Anglo Saxon England And Normans Flashcards
Who was king of England from 1042 to 1066?
Edward the Confessor
What was the social structure of Anglo-Saxon England?
King, Earls, Thegns, Peasants, Slaves
What was the duty of the king in Anglo-Saxon England?
Protect his people from attack and make laws.
What were thegns responsible for in Anglo-Saxon society?
Providing men for the fyrd (army) when needed.
What were ceorls in Anglo-Saxon England?
Free peasants who could work for another lord.
What percentage of the population were slaves in Anglo-Saxon England?
About 10%
What was a thegn’s living situation?
Lived in a manor house and held more than 5 hides of land.
What could a peasant do to support their family?
Sell themselves into slavery.
What was one of Edward’s strengths as a king?
Success in battle and leading a strong army
Edward was not a warrior king himself but relied on earls and thegns for military force.
What years did Edward the Confessor reign as king?
1042 to 1066
What significant oath was sworn by boys at the age of 12?
An oath to the king
What aspects of governance did the king control?
Law-making, money, land ownership, military, taxation
These powers established the king’s authority over the kingdom.
Who was the powerful Earl that could influence Edward’s decisions?
Earl Godwin
What happened between Edward and Godwin in 1050?
Edward forced Godwin into exile
What was the consequence of Godwin returning with an army in 1051?
Edward gave him his earldom back to prevent a war
What was the role of the Witan?
Council of advisers to the king
It discussed threats, disputes, and played a role in choosing a new king.
What powers were given to earls?
They collected taxes, oversaw justice, and had military power
Earls helped run the country by managing various administrative and military responsibilities.
How much of the collected taxes did earls keep?
A third of what they collected
This made earls very wealthy individuals.
What was the military unit called that each earl had?
Housecarls
Housecarls were highly-trained bodyguard soldiers.
What is the structure of government below the king?
Earldoms, shires, hundreds, and tithings
This hierarchical system facilitated local governance.
What was the fyrd?
The army made up of one man from every five hides
This system ensured local military representation.
What was the select fyrd?
Well-equipped thegns and their followers
Their service was limited to 40 days due to farming obligations.
What role did shire reeves play?
Carried out the king’s instructions in each shire
They had various responsibilities including law enforcement and tax collection.
What was the geld tax?
A tax on land originally to pay off the Vikings
This tax was part of the financial system to manage external threats.
What was the basis of justice in the legal system?
Collective responsibility
If someone refused to join the fyrd, there were consequences for the whole tithing.
What are blood feuds?
Grudges between families that often lasted generations
They could lead to cycles of revenge and violence.
What is the Wergild system?
Compensation paid to the victim’s family instead of revenge
It aimed to reduce violence by providing monetary restitution.
How much was a ceorl worth in the Wergild system?
20 shillings
This reflects the social hierarchy in terms of legal compensation.
How much was an earl or archbishop worth in the Wergild system?
3600 shillings
This shows the high value placed on nobility in terms of compensation.
Which countries did the Anglo-Saxons trade with?
Germany
Silver for coins came from Germany.
What is a burh?
A main town in each shire
Burhs were well-fortified and linked by roads.
Why was trade required to take place in a burh?
To pay trade tax
The king’s laws mandated that more valuable trade occurred in burhs.
What significant project did Edward devote time to?
Rebuilding Westminster Cathedral
This reflects the importance of religion during that time.
Who was made Earl of Wessex by King Cnut in 1018?
Earl Godwin
Earl Godwin played a significant role in supporting Edward the Confessor’s rise to kingship.
Who succeeded Earl Godwin as Earl of Wessex in 1053?
Harold Godwinson
Harold was one of Godwin’s sons.
Who became Earl of Northumbria in 1055?
Tostig Godwinson
Tostig was another son of Earl Godwin.
What was the relationship between Edward the Confessor and Edith of Wessex?
Married in 1045
Edith was the daughter of Earl Godwin.
