Medieval LEGO Read online

  MEDIEVAL LEGO

  ®

  GREYSON BEIGHTS

  No Starch Press

  San Francisco

  Medieval LEGO.

  Copyright © 2015 by Greyson Beights.

  All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or

  mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior

  written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher.

  Printed in China

  First printing

  19 18 17 16 15

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

  ISBN-10: 1-59327-650-8

  ISBN-13: 978-1-59327-650-8

  Publisher: William Pollock

  Production Editor: Alison Law

  Cover and Interior Design: Beth Middleworth

  Cover Models: Elliott Feldman and Günther Möbius

  Developmental Editor: Tyler Ortman

  Copyeditor: Rachel Monaghan

  Compositor: Alison Law

  Proofreader: Paula L. Fleming

  For information on distribution, translations, or bulk sales,

  please contact No Starch Press, Inc. directly:

  No Starch Press, Inc.

  245 8th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

  phone: 415.863.9900; [email protected]; www.nostarch.com

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Beights, Greyson.

  Medieval LEGO / by Greyson Beights.

  pages cm

  Summary: “An illustrated history of Medieval England from 1028 to 1485, using scenes created in LEGO. Features

  commentary by medieval history professors about notable events and figures”-- Provided by publisher.

  ISBN 978-1-59327-650-8 -- ISBN 1-59327-650-8

  1.

  Great Britain--History--1066-1687. 2.

  LEGO toys.

  I. Title.

  DA176.B43 2015

  942.02--dc23

  2015014401

  No Starch Press and the No Starch Press logo are registered trademarks of No Starch Press, Inc. All trademarks and

  copyrights are the property of their respective holders. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of

  a trademarked name, we are using the names only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with

  no intention of infringement of the trademark.

  LEGO, the Brick and Knob configurations, and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group, which does not

  authorize or endorse this book.

  The information in this book is distributed on an “As Is” basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in

  the preparation of this work, neither the author nor No Starch Press, Inc. shall have any liability to any person or entity with

  respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in it.

  For my parents, Angela and Gaylon,

  who provided me with

  the opportunity, resources, support,

  and motivation

  to accomplish my dreams

  A Note of

  Thanks

  First and foremost, I would like to thank God

  for giving me strength, wisdom, and curiosity.

  Thank you to my parents, Angela and Gaylon, for

  their endless love and support. Thank you to my

  grandparents, Georgia and Larry, for making my

  LEGO collection what it is today and for always

  being there. Thank you to my sister, Lauren, for

  keeping the journey fun. To my brothers, Roland

  and York, thank you for all the amusement.

  I also would especially like to thank all the

  contributors. Without them, this book would

  not have been possible. Their endless passion

  for the subject is awe inspiring. Lastly, I would

  like to thank my editors, Alison Law and Tyler

  Ortman, for giving me the truly distinct honor

  of working with them. I could not have asked for

  better support, help, and guidance throughout

  the whole process—from start to finish.

  I

  t is essential that we learn history. History tells

  us where we’ve been and where we might yet go.

  Winston Churchill once stated, “The farther back you

  can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.”

  The medieval period was a time of great adventure

  and excitement—of kings, queens, knights, castles, and

  great wars. But it was a time of great hardships as well—

  of servitude, famines, and plagues.

  To present this great historical period, I enlisted the

  help of expert scholars and LEGO builders from around

  the world. This book narrates the history of medieval

  England using short passages and LEGO scenes. I hope

  you find it an entertaining and educational read. I believe

  that after reading this book, you’ll agree with me that the

  medieval period in England was one of the most exciting

  in history.

  • PREFACE •

  Part I: 1028-1214

  WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR

  •

  1028-1087

  The first Norman king of England

  ...............

  2

  BATTLE OF HASTINGS

  •

  1066

  The fateful battle between William the

  Conqueror and King Harold II .

  ..................

  6

  SIEGE OF JERUSALEM

  •

  1099

  The major siege of the First Crusade .

  ........

  10

  DEATH OF WILLIAM RUFUS

  •

  1100

  The suspicious killing of the son of

  William the Conqueror .

