Norman England Flashcards
1
Q
What did William give the tenants in chief and what did they give to him in return?
A
Land. In return they gave him troops for his army. This obligation was known as a fief.
2
Q
What was the feudal system?
A
The system of landholding and the duties/obligations that came with it.
3
Q
What did the Tenants-In-Chief give the Under-tenants and what did they get in return?
A
Land. In return they got tax and military service
4
Q
What did the under-tenants give the peasants and what did they get in return?
A
Land to be worked. In return they got land service and rent.
5
Q
What were the tenants in chief military role?
A
They fought alongside the king and out down local opposition
6
Q
What was the tenant in chiefs social role?
A
They gave the king knights and organised land transfer. They also provided courts in each barony.
7
Q
What was the tenants in chiefs political role?
A
They gave the king food and shelter when he traveled, and also advice.
8
Q
What was the tenant in chiefs role in the economy?
A
They gave the king a share of their revenue
9
Q
What was homage?
A
Landowners swore an oath of loyalty on the Bible toward William
10
Q
What was a relief?
A
When a tenant died their heir would prove loyalty to William and pay to use that land
11
Q
What did landholding do?
A
It was a new system to encourage loyalty and reduced the power of challengers
12
Q
What was forfeiture?
A
The punishment for breaking an agreement between a landholder and tenant
13
Q
What would happen if the landholder didn’t provide the required service?
A
They pay a fine or forfeit land
14
Q
How many knights were there in Norman England?
A
Around 6000
15
Q
What did knights do?
A
Guarded the lord’s property, helped defeat threats, dealt with minor cases in manorial courts and provided 40 days of knight service.
16
Q
How many days of service did knights provide?
A
40 days
17
Q
What was labour service?
A
Work that peasants did in return for the use of land, involving farm work/providing service
18
Q
What did church clerks do?
A
Issued the king’s writs
19
Q
What was a writ?
A
the king’s written commands
20
Q
What did church officials do?
A
Collected taxes and kept a record of what was owed
21
Q
What did church leaders do?
A
Kept laws and legal documents
22
Q
What were bishops and what did they control?
A
They were the heads of cathedrals who controlled the diocese
23
Q
What was a regent?
A
An archbishop who represented the king in negotiations
24
Q
Who was Lanfranc?
A
King William’s regent when he was away in Normandy
25
Who was Stigand? Why was he appointed?
Stigand was the Saxon archbishop of Canterbury, he was appointed because he was a close ally of Earl Godwinson.
26
Who replaced Stigand in 1020?
Lanfranc, he was made head of the Church in England
27
What was Stigand accused of?
Simony and pluralism (he was Bishop of Canterbury and Winchester, so had more land/money)
28
What was simony?
selling of church positions
29
What was pluralism?
high church officials held multiple positions in the church
30
What was nepotism?
Positions were also often given to relatives and friends rather than the best candidate.
31
What did it mean to be celibate?
Members of the clergy weren't meant to have sex or be married, they had to devote their lives to God
32
After 1070 how many Saxon bishops were left? Who?
1, it was Wulfstan of Wolcester
33
Name some of Lanfranc's reforms
> Built more monasteries
> From 1076 priests were only tried in bishops' courts
> Introduced Norman guidelines for following/creating new laws
>Wanted more spiritual priests, so banned marriage and made celibacy compulsory
> Saxon cathedrals in rural towns were rebuilt in market towns (eg/ Thetford to Norwich)
34
How much of the land did the church hold?
25%
35
Name some of the processes of the Normanisation of the Church
> More archdeacons that looked after Church courts
> William controlled Church leader/Pope communications to stop people obeying the Pope over him
> William chose a bishop's successor when they died
> New bishops did homage to the king
> Parish priests were under stricter control and had to follow Norman procedure
>Norman bishops and archdeacons influenced messages about the king and God
36
What was the Domesday book?
a survey of every town in England for tax purpose
37
Why did the Domesday book come about?
King William ordered a survey at Christmas 1085 to see who held what land and tax info. The results were collected across the country and written into the Domesday book in 1086.
38
What were the 3 aspects of the Domesday book?
Financial, Legal and Military
39
What was the financial aspect of the Domesday book?
William wanted to get more money out of his tenants, there was many geld taxes from 1084-86
40
What was the legal aspect of the Domesday book?
The survey helped solve land disputes and boosted William's image as a fair king
41
What was the legal aspect of the Domesday book?
The survey helped solve land disputes and boosted William's image as a fair king
42
What was the military aspect of the Domesday book?
There was an invasion threat in 1085 from Denmark. The book showed how many soldiers each tenant could provide.
43
Name some of the changes to society in Norman England
> KING: William built castles and cathedrals as a power symbol and introduced the feudal system as a way to have full control over society
> NOBLES: Earls became tenants-in-chief and their earldoms became smaller to reduce their power. They were no longer in a position to challenge the king's power
> ECONOMY: William stopped trade with Scandinavian countries. Trade with Normandy increased and large cities grew rapidly
> WARRIORS: Thegns were replaced by knights, who had less power
> PEASANTS/SLAVES: The number of ceorls went down. William wanted more land revenue, bringing peasants under more pressure. the Normans freed many slaves.
