MEDIEVAL LITERATURE (ANGLO-SAXON AND ANGLO-NORMAN
T1 LITERATURES)
LITERATURA INGLESA: EDAD MEDIA Y RENACIMIENTO
MIDDLE ENGLISH LITERATURE: A CHRONOLOGY
The Middle Ages designated the time span roughly from the collapse of the Roman Empire
(early 5th c.) to the Renaissance and Reformation (late 15th c. - early 16th c.).
The literature produced in Great Britain during this period of more than 1000 years is
generally divided into three groups:
★ Anglo-Saxon Literature (mid 7th c. - 10th c.)
★ Anglo-Norman Literature (11th c. - 13th c.)
★ Middle English Literature (14th c. and 15th c.)
ANGLO-SAXON LITERATURE (MID 7TH C. - 10TH C.))
ca. 658 - 80 Caedmon’s Hymn, earliest poem recorded in Old English
Bede’s Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum [the Ecclesiastical History of
ca. 731
the English People] (completed in 731)
ca. 750 Beowulf composed
ca. 1000 Unique manuscript of Beowulf
1154 End of the Peterborough Chronicle, last branch of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
THE ANGLO-SAXONS INVASIONS
Through 5th c. Germanic tribes raid and settle in Great Britain: Angles, Saxons and Jutes
(originally from the north of Germany and south of Denmark). Some historical sources also
mention Frisians (originally from Holland). First invasion is dated 449 CE.
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MEDIEVAL LITERATURE (ANGLO-SAXON AND ANGLO-NORMAN
T1 LITERATURES)
LITERATURA INGLESA: EDAD MEDIA Y RENACIMIENTO
Settlers occupied Britain according to their tribes and established a number of kingdoms:
Essex, Sussex, Middlesex and East Anglia.
By the mid-7th c. the three largest kingdoms were Nurthumbria, Mercia and Wessex. Each
spoke a different dialect of Old English.
HISTORIA ECCLESIASTICA GENTIS ANGLORUM
★ Bede,monk and scholar, born in Northumbria, Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum
[the Ecclesiastical History of the English People], completed 731.
★ This work enjoyed great popularity among the Anglo-Saxons and Carolingians. One of
the most popular texts in medieval Europe.
BEOWULF
★ Is the longest epic poem in Old English (more than 3.000 lines long)
★ It survives in a single medieval manuscript, which may date from the late 10th c. or early
11th century. The date of creation of the poem and its authorship is unknown.
★ The manuscript contains other medieval texts: a homily on St. Christopher; The Marvels
of the East (a bestiary); The Letter of Alexander to Aristotle; and an imperfect copy of
another OE poem, Judith.
★ The whole collection was copied by two Anglo-Saxon scribes, working in collaboration.
THE ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE (LATE 9TH C.)
Anonymous collection of vernacular annals, possibly written under the instigation of
Alfred the Great. Showing how England came to be ruled by the kings of Wessex. It has a
tendency to praise the Anglo-Saxons invaders, their bravery and prowess.
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MEDIEVAL LITERATURE (ANGLO-SAXON AND ANGLO-NORMAN
T1 LITERATURES)
LITERATURA INGLESA: EDAD MEDIA Y RENACIMIENTO
ANGLO-NORMAN LITERATURE (11TH - 13TH C.)
Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia regum Britanniae [History of the Kings of
ca. 1135 - 38
Britains] gives pseudo-historical status to Arthurian and other legends.
ca. 1165 - 80 Marie de France, Lais in Anglo-Norman French from Breton sources.
ca. 1170 - 91 Chrétien de Troyes, chivalric romances about knights of the Round Table.
ca. 1200 (?) Layamon’s Brut.
In the 12th century, through the interest of the Anglo-Normans in British history before the
Anglo-Saxon Conquest, not only England but all of Western Europe became fascinated with a
legendary hero named Arthur who first appeared in Celtic literature.
King Arthur and his knights became a recurrent theme in medieval French, English, and
German literature.
The three languages: cultural interaction (intercultural translation / borrowing):
★ Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia regum Britanniae (1136), in Latin.
★ Wace’s Roman de Brut (1155), in Norman French.
★ Layamon’s Brut (ca. 1200; mss: 1250-1300), in Middle English.
THE NORMAN CONQUEST
As their name suggests, the Normans were people from the North (‘Norse men’). They
descended from the Vikings who had captured and settled in northern France. They had soon
adopted the French language and Christianity.
William of Normandy, who was related to King Edward the Confessor of England,
launches an invasion to claim the throne. Harold of Wessex is killed at the Battle of Hastings
(1066). William proclaims himself king.
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MEDIEVAL LITERATURE (ANGLO-SAXON AND ANGLO-NORMAN
T1 LITERATURES)
LITERATURA INGLESA: EDAD MEDIA Y RENACIMIENTO
ENGLAND AFTER THE CONQUEST
★ Norman kings strengthen control of the kingdom through feudalism.
★ New ruling elite (new language and culture)
★ Anglo-Saxon landlords were replaced by a reduced number of Norman barons (c. 200)
★ Anglo-Saxons bishops were also deposed.
FEUDALISM
The word ‘feudalism’ comes from the French word feu, which is the word the Normans
used to refer to land held in return for duty or service to a lord.
The basis of feudal society was the holding of land, and its main purpose was economic.
The central idea was that all land was owned by the king but it was held by others, called tenants
in chief, in return for services and goods.
Everyone in the hierarchy had rights and obligations regulated by long-established
customs.
