Norman England c1066-c1100, Part Two: Life under the Normans Flashcards
How many earldoms were held by Anlgo-Saxons in 1076?
Only two
How did William convince Norman nobles to fight for him at Hastings?
He promised them land in return.
Who were the most powerful Norman earls?
Robert of Mortmain and Bishop Odo and William Fitzosbern
What was Bishop Odo’s relation to William the Conqueror?
They were half-brothers
What was Robert of Mortmain’s relation to William the Conqueror?
They were half brothers
What was William Fitzosbern’s relation to William the Conqueror?
They were cousins.
What were villeins?
A class of peasants who were not allowed to leave the land or marry without the lord’s permission.
What were freemen?
A class of peasants who paid rent to the local lord but not tied to him in any way.
What was patronage?
Swearing allegiance to the king in exchange for land.
When was the Domesday survey carried out?
In 1086
Under whose reign was the Domesday survey carried out?
William II
Who ordered the Domesday survey?
William I
What did the Domesday survey investigate?
- Who lived where and who owned what land
- Value of each man’s property
- What taxes were owed from the time of Edward the Confessor
- Who held wealth
Why was the Domesday Book made?
To collect taxes accurately and to make sure no one was hoarding wealth to threaten the king.
How much land did the Church control?
25%
How much land did 10 Norman barons control between them?
25%
How many knights were there in England?
2000
How many Norman settlers were there in total?
10,000
What was the total population of England?
Between 1.5 million and 2 million
What can the king do when it comes to who owns what land?
King William can distribute land however he sees fit.
What were Shire courts?
They met twice a year when the sheriff would hear cases.
What cases appeared in Shire courts?
Land disputes, crime, taxes and rebellions.
What were Hundred courts?
Courts that dealt with more local issues. They met more frequently
What were Hundreds?
Each shire was divided into smaller areas called hundreds.
How did the Normans change the inheritance system?
The Normans introduced the idea of primogeniture. Before, land would be split up among the family. Normans said the eldest son would inherit everything.
What was the Anglo-Saxon oath system?
All Anglo-Saxons would swear not to commit a crime. If they did, their family would be heavily punished.
What was the Norman murdrum fines?
If a Norman was murdered, all Anglo-Saxons in the area would be heavily fined.
What did the Anglo-Saxon punishments entail?
Execution and mutilation common. Another was the ordeal system. Exile was also possible.
What was the Anglo-Saxon ordeal system?
Based on the principle of ‘Judicium Dei’. Accused put through a painful ordeal. It was believed that God would save the innocent.
Give examples of some ordeals under the Anglo-Saxons.
Ordeal by fire: accused holds a red-hot iron bar. Ordeal by water.
How did the Normans change the ordeal system?
They kept the old ones and introduced a new one: ordeal by combat.
What was ‘ordeal by combat’?
The accuser and accused fought to the death. The survivor was presumed to be telling the truth.
What was the language of the law under Edward the Confessor?
English
How did the Normans change the language of the law?
All laws were recorded in latin. Latin was the official language of the government and the Church.
What were Forest laws?
Laws introduced by the Normans to stop peasants from hunting in the forest.
Before William, could peasants hunt in the forest?
Yes
What changes did William bring about peasant life?
Largely none. The same life, with a new lord.
How much of the land of a village could the lord keep?
Up to 35%
What were the main crops grown in peasant villages?
Wheat, barley oats and rye.
How long was a peasant working day?
From half an hour before sunrise and until sunset.
What told the peasants it was the start or end of the working day?
The church bells rang to signify it.
What did peasants usually eat for lunch?
Rye bread
What did peasants usually eat for dinner?
Something vegetable-based
What would peasants drink?
Weak beer or cider.
Why did peasants not drink water?
Water was not purified. You could get sick drinking it.
What days would peasants work?
Everyday except Sundays and Holy Days
What was the tithe?
A tax paid to the Church
How much money did the peasants have to give through the tithe?
10% of all they earned.
What were peasants’ houses like?
Cold, damp and dark. Animals were often brought inside. Most families would only have a single room.
What was the manor house?
The lord lived in the manor house.
Who lived in the manor?
The manor contained the manor house and the houses of freemen.
Who owned the manor?
The manor was owned by the lord. It was known as his demesne.
What did the Reeve do?
Manages the day-to-day running of the manor and ensures the peasants are all working.
What did the Bailiff do?
He was responsible for collecting taxes for the king, ensuring crops were gathered and debts repaid.
What did the Priest do?
He was responsible for marriages and wills, as well as running the local church.
What did the Miller do?
He produced grain to make bread for the whole village.
How was the Reeve chosen?
He was chosen by the lord or by peasant vote.
What did peasants do in spring?
They sow seeds in the fields.
What did peasants do in summer?
The harvest the crops when they are ready.
What did peasants do in Autumn?
Peasants use oxen to plough the fields.
What did peasants do in Winter?
They live off food harvested earlier in the year.
What was the common structure of a Norman town?
Houses cramped together with a cathedral or castle (or both) at the centre.
How many new towns developed under William?
Between 1066 and 1100, 21 new towns developed.
What was the castles’ significance in towns?
They became administrative centres and centres of trade and commerce.
Were can evidence of growth of towns be found?
In the Domesday Book.
What products were traded in towns?
Metalwork, salt, wool etc.
What product did Gloucester become specialised in?
Iron and lead production.
Where did towns that specialised in metalwork tend to be situated?
Near forests so they could use wood in their furnaces.
What town grew as a resut of salt production?
Droitwich
How significant was the trade of wool in England?
It was produced in the countryside and transported south. It was sold to Europe so many coastal towns became centres of international trade.
What was the permission called to have a market or fair in a town?
A franchise, given in the form of a grant.
How many grants did William give out?
2800 grants for markets or fairs
What was a fair?
A religious celebration, but commerce also took place.
What are guilds?
Specialist associations of a certain trade. They often had significant power.
What changed in terms of land ownership for the Anglo-Saxon aristocracy?
Land was taken, split up and redistributed among Norman earls. This made earldoms less powerful and more stable.
What changed in terms of castles?
The Norman aristocracy built them very fast, which would have intimidated the local peasant population.
What new laws did William put in place?
Forest laws, Murdrum fines.
What change did William make to the Anglo-Saxon financial system?
None. He even implemented the minting system and the exchequer to Normandy.
What change was made to language?
The aristocracy spoke French. Over time, the English spoken by peasants and French merged into Anglo-Norman.
When did William I die?
1087
Who succeeded William I?
William II, his son
When did William II die?
1100, after a hunting ‘accident’
Who succeeded William II?
Henry, his younger son