What was one reason for the Godwins’ power?
Leadership over hundreds of thegns
This made them powerful war leaders.
How did the Godwins influence the Church?
Convinced Edward to appoint loyal bishops
This increased their political and social power.
What role did political marriages play for the Godwins?
Increased their power
Examples include Edith Godwin to King Edward and Harold Godwinson to Edith of Mercia.
Why were the godwins so powerful ?
Land, leadership, church influence, defensive importance, political marriages, military success
What happened on Harold Godwinsons embassy in 1064 ?
Harold landed in Ponthieu, where Count Guy of Ponthieu took him prisoner.
William of Normandy rescued Harold.
Harold then spent time in Normandy, helping William in two military campaigns.
Harold made an oath to William - possibly swearing to support William’s claim to the English throne.
Why was Harold Godwinsons embassy in 1064 significant ?
• It shows that Harold was Edward’s trusted adviser, as it was clearly an important embassy.
• The Normans used it to boost
William’s claim to the English throne.
• After Harold took over as king from Edward in 1066, the Normans used this embassy to portray Harold as an oath-breaker.
When was Tostig, earl of Northumbria exiled
November 1065
Why was there an uprising against Tostig ?
• Tostig was a southerner, but Northumbria had strong Viking links.
• People felt he abused his power - e.g. he had killed powerful rivals.
• Tostig taxed Northumbria heavily.
• He didn’t defend Northumbria from an attack by Malcolm Ill of Scotland in 1061.
What was the response to the uprising against Tostig ?
• Harold agreed that his brother Tostig had pushed Northumbria too far.
• King Edward ordered an army to put down the rising, but Harold and other earls didn’t follow his order.
This shows weakness in the king’s power.
• Edward was forced to accept the rebels’ demands.
When did Edward the Confessor die, what did it cause ?
5th January 1066, succession crisis
Who was crowned on the same day as Edward the confessors burial ?
Harold, 6th Jan 1066
Who were the 4 claimants of the throne in 1066 ?
Harold Godwinsons, William Duke of Normandy, Harald Hardrada, Edgar Aethling
What was Harold Godwinsons claim to the throne and how strong was it ?
Appointed by Edward on his deathbed, proven military success and influence with the Earls
Good, supported by witnesses
What was Williams claim to the throne and how good was it ?
Agreement supposedly made by King Edward in 1051 and confirmed during Harold’s embassy in 1064
Backed by Pope but no real evidence, strong warriors
What was Harald Hardradas claim to the throne and how good was it ?
Inherited the claim from previous Viking Kings
Weak, but had a strong army and support from the exiled Tostig
What was Edgar Aerhlings claim to the throne and how good was it ?
Royal blood, he was Edward nephew
Weak, he was young and had no experience
What did he do to protect England from a possible attack from William ?
Positioned an army along the South Coast, but they eventually stood down
Key points of the battle of Gate Fulford.
20th September 1066
Hardrada and Tostig attacked but were blocked outside York by Edwin and Morcar
Edwin and Morcar were defeated as they decided not to fight within city walls
Harold marched North
Key info about the battle of Stamford Bridge
25th September 1066
Harold surprised Hardrada and Tostig and won, both of them were killed
Why did Harold win the battle of Stamford bridge ?
- Vikings had left their armour on the ships
- he had the element of surprise
- The Vikings were under the wrong impression that the English hated Harold
- Harold’s men broke the Viking shield wall
Was the battle of Stamford bridge significant ?
Yes : it distracted Harold from the South, Harold’s march made his troops less battle ready than William’s, made him over confident, Edwin and Morcar couldn’t fight at Hastings
No : had already stood down the southern Fyrd, high moral, Harold and Wigan had been preparing for a Southern attack for months
What did Harold do when he heard about the threat from the South ?
From York he Stopped in London for 5 days to collect troops and then marched south to meet William at Senlac hill near Hastings
Was Williams tactics and leadership the reason he won ?
