Norman England [1066 - 1100] Flashcards
1
Q
How was society stratified during the Anglo-Saxon era?
A
Extremely Hierarchical… With a few more than 4000 people in a position of power/status, and the rest being ‘free’ or ‘unfree’ slaves.
2
Q
Explain the Hierarchical structure in the Anglo-Saxon era.
A
- The King: Ultimate power over the rise of taxes, issuing of laws and owned most land]
- The Earls: Made up of around 6 people… and had an influence on the decisions the king made - but the king still had ultimate power]
- The Theigns: About 4000 people who ran local courts; collected taxes and fought for the king when necessary
- The Peasants: This was the majority of people some where ‘free’ while other were ‘unfree’… meaning they could actually own some land
3
Q
Explain why some may say the Anglo-Saxon era was the ‘Golden Age’ of England.
A
- The Church: English churches developed their own identity, unique from any church in the rest of Europe… Primarily, due to the reformation and improved standard of clergy [‘ordained’ people who fulfilled religious duties]
- The Culture: The production of high quality art and metal from skilled craftsman… And, variety of poems, literature and Stories [ such as famous work of fiction Beowulf]
4
Q
Why was England seen as such a prize for potential invaders etc..?
A
- Wealth: There was the valuable natural resources, like copper, iron and lead… Trade of wool; woollen cloth was highly valued in Europe… And England’s fertile farmland meant capital could be generated from agriculture.
- Efficient chain of command [administration] : Made it easy to collect taxes, thereby increasing the Kings wealth.
5
Q
In 1066, after Edward the confessors death who where the 4 claimants? and why?
A
- Edgar AEtheling: Was the closes male relative of Edward.
- Godwinson: Was Edwards sub-regulus [effectively his deputy] and claimed Edward chose him on his death bed.
- William of Normandy: Distant cousin of Edward and claimed Edward had promised him the throne in 1051. Also said that Godwinson had sworn oath, promising to support Williams claim to the throne.
- Hardrada: Claimed his family was promised to rule England after Edwards Death.
6
Q
What did Godwinson do the day after the death of Edward the Confessor?
A
- He crowned Himself King of England.
7
Q
What does William do when he finds out about Godwinson coronation?
A
William sends a message to Godwinson and asks him to honour his oath, but he is ignored
8
Q
What was the Papal Banner?
A
A banner given to William by the pope that showed he had Gods Blessing
9
Q
Godwinson knew he would be challenged. Explain what he does to prepare for battle.
A
i) Assembles a navy - calls up ships and sailors from all over the country
ii) Gathers an army - Rallies a small number of housecarls and would bring a large majority of fyrds
10
Q
What are fyrds?
A
Ordinary men (peasants)
11
Q
What are housecarls?
A
Professional soldiers
12
Q
What are 3 things William does prepare for Battle of Hastings?
A
i) Receives the support of the Pope and his fellow Normans.
ii) Assembles a group of 7000 soldiers
iii) Orders the building hundreds of ships and pre-fabricated castles
13
Q
Why did William make pre-fabricated castles?
A
For protection for the army that he would bring from Normandy.
14
Q
What did Godwinson do after hearing of Williams preparation?
A
He matches his army to the South of England
15
Q
William delays his attack and causes Godwinson to disban his army. Why does he do this ?
A
- His soldiers wanted paying
- were hungry
- The fyrd were needed at home to bring in the harvest
- He also assumed Williams men were also needed for harvest and so it was safe
16
Q
What did Godwinson hear after he disbanded his army from the south coast ? and when was this ?
A
- September 1066
- Godwinson had found out that Hardrada had invaded and captured York
17
Q
Who instigated Hardradas invasion of York?
A
- Tostig, he had been the earl of Northumbria, but had now lost his position and had been sent to exile.
- So naturally, he was just looking for an opportunity to regain his own position
18
Q
How did this lead to the battle of Stamford Bridge?
A
After hearing about this Hardrada arrival, Godwinson regathered his army and marched North ( For nearly 200 miles in under a week)
19
Q
Explain what occured at the battle of Stamford Bridge?
