Norman England 1066-88

Question 1

What was the Domesday Book?

Answer 1

a survey of every town in England for tax purposes

Question 2

What was the financial significance of Domesday book?

Answer 2

• Many of William’s tenants in chief had special deals that meant they didn’t have to pay geld tax on some of their land.
• It’s likely that William had a plan to reverse these privileges as a way of extracting more revenue from his tentants.
• The way that the Doemsday book is laid out, it allowed the King to see oppurtunities to increase revenue whenever a tenant died or forfeited land.

Question 3

What was the military significance of the Domesday book?

Answer 3

The council that William held about the Domesday book was primarily called to discuss ways to counter a new Viking threat in 1085

It didn’t record knight service but it could be used to monitor how many soldiers each tenant could provide.

Question 4

What was the legal significance of the Domesday book?

Answer 4

The Domesday book included many legal cases of land. They had a role in sorting out legal disputes over land, this was very important for William’s claim to be a just and fair king.

Question 5

Who wrote the Domesday book?

Answer 5

The information was written up by monks called scribes.

Question 6

Who collected information for the Domesday book?

Answer 6

Appointed men called commissioners would go around and find who owned what and would return back to the king.

Question 7

Why did the Church provide all clerks and record-keepers?

Answer 7

Because most people were illiterate

Question 8

Why did William replace Church Hierarchy with Normans?

Answer 8

The Church was extremely powerful both in Anglo-Saxon and Norman culture, William believed it needed to be kept under control.

Question 9

Who replaced Archbishop Stigand?

Answer 9

Lanfranc

Question 10

Why was Archbishop Stigand corrupt?

Answer 10

• He was accused of simony, giving out jobs in exchange for personal gain.

Question 11

What were Archdeacons?

Answer 11

New administrators brought into the Church to oversee and control parish priests.

Question 12

What were some of Lanfranc’s reforms?

Answer 12

Harsher enforcement of Church rules on clergy, making celibacy (no marriage) compulsory.
- Replaced all English churches with Norman churches within 50 years after 1066

Question 13

What did Normans think of slaves?

Answer 13

They thought slavery was wrong and sometimes freed slaves.

Question 14

What % of Anglo-Saxon England were peasants?

Answer 14

80%

Question 15

What affect did feudalism have on peasants

Answer 15

It reduced the number of free peasants and tied them closer to complete dependancy on their lord

Question 16

What happened to thegns?

Answer 16

The thegns were destroyed as a class, and replaced by the vassals of the tenants-in-chief.

Question 17

What was paid to the king in return for land?

Answer 17

Homage

Question 18

Who was William’s regent in Normandy?

Answer 18

His wife, Matilda

Question 19

What was the Feudal System?

Answer 19

This was where everyone that had land ultimately depended on the Kingv

Question 20

What was Royal Demesne?

Answer 20

Land held by the crown

Question 21

What were the Forest Laws?

Answer 21

This was a law put in place by William that reserved land for hunting.

Question 22

How did the Forest Laws help William establish control?

Answer 22

• These restricted areas acted as a symbol of dominance to locals, this may have even restricted their main access to food which showed the power of the King. This led to resent.
• The King could distribute paid licenses to hunt in these royal forests, which brought in extra revenue from his people. He could this money to build extra castles and fund his armies so he could defend against rebellion.

Question 23

Describe the role of a Norman sheriff

Answer 23

The Sheriff now only answered to the King, so they were undisputed leader of their shire. The King required them to keep close control over their shires and those who failed him would forfeit the role.

As the King’s representatives, they were a symbol of the Crown’s power.

Question 24

What did Norman aristocracy think of Anglo-Saxons?

Answer 24

They considered themselves as far superior, for instance Norman clergy threw out Anglo-Saxon relics.

Question 25

Describe key aspects of Norman culture

Answer 25

Chivalry - this idolised the knight and created a set of moral guidelines for battle, for example William wouldn’t kill captured enemies

Buildings - Within 50 years of 1066, every Anglo-Saxon church and Cathedral and Abbey had been rebuilt in Norman Fashion

Penance - This was a way of forgiving yourself, Normans would give money to Church to avoid eternal dalmatian in hell

Question 26

What language would Norman aristocrats speak?

Answer 26

French

Question 27

Who was Odo of Bayeux?

Answer 27

William’s Half Brother.

Question 28

Why was Odo finally imprisoned?

Answer 28

He took knights without permission

Question 29

Explain why William Rufus was able to defeat the rebellion in 1088

Answer 29

People were against the rebellion - they didn’t like Bishop Odo, so opposed him

William had God’s support - Lanfranc was on William’s side

Robert was weak - he stopped supporting Odo, not showing up to the battle. His own father said he wasn’t King material

Question 30

Why was there tension between William and Robert?

Answer 30

Robert had been trying to attack William. In 1079, When they met on the battlefield, William was wounded by Robert, was shown mercy and humiliated.