Contesters To The Throne Flashcards
What was the Viking connection to the throne?
The English had paid Danegeld to the vikings to stop their raids in the 10th century but they never stopped. In 1016 the Viking, King Canute killed English king Athelred and ruled over
England for the next 20 years.
What was the English connection to the throne?
England was a small part of the empire ruled by Canute. He had to ensure the country was effectively controlled when he was away from England so divided England into 4 Earldoms: Wessex, Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia.
The earls became the most powerful men in the country, after Canute and the Earl of Wessex (Earl Godwin) was the most powerful.
What was the Normand connection to the throne?
Athelred’s widow Emma and his 2 surviving sons, Alfred and Edward escaped to Normandy where their uncle Duke Richard of Normandy protected them.
Richard raised her sons in the snot and court but forced Emma to return to England to marry Canute.
This insured Normandy kept dome influence in England.
Canute was pleased because marrying the previous kings widow was appeasing to the English.
What was the key events to Edwards path to the throne?
- When Canute died in 1035 it was not clear who should rule next.
- he had sons but in the medieval times the eldest son did not always rule.
- two of his sons reigned shortly. Harefoot and Harthcanute, who invited Edward (Emma’s son and his half brother back to England)
- Edward had only been a child when vikings invaded England and he had escaped to Normandy and raised there in the Normand court and respected their ways.
Key events in the story of the English monarchy 1016-1066:
1016: Athelred (English dies), Canute (Viking) becomes king.
1017: Athelred’s widow Emma (English) marries Canute.
1035: Canute dies.
1035-1040: Harefoot’s reign.
1040-1042: Harthcanutes’s reign
1042: Edward the confessor becomes king
1051: Godwin family exiled
1052: Return of the Godwin’s
Late 1050s: Harold proclaimed sub-regulus
1066 January: Edward the confessor dies
Why did Edwards death cause problems about who should rule next?
He left no heir and had no sons. The throne also had connection to the English, Normand’s and Vikings.
The earl of Wessex wanted to be the next ruler, Normandy because Edward was brought up there and his mother was Normand and the Vikings because the previous 3 kings were vikings and so were his half brothers as well as his mother remarrying a Viking.
Was was religion in England’s like before 1066?
Anglo Saxons were Christians and followed the Roman Catholic Church. The pope lived in Vatican, Rome. Catholics believed the pope was god representative on earth.
What was society like fore 1066?
The population was organised into a heirachy. People were ordered by their level of importance, with the king at the top followed by the church, earls and peasants at the bottom.
What was the government like before 1066?
England was ruled by Edward the confessor. The country was then divided into areas ruled by earls.
What was the population like before 1066?
Small population with around 2 million people living in Britain, but few lived in the northern western parts of the country. There were hardly any castles so England was it very well defended.
The southern half of England was covered near forest. There were small villages where land was cleared for them.
What sort of role did the church play in society?
It played a very important role in society because it:
- provided rules for living
- was a major land owner
- heard legal cases on its land
- set rules on marriage and inheritance
What was wealth like before 1066?
England was wealthy so a target for foreign raiders- vikings. It had natural resources so could establish good trade links.
Who did England trade with before 1066 to gain wealth?
Previous kings encouraged trade with Scandinavian countries such as king Cnut who further traded with Norway, Denmark. King Edward was brought up in Normandy so England had strong trading links with France. England also made its own coins and treasury which made it one of the most advanced economic systems in the known world.
What sort of defence did England have in place before 1066?
The king and Earls had around 2500-3000 house carls who were professional, well trained soldiers. The earls could also call upon their peasants to fight for them when necessary.
Who were the Godwin’s?
They were a powerful ruling family in Normand England, by 1066 they controlled a large area.
