Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1)

Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) DOWNLO

AD
NOW FOR

History REVISION
ON THE
Anglo-Saxon and Norman GO!
England, c1060–88

History
Revision Guide & Workbook + App
Including the PEARSON
REVISE APP
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1)

Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–88

The revision series for Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1)
Take control of your revision and

History
from Pearson.
confidently prepare for exams:
This book will help you to: • Quick quizzes for every topic
• Track your revision progress
• Organise your revision with the one-topic-per-page in the app
format
• Revise on the go with links
• Check your understanding with worked examples to Revision Guide pages. Anglo-Saxon and Norman
• Develop your exam technique with exam-style practice
questions and full answers
England, c1060–88
• Speed up your revision with helpful hints and tips
• Track your revision progress with at-a-glance Revision Guide & Workbook + App

Revision Guide & Workbook + App

check boxes.

Pearson Revise is the only series that includes a Revision

Guide & Workbook for all 16 topics of the Pearson Edexcel
GCSE (9–1) History specification.
The series also includes Revision Cards and Practice
Papers Plus+ for seven key GCSE History topics.

www.pearsonschools.co.uk
[email protected]

CVR_ED_GCSE_RGRW_HISTORY_SAXON_9743_CVR.indd 1 29/06/2020 16:37

 Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1)

History
Anglo-Saxon and Norman
England, c1060–88

Revision Guide & Workbook + App

Series Consultant: Harry Smith

Author: Kirsty Taylor

A note from the publisher

In order to ensure that this resource offers high-quality is accurate, the official specification and associated
support for the associated Pearson qualification, it has assessment guidance materials are the only authoritative
been through a review process by the awarding body. source of information and should always be referred to
This process confirms that this resource fully covers for definitive guidance.
the teaching and learning content of the specification
Pearson examiners have not contributed to any sections
or part of a specification at which it is aimed. It also
in this resource relevant to examination papers for which
confirms that it demonstrates an appropriate balance
they have responsibility.
between the development of subject skills, knowledge
and understanding, in addition to preparation Examiners will not use endorsed resources as a source
for assessment. of material for any assessment set by Pearson.
Endorsement does not cover any guidance on Endorsement of a resource does not mean that the
assessment activities or processes (e.g. practise resource is required to achieve this Pearson qualification,
questions or advice on how to answer assessment nor does it mean that it is the only suitable material
questions), included in the resource nor does it available to support the qualification, and any resource
prescribe any particular approach to the teaching or lists produced by the awarding body shall include this
delivery of a related course. and other appropriate resources.
While the publishers have made every attempt to ensure
that advice on the qualification and its assessment

For the full range of Pearson revision titles across KS2, 11+,
KS3, GCSE, Functional Skills, AS/A Level and BTEC visit:
www.pearsonschools.co.uk/revise

A01_ED_GCSE_RGRW_HISTORY_SAXON_9743_TP.indd 1 29/06/2020 13:30

 Contents
SUBJECT CONTENT Norman England, 1066–88
Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman England
Norman Conquest, 1060–66 19 The feudal hierarchy
Anglo-Saxon society 20 The nature of feudalism
   1 The king and the earls 21 The Church in England
2 Local government and law 22 The extent of change
3 The economy and social system 23 Changes to government
4 The power of the Godwins 24 The sheriff and the forest
5 Edward the Confessor 25 The Domesday Book
6 The rival claimants for the throne 26 The Norman aristocracy
27 Bishop Odo
Norman invasion
28 William’s personality
7 Gate Fulford and Stamford Bridge
29 Robert Curthose and revolt, 1077–80
8 The Battle of Hastings
30 The defeat of Robert and Odo
9 William’s victory
SKILLS
William I in power: securing the kingdom,
31 Exam overview
1066–87
32 Question 1(a): Describing features 1
William in power
33 Question 1(a): Describing features 2
10 Establishing control
34 Question 1(b): Explaining why 1
11 Castles
35 Question 1(b): Explaining why 2
12 Anglo-Saxon resistance, 1068
36 Question 1(c): Making a judgement 1
13 Anglo-Saxon resistance, 1069–71
37 Question 1(c): Making a judgement 2
14 The Harrying of the North
15 Landownership, 1066–87
16 Maintaining royal power 38 PRACTICE
17 The Revolt of the Earls
50 ANSWERS
18 Features and effects of the Revolt

A small bit of small print

Pearson Edexcel publishes Sample Assessment
Material and the Specification on its website.
This is the official content and this book should be
used in conjunction with it. The questions in
Now try this have been written to help you
practise every topic in the book. Remember:
the real exam questions may not look like this.
 Anglo-Saxon
Had a look Nearly there Nailed it! society

The king and the earls

In Anglo-Saxon England it was the king who was the most powerful person in the land: no one
could tell the king what to do. In order to govern the country, kings granted out some of their
power to their earls and took advice from their council, the Witan.
Law-making
The king ruled over all
Only the king made
of England, with all its
new laws, and Landownership
resources at his command.
everyone had to
obey them.
The king could grant land
Half the country was Anglo-
to loyal followers,
Powers of or take it away Danish, with its own laws
Money
in punishment. and customs, known as the
The king controlled the king Danelaw. The king was still
the minting and
distribution of coins. king here, but he needed
to allow the Danelaw
Taxation
Religion Fyrd some independence.
The king decided when The king could raise
The king was chosen by
a tax was paid and how the fyrd army and fleet.
God to lead his people.
much it should be.

The Witan The earls

The Witan was a council that advised the king, The earls were the most important men in the
but it was not a limitation on the king’s power. country after the king and governed large areas
• The king decided who was appointed to of England on the king’s behalf. To do this they
the Witan. were granted some of the king’s powers:
• The king decided what the Witan should Collecting taxes from their earldom for
advise him on. the king. Earls kept a third of the taxes for
• The king did not have to follow the Witan’s governing and protecting their earldom.
advice if he did not wish to. Overseeing law and order in
their earldom. Judging cases and deciding
Thegns (local lords) could complain to punishments for those found guilty.
the king about earls who governed an Military powers. Earls were the king’s
earldom badly. This happened with Tostig, ‘generals’, leading their loyal thegns in
the earl of Northumbria in 1065, where the battle against the king’s enemies.
Witan was also involved in deciding what Large earldoms meant earls could become
should happen. very powerful indeed in Anglo-Saxon England.

Edward the Confessor (1003--66)

Advantages Disadvantages
 As a religious leader people  He had been exiled in
believed that God was Normandy for most of his
guiding him. life, so had few supporters
 He was respected as a in England.
wise lawmaker.  He had no children to
 He was married to Edith, succeed him.
daughter of the rich and  He struggled to keep control
powerful Earl of Godwin. Edward the Confessor in the of Earl Godwin.
Bayeux Tapestry.

