1.3.1 The Submission of the Earls Flashcards
What did William do after winning the Battle of Hastings? (6)
- He moved east to Kent to secure the parts in order to stop Anglo Saxons trade and allow supplies to be brought in from Normandy
- William’s men fell ill with dysentery after the battle. They marched from Hastings to the larger town of Dover, on the English coast. On his way, William attacked Romney to show his power, destroying the countryside and showing force + intimidation.
- Once he gets to Dover, he establishes the castles
- William needed to capture London as surviving English earls decided to continue resisting. He chose an indirect, circular route to surround the capital, destroying villages and establishing motte and bailey castles as he went. One at Dover, Canterbury, Rochester, Newbury, Wallingford and then Berkhamstead.
- He set up his military camp at Berkhamstead. At a meeting in Berkhamstead he insisted on an oath of loyalty from Edgar the Aetheling, Edwin and Morcar and a number of other leading nobles and bishops. The English earls and Edgar surrendered - this is known as the Submission of the Earls
- William crossed the Thames and built castles at Newbury and Wallingford to secure his route
What happened in Berkhampstead? (3)
- William set up his military camp
- At a meeting he insisted on an oath of loyalty from Edgar of Aetheling (an alternative king supported by the Witan and Stigand, the Archbishop of Canterbury), Edwin and Morcar and a number of other leading nobles and bishops
- Submission of the Earls
Why did the Earls submit? (4)
- Edgar, the other King was weak and didn’t have many followers
- The English military was weak - lots of English fyrds had died in the Battle of Hastings
- London was in a vulnerable position with William just outside and most of England’s best troops dead
- On his march to Berkhamstead, William had captured the town of Winchester. The royal treasury was in Winchester, so William had effectively taken all of the royal family’s money.
All in all, it seemed unlikely that the earls or Edgar would easily stop William
What did William do on his march to Berkhamstead?
He secured Winchester, the base of the english treasury, where the royal income was collected and gold, silver and other valuables were held
What did William do to Southwark, in retaliation for resistance in London?
He burnt it
William secured control of Canterbury, what was this the centre of?
The English Catholic Church
Who was Stigand? (3)
- Stigand, a bishop, had been a major figure in the court of Edward the Confessor
- He had a reputation for corruption
- After the Norman Conquest, he became Archbishop of Canterbury
What did William do to Stigand?
William refused to be crowned by Stigand and removed him from his position in 1070
What is the Bayeux Tapestry?
The tapestry (which is an embroidery) tells the story of 1066 from a Norman perspective. Completed in the 1070s under the supervision of William’s half-brother, Bishop Odo, it is seen by most as a piece of Norman propaganda. It depicts Harold Godwinson as an oath breaker and William as a superior general, as well as the rightful heir to the English throne. Aftefacts like the Bayeux Tapestry show the way in which William was able to establish the legitimacy as the rightful king without relying entirely on violence
What did the Bayeux Tapestry allow William to do?
Artefacts like the Bayeux Tapestry show the way in which William was able to establish his legitimacy as the rightful king without relying entirely on violence
William of Normandy intimidated the towns in such a way that many simply surrendered straight away. Where did he position himself instead of going directly to London?
Berkhamstead
Which part of London is Berkhamstead?
North West of London
What did William’s men fall ill with after the battle?
Dysentery
Which Earls submitted? (4)
- Archbishop of Canterbury
- Archbishop of York
- Morcar
- Edwin
