WESTERN MONARCHIES: ENGLAND, FRANCE & “ANGEVIN EMPIRE”

FEUDAL MONARCHY:
      problems in relationship of kingship and feudal practice
l. tension between principles of inheritance (France, England)
      and election (Holy Roman Empire)
2. issues concerning vassals:
     the "overmight vassal" such as Rollo the Viking or Henry II
      limitation of king's power by delegation of governmental  functions to vassals
3. emergence of representative bodies of nobles, advisory to King
      England: Parliament, France: Estates General,
      Holy Roman Empire: Diet of Empire
4. centralization versus decentralization as result of these issues

FRANCE: CAPETIAN MONARCHY

987 Hugh Capet first Capetian King (Carolingian line dies out)

1) Elective vs hereditary principles: elected by magnates (great nobles)
      987-1314 unbroken chain of male succession: cause of Capetian success
      Salic Law: prohibition on royal inheritance through female line

Philip I (1060-1108) less powerful than his magnates
inherits Ile de France small landlocked area: [Text, map p.316 ]

Louis VI the Fat (1108-1137)
subordination of nobles of Ile de France

2) Role of Royal clerical advisors and Church in monarchy
      11th C. Papacy needs French as counterweight to the Empire

Coronation ceremony:
      derives from baptism of CLOVIS (481-511) by St. Remigius:
      legend: dove brings oil from Heaven as symbol of divine approval
      sacral aspect (Germanic in origin) of monarchy emphasized by Church

ABBOT SUGER: head of royal Abbey of St. Denis (outside Paris);
      chief minister to Kings Louis VI, VII:
      strengthens royal administration; major clerical architect of
      "sacral myth," religious aura surrounding French king;
      "King's Two Bodies:" body politic and body personal
      arranges political marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Louis

LOUIS VII (1137-1180)
      young marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine, no male heir
      pious "most Christian King," goes on 2cd Crusade
      expands royal justice over major vassals;
      1152 marriage to Eleanor dissolved due to consanguinity

ANGEVIN EMPIRE: see map in text, p. 316
      major territorial threat to French monarchy 12 C.

Henry Plantagenet: grandson of Henry I of England;
      son of Matilda & Geoffrey of Anjou
      1151 does homage for Duchy of Anjou to Louis VII in Paris

HENRY II King of England (1154-1189)
      wins English succession struggle; creates "personal empire":
      no central administration, territories in France gained by
      1) inheritance: Count of Anjou, Maine, Tourraine, Duke of Normandy,
      2) marriage: to Eleanor of Aquitaine = Duke of Aquitaine;
      3) conquest: adds Brittany, Vexin; plans to conquer Italy

Britain: attempts to conquer Wales 1157-65 ends in defeat
      1170 Ireland conquered by Anglo Normans under Henry;
      1174 Scotland defeated, King captured; homage to Henry II for kingdom
      1189 Richard I sells back Scots Lordship for 10,000 marks
            (for Crusade)

Sons of Henry II/Eleanor include
      Richard I (1189-99) the Lionhearted, John Lackland (1199-1216):
      ally with French Kings (Louis & Philip) against father HII,