Now try this

Pick two features of the Anglo-Saxon monarchy from the diagram at the top of this page. For each feature,
describe how they made the king of Anglo-Saxon England powerful.

1
 Anglo-Saxon
society Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

Local government and law

Anglo-Saxon England had a complicated system of government that made sure the king’s wishes
were carried out throughout his kingdom, and that each community completed its duties,
especially providing men for the fyrd, collecting tax payments and maintaining law and order.
The shire reeve (sheriff)
The shire reeve was the king’s representative in local government.

Writ from King Edward to his shire reeve

The king issued Your responsibilities are:
orders to the
shire reeve • To collect revenues from my land in the shire The shire reeve
through writs. judged at the
• To collect the geld tax from the shire when shire court.
I decide to levy the tax
The shire reeve was
The geld tax was the • To collect fines from the shire court responsible for the
tax levied on land.
Edward the Confessor • To judge cases and witness my laws being defences of the shire.
only levied the tax enforced at the shire court
rarely: he lived on the
• To make sure men are provided for the fyrd
revenues from his
own lands. and that all roads and defences are
well-maintained.

Shires, hundreds, tithings and hides Key terms

Each earldom was divided into shires. Shires – an earldom was divided up
into shires.
Each shire was divided into hundreds.
Hide – an area of land covering
Each hundred was divided into tithings. about 120 acres.
A tithing was (originally) 10 households; a Ceorls – peasant farmers.
hundred was (originally) 100 hides of land.
Fyrd – the men of the Anglo-Saxon
land was based army and fleet.
The administration of Anglo-Saxon Eng
120 acres) carried
on the hide. Each hide of land (about Writ – written orders from the king.
hide s of land meant
obligations: for example, having five A royal seal proved it was official.
the fyrd.
the obligation to provide one man for

Law and order in Anglo-Saxon England

Strengths Collective responsibility – if one member of a tithing Weaknesses
Depended on broke the law, the rest were responsible for bringing Powerless to
everyone in him to court or would be punished themselves. prevent
the community powerful men
knowing each Hue and cry – anyone in the community could call on all (like earls)
other very the others to help them track down a criminal. The from breaking
well. sheriff could also call on the community in the same way. the law.

Wergild – compensation paid to avoid blood feud.

Trial by ordeal – God was asked to judge The king – treason was a very serious
cases where community courts could not decide. crime; the death penalty could be imposed.

Now try this

Describe two features of the shire reeve/sheriff’s role that had an economic function.

2
 Anglo-Saxon
Had a look Nearly there Nailed it! society

The economy and social system

Anglo-Saxon England was one of Europe’s wealthiest countries with strong trading links across the
seas. England’s towns were trading centres, though almost everyone worked in farming.
What gave England its strong economy? Anglo-Saxon society
 There was a good climate for farming, especially Out of a population of 2 million in 1060,
in the south and east for crops and in the west only 4000–6000 were nobles (thegns).
for livestock. 9.7% were slaves. The rest were peasant
 England had strong trade links across the North farmers (ceorls).
Sea to Scandinavia and across the Channel to Thegns
Normandy and Flanders. Anglo-Saxon warrior/noble class
 The efficient tax system boosted the earnings of with five hides of land or more.
the king and also the income of his nobles and
the Church, who kept some of the tax. Ceorls
90% of
 Central control of money supply and trading Most depended on thegns for land
population
and work. Some ceorls were freer.
centres (burhs) meant that money was reliable
(kept its value) and trade could be taxed, Slaves
benefitting the nobility. Treated as property: people
who could be bought and sold.

Burhs All significant trade had

to be carried out in
Burhs were burhs by law. This trade
the fortified was then taxed.
main town of
each shire. Around 10% of the
population of England
lived in towns in 1060.
Everyone else lived in
People from the family groups in
countryside the countryside.
would take
refuge in Strong walls and
the burh ramparts made the
when Vikings towns difficult to attack
were around. by Viking
raiding parties.

The Church Social roles

Five key features of the Anglo-Saxon Church: Anglo-Saxon society was flexible. Peasant
farmers could become thegns if they did well
1 Bishops were rich and important. and acquired more than five hides of land. At the
They controlled large Church districts.
The Witan always included same time, peasants who did badly might have
important bishops. to sell themselves into slavery. Slaves could be
freed by their masters and become peasants.
2 Very few people in Anglo-Saxon England
were literate, so the Church provided all Thegns were the Anglo-Saxon warrior
the king’s clerks and record-keepers. class.
Their land holdings meant they cou
ld afford
3 Most local priests farmed like weapons, armour and a horse. They
peasants, were not well educated and were
expected to always be ready to ser
were married. ve their lord
in battle, and fight to the death to
protect him.
4 Monks and nuns farmed the land in the
same way as ordinary people, but they
lived in separate communities. Now try this
5 The Church was resistant to reforms from
Europe. English bishops stuck to their Explain three reasons why thegns were an
old ways. important part of Anglo-Saxon society.
3
 Anglo-Saxon
society Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

The power of the Godwins

By the 1060s, the ‘House of Godwin’ had come to dominate Anglo-Saxon politics, building a
powerbase from Wessex out to all the major earldoms of England, except one: Mercia.

Godwins in control

Tostig Godwinson
Tostig Godwinson became
Northumbria
earl of Northumbria in 1055.

Gyrth Godwinson was made

earl of East Anglia in 1057.
Mercia was the only major
Aelfgar Earl of Mercia
earldom not controlled by
Mercia Gyrth Godwinson
the Godwins, though Harold Leofwine Godwinson became
married Aelfgar’s daughter. East Anglia
Leofine
earl of several smaller shires
Aelfgar was Earl of Mercia in 1055–57.
Godwinson
between 1057 and c1062.
Harold
He was succeeded by his Godwinson
son, Edwin at his death.
Wessex When Earl Godwin died in
1053, Harold Godwinson
succeeded as Earl of Wessex,
the richest earldom in England.

