To Praise and to Profane: The Evolution of Propaganda in Anglo-Norman England

Abstract

The Norman Conquest of England brought changes to many aspects of English life and governance, it also brought a greater utilization of political propaganda by the conquering Norman nobility and the highly literate church that accompanied them. In this thesis, I assert that over the post-conquest decades until 1110 ce. the usage of propaganda not only became more common with increasing literacy but also evolved in its very makeup from a mostly supportive style of polemical panegyric into a targeting tool meant to sway the views of the power-elite and weaken the position of political enemies. Few studies have examined medieval propaganda in the light of how this communication tactic changed in its scope, tone, and objectives in the late eleventh and early twelfth centuries. This Norman inspired evolution in propaganda is examined here.No embargoAcademic Major: Histor