44
What was a Ceorl?
A free peasant (freeman)
45
Name the continuities of society in Norman England
> KING: Roles in the household didn't change but William replaced the Saxons with Normans
> NOBLES: Saxon earls swore loyalty to Edward and tenant-in-chiefs payed homage to William
> ECONOMY: Towns kept trading rights given to them by Saxon kings
> WARRIORS: Thegns owed Edward military service and knights owed the king knight service
> PEASANTS/SLAVES: Peasants still had to farm for their land, they were still at the very bottom of society
46
How did William have total control?
He centralized control
47
Why were some earldoms phased out?
The earl's power was reduced
48
What did William use regents for?
To control the country when he was away (eg/ Lanfranc)
49
How did Sheriff roles change?
> All Saxons were replaced by Normans
> They were more powerful
> Looked after castles in their shire
> Some of their legal roles were taken over by baronial, manorial and church courts
50
What was forbidden in forests?
> Hunting weapon
> Hunting dogs
> Damage to the vegetation (for the animals)
> Restrictions on cutting wood, building and clearing
51
What did the forest show people about the king?
He had power and was above everyone else. As he extended it he extended the amount of land he had direct control over.
52
How did William make money from the forest?
From fining people and selling hunting rights
53
Many Normans were illiterate, what does this mean?
They couldn't read or write
54
What language were all legal and church documents written in?
Latin
55
What language did the Normans speak?
Many Normans spoke French and their children often spoke French and English
56
Could William speak English?
He gave up learning English as he didn't have time
57
What does Vernacular mean?
The native language
58
Normans changed many words as they couldn't pronounce many sounds. What's an example of one they changed?
'Snottignham' became 'Nottingham' because they couldn't pronounce the 'Sn'
59
What were the Norman aristocrats?
Nobles and other important people who showed off their power, wealth and superiority
60
What was chivalry?
Looking up to knights and treating enemies in a certain way
61
What would male aristocrats often do regarding their hair? Why?
They'd often shave the back of their heads as it showed wealth because it was a luxury few could afford
62
What did the Normans do to Saxon saint's relics and why?
They threw out the relics ad destroyed the saints tombs because they believed they were superior to the Englishmen they conquered
63
What did the Normans build? Why?
Bigger cathedrals, churches and castles because it was a symbol of power and intimidated many Saxons.
64
Who was Bishop Odo in relation to the king?
He was King William's 1/2 brother who helped with the invasion of England
65
What Earldom was Odo rewarded and what did this make him?
He was rewarded the earldom of Kent, making him the second largest landowner after William
66
Who was Odoco-regent with in 1067 when William was away?
William FitzObern
67
Name some of his corrupt behavior that landed him in prison in 1082
> The Domesday book showed him illegally taking land
> He was sent to Northumberland in 1079 to deal with trouble. When he was here he damaged the region, robbed people and stole cathedral treasures.
> Tried to take William's knights on a trip to Rome, this went against the king's powers as they were loyal to him, not the tenant-in-chief
68
Why was Odo released from prison in 1087?
On his deathbed William was persuaded to release him
69
What did William want, linking to land?
To own everything and he tried to get more revenue out of his tenants
70
What did William supposedly do on his deathbed?
Repent all his sins
71
What did William do when he was younger?
Survived several assassination attempts
72
Describe William's family tree
William married his cousin, Matilda of Flanders. They had 3 sons:
1- Robert
2- William Rufus (the second)
3- Henry
73
What did William's sons inherit?
Robert - Normandy
William Rufus- England
Henry- £5000
74
Who was arguably William's favorite son?
William Rufus
75
What did Robert do in 1077? Why?
Tried to take over William's castle because his brothers played a prank on him
76
What happened when William wanted Robert and his supporters arrested?
Robert fled and was taken in by King Phillip of France, he began launching raids from a castle in Normandy
77
What happened between Robert and William in 1079?
William was left defeated when Robert knocked him off his horse in battle and ordered him to leave
78
What did Matilda organise in 1080?
A reunion between William and Robert, where they made up
79
How did William die?
In July 1087 he was in pain for weeks after being thrown from his horse and died on the 9th September
80
What happened at Williams's funeral?
His corpse was so fat it burst being forced into the coffin. The smell was so bad people left the cathedral.
81
What did William's servants do hen he died?
They panicked and stole everything, leaving his stripped course on the floor.
82
What did people believe of William's death?
It was full of bad omens
83
Who crowned William Rufus? When?
Lanfranc crowned William Rufus in September 1087
84
Why did Odo and many barons not want William Rufus to be king?
They believed Robert should rule Normandy England
85
What did Odo do in 1088
He begun a rebellion against William Rufus
86
Who was Odo joined by in the rebellion?
His 1/2 brother, Robert of Mortain
87
Where did William Rufus catch Odo and Robert of Mortain?
