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I. Read and translate the following text about the Normans. If you are using Yandex Browser, you can right-click on a word to see its Russian translation.

The Norman Conquest of England

In 1066, Duke William of Normandy conquered the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England, ending the era of Anglo-Saxon rule.
William's victory was the culmination of years of conflict, starting with the death of Edward the Confessor, the Anglo-Saxon king, and the subsequent proclamation of Harold II, the last Anglo-Saxon king.
William's conquest marked the beginning of the Norman-English monarchy, which would shape English history for centuries.
The Norman victory led to the redistribution of land, with William becoming the largest landowner in England.
The Norman nobility, including French, Breton, and Norman families, replaced the Anglo-Saxon aristocracy, which had been largely exiled or killed.
William's conquest also brought significant changes to English culture and governance.
William's rule was marked by centralization, with writs, royal control over coinage, and national taxation remaining from Anglo-Saxon times.
The organization of the kingdom into shires and the title of earl were also preserved.
Edward, an Anglo-Saxon name, survived the conquest and was later adopted by Norman kings.
The Domesday Book, completed in 1085, is a detailed inventory of all productive land in England.
It was the most comprehensive and precise document produced in medieval Europe and remains an important source for historians.
However, its information quickly became outdated.
The conquest tied England to the French cultural sphere and severed its Scandinavian connection.
The last significant attempt by a Scandinavian monarch to rule England was King Harald Hardrada in 1066, but he was defeated at Stamford Bridge.
The Battle of Hastings in 1066 was a decisive victory for William, leading to his coronation as king.
The defeat of the Anglo-Saxons was a protracted process, with English earls rebelling against William and resistance continuing in various regions.
Danish and Scottish invasions also tested the new regime, but William's military skill and control of the south and southeast enabled him to maintain power.

The Feudal Kingdoms of the British Isles

The Norman regime was based on principles different from the Anglo-Saxons.
William the Conqueror sought to prevent the development of large, independent territorial lordships by dispersing lands among smaller parcels.
This tight feudal structure required all lords to swear allegiance to the king, with land held in return for military services.
The feudal system relied on new military technology, including castles and mounted knights.
Hundreds of castles were built across England, serving as military strongholds for the nobility.
Unlike Anglo-Saxon earthwork burghs, castles were designed to hold only the lord and his troops.
The aristocracy was small, with about half the income from the country going to around 200 barons.
The king owned land in every part of the kingdom, strengthening his authority and presence.
The feudal system also included a new class of knights, cavalrymen who fought from horseback.
The conquest led to a two-class system in England, dividing people into free and unfree.
Unfree individuals had some rights and were not considered slaves, but the boundary between the lord and the ordinary freeman was initially unclear.
The Norman nobility was not protected by distinct legal rights that would emerge later.
In the lower classes, the Norman conquest had significant social and economic effects.
The wool trade, which had roots in Anglo-Saxon times, expanded after the conquest, with English wool becoming the most important export until the Industrial Revolution.
Scottish medieval history is less known than English due to the destruction of records in wars and disasters.
The Scottish monarchy faced feudalization, including the arrival of Norman warriors.
Scotland was not conquered, unlike England, and retained control over its borders.
Wales was less centralized than England or Scotland in the 13th century.
The Anglo-Norman Marcher Barons defended the kingdom from the Welsh and expanded at their expense.
They introduced cavalry warfare and fortification.
The Welsh rulers homaged English kings, intermarried with Anglo-Norman nobility, and allied with the English.
Wales was the source of feudal art and literature, with its mythology about King Arthur spreading far.
The princes of Gwynedd in north Wales united the country in the 13th century, for the first time controlling the entire country.
In 1267, England recognized Llewelyn ap Gruffyd as Prince of Wales, bringing Welsh independence to a new height.

The Angevins and the Magna Carta

After Henry I’s death, England experienced a succession crisis with the Anarchy (1139–1153) between Stephen and Matilda.
Stephen recognized Henry, Matilda’s son, as his heir in the Treaty of Wallingford (1153), securing the throne for his lifetime.
Henry II (1154–1189) united the English and French thrones through his wife Eleanor, establishing common law and a system of royal judges, which became the foundation of English justice.
Richard I, a capable warrior, lacked Henry’s administrative skills and had little interest in England.
King John (1199–1216), Henry’s untrustworthy brother, lost Normandy and quarreled with the papacy, leading to baronial resistance.
John’s financial struggles culminated in the Magna Carta (1215), which aimed to limit royal abuses and secure baronial rights, but he later revoked it, leading to another civil war.
The conflict ended with John’s death and the accession of his nine-year-old son Henry III, with a regency government reissuing the charter and the French prince leaving England.
England now faced the challenge of a child king.

