Norman Flashcards
(119 cards)
1
Q
When was William the Conqueror crowned king of England?
A
Christmas Day, 1066
2
Q
How many housecarls were there in the Saxon army?
A
2500-3000
3
Q
What was the population of Britain in 1066?
A
2 million
4
Q
Who did Edward the Confessor marry and how was the related to the Godwins?
A
Edith, daughter of Earl Godwin
5
Q
How many Earldoms were there in Anglo-Saxon Britain?
A
4: Wessex, Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia
6
Q
Which group of nobles advised Anglo-Saxon kings?
A
The Witan
7
Q
Who was the youngest claimant to the throne of England in 1066
A
Edgar Aetheling, 14 years old
8
Q
What was the name of the Viking claimant to the English throne?
A
Harald Hardraada
9
Q
How long had Harald Hardraada ruled over Norway?
A
20 years
10
Q
Which member of the Godwin family supported Harald Hardraada?
A
Tostig Godwinson (Harold Godwinson’s brother)
11
Q
What was Duke William of Normandy’s claim to the throne of England?
A
Edward the Confessor was raised in Normandy and Harold Godwinson swore an oath to help William become king in 1064
12
Q
What was Harold Godwinson’s claim to the throne of England?
A
Head of the most powerful family in England and had been Edward the Confessor’s sub-regulus
13
Q
What types of soldiers made up the Anglo-Saxon army?
A
Housecarls (professional soldiers), thegns (lords) and fyrds (peasants)
14
Q
Who raided the south coast of England before the Norman invasion
A
Tostig, who failed and fled north to wait for Harald Hardraada
15
Q
Who did William gain the support of before the Norman invasion?
A
The Pope - William was given his banner
16
Q
How big was William’s army before the Norman invasion
A
7000 soldiers, 3000 horses and 700 ships
17
Q
What mistake did Harold Godwinson make on 8th September, 1066?
A
He sent many of his soldiers home to bring in the harvest (many were farmers!)
18
Q
How big was Harald Hardraada’s invasion fleet and army?
A
300 ships and 8000 soldiers
19
Q
What was the first battle that took place between Saxons and the Viking in 1066?
A
Battle of Fulford Gate, 20th September 1066
20
Q
Who won the Battle of Fulford Gate?
A
Harald Hardraada; Earls Edwin and Morcar were defeated and fled
21
Q
When was the Battle of Stamford Bridge and what was the outcome?
A
25th September, 1066; Harald Hardraada and Tostig were killed
22
Q
How far did Harold Godwinson have to march to meet William at Hastings?
A
200 miles in just 4-5 days from York
23
Q
When was the Battle of Hastings?
A
14th October 1066
24
Q
How big were both the Saxon and Norman armies
A
6000-7000 troops each
25
What types of soldiers made up the Norman army at Hastings?
Soldiers, archers and cavalry
26
What defensive technique did the Saxons use at Hastings?
The shield wall
27
What did William do when there were rumours he was dead at the Battle of Hastings?
He took off his helmet and spoke inspirational words to his army
28
What tactic did William’s soldiers use to make the Saxon soldiers move off Senlac Hill?
The feigned retreat (pretending to run away)
29
Following Hastings, which town did William attack to punish the Saxons?
Romney
30
Which leading Saxon nobles were given land to make them loyal to William?
Edwin, Morcar, Waltheof and Edgar Aetheling
31
Which city in Devon did William beseige and how long did they last?
Exeter lasted for 18 days!
32
What was William’s attack on the north of England called and when was this?
The Harrying of the North and 1069
33
How many died during the Harrying of the North?
100,000
34
What was the name of the Saxon freedom fighter who rebelled against William in East Anglia?
Hereward the Wake
35
What type of castle did the Normans built on arriving in England?
Motte and bailey castles
36
How long did it take to build a motte and bailey castle?
2 weeks
37
Where did the Normans build their castles?
In strategic places (e.g. river crossing) and in pro-Saxon areas
38
When did William I die?
9th September 1087
39
What was William II’s nickname and why?
William Rufus because he had red hair or a red beard
40
Which Norman rebelled against William II?
Bishop Odo in 1088
41
When did William II die and how?
2nd August 1100, he was shot with an arrow whilst hunting
42
Who became king after William II?
His brother, Henry I
43
What group of people replaced the thegns on the Norman feudal system?
Knights
44
What percentage of land did King William own?
20%
45
What was one condition of being a villein which made then not freemen?
Could not leave the lord’s land without permission
46
By 1076 there were how many earls left who owned land directly?
