history paper.

Source analysis #2 !! Primary source: Constitutions of Clanderon 1164. Translated in Albert Beebe White and WallceNotestein, eds., Source Problems in English History (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1915). ! Secondary source: Backman, Clifford. The worlds of medieval Europe. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.(254-282) !! Primary Source Questions:

1. Who wrote the text, when was the text written and for whom did the author write? (E.g., give the name and the person’s role in society or the person’s role in relation to the events/ ideas described in the text, specific year or general time period).

The Constitutions of Clarendon, a set of legal polices that were passed in 1164 by Henry II of England. These procedures comprised of sixteen scripts that were meant to represent the efforts of restricting ecclesiastical prerogatives in addition to curbing the authority that the Church courts exercised and the prominence of Papal power in England. This letter was written to the archbishops and bishops, clergy, and the earls and barons and great men of the kingdom to inform them on the changes that were expected by king Henry II of England concerning the legal abolition of legal powers that were initially bestowed to the church.

2. How do you know the author wrote the text for this audience? List two specific examples and explain why these examples are significant.

The constitutions were an attempt by henry II to define royal prerogatives as they existed before the anarchy of Stephen’s reign.

A. “…and because of dissensions and discords which had arisen between the clergy and the lord king’s justices and the barons of the kingdom concerning the customs and dignities , this recognition has been made before the archbishops and bishops and clergy, and the earls and barons and great men of the kingdom.” Directs that the recognition targeted the bishops, the clergy, archbishops and to those who assumed profane laws.

B. “…was made this remembrance or recognition of certain part of the customs, liberties, and dignities of his predecessors that is to say of King Henry his grandfather and others, which ought to be observed and held in the kingdom.” There were certain privileges and dignities that were observed initially before Henry II got into power and the letter was in remembrance of those dignities.

3. What possible biases does the author have? Give specific examples from the text to support why you think the author has a particular bias or is pushing a certain point of view.

Henry II of England is biased against the power that the church exercised on the land that initially was being observed by the King. Secondly, the Churches present bias as they took benefit of some privileges in preference to social judicial policies and observed them to their favor since the church used to protect the clerks even though they got convicted. “…and if the clerk be convicted or confess, the church ought not to protect him further.”

4. Give a brief summary of the text (2-3 lines)

Constitutions of Clarendon stipulate 16 articles that were to be observed as guidelines during King Henry II of England’s reign. Stephen, his predecessor, had given churches ecclesiastical privileges that were meant to be observed in secular jurisdictions. The king felt that clergymen were to be limited in their authority of interdiction and excommunication and further prohibited to act in opposition of laymen.

Some of the laws indicated suggest that the court of lord king was to preside over disputes; permanent bestowment of churches ware to be done with the king’s grant; excommunicate people were to be denied their roles of providing security or give oaths; the king was to assume revenues of vacant lands.

5. Do you notice any themes or certain word choices in the text? What are they (please list specific examples from the text itself). Why are these important for gaining insights into the author’s point of view?

i. Royal Prerogatives – privileges or rights that were initially observed in the kingdom but Church courts assumed them although Henry II considered their proceedings unlawful.The privileges indicate the types of dignities that were commonly and in eternity observed by the people in the land without church or communal bias.

ii. Ecclesiastical –related to Church activities practiced by archbishops, bishops, and clergymen. The Church exercised more power on the land and their presentation in the text show that their practice was in favor of the bishops and archbishops instead of observing social judicial privileges as was being done in the past before Stephen came into power.

iii. Predecessors – the leaders who existed before King Henry II, a time period when dignities were being observed before the anarchy that was practiced during Stephen’s reign.Reflects on the initial guidelines that the kingdom used to observe.

6. Why is the text important for the society in which it was produced? What is its historical significance of the text?

Constitutions of Clarendon were meant to outline policies that were targeting the restriction of Church authority all over England to interdict people. Papal authority was supreme and the churches inclined to assume ecclesiastical privileges that meant not to interdict the archbishops and clergy. The appropriations of church policies were considered irreligious by secular judicial privileges.

7. How does this source complement or add to information learned in class through lectures or activities?

This content supplements individual information concerning the medieval setup of the English Kingdom. The kind of laws that were considered to introduce societal unison and equality has been illustrated as well. However, the laws meant that the King had to exercise authority over the kingdom as opposed to the power entitled to the Church which assumed certain rights to their favor instead of observing social judicial rights.

8. How does this source complement or add to information you have read in the assigned class readings?

The coursework material on Salian century’s present that Henry IV also exercised royal authority; he was even more prone to impulsive actions compared to his predecessors. In contrast, further information gained is that in early history churches had power over kingship. Those churches could exploit their authority to act in manners purported to secure their reputation in the eyes of the public without penalizations over malpractices.

9. What question about this time period do you think this source could help answer (e.g., the source provides evidence of what?)

Why did the churches exercise so much power? Churches are meant and anticipated to spread truth by word of mouth and gospel, how comes that during Stephen’s reign the churches were accountable for interdictions?

Secondary Source Questions:

10. What is the author’s thesis/argument? If you do not think there is an “argument” per se, what is the main point the author is trying to get across?

