Expert: Mark Smith - 11/9/2005

Question
Dear Mark, please answer these questions as fast as you can because I will fail my exams tomorrow if you don't do it!

What happened after the Battle of Hastings, how did it change England?

What was the conflict between Thomas Beckett and King Henry II. ?

Answer
Hello Szombati.
The battle of Hastings was won by William, Duke of Normandy who was proclaimed King of England after the death of King Harold. It changed England in that it had a new dynasty of Norman-French Kings with power and influence in Europe where the former Saxon Kings had very little. The Normans introduced the feudal system of government which was the feature of English rule for the rest of the Middle Ages.

The conflict between Henry II and Thomas Beckett was about who had the ultimate authority in England over secular matters; the King or the Church. Beckett believed that the Church was supreme in all matters whilst Henry claimed that the Church's authority extended only to religious affairs. For example the Church had it's own Courts to punish offenders, but often failed to punish Churchmen who broke the law. Henry wanted the civil Courts to be able to try Churchmen under civil law.

Mark