2
47
Name an Anglo Saxon earl who still had land left
Thurkill of Arden and Colswein of Lincoln
48
What three ways did the Normans change the Feudal system to make it better? (3)
1. Normans replaced Anglo Saxons
2. Gave the king more power and the peasants were exploited more to grow crops and provide taxes to the crown.
3. Norman knights were forced to guarantee a certain number of days in military service whereas Saxons had been only when needed
49
Who was the only group who had more land than just within their county?
The Marcher Lords (on the border lands)
50
What is the term for a person who owns land directly from the King?
Tenant in Chief
51
By 1100, how many knights could William call on?
5000
52
By 1100, how many knights could William call on?
5000
53
What was the name of the Great Council that the Normans used for advice?
Curia Regis
54
What was the name of the council of royal clerks who did the administration?
Chancery
55
How many shires had England been split into during Anglo Saxon times?
134
56
What job did Castellans do?
Look after royal castles and forests
57
What was the first type of castle called?
Motte and Bailey
58
Name all 5 court systems (5)
Kings court, shire court, hundred court, lords court and manor courts
59
Which two courts continued to be used the Normans?
Shire courts and hundred courts
60
What was the new system of inheritance introduced by the Normans?
Primogeniture
61
What did a murdrum fine do?
If any Norman Earl was murdered then the entire area around where the criminal lived was heavily fined
62
What were the two ways to be punished by ordeal by fire? (2)
Arm in boiling water or holding a red hot iron and walking 3 paces.
63
What year was the Domesday book written?
1085/1086
64
What is the main reason for making the Domesday book?
Collecting the right tax
65
Why was it written at this time?
Threat of invasion from Danish Vikings
66
How many knights did the Domesday book say there were?
2000
67
How much % of land was kept for the use of lord?
25-35%
68
What problems did millers have?
If they used hand mills they were fined or they had to use the lord’s ovens which were expensive
69
What was considered a good life expectancy at this time?
40 years old
70
What town was important during the Anglo Saxon period?
Winchester
71
Why did smaller towns grow in size?
They had a market
72
Where was wool usually exported to?
Flanders
73
What happened to towns as a result of the wool trade?
Coastal towns grew in size
74
Give an example of a town that grew due to the Salt Trade
Droitwich
75
How many inhabitants did London have as shown by the Domesday book?
10,000
76
How many homes were demolished in London to make way for buildings and castles of the Normans?
166
77
What is celibacy?
Not having sex or getting married
78
Why were monks celibate?
Devoted their lives to God
79
What is excommunication?
Not allowed to be part of the church
80
Why was excommunication so serious?
If you couldn’t attend church then you could not go to heaven
81
What is simony?
When positions in church were sold to people.
82
What religion were most people in Norman England?
Catholic
83
What was a tithe?
A 10% tax of your income or goods paid to the church
84
How were new books created in Norman times?
They were copied by monks because there was no printing press until the 16th century
85
What was nepotism?
Giving jobs to friends or relatives
86
What was pluralism?
Having more than one job in the church at the same time
87
What was the name of the corrupt archbishop of Canterbury who died in 1072?
Stigund
88
What was the name of the archbishop of Canterbury who reformed the church?
Lanfranc
89
What were Lanfranc’s reforms?
He replaced Saxon bishops with Normans, he rebuilt 2000 churchs and cathedrals, church land was divided into archdeaconaries and deanaries to increase church control, church courts increased their power and priests were not allowed to marry
90
What were synods?
Church councils which met twice a year to increase their control over an area.
91
What style were most Norman cathedrals built using?
Romanesque e.g. Durham Norwich and Gloucester
92
How many new churches were built from 1070-1170?
2000
93
What was a dioceses?
An area of land owned by the church
94
What did the Council of Winchester decide in 1076?
Clergy (church people) could only be tried in a church court
95
Why didn’t most peasants see a change in their religious experience under the Normans?
Parish priests remained mostly Saxon
96
What was the Primacy of Canterbury?”
Lanfranc was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in 1070 but he had a rival called, Thomas the Archbishop of York. Both men wanted to establish primacy (that they were the leader of the English church). Thomas of York had to go to Canterbury for Lanfranc to consecrate him (confirm his position as archbishop of York) but Lanfranc refused to do this unless Thomas swore loyalty to him – this would make Canterbury more important than York. In 1072 Thomas submitted to Lanfranc again under pressure from King William and Canterbury therefore became the most important religious position in the country.
97
Why did the Normans build huge stone cathedrals?
Show their power, remind English they were defeated, help Norman kings go to heaven
98
What was William II also known as?