Political marriages: three Ediths Godwins in trouble?

and a Judith In the 1050s, King Edward tried to free himself
from Earl Godwin’s dominance. Some historians
The House of Godwin increased its power and think he turned to his friends in Normandy for
influence with important political marriages. help (Edward had been an exile in Normandy for
Earl Godwin’s daughter Edith married most of his youth). This might have been where
King Edward. Edward promised William the throne of England.
Harold Godwinson had a political marriage
to Edith of Mercia daughter of Aelfgar
and then a second marriage to Edith the
for a year,
Fair, who was influential in East Anglia. Though the Godwins were exiled
t, Edward
Tostig Godwinson married Judith, when they returned with a huge flee
a civil war.
daughter of Baldwin of Flanders. pardoned Godwin rather than risk

Now try this

‘Earl Siward of Northumbria died in 1055. His eldest son had been killed in battle the year before, and his
second son, Waltheof, was only five. Northumbria had major problems with lawlessness and England was
under threat in the north from Scotland. Tostig Godwinson had made a very important political marriage
with the daughter of Baldwin of Flanders (an important trading country in present-day Belgium).’
Use this information in an answer to the question: Why did King Edward agree to make Tostig Earl
of Northumbria?

4
 Anglo-Saxon
Had a look Nearly there Nailed it! society

Edward the Confessor

The last years of Edward the Confessor saw a struggle between Harold and Tostig that undermined
some of the power of the House of Godwin as Harold set his sights on becoming king after Edward.
Harold’s embassy to Normandy
Here are three key features of Harold’s embassy to Normandy in 1064 (or 1065).
1 King Edward sent Harold to Normandy but we do not know what message he wanted him to
give to William of Normandy.
2 Harold was taken prisoner by Count Guy of Ponthieu but William rescued him. Harold fought for
William and William rewarded him with gifts of weapons and armour.
3 Harold swore a very serious oath as part of the embassy but we do not know for certain what
promise he was making.

Norman sources say: Harold swore allegiance Why was the embassy important?
to William in recognition that William was the
future king of England. 1 It shows that Harold was King Edward’s
trusted right-hand man for politics as well
as for leading military campaigns.
2 Normans claimed that the embassy was
about the plan for William of Normandy to
succeed to the throne of England after
Edward died. William used this argument
to legitimise becoming king after
the Conquest.
3 Normans used the embassy to claim that
Harold was an ‘oath-breaker’ when he took
the crown himself after Edward’s death
English sources say: The embassy was to
recover two hostages from Normandy and the rather than supporting William’s claim.
oath was nothing to do with the succession.

Key events in the rising against

Reasons for the uprising: Tostig
went too far
Earl Tostig in his crackdown on lawlessness,
abusing his
1 October 1065: Northumbrian thegns power to threaten nobles and ass
assinating
revolt against Tostig, marching rivals. He became friendly with Ma
lcolm III of
on York. Scotland instead of fighting him,
and he over-
2 Northumbrians invite Morcar (the brother taxed the Northumbrians.
of Edwin, earl of Mercia after 1062) to
be earl instead.
3 King Edward orders his earls to put down
brother?
the uprising, but they find ways not Why didn’t Harold stand up for his
that King
to obey. It is likely that Harold suspected
to live . Edward
4 Instead, Harold agrees to the rebels’ Edward did not have long
old saw
demands on King Edward’s behalf: Tostig had no children and perhaps Har
ld be
is to be replaced by Earl Morcar. his chances of being made king wou
also have
5 By 1 November, Tostig is exiled. stronger without Tostig. Harold may
could act
Harold has weakened the House of known that he needed to show he
tha n just for
Godwin, but perhaps strengthened his for the good of England, rather
the Witan’s
own claim to the throne. his family, if he was going to get
support for his becoming king.
Key terms
Embassy – A diplomatic mission to meet Now try this
with the ruler of another country.
Oath – a solemn promise to Explain why there was an uprising against Tostig
do something. in 1065.

5
 Anglo-Saxon
society Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

The rival claimants for the throne

Harold Godwinson was crowned king on the same day as Edward the Confessor’s funeral on
6 January 1066, but there were other strong claimants to the throne due to agreements Edward
had made in the past and because Edward had died without a son: a succession crisis.
Harold Godwinson (c1022–66) Edgar Aethling (c1051–c1126)
Claim Appointed successor by the Claim Royal blood – A descendant of
king on his deathbed. King Alfred the Great.
Strength Good – supported by witnesses Strength Strong in theory but Edgar had
of claim (ones already loyal to Harold). of claim nothing to back it up with.
Chance of Excellent – Harold had the Chance of Weak – Edgar was only a
success support required (the Witan) in success teenager. The threat of invasion
order to be made king. was too great to risk him as king.

ulus, he was
Harold had been Edward’s sub reg Although Edward the Confessor had
was willing
proven in battle, he had shown he to make Edgar his heir in the 105
planned
of the
to go against Tostig for the good take his plan further. The Witan cou
0s, he didn’t
’s brother in
country, and he was King Edward England’s defences to a boy king
ld not risk
law. England backed him. .

Harald Hardrada (c1015–66) William of Normandy (c1028–87)

Claim Based on a secret deal made Claim An agreement with King Edward
between two other Vikings. following Harold’s embassy
Strength Weak – what mattered though, to Normandy.
of claim was the force Hardrada could Strength Backed by the pope, but
call on to back up his claim. of claim lacking evidence.
Chance of Good – Hardrada had 300 ships Chance of Quite good because of William’s
success and 15 000 warriors, huge battle success military strength, but only if
experience and expected the he was able to get his knights
Danelaw regions to welcome him. across the Channel to England.

as a William’s claim was based on an agr

Hardrada could also make his claim with Edward the Confessor in the
eement
king
descendant of King Cnut, the Danish when, William said, Edward promis
1050s
pro bab ly did not consider ed him the
of England. Hardrada throne in return for Normandy’s help
ded him
acting on his claim until Tostig persua Edward’s rebellious earls. The pop
against
that the throne could easily be his. for William was linked to a plan to
e’s backing
introduce
reform to England’s Church.
weak chance good chance

Harold’s coronation and reign King Harold’s reign

• Harold was crowned the day after Edward • Soon after his coronation he went to York to
the Confessor died: 6 January 1066. make sure he had the north’s support.
• Most of the Witan were already gathered at • He put together the largest army England
Westminster, making it easier for Harold to had ever seen in the south of England.
gather the support he needed. e on the
A fleet also patrolled the Channel.
For mor
Witan see page 1.
Now try this
Identify two challenges that Harold II faced as he began his reign in January 1066.