Yes : cavalry to break down shield wall, feigned retreat, horses specially bred and shipped, stole food and destroyed houses when they arrived in England, adapted a fort into a defensible castle
No : Harold leadership and bad luck - rushed, men were poorly disciplined so the shield wall broke, no element of surprise, tired from marching, William managed to sail during winter storms
What were the positives and negatives of Norman knights ?
- they could charge at the enemy, mounted knights could strike downwards, well trained on horseback, saddles held them in place so they could freely use their hands
- horses vulnerable to attack, more difficult to charge effectively up hill, cavalry / archers only effective once shield wall was broken
Positives and negatives of Anglo Saxon Housecarls ?
- shield wall hard to break, heavy iron axes caused severe injuries, well trained
- strong shield wall needed discipline and endurance once it was broken it was no longer effective
What happened after the battle of Hastings ?
- Edgar Aethling was elected as King
- William sent troops to seize Winchester destroying homes and farms as they went
- submission of the earls - Edgar Edwin and Morcar submitted to William and swore an oath to him
Submission of the Earls - the earls advantages :
- London was fortified and hard to attack
- Edgar had a better claim to the throne and had been elected
- Earldoms of Mercia and Northumbria supported Edgar
- Williams army was tiny compared to the fyrd
Submission of the Earls - Williams advantages :
- william had control of the treasury at Winchester
- Willam was a stronger leader than Edgar
- Englands best warriors had been killed at Hastings
- Williams route threatened to cut London off from the North
When was William crowned ?
Christmas Day 1066
How did William reward Anglo Saxons ?
- Earls like Edwin and Morcar kept their Earldoms
- Archbishop Ealdred and Stigand kept their positions
He promised Edwin that he could marry his daughter
How did William reward his own followers ?
- sent rich gifts to the Pope and Church in Normandy
- introduced a heavy held tax to pay mercenaries
- gave land to family members and advisors (half brother bishop Odo given Kent)
What were the new Marcher Earldoms called and who did he give them to ?
- Chester, Hugh d’Avranches (father provided 60 ships)
- Shrewsbury, Roger Montgomery (governed Normandy whilst he was away)
- Hereford, William FitzObern (right hand man)
Why were the marcher Earldoms different ?
- smaller so easier to control
- special rights that only the king usually had, could create new towns and establish churches
- full control over their legal system
- Marcher Earls did not have to pay their own tax
- Earls free too build castles without applying
What were some of the features of the castles he built ?
Bailey, Keep, Motte, Gatehouse, water filled ditch, a palisade
What were castles used for ?
A base for the local lord and troops
What were castles a symbol of ?
Norman power
How were castles different to Burhs ?
- Castles were private, burhs were public
- Castles were smaller and easier to defend
- Castles were harder to burn down
- Castles were designed to control, Burhs were meant to protect
Why did Edwin and Morcar start a revolt in 1068 ?
- William had given parts of Northumbria (Morcar) to others
- William went back on his promise that Edwin could marry his daughter and made his Earldom smaller
- people hated William’s heavy Geld tax
- Odo and William FitzObern seized land illegally
What happened after the revolt of Edwin and Morcar ?
- Edwin and Morcar surrendered
- William pardoned them but kept them as “guests”
- Edgar fled to Scotland
- Williams strength convinced many that further revolt was useless
Who became the new Earl of Northumbria after Morcar, what was he like and what happened to him ?
Robert cumin, he violently attacked towns and villages as he went north, Northumbrians killed him in Durham
What happened in the York uprising around February 1069 ?
