England in the Middle Ages

When the English kingdom weakened it became a hunting ground for the Danes. In 1066 the army of William, Duke of Normandy, landed in England; at the battle of Hastings Norman mounted knights and archers defeated the English infantry, King Harold was killed and William took the throne as William I. He seized the lands of Anglo-Saxon lords and gave them to his knights, but scattered their estates across different regions so that independent counties could not arise; all great landowners swore loyalty to the king. The Normans built castles, including the Tower of London, which still stands; in 1086 a survey of land and population was made, which the people called the “Domesday Book”. The country was divided into counties (shires), and in each the power of the king’s agent, the sheriff, was strengthened. Songs about Robin Hood from the 14th century created the image of a popular hero (he is a figure of folk tradition, not a proven historical person). Under King John (1199–1216) heavy exactions drove the barons to revolt; in 1215 the king was forced to sign the Magna Carta, which guaranteed the freedom of the church, no payments beyond custom and no imprisonment of free men without trial (63 clauses). The first English Parliament was called in 1265, with barons, clergy, two knights from each county and representatives of large towns. From the 14th century Parliament split into the House of Lords and the House of Commons and gained rights over taxes and laws.