Anglo-Saxon and Norman England Flashcards

1
Q

The power of the Anglo-Saxon monarchy

What were the kings main tasks within Anglo-Saxon England

A
  • To defend his country from attack, this meant that he commanded the army himself
  • Pass good laws and make sure that they are obeyed
  • defend the church and appoint its leaders
  • manage his earls and other nobles so thay they help him run the country effectively and co-operate with him. He did this by rewarding his nobles with land and wealth
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2
Q

What was the perpose of the Witan in Anglo-Saxon england

A

When the king needed advise on important issues he called a meeting known as a witan.
- The men summoned to the witan included Earls,Thegns and members of the church
- The witans most powerful role was deciding the next king if there was any doubt

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3
Q

Earldoms in Anglo-Saxon England

What were they and what was their perpose ?

A
  • The very top layer of local government concisted of the Earls
  • they were the most powerfull land owners
  • the four main earldoms were Wessex , Mercia , Northumbria and East Anglia
  • The earls of each area was expected to prevend and deal with rebellions and raise arms for the king
  • this meant that if they joined together they would be more powerful than the kinf
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4
Q

What was the local government like in Anglo-Saxon England.

A
  • Earls could not run their earlsoms alone as they were so vast so the eardoms were split into shires and hundereds
  • shires and hundreds were run by sheriffs were responsible for collecting tax, Bringing justice and raising soldiers
  • there were about 40 shires or counties
  • Each shire was roughly the size of 12 villages
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5
Q

What was the legal syste,m like in Anglo-Saxon England

A
  • the shire and hundren courts were the heart of the legal system dealing with all minor crimes
  • the king still imposed laws
  • The kings laws had to be flexible to the different legal customs around the country
  • in northumbria revenge for murder of a family member called blood - feuds
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6
Q

What were the differnt types of punishment in Anglo-Saxon England

A
  • Wergild - A fine payed to the victims of crime or their families. The level of the fine was dependant on the persons status in society
  • Capital and physical punishment - a small number of crimes such as treason carried the death penalty as a deterrence . reoffenders were also harshly punsihed
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7
Q

What was policing like in Anglo-Saxon england

A
  • people lived in small communites and so kept eachother accountable
  • This community system created by anglo-saxon kings was called a tithing.
  • If a crime was commited the witness or victim was expected to call a ‘ hue and cry ‘
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8
Q

What was the ‘ hue and cry ‘ in anglo-saxon england

A
  • when a witness or victim called a heu and cry the whole village was expected to put down tools and join a hunt to catch the criminal
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9
Q

What was a tithing in Anglo-saxon england

A
  • a tithing was a self-help system set up by anglo-saxon kings
  • every male over the age of 10 was expected to join a tithing
  • it was a group of 10 men who were responsible for bringone one another to justice if someone within the group commited a crime
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10
Q

What were the differnt types of trial in Anglo-Saxon England .

A
  • Trail by jury within the hundred or shire courts
  • Trial by ordeal within the church
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11
Q

What was trail by jury like in Anglo-Saxon england

A
  • This type of trial happened in the hundred or shire court
  • the jury concisted of men who both knew the accuser and the accused
  • the jury would make a decition based of the version of events told by both parties
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12
Q

What was trail by ordeal within the church

A
  • when the jury in a court could not decide a persons guilt the crime would then go to the church
  • God became the judge in trial by ordeal
  • there were different types of ordeal that the accused would have to recover from to be seen as inncoent
  • this includes trail by hot water
  • the recovery was a sighn from god that the person was innocent
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13
Q

What was village life like in Anglo-Saxon england

A
  • the church had important influence in vilage life
  • most villages contained just 12 or 15 houses owned by choels or peasants
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14
Q

Whatv percentage of people lived in towns in Anglo-Saxon england

A

10

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15
Q

What were towns like in Anglo-Saxon England

A

10

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16
Q

What was the structure of an Anglo-Saxon town

A

A town was a place that had a defensive wall and and marketplace . There were still many similaritys between villages and towns

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17
Q

What was the Anglo-Saxon economy like

A
  • Villages were based on an agricultural economy
  • many people aslo crafted items such as property to use on a barter system
  • In towns the economy was predominatly based on markets and an exchange system
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18
Q

What was the influence of the church in Anglo-Saxon England

A
  • The church had a heirarchy : Preists then Bishops then Archbishops at the top
  • members of the church were also part of the witan and so had influence in the government
  • Within monistarys the monks and nuns wrote tapestrys and history as well as acting as advisors to lords
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18
Q

What was the influence of the church in Anglo-Saxon England

A
  • The church was clearly orgaised
19
Q

What were the two ways that the Anglo-Saxon Church Influenced England

A
  • It was ritch and powerful and played an important part in the governing of the country
  • It played a big part in every day life within villages and towns
20
Q

How much of the land did the church hold in Anglo-Saxon england

A

25 percent

21
Q

How did the church influence everyday life in Anglo-Saxon England

A
  • The preists in each village had a very important role to protect peoples souls from going to hell - this meant they held great importance to the people within the village
  • People also relied on god to protect them from disease and bad harvest
  • Religious celebrations also gave people time away from their everyday work
22
Q

What was earl Godwins relation to the King

A
  • Godwin was at the centre of government under both Cnut and Edward
22
Q

How did the Godwin family have power

A
  • Godwin was at the centre of government under both Cnut and Edward
  • Marriage links with the King
  • The Godwinson bothers were significanlty wealthyer than the King himself
23
Q

