establishing control Flashcards
(13 cards)
Who submitted to William in 1066? Where did they submit?
Edwin, Morcar, Archbishop Stigand and Edgar Æthling all submitted to William at Berkhamsted.
They swore oaths to obey him and gave him hostages to guarantee this
what was the March to London?
Where William took an indirect route to London, going slowly and laying waste to the land in his wake (indirect to avoid looking weak if he failed to quickly capture the city).
He also built castles at Wallingford and Berkhamsted
This was followed by the submission of the earls
two features of the marcher earldoms
earls did not have to pay tax to the king in marcher earldoms - william did this to reward their loyalty and encourage earls to spend out new defences and settlements.
the earls could create boroughs and markets and establish churches. helped the earls attract people from normandy
-had full legal powers and ran shire courts with the help of shire reeves THAT WORKED FOR THE EARLS AND NOT WILLIAM
[] meant that the earls could enact justice and punishment without having to relay everything to William first -this helped with quick-decision making to stamp out resistance
[] HOWEVER, were not allowed to try people for crimes against the king; this had to be done formally
What was the main issue that William had to deal with, in terms of the English? How did he deal with this?
William had to reward the loyal English who had followed him.
This was dealt with by continuing in many of Edward’s ways:
Allowing Edwin and Morcar to keep their lands
Allowing English thegns to buy back their land, provided they hadn’t fought at Hastings
He retained the English archbishops
This continuity stressed he was the rightful heir to Edward
why were castles important
-built in strategic locations at river crossings or near passes
-used to dominate territory newly brought under norman control.
-symbol of norman power- everyone in the area would see the castle towering over them and would be constantly reminded of who ruled them
- used as a base by the lord of the area- e.g. launched in invasions into wales from castles like chepstow and if beaten back could take refuge.
two features of anglo saxon burhs
Defensive Structures: Burhs were fortified towns built primarily for defense against Viking raids and other invasions. They were often surrounded by defensive walls or ditches, with gates that could be closed in times of attack. These fortifications helped protect local populations and served as military strongholds.
Centers of Trade and Administration: In addition to their military function, burhs also acted as economic hubs. They were strategically located for trade and commerce, often situated near rivers or important roads.
two features of castles
Castles were designed to be fortified to provide protection from attacks. They typically featured high walls, moats, and towers that made it difficult for enemies to penetrate. The design allowed defenders to monitor and defend the area from a safe position
Symbol of Power: Castles were not only military fortifications but also a symbol of the owner’s authority. The construction of a castle in a particular area signified control over the surrounding land.
how did william deal with the issue of borderlands?
-He established three new Earldoms to defend the border and restore the peace.
He placed the men he trusted as earls - including FitzOsbern as Earl of Hereford.
These earls were rewarded for their loyalty by being exempted from tax, being able to build as many castles
one feature of williams actions after the battle of hastings.
One feature of William’s actions after the Battle of Hastings was the destruction he caused to South England (1). William ordered his army to burn homes and farms on the route to London (1).
two feature of how william rewarded loyalty
One feature of how William rewarded loyalty was with land (1). William stated he owned all the land in England and could reward it to Normans and Anglo-Saxons. For example, Morcar kept his earldom and Odo became the Earl of Kent (1).
a second feature is that willliam significantly increased the geld tax - the increase in geld tax was so that william could could raise money to pay his mercenaries,
Why did Edwin, Morcar, Earldred and Edgar Aethling submit to William at Berkhamstead, and why might they not have ?
reasons for:
[] William had seized Winchester, meaning Edgar had no way of rewarding his followers whilst William could
[] William’s route for the March on London would cut London off from any reinforcements and thus weaken chances of success for the Anglo-Saxons if they decided to fight
[] all the best Anglo-Saxon warriors had died in the Battle of Hastings
[] people began to view William’s success thus far as God’s punishment to England for being sinful
[] William’s destruction in the March on London meant that the majority of the country rushed to submit to him
[] Edgar was a weak king with little experience and without widespread support
reasons against:
[] Edgar was already viewed as a legitimate king by the English, whilst William wasn’t
[] William’s claim to the throne was irrelevant now that the Witan had already chosen a new king
[] London was heavily fortified and William’s army had been weakened by battle and illness at this point
[] Edwin and Morcar, earls of Mercia and Northumbria, still held the second and third highest populations in the country after Wessex and easily outnumbered William’s army at this point
What were the differences between Anglo-Saxon burhs and Norman castles ?
-burhs were built for public use, whilst castles were mostly private (for the lord’s use only)
-burhs were built for the Anglo-Saxon community, whilst castles were used to oppress them
-burhs and castles both had fortifications, but castles were also suited to attack as well as defence
why did william build castles
-to establish control over the Anglo-Saxons in rebellious areas
[] thus built in strategic locations
as a symbol of the Norman reign in England
used as bases by the lords in the area for in/outcoming attacks
