A History of England, Period I. Mediæval Monarchy

by J. Franck Bright

ENGLAND BEFORE THE CONQUEST. 449-1066.
		PAGE
	Departure of the Romans,	[1]
	Settlement of the various English tribes,	[1]
449	The Jutes,	[1]
477	The Saxons,	[2]
520	The Angles,	[2]
597	Conversion to Christianity,	[3]
	Struggle for supremacy among the Saxon kingdoms,	[3]
	Supremacy of Northumbria,	[3]
716-819 Supremacy of Mercia,		[4]
800	Ecgberht,	[5]
	Supremacy of the West Saxons,	[5]
	Period of Danish Invasion,	[5]
836	Æthelwulf,	[6]
858	Æthelbald,	[6]
860	Æthelberht,	[6]
866	Æthelred,	[6]
870	Danish Conquest of East Anglia,	[7]
871	Alfred,	[7]
	Appreciation of Alfred’s character,	[8]
	Continued superiority of Wessex,	[10]
901	Eadward the Elder,	[10]
925	Æthelstan,	[11]
940	Eadmund,	[11]
946	Eadred,	[11]
	Rise of Dunstan,	[12]
955	Edwy,	[13]
957	Eadgar,	[13]
	Dunstan’s government,	[13]
	Division of Northumbria,	[14]
975	Eadward the Martyr,	[15]
	Fall of Dunstan,	[15]
979	Æthelred the Unready,	[15]
	Third Period of Danish Invasion,	[15]
991	Battle of Maldon,	[16]
994	First Danegelt,	[16]
	Æthelred’s Marriage with Emma,	[17]
1002	Massacre of St. Brice,	[17]
	Pernicious influence of Eadric Streona,	[17]
1008	Thurkill’s invasion,	[17]
1013	Swegen’s Great Invasion,	[18]
	England submits to Swegen,	[18]
1014	Restoration of Æthelred,	[18]
1016	Edmund Ironside,	[19]
	Five great battles,	[19]
	Division of the Kingdom,	[19]
1017	Cnut King of all England,	[19]
	His patriotic government,	[20]
	Disputed succession,	[21]
	Importance of Earl Godwine,	[21]
1037	Harold,	[21]
1040	Harthacnut,	[21]
	Restoration of the English Line,	[21]
1042	Eadward the Confessor,	[21]
	Rivalry of Godwine and the French Party,	[22]
1051	Godwine banished,	[22]
1052	His return and death,	[23]
1053	Harold succeeds to his influence,	[23]
	He subdues Wales,	[24]
1066	Harold made King,	[24]
	Claims of his rivals, Tostig and William of Normandy,	[24]
	William’s preparations,	[25]
	Tostig’s invasion,	[26]
	William lands,	[26]
	Battle of Hastings or Senlac,	[26]
	Death of Harold,	[27]
	——————————
	State of Society at the Conquest.
	——————————

THE CONQUEST.
WILLIAM I. 1066-1087.
1066	Intended resistance of the English,	[40]
	Election of Eadgar,	[41]
	William marches to London,	[41]
	William is crowned,	[41]
	His position as King,	[42]
	Transfer of Property,	[43]
	The form of Law retained,	[43]
	Castles built,	[43]
	Appointment of Earls,	[43]
1067	William revisits Normandy,	[44]
	Misgovernment by his Viceroys,	[44]
	Consequent rebellion,	[44]
	Insurrections call him home,	[44]
1068	His position in the North and West,	[45]
1096	His devastations in Yorkshire,	[47]
1070	Complete subjugation of the North,	[47]
	William’s legislation,	[48]
	His reform of the Church,	[48]
	Appointment of foreign Bishops,	[48]
	Stigand deposed,	[48]
	Lanfranc Archbishop,	[49]
	His Legislation,	[49]
	He connects the Church with Rome,	[49]
	But William still Head of the Church,	[49]
1071	Final Struggle of the English under Hereward,	[50]
	Wales held in check by the Counts Palatine,	[51]
	Savage invasions from Scotland,	[51]
1072	Malcolm swears fealty,	[52]
1075	Troubles in Normandy,	[52]
1076	Conspiracy of Norman nobles suppressed,	[52]
	Waltheof executed,	[53]
	Quarrel between William and his Sons,	[53]
1079	Reconciliation at Gerberoi,	[54]
	Odo’s oppressive government,	[54]
1084	Cnut’s threatened invasion,	[54]
1085	The Domesday Book,	[55]
1087	William’s death and burial,	[55]