Henry III and the Origin of Parliament

Henry III (1207–1272), unlike his father, was pious and weak, leading to baronial resentment.
His unsuccessful attempts to regain French territories and extravagant spending led to the Treaty of Paris in 1258, where he acknowledged the loss of his provinces and became a vassal of the French king.
Henry's influence made the papacy appear too political, leading to a crisis in 1258.
To pay for debts, Henry agreed to a war in Sicily but abandoned it when the debts became excessive.
A group of barons, led by Simon de Montfort, demanded reforms, including a system of baronial councils that would rule the realm.
Henry agreed, but the baronial government eventually collapsed due to divisions and weaknesses.
The pope absolved Henry of his obligations in 1261, leading to Montfort's rebellion.
Montfort captured Henry and his heir, Prince Edward, at Lewes in 1264 and established a more baronial government.
He tried to broaden the social base by creating regular parliaments, which led to the general use of the word "parliament."
Edward eventually escaped from the captivity and defeated Montfort at Evesham in 1265.
Henry faded into the background, and Edward was the effective ruler of the country for the rest of Henry’s reign until he succeeded to the throne at Henry’s death in 1272.

II. Read the text again and find English equivalents for the Russian words and phrases below.

сослать = to

судебный приказ = a

графство = a

граф = an

опись = an

решающий =

продолжительный =

рассредотачивать = to

земельный участок = a

крепость = a

земляной город = an

кавалерист = a

грань = a

военные действия =

укрепление = a

вступать в смешанные браки = to

ссориться = to

папство =

хартия = a

благочестивый =

плен =

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Incorrect Answers: 0

III. Match the verbs from the text with the phrasal verbs from the box. Drag the words to the right gaps. Then rewrite the initial sentences using the phrasal verbs.

Attention! Use passive voice if needed.

to take over

to wrap up

to look for

to finish off

to get by

to come out

to hold on to

to break down

to go on

to result in

to keep away from

to set up

to lead to (sentence 4) =

to replace (sentence 5) =

to survive (sentence 9) =

to complete (sentence 10) =

to remain (sentence 11) =

to defeat (sentence 14) =

to continue (sentence 16) =

to seek (part 2, sentence 2) =

to prevent (part 2, sentence 2) =

to build (part 2, sentence 5) =

to divide (part 2, sentence 10) =

to emerge (part 2, sentence 12) =

to retain (part 2, sentence 17) =

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IV. Read the text from exercise I again. Answer the questions below.

Which spheres underwent changes after William’s invasion? Give two examples and describe the changes. (sentences 6-8, 13)
Was William’s rule admitted by the English aristocracy immediately after the Norman conquest? What events shook his throne? (sentences 14-17)
Why and how was the feudal system formed in England? (part 2, sentences 1-4)
How were the regimes in Scotland and Wales different from England at the time? (part 2, sentences 15-24)
What is one of the greatest contributions of Henry II to the English ruling system?(part 3, sentence 3)
Give your evaluation of Montfort’s activities. To your mind, why was his work significant for the English history? (part 4, sentences 7-9)

V. Watch the video and do the following tasks.

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VI. Watch the video again and fill in the gaps with the words from it.

So, who were the Normans?You might think they were French, but they were in fact descended from Norse from Scandinavia. They settled in northern France in the ninth and early 10th century, calling their new homeland Normandy. 150 years later, their leader, Duke William II, claimed he also had the right to the throne of England after the English King Edward the Confessor died in 1066. However, the king's brother-in-law Harold Godwinson, also the throne, and with William all the way in France, Harold took the crown for himself. Understandably, this didn't go well with William, who raised an army and set sail for England, landing on the south coast on 28 September. Harold found out after giving another invading army of Norwegians a damn good at Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire. He marched his army south and confronted William and the Normans at the Battle of Hastings. We all know what happened next, or rather most of it, on 14 October on a hilltop near Hastings Harold and the English were routed by William's force, with Harold himself either being killed by a knight or an arrow in the eye. William and his army made his way to London, and on Christmas Day he was crowned William I of England in Westminster Abbey. From here William and the Normans spread their influence all over Anglo-Saxon England, putting down revolts, replacing with his own barons and crucially building lots of castles to dominate and the locals. By the time William died in 1087 he'd England, started to invade Wales and got the of the country's main Lords and landowners. Also, forcing the ruling classes to speak French. All because he didn't know how to speak English. Most impressive of all though is his body exploded at his funeral causing a rather nasty .

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