  ........................

  14

  ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE

  •

  1122-1204

  One of the most powerful women

  in medieval history

  ..............................

  18

  BATTLE OF THE STANDARD

  •

  1138

  A battle between Scottish and

  English forces .

  ...................................

  21

  SIEGE OF ACRE

  •

  1189-1191

  A key victory for the Crusaders during the

  Third Crusade .

  ...................................

  24

  THE CAPTIVITY OF RICHARD THE

  LIONHEART

  •

  1192

  The ransomed king .

  .............................

  28

  EXCOMMUNICATION OF

  KING JOHN

  •

  1209

  A disagreement with the pope.

  ................

  31

  THE FOUNDING OF THE UNIVERSITY

  OF OXFORD

  •

  1214

  The chartering of one of the oldest

  universities in the world

  ........................

  34

  ROBIN HOOD

  •

  c.1200

  The fabled merry archer .

  .......................

  37

  Part II: 1215-1345

&nb
sp; SIGNING OF MAGNA CARTA

  •

  1215

  The signing of the historic document

  at Runnymede .

  ..................................

  42

  MATTHEW PARIS

  •

  1200-1259

  The English monk and chronicler .

  ............

  45

  ROGER BACON

  •

  1214-1292

  The medieval scientist .

  .........................

  50

  TREATY OF YORK

  •

  1237

  The agreement between Henry III of

  England and Alexander II of Scotland

  ........

  54

  FIRST ENGLISH PARLIAMENT

  •

  1265

  A council of barons advises the king .

  ........

  58

  • contents •

  WILLIAM WALLACE

  •

  1270-1305

  The Scottish freedom fighter. .

  .................

  61

  BATTLE OF FALKIRK

  •

  1298

  The decisive English victory

  over the Scottish.

  ................................

  65

  FIRST ENGLISH PRINCE

  OF WALES

  •

  1301

  Edward of Caernarvon becomes the

  first English Prince of Wales .

  ..................

  69

  THE GREAT FAMINE

  •

  1315-1317

  An unendurable hunger.

  ........................

  73

  TREATY OF EDINBURGH-

  NORTHAMPTON

  •

  1328

  A short-lived Scottish independence

  from England. .

  ...................................

  76

  Part III: 1346-1485

  BATTLE OF CRÉCY

  •

  1346

  An early battle in the Hundred Years’ War

  ... 82

  GEOFFREY CHAUCER

  •

  1343-1400

  A poet of the Middle Ages .

  ....................

  86

  THE BLACK DEATH

  •

  1348-1350

  A grave sickness fell to England,

  and the world .

  ...................................

  89

  ANNE OF BOHEMIA

  •

  1366-1394

  Good Queen Anne

  ...............................

  92

  MARGERY KEMPE

  •

  1373-1438

  The pilgrim, author, and Christian mystic .

  .. 95

  PEASANTS’ REVOLT

  •

  1381

  The serfs’ revolt against Richard II .

  ...........

  98

  TREATY OF WINDSOR

  •

  1386

  The treaty that started the oldest

  ongoing alliance in the world

  .................

  102

  BATTLE OF AGINCOURT

  •

  1415

  The Hundred Years’ War continues .

  .........

  105

  FIRST BATTLE OF ST ALBANS

  •

  1455

  The beginning of the Wars of the Roses .

  ...109

  BATTLE OF TOWTON

  •

  1461

  A bloody battle in the Wars of the Roses .

  ..113

  BATTLE OF BOSWORTH FIELD

  •

  1485

  Henry Tudor takes the crown .

  ................

  116

  SCHOLARS

  .........................................

  120

  BUILDERS

  .........................................

  122

  Part I: 1028–1214

  2

  3

  William the Conqueror

  I

  n 1066, William the Duke of Normandy

  (a large region in northern France)

  planned and carried out one of the

  most amazing military operations of the

  medieval period. His invasion of Anglo-

  Saxon England, known as the Norman

  Conquest, would totally change the

  course of English history.

