Spread of Christianity in England

The Spread of Christianity in England

• Celtic bishops from Wales, Ireland, and Scotland taught Christianity to the villagers in England, leading to its rapid adoption by 660 CE.
• Only Sussex and the Isle of Wight remained non-Christian by 660 CE.
• Twenty years later, English teachers brought Christianity to parts of Germany.
• Saxon kings supported the Church, which increased their power and made it harder to question their authority.
• The Church established monasteries, like Westminster, which became centers of learning and education.

The Role of the Church in Shaping England

• The Church increased the power of the English state by establishing monasteries and training men to read and write.
• Alfred, the king of Wessex (871-899), used literate men from the Church to establish a system of law, educate the people, and write down important matters.
• The Anglo-Saxon kings preferred the Roman Church over the Celtic Church for economic reasons, leading to closer Church and economic ties with Europe.
• Bishops and monks from Frankish lands (France and Germany) and elsewhere were invited to England to benefit from closer Church and economic contact with Europe.

The Viking Invasion

• The Vikings, raiders from Norway and Denmark, invaded Britain in 865 CE, taking advantage of the quarreling Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
• They came to conquer and settle, leading to a significant impact on English history.

History of Britain Timeline

• 43 CE: Roman Invasion
• 430 CE: Anglo-Saxon Invasion
• 865 CE: First Viking Invasions
• 1066 CE: Battle of Hastings
• 1215 CE: Magna Carta
• 1337 CE: Start of Hundred Years' War
• 1348 CE: Black Death
• 1455 CE: War of the Roses
• 1492 CE: "Discovery" of the Americas
• 1534 CE: Establishment of Church of England
• 1620 CE: Puritan colonization of America
• 1760 CE: Start of Industrial Revolution
• 1776 CE: American Declaration of Independence
• 1789 CE: French Revolution
• 1815 CE: Battle of Waterloo
• 1837 CE: Start of Queen Victoria's reign
• 1861 CE: Start of American Civil War
• 1914 CE: Start of WWI
• 1929 CE: Wall Street crash (Black Tuesday)
• 1940 CE: Start of WWII
• 1945 CE: First detonation of nuclear device
• 1947 CE: Independence of India and Pakistan
• 1962 CE: Cuban Missile Crisis
• 1979 CE: Election of Thatcher as PM
• 2013 CE: Completion of Freedom Tower

The Island of Britain

• Britain's climate is milder due to its location in the path of the Gulf Stream, which brings warm water and winds from the Gulf of Mexico.
• The north is, on average, 5°C cooler than the south, and the west receives more than double the rainfall of the east.
• The countryside is varied, with the north and west being mountainous or hilly, while the south and east are relatively flat.
• Britain's history has been closely connected with the sea, making it an important factor in its history.
• The sea has often saved Britain from danger, and its surrounding waters have played a significant role in shaping the country's history.

The Age of Chivalry

• Edward III and his son, the Black Prince, were admired for their courage on the battlefield and their courtly manners.
• The fourteenth-century legend of King Arthur created a mythical image of a Celtic ruler who fought the Anglo-Saxons.
• The legend of King Arthur included both the imagined magic and mystery of the Celts and the knightly values of the court of Edward III.

The Century of Plagues

• The Black Death, a pandemic that reached Britain in 1348-9, killed between a third and half of the population.
• The plague sparked a chain of events that changed the position of the peasant in England forever, allowing them to demand better conditions and higher wages from their landlords.
• Many peasants advanced to higher positions in society, leading to significant social and economic changes.

The Importance of Education

• Latin was the educated language of almost all Europe, making it useful for the spread of ideas and learning.
• Two schools of higher learning were established in England, at Oxford and Cambridge, at the end of the twelfth century.
• By the 1220s, these universities were the intellectual leaders of the country.
• Many French words became part of the English language, often with a more polite meaning than the old Anglo-Saxon words.

The Fourteenth Century

• The fourteenth century was disastrous for Britain and Europe due to the effects of wars and plagues.
• Probably one-third of Europe's population died of plague.
• England began a long struggle against the French Crown, exhausting themselves economically.

The New Monarchy

• The century of Tudor rule (1485-1603) is often thought of as a glorious period in English history.
• Henry VII built the foundations of a wealthy nation state and a powerful monarchy.
• His son, Henry VIII, kept a magnificent court and made the Church in England truly English by breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church.
• Henry VII avoided wars and focused on business, which helped to rebuild England's trading position.

