The Political, Economical and Social Condition of England in 1154 Flashcards
(31 cards)
How did monarchs rule?
They ruled by “divine right”
What is “divine right”?
The belief that monarchs were chosen by God to rule the country.
What are itinerant kings?
Kings that are always on the move, travelling around the kingdom with his court
Why are coronations important to kings?
They are vital in giving them legitimacy
What is a royal writ?
Sealed documents giving commands.
Made by monarchs.
How was England divided?
Into shires
What did each shire have?
A sheriff that carried out royal writs, collected taxes and supervised justice.
Shire courts that maintained justice.
Which church dominated England?
Catholic church
Why was the Catholic church was important?
It was led by the pope in Rome who became more influential through Canon laws and Gratian decretals.
Huge influence over society.
They held 1/4 of all land.
Tithe tax was imposed on 10% of earnings.
Clergy was literate which was rare in England.
What languages was spoken in England?
Court and nobility spoke Norman French.
Church and universities spoke Latin
Common people (peasantry) spoke English
What was England’s economy like?
Overwhelmingly rural; peasants farmed the land.
Some market towns had grown since the Norman invasion.
English wool trade developed.
New class of merchants were developed.
How was society ordered?
The Feudal system
What is feudalism?
A system of land ownership to run the country, with the king at the top, followed by the nobility and peasants at the bottom.
What is a demesne?
Land held by a lord or king for his own use and not granted out to a follower.
What is a fiefdom?
Land held by a superior on condition of homage and other services (usually military)
Who ruled England before Henry II?
Stephen
Who was Stephen?
The son of Adela (Henry I’s sister) meaning he is Henry I’s nephew
How did Stephen become king?
When Henry I died, he was at war with his daughter, Matilda and her husband Geoffrey of Anjou.
Despite this, Henry made the barons swear that Matilda would become Queen as Henry I’s original heir died in the White ship disaster.
However Matilda was rejected as Queen because it was believed only a man could rule.
As a result, Stephen was better placed as King and immediately was proclaimed King by citizens.
When did Stephen land in England?
December 1135 (as soon as possible after Henry I’s death on 1st December 1135)
Who helped Stephen become king?
His brother (Henry of Blois), Bishop of Winchester was perfectly placed to convince the administration and the Church to support Stephens claim
When was Stephen coronated?
22nd December 1135
What was Stephen’s personality like?
Weak personality
Lacked statesmanship and trust
Too lenient (Lots of illegal castles and forest laws were repealed)
How was Stephen’s relationship with the Barons?
Mixed relationships
Barons were quick to tell him what to do but then were also annoyed by his actions
They switched sides to suit their needs
How was Stephen’s relationship with the Church?
Roger, Bishop of Salisbury was powerful and it upset many when Stephen had him arrested and castles revoked.
This led to the loss of support of the church.
The church later refused to crown Stephen’s son - Eustace.
