Normans 1 Flashcards
Significance of Edward the Confessor
- stabilised England
- 1013 - fled to Normandy when Scandinavians invaded
- 1042 - returned when Haracnut died
- quickly gained support of Godwin of Wessex + other most powerful earls
When did Edward the confessor die
5th January 1066
Why was there a succession crisis when Edward died
- had no children - no clear successor
- many people felt they had claim to the throne
Harold Godwinson strengths to claim
- Edward’s brother in law, loyal adviser
- Earl of Wessex - most powerful family in England
- sub-regulus
- well respected
- very good military man
- other earls had faith
- Edward’s dying wish was apparently for him to be king
Harold Godwinson weaknesses to claim
- not blood relative of king - brother in law
- failed to overthrow Edward in 1051, exiled
William Duke of Normandy strengths to claim
- distant cousin to Edward
- helped Edward when attacked by Godwins (1051)
- supposedly swore oath by Harold Godwin from Edward, promising throne (1064/65)
- respected military leader
- claim supported by pope
William Duke of Normandy weaknesses to claim
- illegitimate - frowned upon
- from Normandy
Harald Hardrada strengths to claim
- experienced ruler - king of Norway for 20 years
- seasoned warrior - leader of Varangian guard
- supported by Tostig Godwinson
- claimed to be successor of Scandinvinan Kings ruling before Edward
Harald Hardrada weaknesses to claim
- most of England didn’t want Viking king
- supposedly didn’t want the throne until urged by Tostig
Edgar Aethling strengths of claim
- only blood relative of Edward - great nephew)
- younger - more potential to rule for long time
Edgar Aethling weaknesses of claim
- only 14
- no military/leadership experience
- didn’t actively want throne
Witan
Council which advised the king
Who did Witan select as King
Harold Godwinson
When was Harold Godwinson crowned
6th January 1066
Who was Harold Godwin’s army made up of
- housecarls
- fyrd
Housecarls
Well-trained professional warriors
Fyrd
Untrained farmer soldiers who fought in army for 40 days a year
Harold’s preparations for invasion
- mid-1066
- gathered forces (7,000-15,000 men) to defend south coast in case Normans invaded
- Saxons waited but nothing happened
- September - fyrd dismissed as supplied running low - needed to collect harvest
When was the Battle of Gate Fulford
20th September 1066
Who was Battle of Gate Fulford between
- Harold and Saxons
- Hardrada and Scandinavians
What happened at Battle of Gate Fulford
- after Harold dismissed Fyrd, Hardrada + Tostig + 10,000 men invaded North-East England
- Gate Fulford - Hardrada defeated Harold’s allies - Edwin + Morcar
What happened before Battle of Stamford Bridge
- Harold went to face Hardrada, gathering troops along way - arrived North quickly but tired
- Hardrada went to Stamford bridge to collect hostages after victory without armour - Harold surprised him there
When was Battle of Stamford Bridge
25th September 1066
Who was battle of Stamford Bridge between
- Harold and Saxons
- Hardrada and Scandanavians
What happened at Battle of Stamford Bridge
- Lone Viking Axeman supposedly stopped English advancing, stabbed in groin from under bridge
- hours of hand-to-hand combat
- Hardrada took arrow to throat + Tostig died
- Orris’ storm arrived to late - Vikings defeated
- Vikings left on 24/300 ships
- English gave mercy to Olaf (Hardrada’s nephew) if promised never to invade again
What happened before Battle of Hastings
- Normans invaded Pevensey Bay 28th September - pillaged in South
- Harold treating wounds in York - marched 180 miles, arrived in Pevensey Bay 3 days later tired + without all troops
When was Battle of Hastings
14th October 1066
Who was Battle of Hastings between
- Harold and Saxons
- William and Normans
What happened at Battle of Hastings
- Saxons had strong shield wall at top of hill - Normans initially couldn’t break through, archers weakened it slightly
- feigned retreat - Normans pretended to run away, some of Saxons (fyrd) chased them - broke shield wall
- Norman cavalry/infantry got through + killed many Saxons
- Harold killed, Saxons defeated
Saxon army
- chainmail/leather pieces sewn to armour
- axe/long sword
- shield wall - protects from arrows
Norman army
- chainmail armour
- years of training
- javelin/sword/lance
- gonfanon - battle Pendant signally manoeuvres
- infantry/archers/cavalry
- feigned retreat
Advantages of Norman cavalry
- good charge
- height advantage for downward strike
- highly disciplined rider
Norman castle design
Motte and Bailey
Features of Motte and Bailey castle
- drawbridge + guardhouse