A
Godwinson arrives and catches both Hardrada and Tostig by surprise on 25 September 1066 - The vikings werent even wearing their chain mail.
- Then the fighting ends up lasting days, with thousands of men being killed and eventually the Vikings surrender
20
Q
Success of the Stamford Bridge battle?
A
- Built confidence in troops
- England was now safe from Viking invasion
21
Q
Disadvantage of the battle of Stamford Bridge?
A
- England was now left unprotected from Norman invasion
- Having to move 200 miles in under a week and then battle for days would have made Godwinsons troops tired
- Many dead and wounded
22
Q
While Godwinson was occupied fighting Tostig and Hardrada, what did William decide to do?
A
William prepared to invade England and arrived only a few days after the battle of Stamford bridge.
23
Q
What was Godwinson’s reaction to Williams arrival?
A
- When Godwinson heard about this, he was still in the North. So he set off, travelling 200 miles down to the south coast in a week.
- Passing by London, he ordered for more soldiers to assemble to the south coast.
* Some of Godwinson's Advisors thought he should waited to gather double the size of Williams army but he refused.[he might have had 14,000 men - had he waited].
24
Q
what are housecarls (Anglo-Saxon) ?
A
- Trained soldiers who were also bodyguards to their lord.
25
What are Fyrds (Anglo-Saxon)?
- Peasants, who were called to fight for the king
26
What is the Feigned retreat (Norman tactic)?
- Pretending to retreat, tempting the enemy to follow, then surrounding them and finally killing them.
27
What are mercenaries?
- soldiers who fought for whoever would pay them
28
What happened at the battle of Hastings?
- Godwinson had an advantageous position along the top of a hill, which meant William had to attack uphill.
- The battle went on for about 8 hours; in which the two sides where evenly matched.
- This was until William carried out the feigned retreat... This caused Godwinson's Shield wall to gradually separate and the Norman archers exploited this anticipated mistake
- Ultimately leading to the victory of the Normans
29
What does Harrying mean?
- Persistent attacks on enemy territoy
30
What were some of the reasons for Williams victory?
- The Troops' sheer Indefatigability: The Norman army had to fight to survive as they would not be able to retreat or escape... Not only this but they had received the popes blessing [during a time in which religion played a big part in society] so this gave William and his men the belief that god was on their side.
- Range of Intelligent Tactics: From the 'Feigned retreat' , to the construction of Pre-fabricated castles and surprising strategical attacks William ordered his army to carry out.
- Luck: Primarily the timing of his invasion - as it meant Godwinson's army had already travelled 400 miles and battled for 3 days... Not only this, but Godwinson's refusal to wait for more army men - which perhaps could have led to a different result.
31
William had won the Battle of Hastings but this did not make him King immediately. So how did William establish control?
William established control by doing the following;
- Taking over towns and cities
- Building castles
- Taking Royal treasures
- Finally, people became aware of Williams Competency as a ruler and so he was crowned King of England on Christmas day, 1066.
32
How did William deal with English nobles?
- Allowed them to keep their positions, if they submitted to him.
- Kept them in comfort rather than having them imprisoned or killed ( This clever tactic was more efficient in the long run )
33
What were the Castles that the Normans built to establish and maintain control ?
Motte and Bailey Castles.
34
How did these castles help to maintain control of England?
Symbolism:
- Castles reminded the English who where in control, and the dominating structures would've had a huge psychological impact.
- The castles were built with English forced labour, which added to the feeling of Norman Dominance
Strategy:
- The tower was used as a lookout point, keeping local population under surveillance
- contained a garrison, which would deter rebellion
- And were built in important places, like near rivers, towns and major roads [so easier travel for garrison]
35
What are garrison?
A group of soldier stationed in a particular place
36
Why were some of the reasons why the English would have rebelled and where unpopular?
- English hated foreigners ruling over them
- Some had lost relatives in the battle of Hastings , and so wanted revenge
- William demanded higher tax, which caused poverty
- Many families were stripped of their land and titles which caused resentment
37
What where some of the early revolts/rebellions?