6
 Norman
Had a look Nearly there Nailed it! invasion

Gate Fulford and Stamford Bridge

Harold’s fyrd were ready to defend England’s southern coast all through the spring and summer of
1066, but as September came, the fyrd had to be disbanded for the harvest. By mid-September,
Hardrada and Tostig had launched their invasion, which Harold heard about on 19 September.
Reasons for the Battle of
Gate Fulford
Stamford Bridge
• Morcar, Earl of Northumbria, and his
(25 Sept) elder brother Edwin, Earl of Mercia, had
N
York gathered an army to defend the north.
0 100 Gate Fulford • Hardrada and Tostig had landed with
(20 Sept)
km 10 000 warriors on the River Humber
and then marched up towards York.
• Morcar and Edwin decided to meet them
in open battle at Gate Fulford rather
than defend the fortified city of York.
Events of the Battle of Gate Fulford
• Edwin and Morcar were outnumbered.
LONDON • As the English shield wall surged forward
Battle of against Tostig’s weaker troops, Hardrada
Hastings hit the English troops with his best
(14 Oct)
warriors from the side (a clever
flanking tactic).
Harold Godwinson’s route • Thousands of English troops were killed or
Norman Invasion wounded, making them unavailable to fight
Viking Invasion against the Norman invasion. Hardrada and
Tostig took many English hostages.
• Harold was forced to come north to
st turned out
Although leaving the southern coa deal with Hardrada and Tostig, with
II, there
to be a terrible decision for Harold consequences for the Battle of Hastings.
think the
were good reasons at the time to
mandy had passed
threat of invasion from Nor
us for The English were positioned with
for 1066. The Channel was notorio marshland
crossing behind them, which meant that whe
winter storms, making a September n they
still blowing were pushed back they became stu
extremely risky. The wind was also ck in mud
set off, thus and were massacred.
from the north when Harold
trapping William in port in Normandy.

The Battle of Stamford Bridge Significance of the Battle of

• Having led a rapid march to the north, Stamford Bridge
gathering troops along the way, Harold’s army • King Harold achieved a great victory,
surprised the Viking army at Stamford Bridge. defending England from invasion.
• Harold was victorious. Both Hardrada and • However, William invaded in the south while
Tostig were killed in the battle. Harold was in the north.
• The Vikings had left their armour with their • Harold had to rapidly move south again,
ships. The English broke their shield wall. tiring his housecarls.
• Harold’s victory may have made him
Now try this complacent about William’s threat.
• The battles in the north may have prevented
Identify three reasons why Harold was victorious troops reaching Hastings from Mercia
at Stamford Bridge. and Northumbria.

7
 Norman
invasion Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

The Battle of Hastings

You need to know about key features of the Battle of Hastings, including the composition of the
two armies (the types of troops that made up each army).
Key events of the Battle of Hastings
Timeline 1 William’s scouts spotted Harold’s
27 Sep William’s fleet advancing army – Harold failed to achieve
1066 sets sail a surprise attack.
28 Sep the Normans
2 Harold’s army was able to position itself
along a ridge at the top of a hill.
land at Pevensey
That meant that William had to attack up hill.
2 Oct Harold leaves York 3 The battle lasted eight hours – a very
long time for a medieval battle.
6 Oct Harold reaches This was perhaps because the two sides
London were quite evenly matched. There were
12 Oct Harold leaves different phases to the battle.
London 4 William’s archers were first to attack, but
14 Oct the Battle of the archers had to stay out of English
Hastings javelin range and the English shield wall
knew how to catch the arrows on
their shields.
5 William’s foot soldiers and knights were
Norman knights v. English housecarls beaten back by the shield wall initially.
Norman knights The English housecarls did great damage to
Advantages – highly
trained, heavily-armoured
horses and men with their two-handed axes.
mounted knights could 6 At one point the Norman army was
launch devastating panicking that William had been killed.
charges using their
height advantage to beat
William tipped back his helmet to show he
down foes. was still alive.
7 A feigned retreat (or a real retreat) meant
Disadvantages – horses English fyrdsmen left the shield wall to
were vulnerable to attack, advantages of a cavalry charge
were lost if horses had to run uphill. chase after retreating Normans. The English
were then surrounded and cut down.
English housecarls
Advantages – a disciplined shield wall was very hard 8 The shield wall was gradually thinned out.
to break. Housecarls knew how to fight together and their Norman knights then charged through
axes were highly effective. it and caused great damage. Norman
Disadvantages – once the shield wall began to break, archers also became more effective as
housecarls were vulnerable to cavalry and archer attacks.
the shield wall failed.

Key terms
9 Harold and his brothers, Gyrth and
Leofwine, and their housecarls, made final
Housecarls – trained soldiers who stands at the top of the hill, fighting to
were also bodyguards to their lord. the death. Harold and his brothers died.
10 The rest of the English army then ran
for it. The Bayeux Tapestry ends with the
Norman foot soldiers v. English fyrds words (in Latin): ‘and the English turned
William’s foot soldiers were a mixture of Normans and fled’.
and mercenaries from across Europe. There were
lightly armoured archers and crossbowmen and
heavily armoured foot soldiers. Foot soldiers may
not have trained with knights, making coordinated
attacks difficult.
Now try this
While thegns had good weapons, many of Describe one advantage and one disadvantage of
Harold’s general fyrd would have had farm the Norman foot soldiers and one advantage and
tools and long knives. There were few archers. one disadvantage of the English fyrd troops.
General fyrdsmen were not well trained.
8
 Norman
Had a look Nearly there Nailed it! invasion

William’s victory
You need to know about the range of causes of Harold’s eventual defeat, including William’s
superior leadership skills, the strength and skills of the two armies, and Harold’s mistakes.
Mix of Logistics of the
tactics Channel crossing
‘Feigned Timing: waited Pre-fabricated
Innovation: using
retreat’ for the fyrd castle
knights against
to disband ‘Harrying’ the
a shield wall
surrounding area
Norman tactics
William’s leadership
Shield wall could only Surviving storm
defend, not attack
Reasons for William’s Luck in battle
Lack of William’s victory luck
English tactics
archers
Timing of Hardrada’s
invasion
Shield wall was a Harold’s leadership
predictable tactic
Racing down from Involving all his followers
London before fyrd in the battle
was complete
Failure to surprise William,
forcing a defensive battle

Battle advantages
Harold William of Normandy
 Harold was fighting on home  William’s troops were trained in tactics that
ground: Wessex. the English had never experienced before,
 The housecarls were experienced, including the feigned retreat.
disciplined and skilled warriors.  His troops had to fight to survive: they
 The English had the best position on the would not be able to retreat or escape.
battlefield: on a ridge at the top of the hill.  William had obtained the pope’s blessing for
his invasion and he and his men believed that
God was on their side.

Battle disadvantages
Harold William of Normandy
 The men of the general fyrd were  Having to fight up hill made knights and
inexperienced and lacked discipline. archers less effective.
 The core of his army was tired from fighting  Although his knights had trained for years
at Stamford Bridge and marching south. in their battle tactics, many of his foot
They may also have been demoralised by soldiers were mercenaries who had not
having to fight yet another battle. trained to fight in combination with knights.
 A lack of archers – it is possible that English  Knights had trained to charge against other
archers were among the fyrd troops who knights: charging a shield wall was probably
arrived in London after Harold had already something entirely new.
rushed off down to Hastings.

