History

Question 1

How were the people of England known before the Norman Conquest?

Answer 1

Anglo-Saxons

Question 2

Which king died at the start of 1066, with no clear successor?

Answer 2

Edward the Confessor

Question 3

Who was the Anglo-Saxon contender for the throne, who had himself
crowned king the day after the old king died?

Answer 3

Harold Godwinson, Earl of
Wessex

Question 4

Who was the Viking King of Norway, who wanted to rule England?

Answer 4

Harald Hardrada

Question 5

What did William of Normandy claim that Edward the Confessor had promised him?

Answer 5

That William would be the
next King of England

Question 6

Which of his rivals attacked King Harold first?

Answer 6

Harald Hardrada

Question 7

Where did King Harold defeat and kill Harald Hardrada?

Answer 7

At the Battle of Stamford
Bridge

Question 8

Why was William of Normandy suddenly able to invade England?

Answer 8

The wind changed, enabling his army to sail

Question 9

In which battle did Harold and William fight each other?

Answer 9

The Battle of Hastings

Question 10

How is William of Normandy now commonly known?

Answer 10

William the Conqueror

Question 11

In which rebellion did Harold Godwinson’s mother play a role?

Answer 11

The Exeter rebellion

Question 12

How did the Exeter rebels describe William in a message sent to him?

Answer 12

The ‘pretended’ king

Question 13

What is the name of William’s brutal punishment for the northern rebels in 1069?

Answer 13

The Harrying of the North

Question 14

How many people slowly starved to death as a result of William’s
punishment of the North?

Answer 14

100,000

Question 15

Name the fines given out to an area, if a Norman was killed there?

Answer 15

Murdrum Fines

Question 16

Around how many castles were built to protect the Normans?

Answer 16

500

Question 17

What name is given to the design of these castles?

Answer 17

Motte and bailey

Question 18

What name is given to the mound that these castles sat on top of?

Answer 18

Motte

Question 19

Give a reason that the Normans built these castles.

Answer 19

1) Protect the Normans from the
Anglo-Saxons
2) Send a message that the
Normans were in control now

Question 20

What is the name of the first Norman stone keep in England?

Answer 20

The White Tower at the Tower
of London

Question 21

What name is given to the system where William used land to create a
network of control in England?

Answer 21

The feudal system

Question 22

Who owned all the land in England?

Answer 22

The king

Question 23

Who gained control of 25% of the land in England?

Answer 23

The Church

Question 24

From the top, what is the order of people in the feudal system?

Answer 24

Barons & bishops, then
knights, then villeins

Question 25

What is the name for anyone who’s above you in the feudal system?

Answer 25

A lord

Question 26

What’s the name for anyone below you in the system?

Answer 26

A vassal

Question 27

What did everyone have to give in return for their land?

Answer 27

Loyalty to your lord

Question 28

What did villeins do for the knights (that knights didn’t do for barons)?

Answer 28

Worked on their land and gave them crops

Question 29

What did knights and barons promise to their lord?

Answer 29

Promised to fight when needed

Question 30

What could a lord do, if a vassal was disloyal?

Answer 30

Take away their land

Question 31

Why was the Domesday Book useful to the king?

Answer 31

It told the king how much he could tax people

Question 32

How many Anglo-Saxon landowners were there, before the Norman Conquest?

Answer 32

Around 40,000

Question 33

How many landowners were there in 1087, after the Norman Conquest?

Answer 33

1,400

Question 34

25% of the land was controlled by just how many Norman lords?

Answer 34

10

Question 35

Which farm animals were particularly valuable at this time?

Answer 35

Sheep