William Rufus
99
Who did William II exile for not helping him fights against rebels in 1088?
William of St Calais
100
Why did William II appoint Anselm as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093?
Lanfranc had died in 1089 and hadn’t been replaced as William II wanted to take all of Lanfranc’s land and power. William got ill and thought he was being punished so appointed Anselm to please God
101
Why did Anselm upset William II?
Anselm wanted all lost lands returned to the bishopric to become the king’s spiritual advisor and for William to recognise Urban II as pope. By 1094 Anselm was preaching about the king’s lack of morality and that he kept stealing church land when bishops died.
102
Why did William I fall out with Pope Gregory VII?
Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) was much more radical than Alexander and wanted to have much more control over the decisions of Europe’s kings. Gregory wanted English bishops to travel frequently to Rome but William didn’t want him interfering with his bishops. The Pope demanded that William swear fealty to him (which would mean the Pope was more important) but William refused.
103
What did William I do to keep Pope Gregory II happy?
William did reintroduce Peter’s Pence a tax of 1d on every household paid to the Pope.
104
Why did William II fall out with Pope Gregory VII?
Pope Gregory VII wanted to decide who would be the Archbishop of Canterbury but William II didn’t want interference from Rome (like his father).
105
What was the investigature controversy?
Investiture is the practice of kings giving emblems of their office (rings and a staff) to new bishops. This implied that bishops depended on kings rather than the Pope for their spiritual power.The church opposed this principal but the problem arose because the king handed out land and if bishops refused to accept the power of a king the king would lose authority.
106
Why did Henry I fall out with Archbishop Anselm?
Archbishop Anselm refused to swear homage to the king and was exiled in 1103 because he wanted to swear loyalty to the pope
107
Why wasn’t Henry I excommunicated?
Henry I was threatened with excommunication by Pope Paschal II (which would close all of the churches and dam the English to hell!) but an agreement was signed in 1107 known as the Concordat of London. Henry I gave up the right to choose bishops but these bishops could swear homage to the king before they were consecrated by the Pope.
108
Why was the Concordat of London a good compromise between king and church?
This meant bishops would still have some loyalty to the king as well as gaining spiritual power from the Pope.
109
Name two orders of monks?
Benedictine and Cluniacs
110
What three vows did monks and nuns make?
Poverty – they had to give up all possessions. Chastity – they couldn’t get married and couldn’t have sex (celibacy). Obedience – had to obey the abbot/abbess and obey all the rules of the monastery.
111
List three reasons why monasteries needed reforming by 1100?
Many religious people were worried that there was too much influence by secular people on religious orders.Benedictine monasteries for example were meant to grow all their own food but they needed land for this. Local lords often gave them land but only if they had influence over the monastery in return. Also many monks were ignoring the rules they were meant to live by an wore expensive clothes, ate meat, married and had children.
112
Why did Normans built monasteries next to castles?
To show their power and military might was supported by God
113
What happened to the number of monks and nuns between 1066-1135?
From 1066-1135 the number of monks and nuns increased from 1000 to 5000.
114
What happened to the number of cathedrals between 1066-1135?
In 1066 there were 4 cathedrals with monasteries attached to them – Canterbury Winchester Worcester and Sherborne. By 1135 10 of England’s cathedrals had a monastery attached. There were 19 cathedrals in total.
115
What happened to the number of religious houses between 1066-1135?
From 1066-1135 the number of religious houses (e.g. monasteries) increased from 60 to over 250.
116
What happened to Anglo-Saxon abbots under the Normans?
In 1075 Archbishop Lanfranc held a council in London where 13 of the 21 abbots were Anglo-Saxon. By 108 only 3 Anglo-Saxon abbots remained.
117
What happened in Glastonbury as a result of Lanfrancs reforms?
In 1083 Thursta the abbot of glastonbury introduced a new chant. The monks refused so Thurstan sent in knights to enforce the change. 3 monks were killed and 18 more injured
118
What happened to language under the Normans?
Most peasants continued to speak Anglo-Saxon English and they were the majority of the population (approx. 90%!). Norman-French became the favoured language as Anglo-Saxon teachers were replaced by Normans. It became the most common language for the nobility middle classes and clerks. Whilst English did return as a language the Norman influence was huge. Roughly ¼ of English words come from the Norman-French.
119
Why did Saxon English start to disappear?
English was no longer the written language of government and became obsolete in books. Orderic Vitalis (a monk who wrote a history of Europe) said that William I struggled to learn English and so didn’t feel it was necessary. Latin was the language of Norman government and the church. It was used by merchants around Europe as a universal language.
