Life Under The Normans Flashcards
What were tenants
William c supporters and allies
What did William give his tenants
Land
What was expected of tenants
To be loyal
To supply troops, knights and military forces if required
What were the most important tenants called and give some examples
Tenants in chief
Bishops, lords, barons
What were the two names for those ‘under’ the tenants in chief
Vassals or under tenants
What would tenants in chief grant loyal supporters
Money, land etc
What did the tenants in chief want in return
Loyalty
To fight for them when asked
What was ‘knight service’
When tenants in chief would supply knights to the king for 1-2 months each year
What would happen to someone who disobeyed those above them in the feudal system
They would have their land and money taken away
What was the name for having your land and money removed
Forfeiture
What was homage
The idea that William could control what someone received in inheritance
Give an example of people relying on each other in the feudal system
Peasants were given land by tenants in chief, but they had to farm it to keep it
Knights were provided to William but the tenants and chief would have their land removed if they didn’t
How did William maintain control
Set examples e.g. the harrying of the north
Created a powerful public image so people would have faith in him
Controlling inheritance
Building motte and Bailey castles around England
Created a military
The marcher earldoms- earldoms ruled by the Normans put them in more power and the English earls in less
How did the geld tax help William
It was funded mainly by English earls, making his army stronger and him financially stronger while they became financially weaker
How did society change under Norman rule
Normans disagreed with slavery and freed many Anglos Saxon slaves, instead making them coerls (free peasants)
Earls and earldoms became smaller and less important
Thegns became tenants, if they disobeyed the Norman’s, their land would be confiscated
What was the main idea of law in Anglos Saxon times
Collective responsibility
What was collective responsibility
If one person did wrong, the entire community (tithing) would be punished for it
What was ‘hue and cry’
Similar to mob justice, groups in a community would hunt for a criminal, recruiting others along the way
What was the Anglo Saxon punishment for treason
Death penalty
What was wergild
Essentially compensation , a family would pay for the damages caused to another family
What was trial by ordeal
A trial requiring gods intervention
What are some examples of trial by ordeal
Getting someone to hold a hot stone, if the wound became became infected then god was claiming they were guilty
What was a shire reeve and their responsibilities
Basically an Anglo Saxon sheriff, commanded by a writ The had to collect tax Rallying fyrds Judge in court Ensure the shire was protected
What were some differences between Anglo Saxon and Norman shire reeves
The Norman sheriffs reported right back to the king
They could and would exploit their power
They were paid demesne
