Evolution of Democracy

Into the Middle Ages

 Evolution of Laws
 The early middle ages in Western
Europe did not function under a
universal set of laws.
 Evolution of Laws
 The Eastern Empire
(Byzantine Empire)
took steps to
preserve Roman
Law
 a. Emperor Justinian
(527-565) orders
the study and
codification of
existing law codes.
(1600 books)
Evolution of Laws
 b. Submitted in 534 the
Corupus Iurus Civilis or
Justinian’s Code was
completed and in three
major parts:
 i. The Code:
Codification of existing
laws
 ii. The Digest:
Explanation of the
courts opinions on the
laws; a guide for the
judges
 iii. The Institutes: more
or less a textbook
about Roman law.
 Evolution of Laws
 c. Resulted in the
preservation of
Roman law which
eventually was
integrated into
Western Society,
thus preserving the
idea of citizenship
and rights.
While these ideas (Roman
Laws) were lost in Western
Europe for many years,
they began to reemerge
and be integrated into the
legal thought of the
Germanic Peoples.
 England
 England was once
controlled by the
Romans.
 As the Romans left,
many groups came
to power (the
Saxons, Jutes,
Danes, etc.),
creating a struggle
for political power
 Someone new
about to move in.
Norman Conquest
England
 1066 – The Battle
of Hastings:
William of
Normandy
(northern coast of
France) leads a
French Army and
defeats Harold the
Saxon for the
English Throne
 England
 Importance: William extended feudalism
(the French model) into England by
demanding loyalty and granting estates.
 1. Since William conquered England and many
of the knights were killed in the Battle of
Hastings, the new version of Feudalism in
England was much stronger than that on the
continent.
 2. The Kings (and Queens) of England thus are
very powerful institutions and exercise great
power.
 3. The English culture gets a good dose of
French Civilization; French becomes the official
language of the English Court and French
Foods and customs become intertwined with
the English.
Bayeux Tapestry