The author is trying to get across the formations of governance throughout Europe during the medieval era. We note that in France, however poor and weak they were, the Capetian France ruled over the land for centuries. Secondly, concerning Spain, it is noted that the Iberian

Peninsula underwent transformation where commerce and industry were practiced. In the Italian peninsula, higher degrees of tolerance were practiced along the ethnic and religious customs. From this source, one learns that the practice of hierarchical paternalism as observed in Italy, monarchy and anarchy as observed in Spain, France, and communalism in England were the forms of governance.

11. What evidence does the author use to support the thesis/argument(s) or support his/ her main point? You should cite page numbers here.

i. “they parceled out these new territories as ecclesiastical fiefs instead of direct bequests to their new loyalists” Pg. 254

The dynasties always concentrated on acquiring more wealth and power over their areas of jurisdiction.

ii. “for all his pious dedication to the Church, Louis VII did not take action to limit its legal jurisdiction within France” Pg. 256

iii. “The monarchy had become strong enough to overrun some smaller baronies and so begin the process of linking together their demesnal lands into a patchwork quilt.” Pg. 254

Monarchy was being practiced in extended levels where the king exercised more power by exercising unification of acquired localities to expand territorial jurisdiction.

iv. “At the same time he retained iron-fisted control over ecclesiastical appointments and saw to it that the Church served his ends as well as God’s. he also issued a new codification of English Law, one that recognized and confirmed Anglo-Saxon customs and privileges.” Pg. 260.

2. Give a brief summary of the article/chapter.

The rise of the Capetian France is described and it happens to verify that the Capetian dynasty ruled over France for more than three centuries and for approximately half of that duration, arguably, the Capetians were the weakest and poorest royal family throughout Europe. During the Anglo-Roman realm, there were anticipations of a United Kingdom of England where unification was to be supplemented by centralizing institutions of governance; however, there was need to placate the Scandinavians to achieve the unification dream.During the 11th and 12th centuries, Spain also faced transformation; the region presented the site for the most continuous, greatest, and longest interactions between Christians, Muslims, and Jews. The fertile locations and the urban coastal plains offered accessibility to commerce, industry. Finally, it is also apparent that the Italian peninsula also faced transformation. During the mid-12th century, well established traditions of monarchy and communalism, of hierarchical paternalism, of liberal

near-egalitarianism were present in Italy. Surprisingly, Italy presented extensive tolerance across ethnic and religious patterns. Generally, the social and political traditions of the Italian peninsula reversed the fundamental patterns that were established throughout continental Europe.

! The rise of the Capetian France is described and it happens to verify that the Capetian dynasty ruled over France for more than three centuries and for approximately half of that duration, arguably, the Capetians were the weakest and poorest royal family throughout Europe. During the Anglo-Roman realm, there were anticipations of a United Kingdom of England where unification was to be supplemented by centralizing institutions of governance; however, there was need to placate the Scandinavians to achieve the unification dream.During the 11th and 12th centuries, Spain also faced transformation; the region presented the site for the most continuous, greatest, and longest interactions between Christians, Muslims, and Jews. The fertile locations and the urban coastal plains offered accessibility to commerce, industry. Finally, it is also apparent that the Italian peninsula also faced transformation. During the mid-12th century, well established traditions of monarchy and communalism, of hierarchical paternalism, of liberal near-egalitarianism were present in Italy. Surprisingly, Italy presented extensive tolerance across ethnic and religious patterns. Generally, the social and political traditions of the Italian peninsula reversed the fundamental patterns that were established throughout continental Europe.

13. Do you see any problems with the author’s use of evidence or the author’s thesis?

The author’s use of thesis introduces a clear picture into the judicial frameworks and governing systems of ancient Europe. By studying their management and leadership techniques, students acquire medieval information concerning their past history. History is part of development and it bases the grounds for amending deliberations for the common good of the society.

14. How does this source complement or add information learned in class through lectures or activities?

This source illustrates on the modes of governance during the Salian dynasty, the Iberian Peninsula, the Italian Peninsula and the Capetian France. It is noted that anarchy and monarchy were common practices within medieval Europewhere the emperors executed supreme authority over their kingdoms. As documented in class material chapter 7, the Salian dynasty page 135, the strongholds and fortifications were part of the comprehensive efforts by Henry IV to permeate the entire region with royal authority and to solidify and expand his political and territorial power.

15. How does this source complement or add information you have read in the assigned class readings?

The structure and composition of the Capetian France’s rise into reign is the complementary information that supplements coursework material. It is observed that approximately all over Europe, during the Anglo-Saxon dynasties, extensive anarchy and monarchy were practiced throughout Europe. The Italian peninsula presents hierarchical paternalism, same to England, where we already know that the predecessors of Henry IV as observed in Chapter 7, the Salian dynasty held power for several years.

16. What question about this time period do you think this source could help answer (e.g., the source provides evidence of what?)

1. What was the purpose of appropriating ecclesiastical privileges in preference to secular judicial rights?

2. Were the general public less important compared to the Churches’ clergies and laymen?

3. What was the motive behind codifying and amending laws yet during this time period, churches were meant to facilitate civilization, however, not through coercion?

4. Why was anarchy and monarchy the common practices of governance across Europe?

5. How could the kings still achieve loyalty from his subjects despite practicing dictatorship? Were the subjects being forced into action, to practice communalism?