Migration in Medieval England Flashcards
What did England and its society look like in the 9th century?
-Had very rich mineral deposits of lead, iron, copper, tin and silver
-Had very fertile land which meant lots of crops grew
-Very established trade routes and merchants
-Most people lived in villages but fortified towns called burhs grew in number and developed as trading centres
-Monasteries and abbeys were extremely wealthy
Christianity:
-England gradually adopted
-Built monasteries
-Scholars and clergy moved freely between Europe and England
-Bought to England by the Romans
-563: First monastery was built on Iona
-597: The pope sent a Christian missionary called Augustine to England to help the sprea
-635: Missionaries from Iona founded an abbey at Lindisfarne
What were the main kingdoms in the 9th century
-Northumbria
-Mercia
-East Anglia
-Kent
-Wessex
How was the government laid out?
-The king had the most authority and were normally advised by the witan
-Money was made via taxation
-Law was maintained by local communities who were responsible for preventing crime
-The lack of government meant it was difficult to organise a defence against invaders
Who was the first king of England?
-King Athelstan
How did the Vikings come to settle in England?
-789-865: Vikings raided England and Scotland, raiding and attacking villages, towns and monasteries close to coast
-865: Vikings landed in East Anglia and wanted to settle for fertile land
-866: Vikings captured York and used it as a bade to defeat Northumbria, East Anglia and Mercia
-878: Alfred of Wessex, and Guthrum agreed to the treaty of Wedmore. This led to the creation of the Danelaw
How did the Normans settle in England?
-Invaded in 1066 led by Williams
-Recieved support from the pope
-Wanted England’s wealth, fertile soil and trading links
-Norman nobles and merchants migrated to England to take advantage of the land and trade
How did the Jews settle in England?
-William needed money for castles
-Christians do not lend money but Jewish people can
-William turned to Jews from Normandy
-A group of Jewish merchants lent William the money and followed to England
Why did workers migrate to England?
-The hundred years war disrupted work and trade, especially in France.
-The black death killed 30-40% of the English population, causing an increase in the availability of jobs
-Henry III wanted to replace the jews due to antisemitism so invited powerful Italian banking families
Who were the powerful Italian banking families who moved to England in the 1220s under royal protection?
-Bardi family
-Ricciardi family
What were the experience of the Vikings?
-Set up shops, markets, workshops, built their own forms of entertainment
-Some grew rich cause of the trading links
-Fighting Anglo-saxons on the border of the Danelaw was common
-In 937, the Danelaw went under Saxon control
-The Vikings raided again
-1016: Cnut became the first Danish king of England and relations improved
What were the experience of the Normans in England?
-Experienced hostility and resentment from the Saxons
-Dealt with rebellions harshly and made them build castles while destroying their own land
-The feudal system ensured that Norman Barons, bishops and knights held authority over saxons
-Land was totally owned by the king
What were the experience of Jews in England?
-Were kept safe by the monarch
-Were well-respected due to the financial support they gave
-Increasingly experienced anti-semitism due to resentment of paying interest
-1275: Stature of Jewry made Jews wear a yellow armband and also restricted them from charging interest
-1290: Jews were expelled by Edward I
Why were Flemish weavers so successful?
-Had specialised skills the English did not have
-Taught their skills to the English
-Helped the cloth trade flourish
Who were the Hansa merchants?
-Came from Germany
-Were given the right to trade by Edward I
-Set up a steelyard which they directed and controlled trade with the Hanseatic league
-In the mid-1400s, German merchants controlled most of the English cloth industry