Pevensey Castle, using local fyrd troops
88
Why was religion a huge part of Norman England life?
Everyone was Catholic, they all believed in God and Heaven and Hell
89
What types of art were used to show the 'realities' of Heaven and Hell? Why?
Doom paintings and stained glass portrayed what happened in Heaven and Hell, they were often used to scare people. They were used because many people were illiterate.
90
What did the Church do?
It owned a lot of land, so controlled it, judged criminal cases, helped govern the country, produced books and cared for the sick
91
What would the Parish Priest do?
Lead Church services, helped the sick, listened to confessions, did marriages and baptisms
92
Name the ways William influenced the church/religion
> Built an abbey in Hastings after the battle to thank God
> Divided the country into dioceses
> Replaced Saxon bishops with Normans
> Believed there was too much corruption, so heavily enforced the rules (including celibacy)
93
How did the Normans change land ownership?
The Normans divided it between Norman earls, it took a long time to look after this land
94
How did the Normans change the laws?
They kept the Saxon system of Exchequer and minting. Peasants could no longer hunt for food. Murdrum fines were introduced for whole areas if a Saxon killed a Norman
95
What was the system of Exchequer?
Looking after the kings money
96
What was minting?
Making coins
97
How did Normans change castles?
Castles helped defend Norman lords. They became centers for trade. They were huge as to intimidate Saxons and also peasants, who often lost land to make room for them.
98
How did Normans change language?
French took over English and was now used in court. Latin was still the language of religion. Peasants stuck to the old language but gradually Norman words, such as arrow, Armour and castle, crept in.
99
What was a guild?
Groups of people from the same trade
100
What did markets and fairs need to take place? What happened at them?
They needed the king's permission. Traders came to them to buy and sell
101
What were Burgesses?
People who owned an rented property. They would be in the upper ranks of society.
102
Why did towns grow? Name an example
Some grew because of markets where they could trade items. Eg/ St Edmond of Ely
103
What did a peasant pay to the Church?
A tithe
104
What was a tithe?
the tax paid to the church that was 10% of a serf's income
105
What did peasants have to do?
They had to do 'born work' for the lord, for nothing
106
How often did peasants work? When were their days off?
6 days a week. They had Sundays and holy days, such as Easter off.
107
What would peasants do on their days off?
Entertainment consisted of traveling musicians, men with bears, wrestling, shin fighting and cock fighting
108
What did peasant's meals consist of?
```
Breakfast- Pottage (porridge)
Lunch- Rye bread
Evening meal- Vegetables
Drinks- beer or ciders
The manor house would have luxuries of cakes and pastries
```
109
When did peasants start/finish work?
They woke up 1/2 hour before sunrise and started work at first light, they finished at sunset
110
What would peasants do in the different seasons?
Spring- sow seeds
Summer- harvest crops
Autumn- plough fields
Winter- try to survive
111
What was the open field system in Norman villages?
The lord had 25% of the land and the rest was split into strips for the peasants
112
What were peasant's houses like?
Cold, damp and dark with small windows. The whole family would be in one room. Animals would be brought in at night (for safety+warmth)
113
Where did the lord live?
A manor house
114
What was the manor house like?
Made of stone, it was warm and secure
115
What was the village church like?
At the centre of the village it was the centre of Norman life. A bell was rung twice a day to signal when to start/end work
116
What was a reeve in charge of?
day-to-day village management
117
What did the barrif do?
Collect taxes
118
What did the local priest do?
Ran the local church, they were in charge of different ceremonies such as marriage
119
What did the miller do?
Produced grain to make bread
120
When was Durham Cathedral built?
1093
121
Where was Durham Cathedral built? Why?
On top of a hill to make it appear prominent
122
What style was Dham Cathedral built in?
Romanesque
123
List some changes made to monasteries after 1066
> Normans wanted to bring back the obedience
> Each Cluniac monastery answered directly to the Abbot of Cluny
> There would be meetings of priors at Cluny to deal with any issues
124
How did the Normans revive monasticism?
> The number of monks/nuns rose from 1000-4000
> Religious houses rose from 60-250
> 4 cathedrals went to 29
125
What took up most of a monk's day? Why?
They spent most the day praying as they'd agreed to devote their life to God and wanted to increase their chance of getting into heaven
126
What were the priorities of the Benedictine Rule?
> 8 prayer services a day
> Monks wore a habit as part of their vow of poverty
> Ate 2 vegetarian meals a day
> Cared for the sick
> Didn't speak
> Clean shaven with shaved bald spot on top of head
127
What was a failure of the revival of monasticism?
Not all monasteries converted to the Cluniac rule
128
What were the downsides to the change in education?
> It had to be paid for, so was out of reach for peasants and the poor
> There was little impact as they taught very few subjects
> Monks wrote all the text
129
What was a chastity
A vow a monk had to take
130
What was a cluniac?
A type of monk who followed the Benedictine rule
131
What was the tonsure?
The part of the monks head left bald
132
What were new monasteries known as?
the 'Spiritual arm of the military conquest'