- Exeter 1068: Godwinson's mother, plotted this rebellion and after William found out about this he marched an army to besiege Exeter... The city surrendered after 18 days, the rebels agreed to swear loyalty to William. [he also built a castle]
- Rebellion on the welsh border 1067: This was the first Large uprising
38
What where some of the early revolts/rebellions?
- Rebellion on the welsh border 1067: This was the first Large uprising, led by an English thegn. He did it because he had lost his land to Norman knights, So he joined with two welsh kings and destroyed the city 'Hereford'. He was never caught and continued his attacks.
- Exeter 1068: Godwinson's mother, plotted this rebellion and after William found out about this he marched an army to besiege Exeter... The city surrendered after 18 days, the rebels agreed to swear loyalty to William. [he also built a castle]
39
What were some of the revolts that occurred in York?
Uprising in York: Robert De Comines [who was appointed Earl of Northumbria by William] was killed and hundreds of Normans were killed... However, William raced North with a large army and ended this rebellion quickly.
The Danes attack in York: The King of Denmark sends a large invasion to England, this led to the death of 3,000 Normans... Some historians say this monotonous revolts, led William to acts of genocide [intention to destroy a part of a country]
40
What did these revolts in York inevitably lead to ? And why did William decide to do this?
The Harrying of the North... William done this to destroy the spirit of rebellion, a symbolic show of power and a warning of the extreme measures he is willing to go to.
41
What occured in the Harrying of the North ?
- Essentially, William destroyed and looted every village, slaughtered farm animals, and even placed salt above the fertile land to prevent new crops from growing... Those who had managed to not get murdered resorted to cannibalism and died of starvation.
- Historic sources suggested that this persistent attacks led to the death of around 100'000 people
42
What were some of the consequences of the Harrying of the North?
- No further rebellion from the north
- 20 years later, approximately 60% of York was listed as wasteland [ so less tax ]
- Williams brutality caused him to penance over the sin [ he was even criticised by the pope for his actions ]
43
What year did William the conqueror die?
1087, from an injury he attained in battle
44
What happened to William the conquerors 3 sons after his death?
- Williams eldest son Robert, became Duke of Normandy.
- William the II, otherwise known as 'Rufus' - who was William
the conquerors second son, took control of England.
Williams youngest son, Henry, was left with money but no land
45
What was the feudal system?
A hierarchical structure that was based on land ownership and was made formal when William [the II] came into place.
- Thereby, giving him more power.
46
How does the feudal system differ from the Anglo-Saxon social hierarchy?
- Barons owned less land: William [the II] learned from the mistake of Edward, and ensured that none of his barons had so much land they could build a power base and oppose the king
- The king increased his ability of patronage: which gave him more control over the lives of his subjects.
- Replaced the large majority of those in power with Normans
47
What is patronage? And how was it effective?
Controlling access to privileges, land etc... This was effective as it was a way of ensuring loyalty to the king - disloyal subjects could expect to lose their lands.
48
What did William make knights do to keep control of his kingdom?
- Knights had to do a minimum of 40 days of military service.
- Knights swore oath to provide service to their lords
49
What was Williams solution to the constant attacks on the border of Wales and England?
He gave these areas of land [known as the marches] to his most trusted followers. These men became known as the Marcher Lords.
50
What were the Marcher Lords able to do in return for protecting their land from welsh raids?
- Keep their own armies and make laws for their area
51
What was inheritance of land like under the Normans?
All the land was given to the eldest son rather than being divided between the amount of sons.
52
What was the Norman legal system ?
A lot of the Norman legal system kept a lot of the features of the Anglo-Saxon legal system. Some changes were:
- Introduction of new courts; like The Lords court which dealt with primarily with tenant disputes, this increased the power of Norman Lords over their land.
53
What were some of the Trials used by the Normans? [to see if one is guilty]
- Trial by cold water; the accused person was dunked into water [which had a priests blessing]. It was believed that the Holy Water would repel a sinner, so if the person floated they were guilty
- Trial by hot iron; the accused person holds a hot piece of iron, their hand is bandaged and after three days it is checked on. If it is clean they are innocent; if it is infected they are guilty
- Trial by battle; The accused and the accuser would fight to the death. And it was believed that god would protect the one telling the truth.
