This document discusses several key events that led to the decline of French and rise of English as the dominant language in England between the 12th and 14th centuries. It notes that King John lost Normandy in 1204, separating the English and Norman nobilities. Over the following decades, opposition to French-speaking foreigners and the Hundred Years' War with France promoted English nationalism. By the early 14th century, English had replaced French as the dominant administrative language through laws and was further established under the reign of King Henry V.

2.  Sakib Hossain
 Hon’s 2nd year student.
 English Discipline
 Khulna University,
 Khulna, Bangladesh.
 Contact: +8801680698689
isolated420@gmail.com.

3.  1. Loss of Normandy
 2. Separation of Nobility
 3. The Reign of Henry III
 4. Rise of Nationalism
 5. Other Changes.

4.  In 1204, King John, the king of England and duke
of Normandy lost Normandy.
 He married Isabel of Augoleme who was the
suitor of Hugh of Lusignan. Hugh was the head
of a noble family. He complained to the king of
all France, Phillip.
 Phillip summoned on king John to appear before
him, answer the charges and submitted to the
judgment of the court.
 John denied the summon.
 Eventually he lost his ‘Dukedoom’ of Normandy
to Phillip

5.  With the separation of Normandy many
nobles had to chose England or Normandy.
 This separation continued till 1250.
 After 1250 there was no need of French
Language.

6.  The reign of Henry III was full of excess and
liberties. He freely gave land to the
foreigners.
 This creates resentment of the foreigners and
of Henry III.

7.  Opposition to the foreigners promoted
national feeling. This was driven to the
barons and the middle class in a common
cause. Ironically the leader of the causes was
Simon de Montfort- a Norman by birth.
 The 100 years war against French raised
national feelings and abhorrence to the
French and French language used less and
less.

8.  1. Though England began to unite, French
was till the supreme language as it was the
language of the continent. French was used
by the upper class as the matter of custom
and administrative conventions. By the end of
13th century, French was considered as a
foreign language. There were some attempts
to preserve French but not much.

9.  2. Another fact was the raise of middle class
with the outbreak of ‘Black Death’ in 1348,
approximately 30% people died. It brought
shortage of labour. Consequently the
importance of working class grew. As English
was the language of the labour, it widely
spread.

10.  3. By the beginning of the 14th century
English was once again the dominant
language in England. In 1362, parliament
enacted a law requiring all lawsuits to be
conducted in English. English was then
officially recognized.
 4. Henry V’s reign was the turning point of
English as a written language. He wrote
letters in English. The practice diffused
among the English.

11.  5. French literature was not easily replaced by
English literature. Literature in Middle English
came in the form of religion.