domesday book Flashcards
what was the domesday book
A survey that investigated landholdings of each shire in England. This included their taxes, their names and their livestock.
military significance
The Domesday Book allowed William to see how many soldiers were available if they were needed, for example in response to the Viking threat of 1085.
what was the financial significance
William used the Domesday Book to increase his revenue. William imposed large geld taxes in 1084 and 1086. The Domesday Book also identified opportunities to increase William’s land through the death of a tenant-in-chief or by forfeit. The Domesday Book allowed the king and his clerks to see how much money in tax, or relief payments, were owed on each estate.
what was the legal significance
The Domesday Book was a way of sorting out legal disputes, especially for Anglo-Saxons who claimed to have lost land in land-grabs.The Norman Conquest caused land disputes. The surveyors listened to each person’s claim to the land. They interviewed key people in the hundred to determine who owned the land.