54
What were some of the punishments used by Normans?
- Hanging, Beheading [Capital punishments]
- Murdrum fine; when a Norman is killed by an English, the locals had five days to hand over the killer or face a heavy fine. the fine was continually charged until the killer was brought to justice. [This deterred people from attacking Normans]
55
What was the Domesday Book [1085]?
A book commissioned by William [the conqueror] to tell him what land and property there was, who owned it, and what it was worth.
56
What were some of the Uses the Domesday book had?
- Legitimacy; Established Normans were the legal owners of English land.
- Economic; The book allowed the king to see whether landholders should be paying more tax
- Legal; Since the Domesday surveys were in made as fairly as possible, the book had a role in sorting out future legal disputes.
- Military; Helped William see how many more knights could provide military service [During this time they were under threat of a Viking invasion]
57
What happened to slavery after the Normans established control and why?
Slavery rapidly fell as it was disproved by the church, but more likely because it was cheaper to give land in return for labour.
58
What were some of the changes Normans made to Towns?
The Normans built more towns which:
- Increased trade
- caused the wool trade to grow as the majority were built on the south coast
However;
- Due the Normans took control of the market trading and increased rents
- Normans built castles so it meant the clearance of houses
59
Who ate healthier during the time of the Normans, the rich or the poor?
This may be counter intuitive but the poor probably had a healthier diet. Their diet was boring but they ate lots of vegetables and dairy products, whereas the rich very little fresh food and more of it was sweetened
60
What did the 'poor' tend to work as, after the Norman conquest? And how does it differ from the rich?
- Blacksmiths, bakers and butchers... The poorest people were unskilled labourers, so would most likely be domestic servant
- The rich would most like be doctors, lawyers and in general anyone who owned land.
61
What where some of the advantages/disadvantages from working in a town?
Advantage:
- Wider range of Jobs
- Possibly make a good living
Disadvantage:
- Learning a trade requires several years of work with no/low pay
62
What is the divine right of kings?
The belief that the Kings were chosen by god.
63
How and why was the church so rich?
People were very concerned on whether they would be going to heaven or hell.
- The belief that if you gave the church money, you would be rewarded with salvation.
- People often left their land and money to the church
64
Who was Lanfranc ?
He was the man appointed archbishop of Canterbury and responsible for the church reform.
65
Why did William appoint a new archbishop?
- William had promised the pope to reform the English church, as the pope critiqued is lack of discipline. And he genuinely believed that the church reform was the right thing to do.
66
How did the new churches demonstrate Norman Power?
- The impressive cathedrals dominated the landscape and were a constant reminder of Norman power.
- The Romanesque style architecture symbolised the comparison of the Norman reign and the notorious historic reign of the Romans.
- The cathedrals were a way of showing that the Norman conquest was supported by God.
67
Why did the Church criticise William [the II]?
- He kept posts empty so he could keep the money
- He wanted to reduce the Popes influence over the church so that he had greater control himself.
- According to the church and monks, he was not pious and had poor morals
68
What was the conflict with William [the II] and William of St Calais?
- William of St Calais, informed William [the II] about a plot against him and had agreed to send troops to help.
- He then changed his mind and William [the II] was furious and charged William of St Calais to treason.
- He was swiftly found guilty and sent into exile.
This shows William the II controlling the church and it would've put people off from challenging him.
69
What is a monastery ?
A religious house where monks or nuns live a religious life.
70
What is monasticism ?
The religious way of life, lived in these monasteries.
71
Why did the Normans want to reform English monasteries?
- Monks broke the rules of St Benedict [not living in simplicity, not observing all services etc...]
72
The number of monasteries increased from 60 to ___?
250
73
What was the main factor affecting this growth?
Cluniac monasteries; A movement that helped to bring back the rules of St Benedicte
74
How did Cluniac Monasteries facilitate this significant growth?
- Followed the rules of St Benedicte
- Monks were free to concentrate on prayer and learning
75
How did these Cluniac Monasteries affect Norman England?
The Cluniac Monasteries were built near next to Norman castles... So it showed that Normans were blessed by god and would have made a very clear statement of military and spiritual domination.