- Edgar came down from Scotland to help rebels
- William put down the rebellion
- Edgar escaped back to Scotland
- William had a new castle built in York and put William FitzObern in charge of it
- returned to Winchester for Easter
Key events of the Anglo- Danish attack on York in September 1069
- Edgar’s forces joined with King Sweyns from Denmerk and they attacked York where they killed around 3000 Normans
- rebels scattered when William arrived and Danes sailed area of Lincolnshire
- more rebellions broke out in Devon, Chester and Shrewsbury
- William paid Danes to leave
Key events of Hereward the Wake and the rebellion at Ely (1070-72)
- Danes returned led by the king himself and set up on the Isle of Ely
- Sweyn made alliances with locals (Hereward the Wake) a past thegn
- Hereward and Danes raided Peterborough but the Danes took the money back to Denmark
- Hereward helped by Morcar
- William captured Ely, Hereward escaped, Morcar was imprisoned
What was the harrying of the north and when did it occur ?
1069-70, William burned crops, killed livestock and destroyed villages
Impacts of the Harrying of the North
- around 100,000 people died
- people had no food or shelter so starved or froze to death
- thousands of refugees fled the region
- people resorted to cannibalism or selling themselves to slavery
- salted earth meant that nothing could grow again, 60% of Yorkshire classed as waste
- reduced threat of a future Danish invasion
- William now decided to replace Anglo Saxon nobles
- William later regretted the Harrying and gave money to the Church to make amends
How did Anglo Saxons lose their land after the harrying of the north ?
- Forfeit, landowners lost their land as punishment
- new earldoms, William made the marcher earldoms and gave them to his followers
- Land grabs, Norman’s illegally seized land or took it through corrupt dealings
What were the 2 types of landowning during the reign of the Anglo saxons ?
Bookland, had right to the land and could sell or pass it on
Leases, land loaned for a period of time in exchange for money
What changes did William make to land ownership ?
- William now owned all land
- Only Anglo Saxons had to pay William for the right to keep using their land
- if a landowner died without an heir the land went back to William
- Heirs who inherited land had to pay tax to William
What were the new levels of people living in England ?
- the new lords, tenants-in-chiefs could now have power over thegns
- thegns became obedient vassals
- peasants lives became harder
- ceorls became rarer
How did William hold onto power ?
Military strength, journeys around England, owned all land, his official seal was put on coins and writs, was seen wearing his crown 3x a year, held oath taking ceremonies, stressed his claim to the throne
Who was involved in the revolt of the Earls 1075 ?
Ralph de Gael, Roger de Breteuil, Waltheof
Who was Ralph de Gael and why did he revolt 1075 ?
- norman
- earl of East Anglia
- he married Roger de Breteuils sister in 1075
- loss of power and wealth
- his landholdings were smaller than his fathers
Who was Roger de Breteuil and why did he revolt 1075 ?
- Norman
- Earl of Hereford
- son of William FitzObern
- loss of authority and land
- William introduced his own sheriffs into the marcher’s earldoms
Who was Waltheof and why did he revolt 1075 ?
- Anglo Saxon
- Earl of Northumbria
- Unclear reasons for revolt possible he played both sides
What went wrong during the revolt of the Earls 1075 ?
- most Anglo Saxons supported William
- Waltheof changed his mind and told Lanfranc
- Lanfranc wrote to Roger to convince him not to revolt
- Lanfranc organized counter measures to stop the Earls from breaking out of their Earldoms
- by the time the Danish fleet arrived William had returned and so they raided the coast and fled
What happened to the 3 earls who revolted in 1075 ?
Ralph escaped to Brittany, Roger was imprisoned for life, Waltheof fled but returned and was executed
What was the significance of the revolt of the Earls 1075 ?
- William now had to be careful of his own Earls
- Danish threat scared William and went to extreme measures to boost Englands defenses after another threat
- Anglo Saxons appeared to support Willam as they helped to stop the revolt
What was the role of the peasants in the feudal system ?
They worked land for the under tenants but had to provide land service and rent
What was the role of the under tenants in the feudal system ?
They gained land and other privileges from the tenants in chief but had to provide military service and tax
What was the role of the tenants in chief in the feudal system?
They gained land and peace from the king but had to provide knight service and taxes
What were the roles of the tenants in chief ?
