THE MIDDLE AGES

The Middle Ages covered a period that goes roughlyfrom 1066 to 1485. 1066 is a very important year,  because of the Norman conquest. Before England was inhabited by the Anglo-Saxon, German tribes, that probably reigned until 537. They were quite important, because the name "England" derived from them. Infact it means "land of Anglon". They spoke German dialect and they were organised in seven kindoms. Danish and Norvegian invasions followed, until the Norman conquest, which was a radical change. Normans came from northern France, but they were of Vicking origins. Their king was William I; he was called the conqueror, because he conquered England. That one was the first and the last conquest of this island by foreigners. William I introduced the feudal system, a new social organization. That means he distribued lands between his barons and knights, as in Europe. The feudal system was a piramidal hyerarchical system; on the top of it there was the pope, because the religion was the most relevant code to all the social classes, because everybody, whatever social class they belong to, thought the most to the salvation. Under there was the king, the nobles and the pesants. The Conqueror applied the same way as in the continent, because he was afraid barons, knights and vassals become stronger than him, so he gave them lands not so big. However this hierarchical organization began to break down in the 13th and 14th centuries, when barons rebelled for the too heavy taxes. They forced, in 1215, the King to sign the Magna Carta, that limited the royal power. It was the result of a process, a negoziation between King John Lackland and the barons. In this period people were very isolated, the land was their life and just religion gave a meaning to their existance. William I started the conflict between Church and State as well, when he refused to become the vassal of the pope. It culminated in 1170 with the assassination of Thomas à Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who had frequently opposed King Henry II's will. The reaction was so great that the King had to show repentance and Becket was made a saint.