Life under the Normans Flashcards
By which date were all senior positions in the Church held by Normans?
1096
What were the groups in Norman society in England?
The King; Churchmen and Barons; Knights; Peasants
Who were thegns?
a person who owned land but was not a noble
Who were the different people in a village?
Lord, freemen, reeve, baliff, priest, miller, serfs or villeins, peasants (overall group)
What was the lord’s role in a village?
The lord owned the land and set rules for the peasants, collecting rent from the peasants
What was a freeman’s role in a village?
They were peasants who lived in the manor, had to pay rent and work for the lord of the manor, paid rent to the lord instead of swearing personal loyalty
What was a reeve’s role in a village?
Senior official who worked on behalf of the Crown in local areas, after Conquest their role reduced to day-to-day management of manor, its peasants, and ensuring everyone did their jobs. Chosen by lord or through vote by peasants
What was a baliff’s role in a village?
In charge of collecting taxes for crown and ensuring crops gathered and debts repaid
What was a priest’s role in a village?
Ran local church, he was responsible for ensuring marriages and wills were legal
What was a miller’s role in a village?
Produced grain to make bread for the area. Bread had to be baked in the ovens of the lord of the manor and the lord decided how much money the miller paid for this
What was a demesne and what might it include?
All the land owned by a particular lord, could include houses, barns, woods, forests and lakes
What was a villein’s (or serf’s) role in the village?
Were the poorest peasants, lived in houses around the lord’s manor, not allowed to leave area without permission of the lord