Now try this

Explain the importance of the ‘feigned retreat’ as an explanation for William’s victory at the
Battle of Hastings.

9
 William in
power Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

Establishing control
You need to be able to explain why the earls submitted to William following his march on London,
how William rewarded his followers and how he protected the borders of his new kingdom.
The march on London
Berkhamstead
• Following the Battle of Hastings, William and his London Barking
men marched to Dover where they became very ill Canterbury
Wallingford
with dysentery. The march on London
• In London the remaining English nobility chose From Hastings Dover
Edgar Aethling as Harold’s successor, but they Winchester to Dover
did not attack William at Dover. Hastings
Pevensey
• Having recovered, William led his army on a brutal
march through south-east England, destroying
homes and farms. St Valéry
• Towns and villages were intimidated and sur Somme
surrendered. William led his army round London to
Berkhamsted rather than attacking London directly.
Rouen
The submission of the earls
William rewards Anglo-Saxons
Dives DY
Caen AN M
Why did Edgar Aethling, Edwin, Morcar and the other N OR
English nobles submit without a fight? Rewarding loyalty Although…
 William had seized the royal treasury so Edgar Edwin and Morcar Edwin and Morcar’s
Aethling had little to offer followers in the way keep their earldoms are smaller
of reward. earldoms. than before.
 William’s march round London may have threatened
to cut the city off from supplies. Edwin promised This marriage never
 England’s best warriors died at the Battle of Hastings. William’s daughter actually occurs.
 Did the surviving English nobles believe William’s in marriage.
victory was God’s will?
 The English should have attacked William at Dover. Gospatric made Gospatric had to pay
Perhaps Edgar and the earls couldn’t agree about earl of northern William a lot of money
what action to take. Northumbria. for the earldom.

Rewarding followers Everyone who All this land goes

fought against to William and his
William had promised his followers great riches in William loses followers, not to
return for their support for the invasion. their land. Anglo-Saxons.
He sent lavish gifts to the pope (probably
from the English royal treasury).
He set a heavy geld tax, to pay his Controlling the borderlands
mercenaries (professional soldiers). William created three new earldoms
He declared that all land in England (Hereford, Shrewsbury and Chester) to
belonged to him. He then granted land and protect the Marches – the border with
earldoms to his followers. Wales. The Marcher earl had special
rights and privileges. They:
ern and Roger
Hugh d’Avranches, William FitzOsb could create new towns to promote
William and had
de Montgomery were followers of Norman colonisation of the Marches
y became the
supported him in the invasion. The had total control: their sheriffs
first three Marcher earls. reported to them rather than to
the king
did not have to pay tax on their
Now try this lands, so they could invest
in defence
Who were the first three Marcher earls? could build castles as they wished.
Explain what powers they had.

10
 William in
Had a look Nearly there Nailed it! power

Castles
The Normans’ motte and bailey castles were almost unknown in Anglo-Saxon England. They had a
huge military and psychological impact that made it easier for the Normans to establish control
and secure their conquest.
A palisade (strong fence) Access to the keep was A strong wooden tower called the
was made of solid timbers driven either up steep steps keep provided a lookout point, an
deep into the ground: it was strong cut into the motte or, in elevated attack position for
and quick to build. Sometimes some castles, up a sort archers to defend the whole area
a double fence with earth of bridge. of the castle and a final point of
packed in between was built. defence from attack.

Access into the castle The bailey was the enclosure A ditch was cut The motte was a large mound
was controlled through below the motte and also that surrounded of earth, typically 5–7 metres
the gatehouse. protected by the palisade both the bailey high. Because it was earth,
Sometimes a and outer defences, where and the motte. it was fireproof. With enough
drawbridge over the the stables and barracks Sometimes the peasant labour a motte was
ditch could be pulled would be for the garrison of ditch was filled quick to build. Historians think
up to defend the troops. During attacks, with water, most motte and bailey castles
gatehouse from local people and livestock protecting the took between four and nine
attack. could take shelter here. palisade. months to construct.

Why were castles important? How were castles different

• They were located in strategically important from burhs?
places, for example, at river crossings. • Burhs protected Anglo-Saxons; castles were
This made it easier to keep the local built to control Anglo-Saxons.
population (and any rebel activity) • Burhs were large and designed to defend
under surveillance. whole communities; castles were small and
• They were used as the base for attacks. mainly private.
A garrison of troops in the castle could • Castles were part of the Norman domination
ride out to suppress trouble, and if they of areas. Burhs took longer to construct,
came under attack they could return to the and were designed to defend inhabitants
castle’s defences. from attack by foreign invaders.
• The Normans built castles to control areas.
When a town was overlooked by a Norman The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle describ
es the
castle, it had a psychological impact on the Normans building castles everywher
e,
locals: making them feel dominated. oppressing the unhappy local peo
ple and
making things ‘always go from bad
to worse’.

Now try this

Using the diagram above, describe two features of the castle that made it difficult to attack.

11
 William in
power Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

Anglo-Saxon resistance, 1068

William initially aimed to include the Anglo-Saxon earls in governing England. However, in 1068,
earls Edwin and Morcar fled William’s court and led a revolt against him. Other important
Anglo-Saxon nobles joined the revolt, including earls Waltheof and Gospatric and Edgar Aethling.
Causes of the revolt

Bad government
Edwin’s resentment It was reported that Odo of Bayeux Morcar’s resentment
Edwin was unhappy because and William FitzOsbern had seized Morcar was unhappy because his
William promised Edwin he land unlawfully and allowed soldiers earldom was reduced in size by
could marry his daughter but to rape Anglo-Saxon women William giving parts of it away to
William went back on his word without punishment. Tostig’s old thegn, Copsi, and to
and also reduced the size of Maerlswein, who had been a
Edwin’s earldom. steward of King Harold’s.

Causes of
the revolt
The loss of lands Taxes
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for 1067 William imposed a heavy geld tax in
reports: ‘When William returned December 1066. He returned to
(from Normandy) he gave away every Castles Normandy in the spring of 1067,
man’s land’. Odo and FitzOsbern’s Castles were resented as being taking with him a lot of English
land grabs were repeated all over a symbol of Norman domination. treasure. It became clear to Anglo-
the country, with William’s followers Housing was cleared to build Saxon earls that William planned to
seeking to expand their grants by castles and people were forced take money from England to make
every means possible. to provide resources for the Normandy and the Normans richer.
castle garrison.