Britain's History

• 43 CE: Roman Invasion of Britain
• 430 CE: Anglo-Saxon Invasion
• 865 CE: First Viking Invasions
• 1066 CE: Battle of Hastings
• 1215 CE: Magna Carta
• 1337 CE: Start of Hundred Years' War
• 1348 CE: Black Death
• 1455 CE: War of the Roses
• 1492 CE: "Discovery" of the Americas
• 1534 CE: Establishment of the Church of England
• 1620 CE: Puritan colonization of America
• 1760 CE: Start of Industrial Revolution
• 1776 CE: American Declaration of Independence
• 1789 CE: French Revolution
• 1815 CE: Battle of Waterloo
• 1837 CE: Start of Queen Victoria's reign
• 1861 CE: Start of American Civil War
• 1914 CE: Start of World War I
• 1929 CE: Wall Street crash (Black Tuesday)
• 1940 CE: Start of World War II
• 1945 CE: First detonation of a nuclear device
• 1947 CE: Independence of India and Pakistan
• 1962 CE: Cuban Missile Crisis
• 1979 CE: Election of Margaret Thatcher as PM
• 2013 CE: Completion of Freedom Tower

The Island of Britain

• Britain has a milder climate due to the Gulf Stream
• North is 5°C cooler than the south, and east is drier than the west
• Britain's history is closely connected with the sea

Stonehenge and Prehistory

• Built in three phases, with the largest stones weighing 50 tons
• Purpose of Stonehenge is still unknown
• First evidence of human life in Britain dates back to 250,000 BC
• Two groups of inhabitants: one with flint tools, and another with core-based tools
• Beaker people arrived around 1800 BC, bringing copper and bronze tools
• Beaker people developed a settled farming society, growing barley and keeping animals

The Celts

• Arrived around 700 BC and were tall, with fair or red hair and blue eyes
• Knew how to work with iron and made better weapons than bronze
• Were organized into tribes, with tribal chiefs chosen by fighting or election
• Traded across tribal borders, with Europe, and with Ireland
• Used iron bars as currency
• Were careful about cleanliness and neatness
• Women may have had more independence than in the past
• Druids were important members of Celtic society, memorizing knowledge and performing human sacrifices

The Romans

• Invaded Britain in 43 CE and occupied it for 400 years
• Brought Latin language and culture to Britain
• Established a Romano-British culture across southern Britain
• Built towns, roads, and walls, including Hadrian's Wall
• Introduced a new form of administration, with a governor and legionary troops
• Left Britain in 409 CE, leaving the Romano-British to fight alone against Celtic and Saxon raiders

Roman Life

• Roman Britain had three kinds of towns: coloniae, municipia, and civitas
• Towns had planned streets, markets, and shops, and were built with stone and wood
• Large farms, or villas, belonged to richer Britons who were Romanized
• Produced wine in Britain and imported it from southern Europe
• Probably around 5 million people lived in Britain when the Romans left

The Invaders

• Three Germanic tribes invaded Britain: Saxons, Angles, and Jutes
• Anglo-Saxon migrations gave England its name
• Settled in the east, north Midlands, and south coast
• Pushed the British Celts westwards, and the Celts fought back
• Established kingdoms, such as Essex, Sussex, Wessex, and East Anglia
• Created institutions like the King's Council (Witan) and shires (counties)
• Divided the land into shires, with a shire-reeve (sheriff) as the king's administrator
• Introduced the heavy plough, which changed English agriculture### The Anglo-Saxon Period
• The Anglo-Saxons established themselves in England, driving the Celts to the west and north.
• The manorial system emerged, where local villagers came to pay taxes, receive justice, and meet to join the Anglo-Saxon army, known as the fyrd.
• Lords of the manor organized the system, which reached its peak under the Normans.
• The Anglo-Saxons belonged to an older Germanic religion, but Christianity was accepted by the Roman Emperor Constantine in the early 4th century AD.

Christianity in England

• Augustine was sent by Pope Gregory the Great in 597 to re-establish Christianity in England.
• Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in 601.
• Celtic bishops from Wales, Ireland, and Scotland went out to teach Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons, leading to rapid conversion.
• The Church increased the power of the English state, establishing monasteries and promoting education.

The Viking Invasion

• The Vikings invaded Britain in the late 8th century, tempted by the country's wealth.
• The Vikings quickly accepted Christianity and did not disturb the local population.
• King Alfred of Wessex defeated the Vikings, and a treaty was made, recognizing Viking rule in the east and north of England, known as the Danelaw.

The Norman Conquest

• In 1066, William of Normandy, also known as William the Conqueror, defeated King Harold of England at Hastings.
• William became King of England, marking the end of Anglo-Saxon rule.
• The Normans brought feudalism, where the king owned all land, and nobles held land in return for services and goods.

Feudalism in England

• William organized his English kingdom according to the feudal system, which had already begun to develop in England.
• The feudal system was based on the holding of land, with the king owning all land and nobles holding it in return for services and goods.
• The king gave land to his nobles, who gave some of their land to lesser nobles, knights, and freemen.

The Norman Kings

• William I (William the Conqueror) established a strong centralized government and created a system of administration.
• William II (William Rufus) became King of England after his father's death and ruled until his death in 1100.
• Henry I (Henry Beauclerc) became King of England after his brother's death and ruled until 1135.

