The Middle Ages saw major changes in England beginning in 1066 with the Norman conquest. William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, invaded England and defeated King Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, establishing Norman rule. William implemented a feudal system dividing lands among his nobles, bringing Norman-French culture and administrative reforms. Feudalism established a strict social hierarchy from king to serfs. The rise of chivalry and courtly love influenced knights' behavior. Major events like the Crusades, Black Death plague, and Thomas Becket's martyrdom impacted society. Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, written in the late 14th century, provides insight into life at the end of the Middle

1. The Middle agesTime marches on….

2. 1066: A very important year

3. Battle of hastingsConsidered one of the most important events of England’s historyKing Harold is killed—he is the last Anglo-Saxon king.France begins it rule over England

4. William the conquerorIllegitimate son of the previous duke of NormandyCousin of the English kingClaimed the English throne belonged to himSailed from Normandy to challenge the Anglo-Saxon kingPhoto courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

5. England under williamBrought administrative skills—more law and order and cultural unityBuilt an inventory of most property and began charging taxesDivided land up for his followersThese men moved to England and brought feudalism with them.This displaced the ways described in Beowulf

6. Feudalism

7. FeudalismIs a caste systemEach person has his/her place in the social system. No hope of moving outKing is at the top—Nobles owned land—Knights served the noblesSerfs—not free; just worked the landOffered stability to the age

8. knightsRuled by the code called chivalryMain job: warfareBound by honor“A terrible worm in an iron coccoon”Photo courtesy of flickr.com

9. “courtly love”True, chivalry did urge man to revere a ladyIdeally, was to be non-sexualDid little to actually help women’s staff

10. The role of womenHad no political rightsSubservient to menHer father’s or husband’s social class determined her rankPeasant women—childbirth, housework, fieldwork

11. The crusades

12. The martydom of thomas a becketAppointed by King Henry, but Thomas would not bend church rules for himHenry ordered him to be killed—there in the cathedralThis created a backlash against HenryPriests became corrupt with new power

13. The Plague: “the black death”

14. “Before it’s over, half the nation will die”

15. The rise of a middle classLabor shortage immense after the Black DeathNo order to keep serfs imprisonedCities and the middle class slowly emerged

16. Geoffrey Chaucer—born 1340Wrote The Canterbury TalesIs considered the first great English poetHis …Talesis considered on of the very greatest works in the English language

17. Significance of tales….Is a rich record of these life and timesExample: character of the knight has returned from the crusadesWritten in iambic pentameterMarks the end of Anglo-Saxon lit style

18. Frame of The Canterbury TalesChaucer’s “pilgrims” are going to Canterbury to see the shrine built for Saint Thomas a BecketEach pilgrim is to tell 2 stories on the way there and on the way backNever finished it