Who was King Edward married to

A

Godwins daughter Edith

24
Q

Why did Harold have support

A
  • he came from a wealthy family with lots of influence
  • He put an end to widespread violence and rebellion in wales caused by the welsh princes
  • Local thegns were rewarded for supporting Harold
  • He also had stong links with the church and had strong religious beliefs - eh went on a pilgramidge to rome
25
Q

What was Harolds embassey to Normandy

A

pls finsih this slide x too tired to do so x

26
Q

Who was Tostig

A
  • Tostig was made the earl of Northumbria in 1055
  • He had an important role to manage and protect the whole of the North of england from invasion
  • The northners never accepted Tostig as their leader
  • He was a hevey handed ruler and this futhermore made people dislike him
27
Q

What resulted in Tostigs replacement

A
  • In october of 1065 the thegns of yorkshire rebelled agaisntTostig and occupied york
  • Harold was sent to talk to the rebels and realised that Tostig could not keep control of northumbria and that this would weaken the defence of northern england
  • Morcar became the earl of Northumbra
  • This created a hatred between the two brothers
28
Q

What was the cause of the battle at Gate Fulford

A

Tostig fled to scotland so historians believe he made contact with Harald Hadrada and convinced him it was a good time to invade england

29
Q

What happened at the battle of Gate Fulford

A

Harald and tostig saled uo river humber and set up camp in Riccall.
Edwin and Morcar rallied an army of 4500 to 6000
they blocked the road between Riccall and York
Hardrada’s army had 6000 - 7500 his troops managed to drive the english troops backwards and outflank them.
Both Earls survived but the army was destroyed

30
Q

What were the outcomes of the Battle of Gate Fullford

A
  • York surrendered to the Vikings and recognised Harald as their King and promised to help fight against Harold.
  • They also gave Harald Hostages money and soldiers for their next battle.
  • Rather than occupying York, Harald returned to the camp and his ships.
  • He planned on meeting the leaders of York at Stamford bridge where they would give up hostages
31
Q

What were the wider concequences of the battle of stamford bridge

A
  • The beacon fires allerted the King about the battle and because they didn’t occupy York it was a disadvantage
    met leaders in York but left their armour in Riccall as they were overconfident
31
Q

What were the wider concequences of the battle of stamford bridge

A
  • The beacon fires allerted the King about the battle and because they didn’t occupy York it was a disadvantage
    met leaders in York but left their armour in Riccall as they were overconfident
31
Q

What were the wider concequences of the battle of stamford bridge

A
  • The beacon fires allerted the King about the battle and because they didn’t occupy York it was a disadvantage
    met leaders in York but left their armour in Riccall as they were overconfident
31
Q

What were the wider concequences of the battle of stamford bridge

A
  • The beacon fires allerted the King about the battle and because they didn’t occupy York it was a disadvantage
    met leaders in York but left their armour in Riccall as they were overconfident
32
Q

What were the wider concequences of the battle of stamford bridge

A
  • The beacon fires allerted the King about the battle and because they didn’t occupy York it was a disadvantage
    met leaders in York but left their armour in Riccall as they were overconfident
33
Q

What were the wider concequences of the battle of stamford bridge

A
  • The beacon fires allerted the King about the battle and because they didn’t occupy York it was a disadvantage
    met leaders in York but left their armour in Riccall as they were overconfident
34
Q

What were the wider concequences of the battle of stamford bridge

A
  • The beacon fires allerted the King about the battle and because they didn’t occupy York it was a disadvantage
    met leaders in York but left their armour in Riccall as they were overconfident
35
Q

What were the wider concequences of the battle of stamford bridge

A
  • The beacon fires allerted the King about the battle and because they didn’t occupy York it was a disadvantage
    met leaders in York but left their armour in Riccall as they were overconfident
36
Q

What were the causes of the battle of Stamford bridge

A
  • Harald had wanted to be king
  • York had surrendered to the viking army recognising Harald as their king
37
Q

What happened at the Battle of Stamford bridge

A
  • Hardrada’s army was on the east bank of the river but still had to form their battle on higher ground .
  • To gain time a group of Norwegians were ordered to guard a bridge to stop the Saxons from crossing the river .
  • These men were easily defeated and Harold’s men pushed forward over the river .
  • The battle continued and Hardrada was killed
  • Harold offered negotiations but the vikings refused resulting in a lose due to troops tiring out even with the reinforcements that came in
38
Q

What were the outcomes of the battle of Stamford bridge

A
  • The battle of Stamford Bridge was a big win for Harold as it showed off his power in a previously troubled region .
  • This was because Haralds men were disorganised as well as reinforcements coming in too late and Harold’s army having more troops.
  • Harold Godwinson had 15 000 men with 5000 casualties and harald hadrada had 9000 troops with 4000 casualties
39
Q

What were the concequences of the Battle of Stamford bridge

A
  • It had also ended two major threats to his kingship : Harald and Tostig.
  • Harold spared Haralds son in an offer that he would promise to never trouble England again.
  • Harold had also gained alliance with the vikings by sparing Olaf .
40
Q

What were the reasons for williams victory at the battle of hastings

A
  • he was an organised and calculated leader
  • he had a stong military pesence