- expected to fight with the King and stop local opposition
- had to provide Knights, Provide court in each barony and organize the transfer of land holding
- gave advice, food and shelter to the king when he travelled
- gave the King a share of the revenue
Who were the knights (under tenants) and what did they do ?
Their job was to guard their lords property and provide 40 days of knighthood service when required
What did the heirs have to do to inherit land under William’s rule ?
Prove loyalty to William and pay him a relief to use his land
What was a homage ?
A ceremony landowners carried out to prove loyalty to William
What was forfeiture ?
A punishment for breaking the agreement between landowner and tenant, forfeited their land and paid a fine
What was the role of the church in Norman England ?
- landholder, collected taxes
- leaders kept laws and legal documents
- military role, leaders owed William knight service
- Bishops and abbots gave advice to the king
- Church clerks issued the kings writs
- archbishops sometimes represented the king in negotiations
Differences between the Archbishop of Canterbury Stigand and Lanfranc who replaced him in 1070 ?
- Stigand was appointed as he was a close ally of Earl Godwin whereas Lanfranc believed you should be appointed by God
- Lanfranc was made the head of the Church in England
- Stigand was a pluralist and was accused of giving jobs in return for money (simony), Lanfranc was against this
What were some of Lanfrancs reforms ?
- wanted priests to live spiritual lives and made celibacy compulsory
- more monasteries
- Anglo Saxon cathedrals knocked down and rebuilt
- more archdeacons
How was the church normanised?
- Norman bishops influenced the messages people heard about the king and god
- quarter of all land held by Church
- Parish priests came under stricter control
How did the normanisation of the church strengthen William’s power ?
- new bishops did homage to the King, Church leaders could forge their land
- when a bishop died William chose his successor
- William controlled communication between church leaders and the pope
Changes and continuity of the King
Changes : built castles as symbol of power, introduced the feudal system
Continuity : roles in household didn’t change
Changes and continuity of Nobles :
Changes : Earls became tenants in chief, earldoms made smaller, no longer in position to challenge the king’s power
Continuity: swore loyalty to the King (pay homage)
Changes and continuity in warriors :
Changes : thegns replaced by knights who had less power
Continuity: Norman’s also owed the king service
Changes and continuity in slaves and peasants:
Changes : ceorls decreased, peasants under more pressure, freed some slaves
Continuity: day to day life similar
Changes and continuity in economy :
Changes : stopped trade with Scandinavian countries, trade with Normandy increased, large cities grew rapidly
Continuity: towns kept trading rights given to them from Anglo Saxon kings
What were 3 changes of government William created ?
- William centralized power, owned all land, so he had total control
- The power of the Earls were reduced
- William used regents such as Lanfranc to run England/Normandy whilst he was away
Ways in which power was centralized after William gained control ?
- knight service, troops loyal to king
- William earned money through reliefs and held tax
- Church normanised under Lanfranc
- all land owned by William
- Demesne : land kept for William himself
- feudal system : all land users depended on the King
- Domesday book recorded how much areas were worth and how much they should pay
Key differences of Norman sheriffs ?
- more powerful and answered only to the king
- some of sheriffs legal responsibilities were taken over by baronial, manorial and Church courts
- Sheriffs military role now ran alongside knight service and they looked after castles in their shire
Why were sheriffs often unpopular with local people ?
- entitled to a share of the revenues they collected from their shire, could make themselves very rich
- land-grabbing, people had no one to complain to due to the sheriffs power
What is Demesne ?
Land the King kept for his own use
What is ‘forest’ and give an example ?
Protected land reserved for hunting, New Forest in southern England
Rules of The Forest
- animals protected especially deer and boar
- hunting weapons not allowed inside
- restrictions on cutting wood, buildings and clearing land
- hunting dogs not allowed inside
- damage to vegetation was forbidden
Why was ‘The Forest’ significant ?
