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Norman Conquest Social Hierarchy

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Norman Conquest Social Hierarchy Pre-Middle English: The End of Anglo-Saxon England & The Norman Conquest Social Hierarchy The development of Old English into Middle English is a socio-politically motivated story. Language contact & borrowing play large roles, but this was all driven by political strife & the pursuit of power on the part of the leaders. Kings were (for all intents and purposes) absolute rulers. Modern Notions “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” - US Declaration of Independence, 1776 Back Then, However …. Mortality & Opportunity This being the case, the death of a King without a clear hier often resulted in a struggle for power amongst competing interests When English King Edward the Confessor died on 5 January 1066, he had fathered no children. Hence ….. The Power Struggle Three possible successors existed: Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessix - Edward named him his successor on his deathbed, and the royal council (the Witan) declared Harold King the following day. William, Duke of Normandy - the Normans claimed that Edward had promised William (a distant relative) the throne in 1051. Backed by the Pope. Harald Hardrada - King of Norway. Since his relative Cnut had been King of England (1016-1035), he claimed the throne (although it wasn’t hereditary). Battle Commences With Harold Godwinson now officially King Harold II, William and Harald Hardrada both made plans to invade England. Hardrada invades first, with 300 longships Harold II Stands Firm Harold II assembled his bodyguards (the huscarlen) and an army of regular folk (the fyrd) Hardrada landed in Yorkshire & defeated the northern Saxon army at the Battle of Fulford. Harold II marches quickly north, surprises Hardrada, and kills him & his half brother Tostig. Vikings retreat in only 24 longships. H II vs. HR The Battle of Hastings On 29 September, 1066, William lands 700 ships at Pevensey Bay in Sussix. Harald II arrives after the Battle of Stamford Bridge & 2 weeks of marching with a tired and depleted army. The armies met at Semlac Hill near Hastings. The Saxons control the high ground. After much bloodshed, the Normans feign retreat, and the Saxon fyrd breaks ranks and chases them. Bad move … Norman archers break the Saxon shield wall, Norman cavalry butcher the fyrd, and Harold is killed (allegedy with an arrow in the eye). Battle of Hastings The Harrying of the North Many of the Anglo-Saxons in the north did not welcome William, and fought back. William defeated this rebellion, and in 1069 & 1070, he reduced the population by 75%, salted the earth, killed animals, burned crops, etc. Don’t mess with William …. However, there was no question who was ruling England. Administrative Control William had Norman nobles build over 100 castles around England. All of England was surveyed. This was recorded in the Domesday Book. All land was transferred to the Norman Nobles. In return for loyalty & taxes, the Barons controlled the land, which they they subdivided among knights … the peasants worked the land without much input. Long-Term Changes Latin was now the language of the Church & Law. French was now the language of the Court. Although English was still the most widely spoken language (~90% of the population), no one who spoke it had any money or power. Long Term Changes England’s links with Denmark & Norway were broken - it was now connected to Normandy and continental Europe. The Saxon nobles were gone, & a new feudal system was established. The status of woman (in AS England they could own property) was reversed. The English language was innundated with French borrowings. For roughly the next 300 years, the English were resentful. For Example Short piece from a 14th century chronicle: Suppe regnede a goude gome Afer reigned a good man Harold Godwynes sone Harold Godwin’s son He was icluped Harefot He was caled Harefoot For he was renner goud For he was a runner good Bote he ne regnede here Be he not reigned here Bot .ix. monþes of a yere But 9 months of a year Willam bastard of Normandye Wiliam bastard of Normandy Hym cant þæt was a vilanye Him deposed that was a vilany Harold liþ at Waltham Harold lies at Waltham & William bastard þat þis lond wan & Wiliam bastard that this land won Early Middle English The Middle English period is generally considered to be from ~1100 to 1500, although some scholars shave it down to 1150 to 1450. Regardless of year, it begins with changes to the spelling, writing, pronunciation, vocabulary & structure of Old English, and ends with the Great Vowel Shift. Early Change Old English pre-NC homily copied in the second half of the 12th century shows some of these changes. West Saxon writing conventions beginning to decay: Soþ, soþ ic eow secge; Gif þæt isawene hwætene Text OE truth, truth I to y’al say; if the sown wheaten corn feallende on eorðen ne bið fullice beægdðæd eorðen eorðan corn faling on earth not is fuly dead hit wunæð him sylfenæ; ant he cwæð eft þa: Gif hit beægdðæd beagod it remains to it self ; and he said afer then: if it wunæð wuniað soðlice beægðed bið, hit bringæð mycele wæstm truly dead is, it brings much growth sylfenæ sylfum forð. forth bringæð bringað 12th Century AS Chronicle Entry This MS, written in Petersborough, is the only copy of the Chronicle that describes events up to the middle of the 12th century It shows changes that had taken place in English by 1150, including: Loss of classical OE West Saxon orthography More local dialect orthography Shift to more modern-looking structure English in 1140 (p. 91) Þa ferde Eustace þe kinges sune to france & nam þe kinges suster of france to wife. wende to bigæton normandi þærþurh. oc he spedde litel & be gode rihte for he was an yuel man. for ware se he come he dide mar yuel þanne god. he reuede þe landes & læide micele geldes on. He brohte his wif to engleland. & dide hire in þe castel in cantebyri. God wimman scæ wæs. oc scæ hedde litel blisse mid him. & Crist ne wolde ð he sculde lang rixan. & wærd ded & his moder beien …..
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