Tianna Dyke

Pd.7 Ms Rodolico

Chapter 9 Sec 1 -- Growth of Royal Power in England and

France

I. Monarchs, Nobles, and the Church

- Feudal Monarchs stood at the head of society
,but had limited power
- Nobles and the church had as much or more
power than the monarch
- Monarchs used various means to centralize
power
- They organized a government bureaucracy,
developed a system of taxes and a standing army

II. Strong Monarchs in England

A. Norman Conquest
1. Duke William of Normandy,a tough,ruthless
descendant of the Vikings battled against Harold for the
English throne
2. At this battle,the Battle of Hastings,William
triumphed over Harold and was given the name "William 'the
conqueror'"
3.On Christmas Day 1066,William the
conqueror assumed the crown of England

B. Growth of Royal Power

1. William exerted firm control over his new
lands
2. To learn about his kingdom,William had a
complete census taken in 1086
a.) The result was the Domesday Book
(pronounced doomsday) which listed every castle,field and
pigpen in England

C. A Unified Legal System

 1. In 1154,an energetic,well educated
king,Henry II, inherited the throne
2. Henry found ways to expand customs into law

a.) He then sent out traveling justices to

enforce royal laws
3. When traveling justices visited an area ,local
officials collect a jury- a group of men sworn to speak the
truth
a.) These early juries determined which
cases should be brought to trial
4. The decisions of the royal courts became the
foundation of English common law- a legal system based on
custom and court rulings

D. Conflict With the Church

1. Henry's efforts to extend royal power led to a
bitter dispute with the church
2. Henry tried to claim the right to try clergy in
royal courts
a.) The archbishop of Canterbury fiercely
opposed the king's move
b.) The conflict simmered for years
3. In 1170,the archbishop was murdered by
four of Henry's hotheaded knights
a.) Henry denied any part in the attack

III. Evolving Traditions of English Government

- Later English rulers repeatedly clashed with
nobles and the Church

A. John's Troubles
1. Henry's son John was a
clever,greedy,cruel,and untrustworthy ruler
2. During his reign he faced three powerful
enemies-
a.) King Philip II of France,Pope Innocent
III,and some of his own English nobles
3. John battled with Innocent III over selecting a
new archbishop of Canterbury
a.) The pope responded by excommunicating
him

B. The Magna Carta

1. John angered his own nobles with oppressive
taxes and other abuses of power
2. In 1215, a group of rebellious barons cornered
John and forced him to sign the Magna Carta - or great
charter
a.) In it,the king affirmed a long list of feudal
rights

C. Development of Parliament
1. Keeping with the Magna Carta,English rulers
often called on the Great Council for advice
a.) During the 1200s this body evolved into
Parliament
2. As parliament acquired a larger role in
government,it helped unify England

IV Successful Monarchs in France

- Unlike William the Conquerer in
England,monarchs in France did not rule over a unified
kingdom

A. The Capetians
1. In 987,these feudal nobles elected Hugh
Capet,the count of Paris,to fill the vacant throne
a.) they probably chose him because he was
too weak to pose a threat to them
2. Hugh and his heirs slowly increased royal
power
a.) they made the throne hereditary,passing it
from father to son
 3. The Capetians enjoyed an unbroken succession
for 300 years
a.) they also won the support of the Church

B. Philip Augustus
1. Philip II was an outstanding French king,often
called Philip Augustus
2. He was a bald,red-faced man who hate and
drank too much
a.)Philip was a shrewd and able leader
3. He strengthened royal government in many
ways

C. Louis IX,King and Saint

1. Perhaps the most admired French ruler of this
time
2. Louis ascended to throne in 1226
a.) he embodied the ideal of the perfect
medieval monarch
- He was generous,noble,and devoted to
justice and chivalry

D. Philip IV Clashes With the Pope

1. Grandson of Louis IX,Philip ruthlessly extended
royal power
2. He tried to collect new taxes from the clergy to
raise money
a.) This led to a clash with Pope Boniface VIII
b.) Pope Boniface VII forbade Philip to tax the
clergy without papal consent
- Philip countered by threatening to arrest
any clergy that did not pay up
c.) Philip sent troops to seize Boniface
- He escaped but was badly beaten and died
soon after

E. The Estates General

 1. During Philip IV's struggle with the pope,he rallied
French support by setting up the Estates General in 1302
a.) This body had representatives from all three
estates,or classes: clergy,nobles,and townspeople
- Although some future French kings
consulted with them,it did not gain the power that the English
Parliament did