William’s response and its outcome Consequences of the revolt

• William took his forces north into Mercia, • William decided that he needed to put a
Edwin’s earldom, and Northumbria, which Norman in charge of the north. The man he
Morcar governed parts of (as did Gospatric chose, Robert Cumin, was a trigger for the
and Waltheof). next rebellion in the north. See page 13
• William first took control of the burhs of • Edgar Aethling’s escape to Scotland created
Warwick and then Nottingham and built a new centre of resistance to Norman
castles in both places, destroying houses to control at Malcolm III’s court. Edgar would
make room for their construction. attack northern England again.
• As soon as William took control of Warwick, • Castles proved very effective at bringing
Edwin and Morcar came down to Warwick areas under control. Edwin and Morcar’s
with their men and submitted to William. rapid surrender to William probably came
• Edwin and Morcar’s actions meant the rest after they concluded that the Normans were
of the revolt collapsed. Edgar Aethling and too strong to resist.
other rebels escaped to Scotland and the • There were other revolts at the same time
protection and support of King Malcolm III. as Edwin and Morcar’s revolt: for example,
• William pardoned Edwin and Morcar, and Eadric the Wild’s rebellion against the
they returned to being William’s ‘guests’ at his Marcher earldoms, and in Exeter.
court, until 1071 when they escaped again. Some Anglo-Saxons fought against these
revolts, meaning that William was able to rely
on some Anglo-Saxon troops to suppress
Anglo-Saxon resistance.

Now try this

Explain why Odo of Bayeux and William FitzOsbern helped cause the revolt of 1068.

12
 William in
Had a look Nearly there Nailed it! power

Anglo-Saxon resistance, 1069–71

The most serious Anglo-Saxon resistance came from the two rebellions associated with Edgar
Aethling in the north in 1069. The last Anglo-Saxon rebellion against William’s rule occurred in Ely
in 1070–71, and is associated with Hereward the Wake.
Uprisings in Durham and York
January 1069 February 1069
• Robert Cumin is • An uprising in York, • William races north William was able to defeat
appointed as the the governor and with a large army the rebels in the north easily.
new earl of Norman troops and quickly ends
northern are killed. the rebellion.
Northumbria. • Edgar Aethling • William lays waste
• Looting by his men comes down from to the whole city William entrusted York to
triggers a rebellion Scotland to join of York and builds William FitzOsbern while he
in Durham: Cumin the rebellion. new castles.
and his men are
went back to Winchester
• Norman sheriff and • William returns
killed. his garrison are south for Easter.
for Easter, to celebrate the
attacked. festival as England’s king.

Anglo-Danish attack on York

September 1069
• King Sweyn of Denmark • Anglo-Saxons in the north William’s solutions
sends a large invasion begin guerrilla warfare,
fleet to England. sheltered by locals. (1) Pay the Danes to
• The Danish invasion • New rebellions begin in leave England.
force meets up with Devon, Shrewsbury and
Edgar Aethling. Chester.
and
• 21 September: the • As soon as William’s forces
Anglo-Danish attack on subdue unrest in one region,
York. 3000 Normans it starts again somewhere (2) The Harrying of
are killed. else. the North.
• The Danes retreat to • The Danes bide their time,
the Lincolnshire coast. protected by marshland.

Hereward the Wake and rebellion at Ely Anglo-Saxon resistance –

• Hereward had returned to Ely around 1069 a summary
from exile. He started a rebellion because he had Anglo-Saxon nobles who submitted to William were
lost his lands to a new Norman lord. allowed to keep their positions as William wanted
• In 1070 the Danes returned and set up base to rule with consent rather than by force.
in Ely. The Danes and Hereward joined forces for a
raid on Peterborough Abbey. William deprived the Anglo-Saxon nobles of any
• Hereward had hoped to save the treasures of the power and reduced their lands. This caused the
rebellions.
monastery from the Normans, but the Danes took
all the treasure and sailed back to Denmark with it.
• Morcar and his men came to Ely and William underestimated the independence of the
north, but the real threat came with the Danish
joined Hereward. They defended Ely but the invasion.
Normans eventually defeated them.
• Morcar was captured while Hereward
As a result of the resistance, William decided that
escaped – but he was not heard of again.
England could not be ruled with consent. The Anglo-
Saxon aristocracy needed to be removed from
power to prevent further resistance in the future.

Now try this

One outcome of the Anglo-Saxon resistance 1068–71 was that William decided to replace the remaining
Anglo-Saxon aristocracy with Normans. Describe one other outcome.

13
 William in
power Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

The Harrying of the North

The brutality of the Harrying of the North shows that William was prepared to take the most
extreme measures to keep England under his control. His decision to lay waste to the north had
both immediate consequences (1069–70) and a longer-term legacy (1069–87).

Revenge for the death Homes destroyed so people

of Robert Cumin had nowhere to shelter.
To destroy the spirit
Livestock killed.
of rebellion in the north. and hundreds of
other Normans.
Took place in the winter
To prevent Vikings of 1069–70.
using Yorkshire
as a base for Features Area of Harrying stretched
future attacks. from the Humber River to
the Tees River. Also in
As a warning to Reasons Staffordshire and parts
other areas of
of Shropshire.
England of what
could happen
to them. Seed destroyed so there was
A military response to guerrilla nothing to plant for food the
warfare, which depended on next year.
support for rebels from
local people.
Harrying of
the North
No further rebellion from the north;
Death of thousands from starvation: after 1071 no further Anglo-Saxon
perhaps as many as 100 000 rebellions.
Criticism of
people died. William’s brutality
Immediate and William’s Danish invaders in 1070
consequences own sense of Long term went to Ely as there was
Flood of refugees from his sin and consequences now no base for them
the north to other parts need for penance. in Yorkshire.
of England, e.g. the west.
A turning point: after 1070
Reports of William decided to replace
cannibalism 20 years later, Yorkshire the English aristocracy
Reports of families selling by desperate, had still not recovered; with Normans.
themselves into slavery starving people. 60 per cent was listed as
to survive. ‘waste’ in the Domesday Book and there were between
80 000 and 150 000 fewer people than in 1066.

ent time, but

The early medieval period was a viol
seen as especially
William’s Harrying of the North was
s. William was
brutal, even by his contemporarie
ions, and was said to
criticised by the pope for his act
so many people for
have repented for the deaths of
the rest of his life.

Look back at page

Now try this 13 to answer this.

King Sweyn’s invasion in 1070–71 went to Ely rather than to the north. Explain why this shows that the
Harrying of the North achieved one of its goals.

