Medieval Warfare - 790-1500 Flashcards
type of war
the vikings and saxons
Phase 1 : from c.750 - viking raids for treasure, valuables - OPPORTUNITISM
C836 - vikings raid devon (35 ships)
C851 - Major viking attack near Plymouth
Phases 2/3 : c.850 onwards - larger invasions, conquering/settling in large areas
2nd phase - c886 Alfred (king of wessex) and Gruthum (king of east anglia) took over North of country –> the DANELAW
(invasion/ war between ppl)
3rd phase : monarchy switches between Vikings (danish) and Anglo Saxons
- whole country taken over by vikings (danish)
- war between ppl and civil war
attitudes and responses
the vikings and saxons
PHASE 2 : Saxons built Burhs (fortified towns)
late 800s - Alfred had many to protect saxons (strong) - placed to control key trade routes/protect vulnerbale areas
c.895 - Vikings stopped trying to conquer wessex bc couldnt defeat Burhs
Navy - dirupt vikings at sea
- AD896 he ordered new type of boat that could battle viking longships - they were 2x size of longships
Army - reforms included the establishment of standing armies, the training of professional warriors, and the implementation of defensive strategies.
- MADE SURE ‘HALF OF MEN WERE AT HOME, AND HALF OUT ON SERVICE’
impacts on ppl /gov
the vikings and saxons
impact on ppl:
PSYCOLOGICAL - fear of not knowing when raids could happen
DIRECT - vulnerable to random attacks in phase 1
- Viking took control of North of England - some became kings of england
- ECONOMIC - large scale looting/piracy , and skeletons suggest saxons were slaves
- diruption ot trade and economy
CULTURAL - united anglo -saxons into one kingdom
Impact on gov : Alfred got stronger (saxon)
- King of England got weaker
Type of war
the Norman Conquest
1066 - Battle of hastings (conquest/war between nations)
- saxons lose
- normans (william) wins
Rebellion in North 1068 (rebellion)
- robert and his army of 900 men were massacred in Durham bc ppl in Northumbrai didnt want to have Norman as the earl
attitudes and responses
the Norman Conquest
revolts against William - revolt of the earls in 1075
- Scottish kings help rebels in North 1069
impact on ppl/gov
the Norman Conquest
DIRECT : harrying of the north - burning houses/starvation
- william taking revenge for rebellion/encouraged canobalism
- feudal system
- castles built for william’s protection
PSYCOLOGICAL :
- harrying of the north
gov : william got stronger - used military to control ppl
feudalism - King at the top
type of war
the Anarchy
Civil war/rebellion- Matilda went to france/ cousin Stephen de Bois (baron) seized the throne
- fought for control over castles/recuited barons to their side
- Matilda beat stephen in 1141 - captured him
- he escaped and became king again
attitudes and responses
the Anarchy
TAXES - barons taxed ppl to fight
after civil war, Henry II became king - restored feudalism
(seized 40 catsles/kept 30 - gave rest to loyal barons)
impact on ppl/gov
the Anarchy
DIRECT : law and order began to break down / barons exploited this
INDIRECT : Stephen tried to beseiged castles of rebel nobles
gov : stephen triedd to win baron’s loyalty by relaxing Henry I’s strict laws - promoted 30 barons to EARLS
- many barons wanted peace/make own arrnaglements without matilda/stephen (some made themselves more powerful/rich by seizing properties)
type of war
King John and the Barons
Baron’s war (1215-16) - challenged feudalism (barons have no loyalty), as John took their wives, sons and taxed them
- barons split between their loyalty/ what they as their rights - led to civil war
- magna carta concluded war as King’s power was reduced/restricted
(civil war and rebellion)
attitudes and responses
King John and the Barons
taxes
John loses power
- military campaigns - barons secured london and gained support
impact on ppl/gov
King John and the Barons
DIRECT : magna carta details -
HABEAS CORPUS - free men could only be imprisoned/punished after lawful judgement by jury of their peers
- justice couldnt be sold, denied or delayed
- fines had to be reasonable for commoners
gov : MAGAN CARTA DETAILS :
- John couldnt take taxes without agreement of council - removed part of feudal system (lost power)
- king couldnt have mercenary army- no power against barons
- king had to follow the law of the land
type of war
the conquests of Edward I
Edward (king of eng) demands Hommage from Llywelyn - prince of wales
- he refuses to pay hommage
- edwards send 1000 knights, 1500 infantry / marches to wales fro hommage
- 1276- Llywelyn surrenders and taken to London to accept hommage in front Parliament
(Invasion , opportunitism , war between 2 ppl)
NEW SCOTTISH KING : edward chose John Balliol as king of Scots / demanded hommage
- scots lost battle of Dunbar / scottish resistance ends
- edward told parliament to tax im to repel scottish invaders
attitudes and repsonses
the conquests of Edward I
1282 - rebellions led by Llywelyn’s brother over england’s position over welsh
- edward used these rebellions to turn it into conquest / build castles around wales to show theyre inferior
- parliament gave tax to edward for more soldeirs to increase attacks on welsh
Impact on ppl/gov
the conquests of Edward I
- financial cost : expensive to pay for war - taxes
- chevauchee - lotting and settting fire to whats left
gov : called Model parliament , so in return parlioament gives him money for war
- increased sense of national identity in wales/scotland - preserved by language/songs
- englihs identity emerged - no longer held french lands