  1028-1087

  4

  When childless English king Edward

  the Confessor died without a direct

  heir, three rivals wanted the crown,

  including William. When the Anglo-

  Saxon nobles chose one of their

  own, Earl Harold Godwinson, as

  the next king, William decided to

  invade England and take the throne

  by force. He spent months putting

  together an army; building a fleet;

  and gathering horses, weapons, and

  supplies. Crossing the English

  Channel in September, William

  defeated Harold at the Battle of

  Hastings on October 14.

  After capturing several important

  towns, including London, he

  was crowned King William on

  Christmas Day. Although he faced

  several rebellions in the following

  years, he eventually secured the

  rest of England, in part by building

  many castles throughout the

  country.

  By the end of his reign, William

  had replaced the old Anglo-Saxon

  ruling class with a new, French-

  speaking Norman monarchy and

  nobility. As a result, England was

  5

  drawn into French politics and was

  greatly influenced by French culture,

  a situation that would continue

  throughout the rest of the medieval

  period.

  Because of his many military victories,

  William was named William the

  Conqueror.

  —Dr. Gilbert Bogner

  6

  THE NORMAN LINE

  7

  Battle of Hastings

  T

  he Battle of Hastings was the

  beginning of William’s invasion of

  England. On September 28, 1066,

  William landed in England and drew

  Harold Godwinson, the current king of

  England, into a battle that would decide

  who would be king.

  When Harold heard that William

  had landed, he hurried south toward

  Hastings from Stamford Bridge, where

  he had defeated an invading Viking army.

  William learned of Harold’s approach on

  October 13.

  1066

  8

  The next morning at dawn, William

  and his Norman army moved toward

  Harold’s Saxon army. William found

  that Harold held a strong position at

  the top of a ridge.

  Both armies had thousands of men

  and were closely matched. Harold’s

  army fought on foot using battle axes

  and swords, while William led a force

  of infantry, archers, and cavalry.

  William attacked first. The attack

  failed, and a panic spread through his

  army with false rumors of William’s

  death. But William showed he was

  alive and rallied his troops once again.

  The battle laste
d the rest of the

  day. The Normans launched several

  attacks and drew their opponents

  from the hill by staging phony

  retreats, but the Saxons stood

  their ground—worn down but not

  defeated.

  William needed to win or his invasion

  would fail. At last, one final attack

  by William’s army broke through the

  Saxons, and Harold was cut down

  under his dragon flag.

  —Dr. Stephen Morillo

  THE SAXON LINE

  THE CRUSADERS’ ASSAULT

  A HUNTING PARTY

  11

  1099

  Siege of Jerusalem

  O

  n June 7, 1099, the army of the

  First Crusade camped outside its

  goal, the City of Jerusalem. The

  pope had called for the war to recapture

  Christianity’s holy city and free Christians

  in the region from Muslim rule.

  The Crusader army, which included

  William the Conqueror’s son Robert

  Curthose, had been marching since 1096

  to regain the Holy Lands. Although it had

  set out with 60,000 men, the army was

  reduced to 1,200 knights and 12,000 foot

  by previous battles, disease, and fatigue.

  12

  The army was too small to surround

  Jerusalem completely. Because

  the east and west sides of the city

  were guarded by steep slopes, the

  Crusaders chose to attack only the

  north and south walls.

  The Crusaders knew that the Egyptian

  rulers of the city were raising an army

  to attack them, and the Crusaders

  had only one ladder. In spite of

  these issues, they assaulted the city

  by scaling its walls on June 13—but

  failed.

  Cleverly, Robert Curthose and the

  Crusaders then built four-story siege

  towers on wheels to roll up against

  the city walls on the north and south

  sides. On the night of July 9, they

  surprised Jerusalem’s defenders by

  moving the northern siege tower

  from the west end of the north wall

  to a weak spot on the east. Their

  assault began in earnest on July 13.

  Duke Godfrey de Bouillon, who

  later ruled the city, sat on top of

  the northern siege tower firing his

  crossbow. The southern siege tower

  was set aflame by the defenders,

  but Godfrey’s men pushed their

  tower up to the wall and broke

  into the city. The army exalting,