: Edith, daughter of Earl of Godwin, no children
Edward the Confessor
Biography and key events
BACKGROUND
- Half Norman and had spent youth in Normandy
- Did not expect to become King
- Inhereted Kingdom divided between Danes, Saxons and Norse men.
KING
- Decisive and stern: confiscated mother’s property as she had too much of the treasury (widow of 2 previous Kings) and saw her go to Trial by Ordeal for death of her sons from 1st marriage/supporting Danish King, Magus.
- Constructed Westminster Abbey. Never consummated marriage and was pious
- Godwin, Earl of Wessex, was ‘Kingmaker’, securing Edward>Canute’s heirs as rightful King
- Conflict with Godwin because:
1) Godwin implicated in murder of Edward’s brother, Alfred
2) Untrustworthy, as he came to power under Canute, Harthacanute and Harold Harefoot
2) Edward Norman, whilst Godwin favoured Saxon/Dane - –> Godwin banished in 1051 and sent Edith to Monastery…unpopular
POWER VACCUM OF GODWIN
- Edward had no heirs, William of Normandy’s father was Edward’s cousin, Edward would not want kingdom falling into the hands of Godwin’s sons
- –> Throne promised to William (?)
- Godwin invades 1052, Witan does not want civil war
- -> Godwin/sons reinstated to their Earldoms
- Harold, Godwin’s son, senior administrator with much power
- Edward the exile, Nephew, returned to England in 1057 but soon dies. His four year old son would not be immediately suitable
- –> Acknowledges that Harold should be regent if Edward dies before Edgar comes of age
- Other claimants*
1) Harald Haadraada of Norway, ruler of Orkney and Western Isles
2) Godwin’s son Tostig who formed alliance with Harald after being deprived of Earldom in Northumbria
FOREIGN POLICY
- Edward supports claim of Malcolm III to Scotland and authorises invasion by Earl of Northumbria to depose Macbeth
- -> Malcolm succeeds in 1058
Harold II
Biography and key facts
Reigned: 5 Jan-14th Oct 1066
Born: c.1022 Died: 14th October 1066
Family:
1) Edith Swanneshals, 6 children
2) Edith, daughter of the Earl of Mercia, widow of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn of Wales, 1 child
Harold II / Hastings
Biography and key events
- Fierce ruler, administrator of England whilst Edward concerned himself with the church
- Involved in murder of Edward the Exile, nephew of Edward the Confessor and heir to the throne?
FOREIGN POLICY
- Campaign against Welsh Prince Gruffydd ap Llywellyn, who submitted to him first in 1057 and then in 1063
- Blown off course to Normandy in 1065, where he agrees William should be Edward’s successor and paid homage to William. Not typical of Harold and likely fabricated by William, or he was held captive after capture by Count of Ponthieu, submissive to William
- -> William believed he was the rightful heir to the throne
FIGHTING OFF NORMAN THREATS
- Harold proclaimed King 4 Jan 1066
- -> William sees this as treacherous and plans invasion
- Tostig already preparing to invade after being forced to leave the country in November 1065
- Tostig harries south coast to Linsey in East, is defeated, and flees to Scotland
- Tostig approaches Harald Haardraada and convinces him to prepare a fleet. At the same time, William prepares his…
- Septeber: Harald meets Tostig with combined forces. Defeat of English force at Fulford on 20th September.
- 25th September: Landslide victory for Harold II, Harald and Tostig killed at Stamford Bridge
- 14th October: Harold II marches South to meet William North of Hastings, killed in battle. End of Saxons
NEW HOUSE- NORMAN KINGS - State of England by 11th century
- Agrarian
- Largely untapped mineral resources, lots of uncultivated land/moors/woodland
- Population of 1250000
- North England had population of >4 / square mile
- Constant warring had prevented development of the country
NORMAN INNOVATIONS
- Judicial and military fortification and expansion
- Monarchy strengthened
- Birth of feudalism
- Barons led old Anglo-Saxon manors
(i) Barons could raise knights
(ii) Barons could sublet manors to serfs - Practical innovations but not yet ‘cultured’
William the Conqueror
Key information
Reigned: England Nov/Dec 1066-9th Sep 1087
Born: 1028 Died: 9th Sep 1087
Family: Matilda, daughter of Baldwin V of Flanders, 10 children
William the Conqueror
Biography and key events
BACKGROUND:
- Illegitimate son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy
- No evidence of promise by E.T.C. of the throne except among Norman Chronicles. He received support from Harold Godwinson Earl of Wessex. but when he was crowned after Edward’s death, he was regarded as a usurper
- Succeeded dutchy of Normandy in 1035, son of tanner, 3 guardians assassinated
- Fought against cousin, Guy of Brionne, in 1047 after attempted rebellion to assert his authority (aided bny Henri I of France). Authority increased with marriage to Matilda as father was powerful
KING OF ENGLAND:
- Secured submission of England with strategic route around Kentish coast ending in London. Burned Dover. Encountered resistance in London
- Only de facto King of the South; of Wessex, Kent, Sussex and Essex. Could have been overthrown with united rebellion but old Saxon rivalries prevented this
- Sacked churches to pay army
- Returned to Normandy after three months with those most likely to lead rebellion.
- Returned to England in Dec 1067 and conquered Western provinces inc. Exeter, where he would build a caste and place a Norman baron there to keep peace (78 in total inc. Tower of London)
- Henry 1st born 1068
- Installed Normans in other positions of power inc. Lanfranc as Archbishop of Canterbury
- Away from England from 1072-1085
DOOMSDAY BOOK:
- Needed to tax the people to create army to defend England
- Created in 1086 as national survey of wealth, but never used by William as he died in 1087 from a wound when supressing a local rebellion in Normandy
RESISTANCE
- Odo, half-brother, stayed to help impose Norman rule on England. Countered rebellion by Eustace of Bolgone, E.T.C.’s half brother, but general unrest in North/West continued
- 1068: Major opposition, rebellions from Earls Morcar and Edwin. William responded with new castles in Nottingham and York and redistribution of Saxon estates to French/Norman aristocracy. Further revolt at Durham in 1069
- Armies of Swein/Edgar the Atheling capture York Sep 1069
- -> Harrying of the North
- Paid of Danish resistance in 1070
- Received submission of Malcolm III of Scotland in 1072, who expelled Edgar the Atheling from his court
LEGACY - England more peaceful after harsh rule, but only because people feared retribution from their overlords - legacy of class divide?
William II
Key facts
Reigned: 9th September 1087- 2nd August 1100
Born: c.1057 Died : 2nd August 1100
Family: None
