Later Middle Ages

• 1. What was the Hundred Years War and how did it influence

  the British Isles?

  · a series of conflicts waged between 1337 to 1453

  England in 1300: England and France connected -> interconnections very important

  Reasons:

  · power struggle: English King (starting with William I., first sovereign ruler of England

  but also vassal of the French King)-> owned parts of France

  · conflict in French succession: Edward the 3 (English King)claimed the throne

  after French King died (1328)-> split in French nobility

  · England wanted to fight for territory in France

  C. Alliance between France and Scotland)
• Development and outcome of the 100 years war

  time: 1337-1453, not one continuous war, some interruptions

  · Battle of Crécy (1346) -> Edward Wins

  · Battle of Agincourt (1415)French were certain to win BUT the

  English made clever decisions and emerged victorious

  1420 Henry the 5th became French King (died shortly after

  ↳ after his death, France was more and more victorious

  1453 English territories in France almost entirely lost

  ↳ end of the war

  · military revolutions: cannons and artillery, long bows

  ↳ pessimistic thoughts of the people in the later Middle Ages
• Jeanne d'Arc /Joan of Arc (1412-31)

  · peasant girl who claimed to that God had spoken to her to fight against the English

  raised a national movement, united many parts of France against England

  ↳ people believed in and followed her -> France became superior
• Scotland

  · Alliance between Scotland and France, border between England and Scotland

  highly contested

  · Battle of Bannockburn (1314): Scotland Wins (important battle of Scotland until today)
• Society in the later Middle Ages

  1350: one to two thirds of English population died due to the plague (the Black Death)

  ↳ people couldn't explain it

  · mistrust in the king and the church (seen as punishment from God

  · Wyclif and the Lollards: first 'reformers' criticising the corruptness of the church

  ↳ first complete translation of the Bible into English

  · not enough workers -> prices for everything (especially labor)increase

  · starting point of the embodiment of death (Grim Reaper)

  · medieval thoughts: very pessimistic (wars, plague, etc. )
• The Peasants Revolt (1381)

  · reason: tax imposed in 1381 (everybody had to pay the same -> injustice)

  · greatest rebellion started by commoners (brief outburst)

  · Laborers and peasants wanted higher wages (especially because of Labour shortage

  · unsuccessful: Richard 3rd lied to them, revolts chrushed (not very well organised
• 2. How did the status of the English language change

  during the Later Middle Ages?

  · spread of literacy and increased use of English language

  (because France was seen as an enemy and so was their language

  · English became new official language for political affairs and trade

  · non-homogenous with many dialects -> East Anglia became the dominant one

  1362: English became official national language
• 3. What were the 'Wars of Roses'and what was their result?

  1453-1485 (final chapter of medieval England

  · intra-familiar war, both families originated from House Plantagenet

  Reasons:

  · Authority of the King was questioned after 100 years of war

  · Rival royal houses of Lancaster Cred rose)and York (white rose)competed for

  becoming next king -> fought for dominance
• 3. What were the 'Wars of Roses'and what was their result?

  Developement and outcome

  ↳ series of battles

  · 1485 Henry Tudor (lancaster)beats Richard the 3rd (Yoru)-> Tudor Dynasty

  -> Henry the 7th married a woman from the horse of York -> both houses became connected

  ↳ Tudor rose

  · many people died, also many from nobility
• Tudor's achievements

  reformed government: chose London as permanent seat of government

  · established sense of English nationhood (to keep the kingdom together (

  · spreading the Tudors as English dynasty although they were Welsh

  'Tudor Myth'
• Later Middle Ages: 1300-1485