Chapter 9

FEUDALISM & THE

CONSOLIDATION OF EUROPE

FEUDALISM

Feudalism: A highly decentralized political system in which public powers of minting, justice,Taxation and defense were vested in the hands of a private lord.

WHAT WAS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FEUDALISM AND THE

RISE OF NATIONAL MONARCHIES?

FEUDALISM 101

Fief: contract in which someone granted something of value to someone else in return for a service• Land grant implied subordination

• Vassal• Lord• Homage

Most developed and lasted the longest in France

• 10th and 11th centuries-minimal feudal pyramids• 12th & 13th powerful lords insisted on pyramid structure

LordLand grant implied

subordination

VassalCould grant land to subordinate Vassals

HomageDuty owed in return for Land

GrantCeremonial or Military

William the Conqueror – Edward I 1066 - 1307

FEUDALISM AND THE RISE OF THE ENGLISH

MONARCHY

England Battle of Hastings 1066

William the Conqueror (1066-1100) Normans—extensive grants of English land King

Only the king could coin money National land tax Summon population to arms All landholders owed loyalty to crown

FEUDALISM AND ADMINISTRATIVE GOVERNMENT IN ENGLAND

Compiled by William to survey his English lands

Who owned the land before 1066.

Who owned the land at the time of Domesday in 1086.

How it changed hands.

What that land was worth, and what manors it was associated with.How many peasants (called bordars and villani) tended that land.

THE DOMESDAY BOOK 1085

Created the ExchequerAppointed sheriff s to supervise

countiesTraveling circuit judges

Checked power of landowners and sheriffs

HENRY I (1100-1135)

HENRY II (1154-1189)

Henry II (1154-1189) Grandson of Henry I Ruled Normandy; Anjou; Aquitaine & England

through marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine Eleanor originally married to Louis VII of France Louis had marriage annulled when she failed to

bear him sons Eleanor received the land (her dowry) back Henry married her 8 weeks later and the lands of

Aquitaine went to Henry Expanded use of juries to determine facts in civil

(not criminal) cases Conflict with the Church

Henry’s knights murder Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury in 1170 after he sides with the Church against Henry

Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer written in context of pilgrimage to Canterbury

TOMBS OF HENRY II OF ENGLAND & ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE

Richard I (aka Richard Lionheart) (R 1188-1199) 3rd Crusade Spent only 6 months in England During his reign Imprisoned in Germany and Ransomed by John I

JOHN I OF ENGLAND (R. 1199-1216)

Taxes and fines on aristocracy and free artisans to recover lands in France and ransom Richard I

1214 failed military campaign in France1215 Runnymede, forced to sign Magna Carta

Henry III (1216-1272) Perfected legal system “English Common Law” Taxed both Nobles and commoners in proportion

to their income

EDWARD I OF ENGLAND (R. 1272-1307)

Parliament Assembly of nobles, clergy and townsmen Announce tax levies Hear judicial cases involving higher

nobility Review local administration Hear complaints

FRANCE

• Central ized Bureaucracy

• Protectors of Popes

• King as Feudal Lord

France

Produced uninterrupted line of sons for 300 years

Long-livedDirect rule over Paris and surrounding area

Rich agricultureProtectors of popesPatronized University of Paris (Sorbonne)

Capet Dynasty

Louis VI (the Fat) (1108-1137) Consolidated control over land around

Paris Louis VII (1137-1180)

Incited rebellions by Henry II’s sons against their father

Kept Henry II from increasing power in France

Philip II (1179-1223)

Philip II (1179-1223) Went on 3 rd Crusade with Richard Lionheart

Built a wall around Paris before he left on Crusade Claimed homage from John in return for lands in

France (which John already owned as son of Henry)

Confiscated lands Appointed royal offi cials with judicial, military and

administrative authority (no separation of powers)

Louis IX (Saint Louis) (1226-1270)

• Increased French control of lands in France

• Engaged in last crusades

• Purchased Holy Crown of Jesus Christ from Baldwin II of Constantinople

• Expelled all Jews engaged in Usury from France

• Instituted an Inquisition

• Engaged in self-flagellation

• Wars against Flanders and England

• Raised taxes on commoners but not nobility who were exempt from paying direct taxes to crown

• Estates General • Expelled all Jews from

France• Burned Grand Master of

Knights Templar at the stake

PHILIP IV (1285-1314)

CENTRALITY OF CHURCH TO POWER OF KING

INDEPENDENCE OF PRINCES

Germany Territories

Switzerland Eastern France Belgium & Netherlands Northern Italy

Relied heavily on cooperation with Church Church leaders frequently members of royal family

appointed by emperor

Henry IV & Henry V (1056-1125) Confl icts with Dukes of Saxony & Pope Gregory VII

Civil war Investiture

Enabled German princes to rule “principalities” with larger independence than existed in France or England

New Emperors must be elected from among the Princes and approved by the Pope

Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) Election violently supported by a mob of Romans Violated terms of Papal decree of 1059 Caused friction between Pope and Henry IV

Could a lay person appoint Bishops or Abbots? Gregory VII prohibited all clerics from accepting

church offi ces from a layman even if the layman was a king

Henry IV refused to accept this and appointed a new archbishop in Milan

Gregory reminded Henry that Gregory was the successor to St. Peter and Henry owed Gregory the same obedience

Gregory renounced his obedience to Gregory reminding Gregory that his election as Pope violated the decree of 1059

Gregory excommunicated Henry and called on his subjects to rebel

Saxon Nobility renewed their civil war Henry must humble himself at Canossa

INVESTITURE CONFLICT

WAX FUNERAL EFFIGY OF GREGORY VII:

SALERNO CATHEDRAL