AD 1066-1500 Late medieval

At the time of the Norman Conquest (AD 1066) England already had a quite sophisticated system of government. William I built upon this by creating a hierarchy of national and local authorities which were based on landed wealth. The Domesday Book, written at the end of William’s reign (1066-87), records that the land of over 4000 English nobles had been given to about 200 Norman barons. French, the language of the Normans, was now the language of government, and English kings continued to rule lands in France.

By medieval standards, England was relatively stable and peaceful. However, the lack of an authoritative king, whether through personal incompetence or a disputed succession could cause a lurch into disorder and even civil war. The relationship between the king and his nobles was always vital. Constitutional developments such as the Magna Carta and the creation of Parliament came into being to settle and manage political problems between the monarchy and the nobles.

In 1348 the Black Death (plague) killed almost half of the population. Those peasants who survived benefited as they could demand more rights because labour was scarce. Meanwhile towns grew, trade (especially in wool and cloth) flourished and the introduction of new technology improved agriculture. English became the language of literature as well as everyday life.