- showed power of King was above all else
- increased amount of land William controlled directly
- William basically land grabbing made the sheriffs land grabbing look more acceptable
- harsh punishments showed brutality of Norman rule
- William earned more money from fines and selling hunting rights
When were the results of the survey written up in the Domesday book ?
1086
What was the significance of the Domesday Book ?
Financial: William wanted to find out ways to get more money out of his tenants, heavy geld taxes in 1984 and 1086
Legal: helped to solve land disputes which boosted Williams image as a fair King
Military: invasion threat from Denmark in 1085, seeing how many soldiers each tenant could provide
How did Norman aristocrats show their power ?
- built huge cathedrals, churches and castles such as Winchester Cathedral
- many shaved the back of their heads to show their wealth
- hunting and complicated ceremonial method of butchering animals they hunted
- chivalry, looking up to knights and being merciful to enemies
- religious, Hastings soldiers had to atone for their sins by praying or giving money to Church, each man they wounded was 40 days penance
- Normans destroyed Anglo Saxon tombs and relics
- introduced family names based on where they lived
(Role of) language in Norman England
- William gave up learning English
- All legal and Church documents in Latin
- Norman aristocracy spoke French but their children would probably speak English and French
- many Normans did not learn how to read
- English = vernacular language, only spoke by common people
Who was Bishop Odo of Bayeux and what were his roles ?
- Williams half brother
- William made him Bishop of Bayeux in 1049
- Odo helped William in his invasion of England
- he was rewarded the earldom of Kent and became the second largest landowner
- Odo was co-regent of England while William was away in 1067
Examples of Odos ambition for power
- Domesday book recorded many claims against Odo for illegally taking land
- William sent Odo to deal with trouble in Northumbria in 1079 and Odo damaged the region, robbed people and took cathedral treasures
- Odo tried to take some of Williams knights with him on a trip to Rome
What happened to Odo ?
- put in prison by William in 1082
- William only persuaded to release him on his deathbed in 1087
What kind of man was William I ?
- loved money and tried to get more revenue out of his land
- devoted husband to his wife Matilda and wept for days when she died
- survived several assassination attempts when he was younger
- he put down rebellion’s harshly (Harrying of the North, Bishop Odo)
- Promoted Church reform and supposedly repented his sins on his deathbed
Who was Robert and his relationship with William ?
- Williams eldest son
- difficult relationship
- nicknamed Robert Curthose (dumpy legs) probably by William
Williams relationship with his son Robert ?
- 1077 Robert started fight with brothers after prank and felt that William didn’t punish them enough
- tried to take control of his castle
- William wanted Robert arrested but he fled and was taken in by King Philip of France
- Unknown to William, Matilda was sending money to Robert
- 1079 humiliated William when he knocked him off his horse and ordered him to retreat
- William and Robert made up in 1080 and Robert was once again the chosen heir for Normandy
Williams death
- died from injury in September 1087
- when he died panicked servants stole everything leaving his stripped corpse on the floor
- at his funeral his corpse burst and the smell drove everyone out of the cathedral
- William had said Robert should inherit Normandy and William Rufus should inherit England
- however on his deathbed he said he would let God choose the next King of England
Who was crowned after William I, when and by who ?
William Rufus in September 1087 by Lanfranc
What did Odo do after he was released from prison ?
- started a rebellion against William II in 1088
- Odo and many barons believed it would make more sense for Robert Curthose to be in charge of both England and Normandy
- Odo was joined by his brother Robert of Mortain
- other smaller rebellions began in places such as Norwich and the Marcher earldoms
How did the rebellion against William II end ?
-most of the English population was against the revolt
- William caught Odo and Robert of Mortain at Pevensey Castlr
- Odo escaped to Rochester castle
- surrendered when Robert Curthose didn’t come to support him
Was William II popular after Odos defeat ?
Yes, he made promises to overturn many of the hated parts of Norman rule (high taxes, forests) but he ultimately went back on all of them