14
 William in
Had a look Nearly there Nailed it! power

Landownership, 1066–87
One of the legacies (long term consequences) of Anglo-Saxon resistance was the way the Anglo-
Saxon aristocracy was removed from power and replaced by Normans. This mainly happened
through changes in landownership.
Ways land could be lost or gained
Landownership changes by 1087
Over half the land in England in 1087 was You’ve acted The sheriff
held by just 190 of the tenants-in-chief. against the illegally grabs
king: forfeit all your land: he’s
Only two of these were Anglo-Saxons. your lands. in charge of the
Only around 5% of land was still held by law court so
there’s nothing
Anglo-Saxon aristocrats in 1087, most you can do.
of it in small estates.
You can’t
The king’s own royal estates made up 20% afford to
of the land and the Church owned 25%. redeem your
land from the
king.

More power to the king

• Changes in landownership made William more
powerful and rebellion less likely.
• Anglo-Saxons had to pay William to redeem
land (get back land they owned before) and
heirs paid the king to inherit land. The king has The king has
made you ‘heir’ created a new
• When landholders died without an heir, the to a dead earldom from
land went back to the king, and those who Anglo-Saxon forfeited land
acted against the king could forfeit land (have thegn. Take and made you
over their land. earl.
their land taken from them).

Impact on thegns Impact on peasants

With Normans becoming the major landholders, Life for many peasants probably went on much
English thegns became their tenants. as it did before the Conquest, since one lord
The Normans had followers of their own whom was much like another from the peasants’
they needed to reward with land. point of view. However, it is likely that Normans
• When thegns died, Norman followers would were stricter about their peasants meeting
‘inherit’ their land, not the thegns’ children. all the obligations due from the land
they worked.
• Thegns who did not obey their Norman lords
could forfeit their land. Ceorls – the ‘free’ peasants who could decide
Many thegns left England to work as to leave one lord and go and rent land from
mercenaries in Europe. Those that stayed were another – became rarer and rarer. Norman
forced to obey their new lords. lords worked to reduce the independence
of ceorls.

Now try this

Edwin forfeited his lands in 1071 after he died (he was killed by his own men). Morcar forfeited his lands
in 1070 after joining which rebellion?

15
 William in
power Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

Maintaining royal power

William used force to get control of his new kingdom, but he wanted to rule as England’s
legitimate king as well as its conqueror. He adopted the powers and symbols of Edward the
Confessor and promoted the claim that he was the rightful successor to King Edward.
Coronation and
crown-wearing Use of the Control of
ceremonies Witan coinage
Claim to
the throne Oath taking

Religious influence –
appointing senior Use of royal
Church leaders writs
King William’s
Military power (tenants-
royal powers
Laws and
in-chief must provide
law-making
knights)

Domesday Tax – levying

Book the geld
Land ownership – Journeys of the
power to grant and royal court around
take away land England

Royal factors Other factors

Claim to the throne: Norman propaganda William’s military strength: Anglo-Saxons
stressed that William had been Edward’s respected great warrior-kings. However,
rightful successor, as well as his relative. such kings would ideally also show wisdom
in their law-making and mercy in their
Royal ceremonies: William began a new
treatment of their subjects, for example,
ceremony of being seen wearing his crown
Edward the Confessor was respected for
three times a year, at events where he also
living on the revenues of his own estates
consulted with his Witan.
rather than benefitting from frequent
Coinage: William’s coins featured his image, geld taxes.
reinforcing his role as king.
Religious influence: William had control
Writs: William’s image also appeared on the over appointments to senior positions in
royal seal of his writs. William used writs the Church. His reforms (with Archbishop
to issue his orders across the land. The Lanfranc) of the Church in England increased
Anglo-Saxon writ system was designed to Norman control of the messages given out
maintain royal power across England and in churches, which were used to praise
William used writs enthusiastically. William as king.
Oath taking: William held oath-taking Landownership: William was able to use
ceremonies in which landholders swore their forfeited Anglo-Saxon lands to reward
allegiance to William as their king. his followers. This helped ensure their
Journeys around England: by travelling support for William’s rule as England’s king.
to different parts of his kingdom, William Challenges to William’s rule came from
could show himself as king to his subjects. those who thought they had not been given
He could also show favour to important enough land.
subjects by visiting them and holding talks.

Now try this

Explain the consequences of William’s claim to the throne for landownership in England.

16
 William in
Had a look Nearly there Nailed it! power

The Revolt of the Earls

In 1075, three of William’s own earls tried, unsuccessfully, to remove him from power. This was the
last revolt William would face in England before his death a decade later. This page looks at the
reasons for revolt; the next page is on its features, its defeat and effects.

The rebel earls and their motives

Roger de Breteuil, Ralph de Gael, Earl of Waltheof, had taken part in

Earl of Hereford, East Anglia, had grown the rebellions in the north in
was the son of up in Brittany and 1069, but had submitted to
William FitzOsbern. became Earl of East William, was pardoned and
Roger resented Anglia after his father made Earl of Northumbria
the way William had died around 1069. (his father had been Siward,
reduced the size of It is likely his Earl of Northumbria). He was
his Hereford earldom involvement in the the last surviving Anglo-
after FitzOsbern died. revolt was for similar Saxon earl. Presumably,
FitzOsbern had been reasons to Roger de Northumbrians would have
one of William’s most Breteuil. He married supported their earl if there
trusted followers. Roger’s sister in 1075. was a good chance of success
against the Normans.

Loss of land
Loss of privileges William was concerned
One of the features that earls should not
William’s absence
of the Marcher have too much power. This was why
In 1075, William had
earldoms, which he took the opportunity of their fathers’
returned temporarily
included Hereford, deaths to reduce the size of Ralph and
to Normandy, leaving
was that sheriffs answered to the Roger’s land.
the government of
earl, not to the king. William England to his regent, Archbishop
changed this so that he had more Lanfranc. The rebels saw his absence
influence in all his earldoms. Roger as an opportunity to strike.
resented this loss of privilege and
there may have been others, too.
Reasons for
the revolt

Powerful allies
Loss of power Ralph contacted
Under Anglo-Saxonn King Sweyn of
rule, earls had beenn Denmark for
very powerful. The Anglo-Saxon support in the
three earls plannedd rebelliousness revolt. It is likely that Waltheof
to recreate this The Revolt of the was important in making this deal
situation by dividing William’s Earls took place with the Danes. King Sweyn’s son
kingdom between the three soon after the Cnut put together a large fleet.
of them. rebellions of The rebels also had support from
1068–71. The three earls must William’s enemies in Brittany
have assumed Anglo-Saxons would and France.
join their revolt, especially with
Waltheof involved.

Now try this

Explain one reason why William wanted to reduce the power of his own earls.