The king gave large estates to his main nobles (tenants in chief) in return for a promise to
serve him in war. The nobles also had to give him part of the produce of the land and other
customary payments. The greater nobles gave part of their lands to lesser nobles, knights and
other freemen (their vassals).
Nobles kept serfs to work on their lands. These were not free to leave the estate, and were
often little better than slaves.
The king was connected through this ‘chain’ of people to the lowest man in the country. At
each level a man had to promise loyalty and service to his lord. This promise was usually made
with the lord sitting on his chair and his vassal kneeling before him, his hands placed between
those of his lord (homage).
On the other hand, each lord had responsibilities to his vassals. He had to give them land
and protection.
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MEDIEVAL LITERATURE (ANGLO-SAXON AND ANGLO-NORMAN
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LITERATURA INGLESA: EDAD MEDIA Y RENACIMIENTO
THE PLANTAGENETS
★ Henry II (1154-1189) begins the Angevin or 'Plantagenet' line.
★ Henry II adds to the English crown Anjou, Maine & Touraine (inherited from his father).
He then gained control of the Dukedom of Aquitaine through his wife.
★ From then on, English kings control vast sections of France, which makes them a threat
to French kings.
ENGLISH LANDS IN FRANCE
★ In 1204, King John of England lost the domains of Normandy, Anjou, and other parts of
France. His son was compelled to sign the Treaty of Paris renouncing these lands. In
return, he received Aquitaine and other territories to be held as a vassal of France.
★ There were further wars in 1294 and 1324 when Aquitaine was confiscated by France and
won back by the English crown.
★ The region was important because the profits from Aquitaine alone rivalled those of
England.
THE WANE OF ROYAL POWER: MAGNA CARTA (1215)
★ King John made himself unpopular with the nobles, the merchants and the Church
because of his despotic rule.
★ Increasing taxation to support wars in France leads to a revolt of the barons: John is
forced to grant Magna Carta (The Great Charter) in 1215, a document attempting to
restrain his taxing policy.
★ The Charter only applied to 'free men' and the vast majority of the population were unfree
peasants ruled by their landowners.
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MEDIEVAL LITERATURE (ANGLO-SAXON AND ANGLO-NORMAN
T1 LITERATURES)
LITERATURA INGLESA: EDAD MEDIA Y RENACIMIENTO
THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRADE AND URBAN GROWTH
★ International trade with France & the Low Countries.
★ Wool was England's most profitable business. Increase in national wealth.
★ The king obtained a considerable income from custom duties.
★ Cities obtained "charters of freedom" to be freed from the feudal duties to the local lord.
Development of city guilds.
★ A thriving urban culture: by 1250 most of English towns were already established.
12TH-CENTURY RENAISSANCE
★ A revival of the arts and letters across Western Europe and England. Rediscovery of Latin
authors (Virgil, Ovid, Cicero, Seneca).
★ Period of stability (no wars).
★ Good harvests: economic prosperity.
★ Growth of literary culture: people start to buy luxury articles (books).
★ Rise of universities: Oxford (Merton College, 1264) and Cambridge (Peterhouse, 1284).
THE CRUSADES
The medieval "Crusades" were a series of holy wars sanctioned by the Pope and conducted
against groups seen as enemies of Christendom.
For centuries, Jerusalem had been governed by Muslims, who tolerated Christian pilgrims
because they helped the economy. Then, in the 1070s, Turks conquered these holy lands and
mistreated Christians without realising how useful their money could be.
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MEDIEVAL LITERATURE (ANGLO-SAXON AND ANGLO-NORMAN
T1 LITERATURES)
LITERATURA INGLESA: EDAD MEDIA Y RENACIMIENTO
The Turks also threatened the Byzantine Empire, who requested help from the Pope. Urban
made a speech encouraging Christian knights to take back Jerusalem. Thousands responded,
resulting in the First Crusade.
CRUSADERS AND THEIR MOTIVATIONS
All sorts of people participated in the crusades, including peasants, labourers, kings and
queens. Crusading was expensive and so it was funded by lords, who brought with them large
retinues. Women were mostly encouraged to contribute with funds, but some went on crusade
anyway.
There were many different reasons for crusading, the most prevalent was piety. To crusade
implied going on pilgrimage, a holy journey of personal salvation. These pilgrims were willingly
facing death for God while sacrificing virtually everything. Others were motivated by adventure,
wealth or personal glory.
THE CRUSADES AND THE ORDERS OF THE KNIGHTHOOD
The crusaders founded the military orders of knighthood (e.g. the Templars) in the early
12th century. These were monastic orders whose members took vows of chastity, poverty and
obedience, yet they were also militarily trained. Their primary purpose was to protect the
helpless on their pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
The orders of knighthood grew very wealthy. They had fortresses and churches, as well as
villages from which they obtained supplies. Western monarchs rewarded knights with lands in
Europe.
Over time, the original intent became lost in personal conflicts. They often allied
themselves with Muslims, and so completely lost sight of their original vows of poverty, taking
part in major financial activities to enrich themselves.
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MEDIEVAL LITERATURE (ANGLO-SAXON AND ANGLO-NORMAN
T1 LITERATURES)
LITERATURA INGLESA: EDAD MEDIA Y RENACIMIENTO
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CRUSADES
The Crusades contributed greatly to changes in Europe. The effort required to raise armies
and supply the Crusaders boosted trade as well as the economy.
Interaction between the East and West affected European culture in terms of art and
architecture, literature, mathematics, science and education.
Additionally, Pope Urban's strategy to direct the energies of warring knights outside of
Europe succeeded in reducing war within Europe. Having a common enemy and goal helped to
promote the idea of Christendom as a single, cohesive body.
