1. Medieval Time Period: Norman Influence
Mrs. Mobley
12th Grade
British Lit

2. Review: Anglo-Saxon Dates
5th Century: Germanic Tribes invade
Culture of warfare and strategy
Pagan beliefs combine well with dominated picts
AD: Christianization (Roman priests)
Influence of values
Influence of language
Late 800s: Alfred the Great unites tribes
Hires scribes to document stories and history
Begins succession of rulers over greater kingdom

3. Treaty of Saint Clair sur Epte
911 AD: Area of northern France given to Vikings in exchange for protection from other Vikings.
Creation of Normandy!
Norse Man…North Man…Norman…Normandy
Normandy adapted to French culture
Normans adapted to French culture
Married with French nobles
Learned French
Converted to Christianity

4. Norman Invasion
1002 AD: King Aethelred of England married Emma, sister of Duke of Normandy
Son, Edward the Confessor, spends much of exile in Normandy
1042 AD: Edward the Confessor succeeds English throne
Norman friends from years in exile enter English court
No children, instability in kingdom at death
1066 AD: William Duke of Normandy invades England, claims throne.
Norway and English lords also claim throne
Battle of Hastings in October
William crowned at Westminster in December
1071 AD: “William the Conqueror” begins stable succession.
Eliminates other rebel lords claiming throne

5. There’s a New King in Town!
Innovative methods of control
So successful, by 1072, William mainly ruled from France!
New reward system for battle
Normans wanted land, not money
William redistributed England among his leaders
Awarded specific estates separate from each other…no large centrally located strongholds.
William’s in charge, his lords merely “held” his land for him

6. More Changes… New system for inheritance Marriage
Widows of powerful English leaders could not pass their land to the next male in their family
Land forfeited to king for approval of inheritance
Marriage
King would force the widow to marry a Norman, or the king automatically bestowed the land on the Norman.
1100s saw many marriages between English natives and Normans.
1348 Black Plague: much of the nobility died off
The only nobility left must marry within its own circle, eliminating any “pure” lines of Normans or natives.

7. Norman Legacy: Replacement of Elite Introduction of French Language
Eliminates native English leaders, replaced with Normans.
Intermarriage of Normans males with native English women.
Introduction of French Language
Old English Out
Old English mixed with French
French was language of nobles
Until early 14th century when Middle English was accepted
Introduction of French Values (in life and stories)
French “courtly love”
French “chivalry”
French “code of honor” or “order”

8. More Norman Legacy… English-French Rivalry
As Duke of Normandy, William was a vassal of the King of France.
As King of England, William was then the King of France’s equal.
1204, King of France invaded Normandy and took over.
Ever since, English kings continued to claim “King of England and France,” referring to Normandy claim…and a little more just for spite.

9. Courtly Love and Chivalry
Proper relationship between a gallant knight and his fair lady.
A medieval knight respects his fair lady by showing her courtesy and protecting her rights.
The fair lady must be virtuous, kind, and true to her knight.
Example: Edward III’s Order of the Garter
Motto: “Evil to him who thinks evil.”
Dancing at court, a lady’s garter falls
Lewd jokes
Edward picks up garter and scolds his lords
“Shame to he who thinks evil of it!”
Defend a lady’s honor! Don’t question her purity!
Don’t joke about an honorable lady’s virtue! It is sacred!

10. Chivalry in Literature
“Medieval Romance”
Verse or prose narrative involving:
Adventurous heroes
Idealized love
Exotic places
Supernatural events
Hidden or mistaken identity
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight p. 226