Henry II

Gerald of Wales [see previous post] had a few things to say about Henry II.  It would seem that in 1184, Gerald was appointed "Court Chaplain" to old Henry, and served as a "liaison-officer" between the King and the Welsh princes that were in direct conflict with Henry.  The following reference (book) is about Henry II.

I present it here since it became a source of help during my own tree climbing experiences.  Gerald's connection to St. Asaph had opened a number of bridges to my family tree, and a better understanding of this historical period was my goal.  This book by W.L. Warren help place Wales into a historical context.  It seems that Scotland, Ireland, and Wales were undergoing a significant process of change.   This complex period for Wales was important to grasp for my own family tree. [A good section on Wales is pp. 153 - 169.]  Warren states:

"Henry II's relations with the leaders of the Welsh were marked for eighteen years by good sense and goodwill. Wales, both native and marcher, was an acknowledged dependency of the English Crown" (p.169)  Hum...wonder what the Welsh felt about this? [Conclusion based upon "oaths of homage in 1177 AD., p.169]

 A lengthy tome (693 pages), it is well written and referenced for those of us who like to see the documentation and sources.  Son of Matilda and Geoffrey Plantagenet, he was the first of the Plantagenet race.

My copy was first published 1973, by Butler & Tanner Ltd, Frome and London.  It was then published by Eyre Methuen, London.

A Journey Through Wales Revisited

The record of a fellow touring through Wales during the year 1188 AD has a number of things to offer to the genealogist.  Understanding what this world was like during the Crusade period [3rd Crusade] is why this book is revisited here.

Born around 1145 AD, Gerald of Wales became part of the religious establishment of the day.  From his Benedictine Abbey background, he became a avid writer publishing some 17 books.  His Pembrokeshire birth and upbringing gave him a particular interest in his maternal Welsh heritage. [His father's side was Norman.]  He recorded his journey through Wales with Archbishop Baldwin during the year 1188 AD.  They were trying to drum up business for this 3rd crusade, and preached at the major Cathedrals. [Llandaff, St. David's, Bangor, and St. Asaph] which resulted in some 3,000 men of military age coming out of these hills. 

Gerald of Wales considered himself a historian, and tried to present the Welsh culture as he saw both the good and the bad.  For my own JONES surname tree climbing, it presented the local environment around St. Asaph where my own family was deeply involved.  

Those of Welsh descent will appreciate this cultural travel guide.  I have presented this reference in a previous post of  February 15, 2013, but feel it fits better into this chronology of the Crusade years.  The copy shown is published by Penguin Books, 1978 and reissued in 2004.

The Crusades

Urban II (Pope 1088 - 1099) is given the credit for getting the events started which were to change the Middle Ages.  Earliest writers seemed to call it a pilgrimage, but it was the special privilege to carry weapons that change this into what has become called "The Crusades". [ ca. 1095 - ca. 1291]  The following are readings that give several views into this period of our history.  I call them, a picture book, a story book, and a study book.

A picture book:

     For those who like lots of pictures (like me) this book is for you.

Written by Martin Erbstorsser, and published by Leipzig, 1979, it contains pictures.  The three civilizations involved ; 1) The Arabian Caliphate, 2) The Byzantine Empire, and 3) Western Europe and presented.  The book was translated from German by C.S.V. Salt.

A story book:

A book by Alfred Duggan, it was first published by Pantheon Books, 1963.  It tells this story in an easy manner, covering this topic.  A number of drawings and maps are included.

A study book:

For those who like to dig a little deeper, the book above is recommended.  This is the cover to second edition published by Oxford University Press, 1990.  It was first published in German 1965, by Hans Eberhard Mayer, and translated by John Gillingham in 1972.  It has been reprinted five times.  A good book to study on those long winter nights.

Feudalism

Feudalism is a term that often seeks a definition.  Good old Webster states:

 "the system of political organization prevailing in Europe from the 9th to about the 15th centuries having as its basis the relation of lord to vassal with all land held in fee and as chief characteristics homage, the service of tenants under arms and in court, wardship, and forfeiture"

[Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, p.421, 1981 edition.]

Wow...a neat little package...lord...vassal...and land... in some fixed social relation...is the concept.  For those who might like a little more understanding the following is recommended.