CONQUEST OF NORMANDY AND ORGANIZATION OF ENGLAND.
WILLIAM II. 1087-1100.
1087	William crowned by Lanfranc,	[56]
	Appeases the English,	[56]
	Checks Norman opposition,	[57]
1089	Lanfranc dies,	[57]
	Flambard succeeds him,	[57]
1090	William’s quarrels with his Brothers,	[57]
1091	War with Scotland,	[58]
1094	Continued War with Wales,	[59]
	Troubles in Normandy,	[59]
1095	Conspiracy of Mowbray,	[59]
1100	Size of his Dominions at his death,	[60]
	Causes of his inferiority to his Father,	[60]
1089	Disputes with the Church,	[61]
	Bishoprics left vacant,	[61]
1093	Anselm made Archbishop,	[61]
	William opposes his reforms,	[62]

HENRY I. 1100-1135.
1100	Henry secures the crown,	[63]
	Conciliates all classes,	[63]
	His policy,	[64]
	His opponents,	[65]
1101	Robert seeks the crown,	[65]
	Withdraws without bloodshed,	[65]
	Henry attacks his partisans,	[65]
1102	Defeat of Belesme and Norman Barons,	[66]
	Establishment of royal power,	[66]
	Belesme received in Normandy,	[66]
1105	Consequent invasion of the Duchy,	[66]
1106	Battle of Tenchebray, defeat of Robert,	[66]
1107	War with France,	[67]
	Louis supports William Clito,	[67]
	End of the War,	[67]
1113	Treaty of Gisors,	[67]
	Prince William acknowledged heir,	[68]
1115	Renewed War with France and Anjou,	[68]
1119	Battle of Brenneville,	[68]
	Complete prosperity,	[68]
1120	Death of Prince William, and its consequences,	[68]
1124	War with Anjou,	[69]
1128	Death of William Clito,	[69]
	Attempt to secure the succession to Matilda,	[69]
1135	Death of Henry,	[70]
	Wales held in check by colonies of Flemings,	[70]
	Constant insurrections,	[70]
	Henry’s Church policy,	[70]
1100	Anselm refuses fealty,	[71]
	He has to leave England,	[71]
1106	Unsupported by the Pope,	[71]
	Makes a compromise at Bec,	[71]
1102	Synod of Westminster,	[71]
	Frequent bad Church appointments,	[72]
	Henry corrects them when possible,	[72]
	Wretched condition of the People,	[72]
	Their chief complaints,	[73]
	Baronial tyranny,	[73]
	Heavy taxation,	[73]
	Henry cures what evils he can,	[74]
	His strict Police,	[74]
	Administrative machinery,	[74]
	Local Courts,	[75]
	Curia Regis,	[75]
	Its political effect,	[76]
	The National Assembly,	[76]

FEUDAL OUTBREAK.
STEPHEN. 1135-1154.
1135	Strange character of the Reign,	[77]
	Great power of the Church,	[78]
	Stephen’s Charter,	[78]
	Affairs in Wales,	[78]
	Early signs of disturbance,	[79]
1137	War with Scotland,	[79]
	Last national effort of the English,	[79]
1138	Battle of the Standard,	[80]
	Growth of Anarchy in England,	[80]
	Creation of Earldoms and castles,	[80]
	Robert of Gloucester renounces his fealty,	[81]
	Stephen’s mercenaries,	[81]
	Jealousy between the old and new Administrations,	[81]
	Stephen’s quarrel with the Church,	[82]
1139	Consequent arrival of Matilda,	[82]
	Civil War,	[82]
	Continued quarrel with the Church,	[82]
1141	Robert of Gloucester, to bring matters to a crisis, fights the Battle of Lincoln,	[83]
	Matilda seeks help from the Church and becomes Queen,	[83]
	Importance of the Londoners,	[83]
	Matilda offends both Church and Londoners,	[84]
	Consequent revolution of affairs,	[84]
1142	Gloucester taken prisoner and exchanged for Stephen,	[84]
1146	Renewal of the old anarchy,	[84]
1147	Appearance of Prince Henry,	[84]
1148	Death of Robert of Gloucester,	[85]
1152	Henry’s marriage and increased power,	[85]
	The Church sides with him,	[85]
1153	Meeting of the armies at Wallingford,	[85]
	The Church mediates a Compromise,	[86]
1154	Death of Stephen,	[86]
	Quotations from Chroniclers showing the miseries of the Reign,	[86]