The Struggle for the Throne

• Henry I died without an heir, leading to a struggle for the throne between his daughter Matilda and his nephew Stephen.
• The civil war lasted for 19 years, causing destruction and disorder in England.

The Plantagenet Dynasty

• Henry II, son of Matilda, became King of England in 1154 and ruled until 1189.
• Henry II established a strong central government, destroyed unauthorized castles, and expanded his empire through marriage and conquest.### Kings of England
• Richard I (1189-1199) was a brave and good soldier, known for his French culture, but spent hardly any time in England.
• He was captured by the Duke of Austria and later killed in France in 1199.
• Richard I had spent no more than four or five years in England.

The Growth of Government

• William the Conqueror governed England and Normandy by traveling to different locations to maintain authority.
• There was no fixed capital of the kingdom, with kings crowned in Westminster and treasuries in Winchester.
• By the 13th century, the administration was based in Westminster, but the king's itinerant style of government remained.
• Henry II introduced the use of juries in some cases, allowing accused men to claim "trial by jury" and choose 12 neighbors to help prove their innocence.

Law and Justice

• In Saxon times, every district had its own laws and customs, with justice often a family matter.
• After the Norman Conquest, nobles administered justice among the villages and people on their lands.
• Henry II was known for the high standards of his law courts, with "convincing proof of our king's strength" in his ability to attract people to his courts.
• England used common law, unlike the rest of Europe, which was based on the Civil Law of the Roman Empire and the Canon Law of the Church.

Religious Beliefs

• The Church at the local level was different from the powerful organization the king dealt with.
• At the time of William I, ordinary village priests could hardly read and were usually part of the peasant community.
• The Church tried to prevent priests from marrying, and by the end of the 13th century, married priests were unusual.
• There was a significant growth of monasteries, with 900 religious houses and 17,500 members by the 14th century.

Ordinary People in Country and Town

• The poor were divided from their masters by the feudal class system, with the basis of the "manorial system" being the exchange of land for labor.
• The rest of the time, villagers worked on their small strips of land, part of the village's "common land" on which they grew food for themselves and their families.

The Growth of Towns as Centres of Wealth

• During the Anglo-Saxon period, most European trade was with the Frisians in the Low Countries.
• Following the Viking invasions, trade shifted to Scandinavia, and by the 11th century, English grain was highly valued in Norway.
• By the end of the 12th century, this Anglo-Scandinavian trade link had weakened, and England looked towards the south, France, and beyond.
• England was famous for its wool, and William the Conqueror encouraged Flemish weavers to settle in England.

Language, Literature, and Culture

• The growth of literacy in England was connected to the 12th-century Renaissance.
• Two schools of higher learning were established in England, at Oxford and Cambridge, at the end of the 12th century.
• Most English people spoke neither Latin nor French, and French words became part of the English language, often with a politer meaning than the old Anglo-Saxon words.
• The English language was influenced by French and Latin.

The 14th Century

• The 14th century was disastrous for Britain due to wars and plagues, with probably one-third of Europe's population dying.
• England began a long struggle against the French Crown, and the war weakened respect for the Crown.
• The nobles destroyed themselves, and as a class, they disappeared.

War with Scotland and France

• England's wish to control Scotland had suffered a major setback at Bannockburn in 1314.
• The two countries were at war again, but this time because of England's war with France.
• Edward III declared war on France in 1337, claiming the right to the French Crown.

The Age of Chivalry

• Edward III and his eldest son, the Black Prince, were admired for their courage and courtly manners.
• The legendary King Arthur was popularized during the reign of Edward III.

The Century of Plagues

• The Black Death, a terrible plague, reached almost every part of Britain during 1348-9, killing between a third and half of the population.
• The plague sparked off a chain of events that changed the position of the peasant in England forever.
• Peasants were able to demand better conditions and higher wages from their landlords.

The Poor in Revolt

• The English never rebelled against Edward III, but Richard II inherited the problems of discontent.
• The Peasants' Revolt, which lasted for four weeks, was sparked by a new tax payment and the idea of equality.
• The revolt only ended when Richard II promised to meet all the people's demands, including an end to serfdom.

Heresy and Orthodoxy

• The Church was a feudal power, and often treated its peasants and townspeople with cruelty.
• The increase in private prayer and the increase of knowledge encouraged people to challenge the Church's authority.
• Lollardy, a new religious movement, appeared in England, which was dangerous to Church authority and was condemned as heresy.
• John Wycliffe, an Oxford professor, believed everyone should be able to read the Bible in English and translate it from Latin.

The Crisis of Kingship

• During the 14th century, there was a continuous struggle between the king and his nobles.
• The first crisis came in 1327 when Edward II was deposed and cruelly murdered.
• Richard II was the second king to be killed by ambitious lords.
• Henry IV introduced the idea of executing the Lollards by burning.