From Charlemagne's vast empire, to the French Revolution, is the real story.  This text by Jean-Pierre Poly, and Eric Bournazel (first written in French, translated by Caroline Higgitt) presents the complex story behind the word "Feudalism".

Power and control are the founding forces which bring social change to a chaotic period of human existence.  Who owns and controls the land is the decision that rules the environment of the day.  Beginning with "What is known" [Part I] to "New Interpretations" [Part II], the authors provide an in depth analysis to this period of our history.  French society leads the way, and as shown on the cover above, it was the Normans [from northern France] who brought these ideas to Albion.  The book is a broad overview of these changes that were to form a new social order.

Book was published by Holmes & Meier Publishers, Inc., New York, 1991.

England Under The Norman and Angevin Kings 1075-1225

Say what?  Angevin Kings?   England under Angevin Kings?  The Norman name is well known...but Angevin?

Well here it is.  A broader view of the early English world.  A book by Robert Bartlett entitled none other than "England Under The Norman and Angevin Kings 1075 - 1225".

 

According to Bartlett (p. 22), "The territorial realignment of the years 1150 - 4 was one of the most sudden and far-reaching ever to affect the political map of twelfth-century Europe."  England and the wider world is the theme under the Norman conquest and the rulers that were to follow. [William I to Henry III]

It is a hefty book, some 772 pages.  It serves well as a reference, but is easy reading on a variety of significant subjects that dealt with the world of what was to become England.  Chapter topics include:

 1. Political Patterns

 2. England and Beyond

 3. Lordship And Government

 4. The Aristorcracy

 5. Warfare

 6. The Rural Foundations

 7. Towns and Trade

 8. The Institutional Chruch

 9. Religious Life

10. Cultural Patterns

11. The Course of Life

12. Cosmologies

For the genealogist it deals with "Naming Patterns" (p. 535) during this period of English life.  A good topic for those who are tree climbing out these branches.

This text appears to be part of "The New Oxford History of England", Clarendon Press, Oxford,  first published 2000.  General Editor, J.M. Roberts.

 

The Domesday Book

Hostile takeovers can be a messy thing.  The chief executive officer, operating officers, along with the board of directors, can make a number of changes to the new acquisition.  A complete inventory is often necessary to understand the holdings and materials contained within.

It was William I [chief executive officer] who wanted to "inventory" his new "acquisition".  It was certainly a "hostile takeover", and things were getting quite complication by 1086.  The Anglo-Saxons had organized their holdings into shires and the like [an existing administrative system] and things like resources, raising money, laws, customs, and taxes were getting out of hand.  It was Christmas 1086 that William had enough of this and ordered high-ranking and trusted men [operating officers] to scatter about and collect a host of data about this new acquisition of 1066.  Within two years this "inventory" was put together and came to be called "The Domesday Book".

A useful text, edited by Thomas Hinde, is an excellent way to begin to understanding this unique book of English history.

For the genealogist, this gives in one source, an alphabetical listing of the English counties involved in the Domesday book. It gives the land holders (a kind of census) and much of the context of the data obtained.  This list the names of the shires and who was responsible for the land which surrounded each.  There is a list of the major Domesday landholders, and a historical summary of each county.

For me, it was helpful in understanding the context of my own families connections during this hostile takeover.  [Even found documentation of my own family in the Shropshire area!]  Lots of fun it is.

The book is titled: The Domesday Book, England's Heritage, Then and Now.  Editor: Thomas Hinde, Hutchinson, 1985. [ISBN 09 161830 4]

A Much Bigger Story

For those who have roots to that Island first called Albion, the terms 1066 and Hastings will forever be connected to the Normans.  Having those roots, it did take me a little while to realize that the Normans had a much bigger story.

The following book by Christopher Gravett and David Nicolle opened my eyes to a broader picture of the Norman culture and history.  These Normans played a role not only in British history, but a wider European history as well.

Their states (dynasties) they established in France, Italy, Sicily and Syria came to be important in world history.  A history of the Normans and the military foundations that they forged, came to play a major role in many aspects of western European history.  This book helps provide a context to realizing the larger role that the Normans played in the pages of history.   From Viking days of the 9th and 10th century, to the last Norman stronghold in northern Syria (Antioch), their role is discussed.  Stone castles seemed to be a remaining legacy.

Lots of pictures, maps, and historic accounts make this book a good read for those who want a much bigger picture.