RECONSTITUTION OF THE MONARCHY—FORMATION OF THE NATION.
HENRY II. 1154-1189.
1154	Main Objects of Henry’s Reign,	[89]
	He restores order in the State,	[90]
	Friendship with Adrian IV.,	[90]
1157	Master of England, Henry attacks Wales,	[91]
	Rise of Thomas à Becket,	[92]
1158	He is employed in foreign negotiations,	[92]
1159	Nevertheless there is war with France,	[92]
	Interesting points in it,	[92]
	The Scotch King serves Henry,	[93]
	Introduction of Scutage,	[93]
	Having reduced the State to order, Henry turns to the Church,	[93]
	General friendship of England and France with the Pope,	[94]
1161	Election of Becket to Archbishopric,	[95]
	He upholds the Encroachments of the Church,	[95]
1164	Quarrel with Becket, and Constitutions of Clarendon,	[95]
	Becket refuses them,	[96]
	Lukewarmness of Alexander III.,	[96]
	The quarrel takes a legal form,	[97]
	Comes before the Council,	[97]
	Henry presses him with charges,	[97]
	Becket leaves the Court before judgment is given,	[98]
1165	He is received by the Pope,	[98]
	But Henry refuses to oppose Alexander,	[99]
1166	Meanwhile he attacks Wales, and secures Brittany,	[99]
	Becket excommunicates his enemies,	[99]
1167	The Pope temporizes,	[99]
	Critical position of Henry,	[100]
1170	Coronation of young Henry,	[100]
	Finding this step unpopular,	[101]
	Henry submits,	[101]
	Becket ventures to return to England,	[101]
	Becket’s death,	[101]
	Henry retires to the Invasion of Ireland,	[102]
	Condition of Ireland,	[102]
1169	Invasion by Strongbow,	[102]
1171	Henry himself invades Ireland,	[102]
	Irish Church adopts Romish discipline,	[102]
	Henry’s reconciliation with Rome,	[103]
1174	Great Insurrection,	[103]
	Crisis of the danger,	[104]
	Henry’s penance at Canterbury,	[104]
	Capture of the Scotch King at Alnwick,	[104]
	Henry’s complete success,	[105]
	Small diminution of Henry’s power, either temporal or ecclesiastical,	[105]
	Henry’s Judicial and Constitutional changes,	[106]
	The Curia Regis,	[106]
	Itinerant Justices,	[106]
	Origin of the Jury,	[108]
	Assize of Arms, Scutage,	[109]
	Closing troubles with his Sons and with France,	[109]
	The causes of these troubles,	[109]
1183	First War, against Young Henry,	[110]
1184	Second War, against Richard,	[111]
1187	Third War,	[111]
1188	Saladin Tax,	[111]
1189	Last War, with Richard and Philip,	[112]
	Henry’s ill success,	[112]
	Disastrous Peace and Death,	[112]
	Importance of the Reign,	[113]

RICHARD I. 1189-1199.
1189	Persecution of the Jews,	[115]
	All Offices put up for sale,	[116]
1190	Richard starts for the Crusade,	[110]
	Leaving England to Longchamp,	[116]
	Richard quarrels with Philip in Sicily,	[117]
1191	He conquers Cyprus,	[118]
	Miserable condition of the Kingdom of Jerusalem,	[119]
1187	Jerusalem taken by Saladin,	[119]
1189	Acre besieged,	[119]
1191	Arrival of the Crusaders,	[119]
	Richard saves Acre,	[120]
	Philip goes home,	[120]
	Richard quarrels with Austria,	[120]
1192	Truce with Saladin,	[121]
1191	John’s Behaviour in England,	[121]
	Return of Philip,	[122]
	Need of Richard’s return,	[122]
1192	His imprisonment in Germany,	[122]
	John and Philip combine against him,	[122]
	England ransoms him,	[123]
1194	Richard’s return, John’s defeat,	[123]
	War with France,	[123]
1199	Richard’s death at Chaluz,	[124]
	Development of the Administrative System,	[124]

STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE CROWN AND THE NATION.
JOHN. 1199-1216.
1199	John secures the crown,	[126]
	His strong position,	[127]
1200	His danger from France,	[127]
	Peace with Philip, and marriage treaty,	[127]
	Marriage with Isabella de la Marche,	[128]
1201	Homage of Scotland,	[128]
	Outbreak in Poitou,	[128]
1202	John’s French Provinces forfeited,	[128]
1203	Death of Arthur,	[129]
1205	Loss of Normandy,	[129]
1206	Peace with Philip,	[129]
1205	Election of the Archbishop of Canterbury,	[130]
	Stephen Langton,	[131]
1207	Consecration at Viterbo, and John’s violence,	[131]
1208	Interdict and flight of Bishops,	[131]
1209	Excommunication,	[131]
1210	Attack on Scotland, Ireland and Wales,	[132]
	Disaffection of the Northern Barons,	[133]
	The King’s rapacity,	[133]
1211	European crisis,	[133]
	League with Northern Princes,	[133]
1213	John’s deposition,	[133]
	Surrender of the Crown to the Pope,	[134]
	John’s improved position,	[134]
1214	Renewed difficulties with Stephen Langton,	[135]
1215	John hopes to secure his position by victory in France,	[135]
1214	Battle of Bouvines,	[136]
1215	Insurrection in England on his return,	[136]
	Meeting at Brackley,	[136]
	Capture of London,	[137]
	Runnymede,	[137]
	Political position of England,	[137]
	Terms of Magna Charta,	[138]
	John attempts to break loose from it,	[139]
1216	Louis is summoned,	[139]
	John’s death,	[140]

HENRY III. 1216-1272.
1216	Henry’s authority gradually established,	[141]
	Difficulties at his accession,	[142]
	Pembroke’s measures of conciliation,	[142]
1217	Fair of Lincoln,	[112]
	Louis leaves England,	[142]
	Renewal of the Charter,	[142]
1218	Papal attempt to govern by Legates,	[143]
	Pandulf’s government,	[143]
1221	His fall,	[143]
	Triumph of national party under Hubert de Burgh,	[143]
	Parties in England,	[144]
1223	Opposition Barons at Leicester,	[144]
	Resumption of royal castles,	[145]
1224	Destruction of Faukes de Breauté,	[145]
	Danger from France,	[145]
1223	Death of Philip,	[145]
1226	Death of Louis VIII.,	[145]
	English neglect this opportunity,	[146]
	Poitou remains French,	[146]
1227	Hubert’s continued power,	[146]
	Langton supports his policy,	[146]
	Change of Popes—increased exactions,	[147]
1228	Death of Langton,	[147]
	Quarrel of Henry and De Burgh,	[147]
1229	Henry’s false foreign policy,	[147]
1231	Return of Des Roches,	[148]
1232	Twenge’s riots,	[148]
	Fall of De Burgh,	[148]
1233	Revolution under Des Roches,	[149]
	Earl of Pembroke upholds De Burgh,	[149]
1234	Edmund of Canterbury causes Des Roches’ fall,	[150]
1235	Henry becomes his own minister,	[151]
1236	Henry’s marriage,	[151]
1237	Influence of the Queen’s uncles,	[151]
1238	Formation of a national party under Simon de Montfort,	[152]
	Revival in the Church,	[152]
	Grostête,	[153]
1243	Loss of Poitou,	[153]
	Prince Richard joins the foreign party,	[154]
1244	Exactions in Church and State,	[154]
1247	Inroad of Poitevin favourites,	[155]
1248	Discontent of the Barons,	[155]
	Continued misgovernment,	[155]
1249	Tallages on the cities,	[155]
1250	Diversion of the Crusade,	[156]
	De Montfort’s government of Gascony,	[156]
	His quarrel with the King,	[156]
1253	By his aid Gascony is saved,	[156]
	The King’s money difficulties,	[157]
1254	The Pope offers Edmund the Kingdom of Sicily,	[157]
	Henry accepts it on ruinous terms,	[157]
1256	Consequent exactions,	[158]
1257	Terrible famine,	[158]
	Parliament at length roused to resistance,	[158]
	Parliament at Westminster,	[158]
1258	The “Mad Parliament,”	[159]
	Provisions of Oxford,	[159]
	Opposition to the surrender of Castles,	[160]
	Exile of aliens,	[160]
	Proclamation of the Provisions,	[160]
	Government of the Barons,	[160]
1259	Final treaty with France,	[161]
	Henry thinks of breaking the Provisions,	[161]
1261	The Pope’s absolution arrives,	[161]
	Quarrel between De Clare and De Montfort,	[161]
1262	Return of De Montfort,	[162]
1263	Outbreak of hostilities,	[162]
1264	The Award of Amiens fails,	[163]
	War—Battle of Lewes,	[163]
	The Mise of Lewes,	[163]
	Appointment of revolutionary government,	[163]
	The exiles assemble at Damme,	[164]
	De Montfort desires final settlement,	[164]
	Royalist movements on the Welsh Marches,	[164]
1265	Parliament assembles,	[165]
	Conditions of Prince Edward’s liberation,	[165]
	De Clare forsakes the Barons,	[166]
	He joins the Marchers,	[166]
	Escape of Edward,	[166]
	Leicester opposes Edward in Wales,	[166]
	Defeat at Kenilworth,	[166]
	Battle of Evesham,	[167]
1266	Dictum of Kenilworth,	[168]
1267	De Clare compels more moderate government,	[168]
	Constitutional end of the reign,	[168]
	Views of the people on the war,	[168]

SETTLEMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION.
EDWARD I. 1272-1307.
1272	Edward’s accession and character,	[171]
	The first English King,	[172]
	His political views,	[173]
	His legal mind,	[173]
	His success,	[173]
	His enforced concessions,	[174]
1275	His first Parliament,	[174]
	Statute of Westminster,	[174]
	Establishment of Customs,	[174]
1278	Edward’s restorative measures,	[174]
	New coinage,	[175]
1279	Statute of Mortmain,	[175]
	Affairs in Wales,	[175]
1275	Llewellyn’s suspicious conduct,	[175]
1277	War breaks out,	[176]
	Llewellyn submits, and is mercifully treated,	[176]
1282	Second rising in Wales,	[176]
	Death of Llewellyn,	[176]
1288	Execution of David,	[176]
1284	Statute of Wales,	[177]
	Annexation of Wales,	[177]
1282	Foreign affairs call Edward abroad,	[177]
1284	The Sicilian Vespers,	[177]
1286	Edward acts as mediator between France and Aragon,	[178]
1288	His award is repudiated,	[178]
1289	Disturbances in England during his absence,	[178]
	He returns, punishes corrupt judges, banishes the Jews,	[179]
	Second period of the reign,	[179]
	Relations with Scotland,	[180]
1290	Extinction of the Scotch royal family,	[181]
	Proposed marriage of the Maid and Prince Edward,	[181]
	Invitation to Edward to settle the Succession,	[182]
	Death of the Maid,	[182]
1291	Meeting at Norham,	[182]
	Edward’s supremacy allowed,	[182]
	The claimants to the Scotch throne,	[182]
1292	Edward gives a just verdict,	[183]
	Balliol accepts the throne as a vassal,	[183]
1293	Scotland appeals therefore to the English Courts,	[183]
	The appeals not pressed to extremities,	[184]
	Quarrel with France,	[184]
	Edward is outwitted, Gascony occupied,	[184]
	Balliol in alliance with France,	[184]
1295	First True Parliament,	[183]
1296	Edward marches into Scotland,	[185]
	Defeat of the Scotch at Dunbar,	[185]
	Submission of Balliol and Scotland,	[186]
	Constitutional opposition of Clergy and Barons,	[186]
1296	Refusal of the Clergy to grant subsidies,	[186]
1297	The Clergy outlawed,	[187]
	The Barons refuse to assist Edward,	[187]
	Compromise with the Clergy,	[187]
	Edward secures an illegal grant,	[187]
	The Earls demand the confirmation of the Charters,	[188]
	They are granted with reservations,	[188]
	Scotch insurrection under Wallace,	[189]
1299	English Treaty with France,	[189]
	Edward invades Scotland,	[190]
	Defeats Wallace at Falkirk,	[190]
	Comyn’s Regency,	[190]
1301	Parliament of Lincoln,	[190]
	The Pope’s claims rejected,	[191]
1303	Third invasion and conquest of Scotland,	[191]
1306	Bruce murders Comyn and rebels,	[192]
	Preparations for a fourth invasion,	[192]
1307	Edward’s death near Carlisle,	[192]
	Constitutional importance of the reign,	[193]