17
 William in
power Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

Features and effects of the Revolt

Unfortunately for Earls Roger, Ralph and Waltheof, their revolt did not succeed and was quickly
defeated. Key to their defeat was the way Anglo-Saxons joined Normans to prevent the revolt.
Features of the revolt inst being
Key feature 1: Waltheof decided aga
s hop ing to be
Waltheof informed Archbishop Lanfranc involved in the revolt, perhap
g. How ever,
about the revolt. rewarded for his loyalty in informin
instead.
William ordered him to be executed

Lanfranc tried to convince Roger not to

act against William. Key feature 2: Lanfranc had time to
prepare for
the revolt. His arguments to Roger
were that
Roger should remember his father’s
loyalty.
When Roger did not give up his plans,
Lanfranc excommunicated him.
axons
Key feature 3: Although all Anglo-S
ed to join the revolt
might have been expect
Bishop Wulfstan and the abbot of Evesh- Eve n mor e
against William, most did not.
am blocked Roger from taking his troops Mid land s
across the Severn River. significantly, Anglo-Saxons in the
venting the
joined with Norman garrisons in pre
efordshire
revolts from spreading out of Her
and out of East Anglia.
Anglo-Saxons also joined Normans in the
east to prevent Ralph’s troops breaking
out of East Anglia. Key feature 4: The Danes had an imp
ressive
invasion force but they did not wan
t to engage
with the Normans in battle, at leas
When the Danes arrived with 200 ships t not until
Norman forces had already been sign
the revolt had ground to a halt. The ificantly
weakened by Anglo-Saxon uprisings.
Danes did not invade but raided and
returned to Denmark.

The defeat of the revolt Challenges to William and The planned Danish invasion
his sons were now from of 1075 was the end of
William returned to England before the Danes William’s own earls the Viking threat
arrived, and oversaw the defeat of the revolt. and barons. to England.

• Roger was captured and imprisoned for life.

• Ralph escaped to Brittany, though William Significance of
captured some of his Breton followers and the revolt
punished them by blinding them.
Despite Anglo-Saxon
• Waltheof fled abroad, but William tricked him Anglo-Saxons defended
support in defeating the
William’s rule from revolt,
into coming back to England. When Waltheof suggesting some English revolt, William continued
returned he was imprisoned and then executed. support for William. to suppress Anglo-Saxon
nobles.

Now try this

Lanfranc excommunicated Earl Roger. Which one of the following is the best definition
of excommunication?
a) Making someone an outlaw, which meant they could then be legally killed.
b) Cutting someone off from the Church community, so they could not confess their sins.
c) Sentencing someone to pay a fine to the Church in order to be forgiven.

18
 Norman
Had a look Nearly there Nailed it! England

The feudal hierarchy

When William became king, he established himself as the owner of all England’s land. His key allies
became his tenants-in-chief, who received huge grants of land direct from the king in return
for their military service. They then granted land out to their followers in turn, creating a feudal
hierarchy with the king at the top, with huge power to command and control the system.

Knight service
Key terms
Knight service was Some knights had
Barony – lands held by a baron (a major land not much more land
the duty to provide
owner, often a tenant-in-chief). a knight or knights for to farm than
Fief or feud – land held by a vassal in return the king for up to peasants.
for service to a lord (‘feud’ is where feudalism 40 days a year.
comes from).
Homage – a public display of allegiance (loyalty)
Other knights
to a lord. Some knight
were very
Tenant-in-chief – someone who held their fiefs service involved
powerful
directly from the king. guarding the
Norman
king’s castles.
Vassal – someone who held land from someone nobles.
else in the feudal system.
Hierarchy – where society is organised into
levels of importance with each level obeying the
level above them. The knights had to be
equipped and given
money to live on during
knight service.

Tenants-in-chief Tenants-in-chief

Military: fought for Social: law courts Economic: paid the Political: often
the king and led to deal with barony king tax from their served on the royal
their knights. land disputes. large revenues. council as advisors.

The feudal hierarchy

Knight service
Granted land and tax concessions William I according to set quota
Provided peace, law and protection
Tax (and reliefs)
in return for loyalty and service
Justice (baronial courts)
Tenants-in-chief
(Lords, bishops and abbots) Military service in return for land
Granted land and Tax (and reliefs)
other privileges Justice (manorial courts)
Under-tenants
(Vassals)
Provided land Land service (farming
to be worked on vassal’s land) / Rent
Peasants
(Some free men, but the majority were bound to one lord)

Now try this

Describe two features of the feudal hierarchy that increased William’s military strength.

19
 Norman
England Had a look Nearly there Nailed it!

The nature of feudalism

The feudal system probably took several decades to develop. William took the opportunity of the
Conquest to clear away the complex relationships between England’s landholders and redevelop
them to consolidate his power.

Feudalism and military power Feudalism and political power

The feudal system was a way of ensuring Feudalism gave the king political power: he
that the king had military power without could control his barons through grants of
having to pay for it. land, reliefs and forfeiture.
Knights were extremely expensive to William needed to be able to control his
equip, train and maintain, but William barons, or they would get too powerful
needed lots of them. The feudal system and demand political power for themselves.
developed so William received knight Forfeiture meant that William had the
service in return for grants of land – both power to punish severely anyone who acted
knights to fight in battle and knights to against him by taking away their lands and
garrison his castles. granting them as a reward for loyalty to
someone else.

In both Normandy and in Anglo-S

alongside axon England,
The fyrd still continued to operate noble sons usually inherited their
fathers’
e of a mili tia
knight service: probably mor landholdings automatically. William
toughened
iam son,
’s
provided by the general fyrd. Will up the procedures and made inhe
ritance
ops to
William Rufus, used English fyrd tro dependent on a formal ceremony
of homage
inst him afte r William the
defeat a rebellion aga to the king, and on paying as muc
h for their
Conqueror ’s death. relief as the king thought was suit
able.

Feudalism and the peasants

Feudalism was a social system that made
sure the nobility stayed rich and
in control.
Just as the vassal provided military
service for his fief, peasants provided
labour service for their lord in return for
land and protection from attack, but this
came at a cost. Instead of ceorls being
able to decide to leave a lord and go and
work for another one, peasants were now
bound to their lord, unable to leave his or
her service.

land?
How ‘feudal’ was Anglo-Saxon Eng
pea sants in
It seems likely that most Vassals swearing allegiance to a
bound to
Anglo-Saxon England were already medieval king in an act of homage
.
relationships
their lords through obligations and
vice.
that were very similar to labour ser
Now try this
t cam e with each
These were obligations tha
Boo k sug gests
hide of land and the Domesday
Con quest.
these obligations continued after the Explain what was involved in forfeiture.

20