The age of chivalry

Edward III and his son (the Black Prince) were greatly admired for “code of chivalry”, the way in which a perfect knight should behave. A perfect knight fought for his good name if insulted, served God and the king, defended any lady in need.

During the 14^th century there was a continuous struggle between the king and his nobles. The first crisis came in 1327 when Edward II was killed (his wife Isabel and her lover), when Edward III grew older he took revenge. His grandson Richard II (The Black Prince had died before his father) became a king when he was 11 and other people ruled him. He imprisoned his uncle (the third son of Edward III) John of Gaunt who was very powerful, he died in prison. His son Henry de Lancaster didn’t forgive (Henry IV), rebelled and deposed Richard II. There was one more possible heir – earl of March (the grandson of the third son of Edward III). War of Roses: the followers of Lancastrians and Yorkists (earl of March).

War of Roses

Henry VI (the grandson of Henry IV Lancastrian) was a peaceful and book-loving person. And was beaten by Edward IV (Yorkists). Henry VI was put into Tower of London, where he died soon (murdered). In 1485 a challenger with a very distant claim to the throne named Henry Tudor. He took the crown.

The life of the poor

In 1348 appeared the terrible plague (The Black Death), died one-third of population. The less people stayed at work so they could demand more money. Because of expensive labour the lords preferred letting their land out to energetic farmers (“yeomen”).

In 1381 the tax was enforced three times and there was an immediate revolt in two richest parts of the country (East Anglia and Kent). The leader of the revolt was Wat Tyler. The poor took control of half of London, but then Tyler was killed and Richard took advantage of it

Government and society

Society was based upon rank. At the top were dukes, earls and other lords. Below them were knights. Every person with an income more than 20 thousand pounds a year was made a knight. Next to the gentlemen were the ordinary freemen of the towns.

When the king called the parliament which had to give them money, the representatives asked for king’s accounts. Parliament became organized in two parts: the lords and the Commons. Only those who had 40 shilling a year could be representatives to the Commons.

The Church taught that women should obey their husbands. Marriage was the most important event for women. The decision was made by the family. The first duty of a wife was to give children, sons preferably. The wife of the noble in her husband’s absence was in charge of the manor, the servants, the cattle and so on. Besides she had to protect the lands when attacked. She was expected to have knowledge of herbs and plants to make suitable medicines for the sick in the village, she also visited the poor to show that the lord cares for them. Peasant’s wives were busy making food and cloth. They worked in the fields, looked after the kids the pigs, the geese, made cheese and grew vegetables.

Wales and Scotland

Edward I had conquered the Wales in1280, he force the Welsh to the hills and gave their lands to English farmers.

By the end of the Middle Ages Scotland had developed into the nation. The Scottish parliament met once a year. As a result, Scotland was a separate county from English by the end of the 15 the century.

THE TUDORS

The century of the Tudors (1485-1603) is often thought as the most glorious period in English history. Henry VII built a wealthy nation, Henry VIII broke from the Roman Catholic Church, Elizabeth defeated the powerful navy on Spain and supported arts

Henry VII supported merchants and based loyal power on good business sense. So he avoided quarrels with Scotland and France. He was popular because he kept friendship with a middle class. When Henry died in 1509 he left a lot of money (2 million).

Henry VIII was unlike his father: cruel, wasteful and married several times. Henry VIII had no money in the end. He aimed at the lands of the Church. There was another reason for standing up the authority of the Church. In 1510 Henry had married Catherine of Aragon (the widow of his elder brother Arthur). They had only a daughter Mary, but Henry VIII wanted sons. He asked the pope for divorce, who forbade it. Henry VIII was angry and in 1531 persuaded the bishops to make him lead of the Church in England, which became law after the Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy. In 1536 England became politically a Protestant country. The king got money and became popular with landowners and merchants. Henry VII died in 1547 living behind him his sixth wife, Catherine Parr, and 3 children: Mary, Elizabeth and Edward.

Edward VI was only a child when he became a king, the country was ruled by the council. All the members of the council got their lands after the reformation, so they supported the Protestants. Edward died when he was16. Mary (the elder daughter) took control of the kingdom. Women were considered inferior to men, so the marriage of Mary’s was a difficult thing: no matter who she married she would be inferior to the guy (local or foreigner). She married King Philip pf Spain at last, having asked for permission of the Parliament.

Elizabeth in 1558 became a queen. She tried to find peaceful solution of the problems. The kind of Protestantism finally agreed in 1559 was even closer to Catholicism, but the church stayed under the king’s control. The “parish”, the area served by one church, the size of the village, became the unit of state administration.

The struggle between Catholics and Protestants continued. France and Spain were Catholics, both kings wanted to marry Elizabeth to get her country. Finally there was a danger from the local Catholic nobles who wanted to put Mary Stuart on the throne. Mary was Elizabeth’s close relative and strong Catholic. Her mother was French, Mary was brought up in France and became a French queen. When her husband died she came back to her country, but became unpopular among nobles (marriages ….), so she ran to England and asked for help. Mary was kept by Elizabeth as prisoner for 20 years and executed her.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1219