An important reason for the strengthening of royal power in the XII century. there was also the final approval of vassal relations that permeated all strata of feudal society. It is no coincidence that royal power was strongest precisely where vassal ties were most developed and regulated by law - in England, Sicily, the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The more intricate and complex the interweaving of seigneurial rights and vassal obligations became, the more there was a need for a single center of these relations, “seigneur number one”, uniting the entire feudal class around him.
We see that by the 20th century. Medieval society became much more complex than before. Its “atoms” and “molecules” became dependent on each other, began to form stable “chains”. New forms of power also arose that consolidated combinations of aspirations and interests that were beneficial to society. Their paths of origin were very different even in neighboring countries. In England, for example, royalty has traditionally been strong since the Norman Conquest (1066); in the first English kings of the Norman dynasty and the Plantagenet dynasty, the features of the appearance of successful conquering squad leaders are still quite distinguishable. On this "reserve" of authority, Henry I (1100-1135) and Henry II manage to implement reforms that give royal power a state guise. But the rapid and uncontrolled growth of the power of the English kings caused the displeasure of the barons; this process was on time and quite carefully “slowed down”. In 1215, King John Landless was forced to sign the Magna Carta presented to him by the barons. This document marked the beginning of the limitation of the power of the king by parliament; in the XIII-XIV centuries. in England, a complex form of government is being worked out, reconciling the rights of the king with the rights of "communities".
In France, everything is slower, but more reliable. The kings gradually increase their domain, turning into the largest feudal lords of the country. Just as little by little, the rulers of France are taking over the judiciary, the most important branch of medieval government. Under Saint Louis IX (1226-1270), court fights were banned, anyone could transfer their case from the seigneurial to the royal court. The highest judicial body was created - the royal parliament, which had the right to review the decisions of other courts. The French kingdom finally takes shape under Philip IV the Handsome (1285-1314). It was Philip who introduced in France the likeness of the English parliament - the Estates General. The states were divided into three chambers according to estates - the clergy, the nobility, the townspeople; all chambers sat separately and had an advisory rather than a decisive vote (unlike the English Parliament). The English and French kingdoms subjected themselves to the most difficult test of strength by entering the Hundred Years War (1337-1453). During this war, France was more than once on the verge of death; it experienced a devastating crisis in the second half of the 15th century. and England, which lost the war. Yet both states eventually proved their viability; in the XIV-XV centuries. the degree of their internal unity was already such that the most powerful kingdoms of medieval Europe were able to endure any shocks. The prestige of royalty has increased immeasurably. The emerging European nations saw in the monarch their expression, their symbol. The kingdoms of Europe still had to go through numerous wars, and the struggle of Catholics with Protestants, and the uprisings of the recalcitrant nobility, and the uprisings of the peasants against their masters ... The idea of \u200b\u200bnational unity turned out to be stronger than all these disasters, and this idea was most often expressed in loyalty to the king. The figure of the king, starting from 1500, is illuminated with a special light: he is a man, like everyone else, he is part of the nation, and at the same time he is the embodiment of all the might of the nation, the divine power that exists separately from it.
In the middle of the XI century. in England, grandiose construction of castles unfolded. While the relatives of the late King Henry I were figuring out which of them to rule the country, the English barons felt freedom and strength. Without waiting for the appearance of a firm royal hand, they hastily began to strengthen their possessions. With amazing speed - in a few years - the baronial lands bristled with towers of almost 300 castles. King Henry II Plantagenet, who ascended the throne, was outraged by such arbitrariness of his subjects and ordered the buildings to be razed to the ground. But it was too late...
Seniors, powerful and independent, did not obey the royal overlord too much and turned their lands into real small kingdoms. The freer they felt, the more impregnable were the "capitals" of their possessions - castles.
The whole district seemed to be in the shadow of such a castle. In it, the lord concentrated his power and military power: his soldiers stood here and vassals gathered to defend the possessions of their overlord. Here, during the days of the enemy’s attack, the surrounding residents took refuge, who, for the right to consider the owner of the castle as a defender, paid various fees and carried out services (for example, they repaired fortifications). In his castle, as in the real capital of the state, the lord judged the vassals and peasants, And there was no other judge for them, just like another ruler.
It happened that artisans settled nearby: weavers; craftsmen who forged weapons, made horse harness - those whose products are most needed by the lord and his servants. And for them, the castle became a safe haven, and its owner became a master. Merchants brought their goods to the castle - the lord generously paid for overseas silks and spices. True, in order to travel through his possessions, the merchant himself had to fork out more than once: he drove over the bridge - pay, the ferryman transported you - pay, but not to the ferryman, but to his master, the ruler of the entire district, the owner of the impregnable citadel.
The heart of the lord's domain, the castle was a formidable sight. Just 100 years ago, the lord with warriors and household members, in case of danger, took refuge in a wooden tower surrounded by a palisade. Now, instead, on a high hill in a bend in the river, mighty walls 50 feet (15 m) high and 16 feet (5 m) thick and towers were hastily but reliably erected. In one of the towers there was a heavy gate made of strong oak, bound with iron on top. The castle was surrounded by a moat, through which a log bridge led to the gates, which could be easily and quickly dismantled during an enemy attack. Behind the gate, two lifting grates bared their sharp teeth. It was worth lowering them, and the one who managed to break through the gate was trapped before he could get into the courtyard.
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