WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR

WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR was crowned in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. With the Normans feudal system was introduced ; barons and knights become very important .Thanks to William the system of rules was well organized actually he was able to make a survey of the economic life of the country .This survey was written in the Domesday Book in order to have information for the property tax and to give details of lands, wealth and revenues of his vassals. William continued to pay the annual tax to Rome ( the Peter's Pence) just to hold a kind of business relationship with the Church and he was able to develop the English common law with less interference from the clergy .

During the reigns of WILLIAM II (1087-l100) and HENRY I (1100- 1135) , William's sons, the social relations between the Anglo-Saxons and the conquering Normans improved.

The marriage between HENRY I and Edith, the offspring of the Wessex kings , was a true reconciliation .

STEPHEN , Henry I's nephew was the last Norman king . His successor, HENRY II, would be the first tagenet king .

The tagenets (1154-l399) descended from Matilda and Geoffrey of Anjou. Geoffrey's son became king of England and of western France with the name of HENRY II. his reign was successful and famous for order, stability and calm.. Henry did many reforms ) he reduced the power of barons using professional soldiers;2) the knights could pay some taxes instead of the giving service;3) he sent some judges all over the kingdom to administrate the country, this system of law was known as COMMON LAW because it was applied everywhere.4) moreover the king wanted to reduce the power of the Church

When Henry died he was succeeded by RICHARD I ( Richard the lion hart) that during his kingdom was always engaged in the THIRD CRUSADE and for this reason he was replaced by his brother JOHN LACKLAND .he was the worst of English kings because he levied higher taxes in the history of England. John was forced by barons to sign the MAGNA CARTA, a very important document where a great council controlled his work to avoid to arrest or put in prison free man.

At his death his son HENRY III was only nine so a group of barons governed England. Since this period the parliament became very important for the country

EDUARD I continued the new political establishment including in the parliament barons, clergy, two knights from each country and two citizens from each town.

EDWAR D III introduced the "chivalry" that meant loyalty, honesty and glory. This king had to face up the Black Death ( the bubonic plague) that killed a third of English population.. During the last year of his kingdom some religious movements like Lollardy born up .

At the death of Edward III his grandson became king with the name of RICHARD II that was still a boy so England was governed by a council of noblemen .Because of the war with France more taxes were necessary so it caused the discontent exploded in the Peasants' Revolt (1381)