NORMAN CONQUEST

NORMAN CONQUEST

The Norman conquest was an epoc making event in the British History.

The rulers of Normandy had originaaly been scandinavian vikings.They occupie parts of Northern france(Normandy)and in the early 10^th century AD,they were recognized by the french Crown.By the middle of 11^th century AD,they lost their scandinavian speech ,instead spoke French and wre essentially french in culture.During the reign of Edward the Confessor,Harold the earl of wassex happened to visit Normandy.William,the Duke of Normandy had a hop to become the king of England after the death of childless edwardand Harold offered to help him in this matter.

But the Witan (Body of elders)in obedience to the dying words of the Edward ,elected harold as the King.The infuriorated William landed in England with a mighty army in 1066 AD.Harold could not get the whole hearted support of the whole nobles.So in the historic BATTLE OF HASTINGS in 1066 AD,harold ,last of the Saxon kings ,was defeated and william the conqueror became the new king of England.Since william also contonued to be the duke of normandy,there was a study flow of people between england and normandy.

RESULT OF NORMAN CONQUEST

The Norman Conquest was a turning point in the history of England.The immediate result of the norman conquest was that the government passed from the hands of the english to thos of the normans and norman baros and knights.The anglo saxon nobility was completly destroyed and most of the english men became villians.England lost her royal dynasty and she also lost her freedom.king william had to curb the power of thos elements which threatened the security of his rule.Each rebellion was followed by confiscation of english lands and these lands were rewarded to his normans.All rebellions were supported and the fuedal system was encouraged.The norman fuedal system completedly altered the face of England.

The first great change made by the norman conquest was that england came in to close contact with what was happening in europe.The english began to display great interest in intellectual,political and religious movement in europe.Kings and people began to play an important part in france,in the policies of europe and even in the crusades.The trade of england goes very much affected.merchats from england began to travell all over europe and were able to set up their trade relations in the countries with which they came in to contact.Jews came and settiled in england.

An immediate result of the conquest had been a great immigration  of normans in to england.They all gradually mixed with egland.noraman conquest supplied england an illustious line of able rulers.they used new fuedalism to attain natioan unity.most of the institution which are the pride of english men today like representative assembley(magnum Concelium),universities,juries and the common law were acquired during these periods of foriegn rule and influence.Dooms day book and oath of salisbury (already discussed earlier)are the other results.

The church of england came in to close contact with the church of Rome.They reformed the english church and made it the real leader of the people in morals ,learning and in charity.Ecclesiatical courts were separated from the secular courts.Church encouraged education ,art and architecture.School strted in all monasteriues where latin was taught.Large number of cathedrals were built in normans time.thus church began to play aviatl role in  the lives of the people.The norman conquest also profoundly affected learning in england.The latin language began to be studied with great interest.Latin and french became the official language of the givernment.Under french influence,english language was completely changed.The two language gradually merged in to what is known as middle english.Trevelyan points out  that one outcome of the norman conquest was the making of the english language.On the whole,it can be said that the Noramn conquest was very important evnt in the history of england.It revolutionised everything in the country.Although english men suffered for sometimes as a result of the Norman conquest,their initial loss were more than made up later.