THE POSITION OF THE ARISTOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE AGES

the position of the aristocracy

IN THE MIDDLE AGES

Cultura y Civilización de los Pueblos de Habla Inglesa I FL - UNC

START

In this virtual class, we invite you to explore the position of the aristocracy in the Early Middle Ages and the factors that led to the deterioration of its power in the Late Middle Ages.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

REMEMBER:

LATE MIDDLE AGES XIV-XV

EARLY MIDDLE AGES XI-XII-XIII

1337/1453: Hundred Years' War

1348/49 Black Death

1455/85 Wars of the Roses

1066 Norman Conquest William I

1272 Edward I

1485 Henry VII

1.

THE POSITION OF THE ARISTOCRACY IN THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES

During the Early Middle Ages, feudalism was the economic, social, and political system prevailing in Western Europe. Based on the content of the previous lessons, examine this quote by Lipson and then answer the questions below.

Feudalism was “the social and political domination of a military and land-owning aristocracy” (Lipson, 1959, p. 3).

1. Why was the aristocracy socially powerful in the Early Middle Ages?
2. Why was this group politically powerful?
3. Lipson characterizes the aristocracy as ‘land-owning’:
1. How did the possession of land impact on the economic power of this social class?
2. Were the members of the aristocracy economically powerful? Why?

2.

THE DECAY OF THE POWER OF THE ARISTOCRACY IN THE LATE MIDDLE AGES

In the Early Middle Ages, the English aristocracy was economically, socially, and politically powerful. However, in the Late Middle Ages, as a consequence of a series of economic, social, legal, and political developments, its power began to weaken. Let us analyze the different developments that led to the deterioration of its power.

First, let us focus on the economic and social developments of the period. Analyze the sources below. Based on your knowledge and on the information given in the sources, answer the questions .

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With the growth of the wool trade on capitalist lines, the corporate society organized on a gild basis slowly yielded place to an individualist society organized on a capitalist basis. (...) the increasing scope for personal initiative, that is, the growing forces of individualism, undermined the old gild system and fostered the emergence of a higher middle class of merchants and traders. From now on, the aristocracy, which had reigned supreme in the Middle Ages, began to be challenged by the rising middle classes as the power of the latter was gradually consolidated.

Burying plague victims of Tournai, 1349 UIG via Getty Images

(Berrone, 1974, p. 4)

Now we will focus on the legal developments of the period that contributed to the weakening of the power of the aristocracy in the Late Middle Ages. Below you can see a 16th-century illustration of Edward I presiding over Parliament. During his reign, Parliament passed two statutes to reduce the power of the aristocracy and consolidate the authority of the king, the Statute of Gloucester or Quo Warranto in 1278 and the Statute of Quia Emptores in 1290. Click on the statutes below to read about their content. Then answer the questions .

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Statute of Gloucester or Quo Warranto

Statute of Quia Emptores

Edward I presiding over Parliament

Eventhough Edward I passed statutes to check the power of the aristocracy in the Late Middle Ages, monarchs had already introduced measures to control this powerful social group in the Early Middle Ages. Click on the icons next to the measures in order to interact with them.

EARLY MIDDLE AGES

CHECKS TO THE POWER OF THE ARISTOCRACY

MONARCH

MEASURE

He took measures to keep himself a powerful monarch.

WILLIAM I

He increased the power of the sheriffs and created the Curia Regis.

HENRY I

He appointed itinerant judges (Judges on tour).

HENRY II

And now let us analyze the political developments that contributed to the weakening of the power of the aristocracy in the Late Middle Ages. In this case, we will focus on the impact the wars, fought internationally and internally, had on the position of this group. Click on the icons in each image in order to interact with them.

Wars of the Roses

Hundred Years' War

The Battle of Poitiersby Eugène Delacroix (1830)

Battle of Barnet

Finally, based on your knowledge and the information from the sources read and examined in this virtual class, answer:

To what extent was the aristocracy a powerful group in the Early Middle Ages? To what extent did the power of the aristocracy deteriorate in the Late Middle Ages?

Remember that the contents of this presentation will be discussed in the in-person session. See you then!

• Berrone, M. L. (1974). The English Social Classes before and after the Industrial Revolution. Facultad de Lenguas.
• Burns, W. (2010). A Brief History of Great Britain. Facts on File.
• Duignan, B. (n.d.) Statute of Quia Emptores. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Statute-of-Quia-Emptores
• Fritze, R. and Robinson, W. (2002). Historical Dictionary of Late Medieval England, 1272-1485.
• Johnson, B. (2015, March 8). The Wars of the Roses. Historic UK. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-Wars-of-the-Roses/
• Lipson, E. (1959). The Growth of the English Society. Adam and Charles Black.
• Saul, N. (1997). The Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval England. Oxford University Press.
• The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019, November 8). curia. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/curia-medieval-European-court