- ditch/moat - made intruding difficult
- Bailey - where knights lived
- palisade walls - high made intruding difficult
- Motte (3m-30m) + wooden keep - high up to see surroundings
- more advanced that previously build Saxon ‘buhrs’
Purpose of Norman castles
- could fight from strong base with strong defense
- prevent invasions on coast
- built in response to Saxon rebellions - e.g- Exeter
- military presence - highly visible symbol of dominance/control
- dominate - would pull down Saxons houses to build castles (160 houses in Lincoln)
How did Norman castles change
Started building them out of stone in 1070 as wood could easily burn/rot
When was William the Conqueror crowned
25th December 1066
Norman methods of establishing/maintaining control
- terror
- military presence
- legality
- concessions
- patronage
Terror
Use of violence
Military presence
Intimidating people by placing soldiers/castles nearby
Legality
Trying to show you are the rightful king
Concessions
Giving enemies what they want to make them loyalty
Patronage
Rewarding loyalty
1067 rebellions
- unsuccessful Saxon attack on Dover Castle helped by Eustace II of Boulogne (French noble may have wanted control of Dover) - William left garrison
- Saxon thegn Eadric the wild had land siezed by Normans - attacked Hereford castle
1068 rebellions
- revolt in Exeter due to tax increases
- Harold Godwinson’s sons raided south west by sea
- Edwin + Morcar rebelled in Mercia with Welsh support
- unrest in Northumbria
1069 revolt
- Northern nobles joined Edgar Aethling, King Malcom III Scotland, King Swein II Denmark
- killed Norman Earl of Northumrbria
- besieged York
- September - Danish fleet from King Swein joined, seized York, took both castles
- William got agreement with Danes to return ships - Saxons unsupported, revolt soon collapsed, William regained control
Why did William harry the North
- initially tried to get Saxons on side with legality/concessions
- 1069 revolt showed him that approach didn’t work
- resorted to terror - also aimed to destroy supplies to avoid future rebellion
What happened in the Harrying of the North
- winter 1069-1070 - burned villages + inhabitants in North (Yorkshire/Lincolnshire/Cheshire ect.)
- famine - destroyed food supplies + livestock, ‘scorched earth’ tactic, Saxons has to eat cats/dogs
- 100,000 died
Long-term consequences of Harrying of North
Many Northern villages described as ‘waste’ in Domesday book - Harrying may have caused long-term damage to economy
Why did Saxon revolts continuously fail
- often motivated by local concerns - didn’t form national movement with common goals
- no single strong leader
- no coordination/shared strategy
- many English nobles supported William, often helped fight
What caused East Anglian rebellion
1070 - Hereward the Wake had land confiscated after Norman Conquest
How did William mitigate East Anglia uprisings
Paid Hereward’s supporting Danes to abandon him
What happened in East Anglian rebellion
- 1071
- Hereward joined by Saxon rebels (Morcar)
- went to Isle of Ely, tried to hold it against William’s army
How did William respond to East Anglian rebellions
- WIlliam’s forces besieged Ely, defeated rebels
- Morcar imprisoned
- Hereward potentially surrendered to William, pardoned
What caused earl’s revolt
- 1071 - FitzOsbern (Earl of Hereford) died, land/titles inherited by son Roger de Bretuil
- Roger unhappy as he didn’t think he has same power/influence as father
- Ralph de Gael (Earl of East Anglia) unhappy as he inherited his fathers earldom but thought power/influence being limitted
- 1075 - at Ralph’s wedding, 2 earls joined with Earl Waltheof of Northumbria (Saxon) to plan revolt against king
What happened in earl’s revolt
- Waltheof went to Normandy to confess plan to William
- WIlliam gave info to Archbishop Lanfranc (regent) - trapped Roger + Ralph in earldoms
- Ralph seiged in Norwich Castle, escaped + left wife Emma in control
- Ralph went to Denmark for reinforcements, they arrived too late
- Emma surrendered
How did William respond to Earl’s revolt
- Ralph + Emma gave up lands, were exiled
- Roger imprisoned for life
- Waeltheof beheaded - only Saxon noble executed in William’s reign
How did William use legality
Continued to right royal writs in Winchester treasury
Regent
Someone who rules on king’s behalf with same authority as king
William’s use of regents
After establishing authority in England, felt comfortable going back to Normandy, used regents in absences
William I death
- 9th September 1087
- died from serious injury at war with King of France
What did William’s sons inherit
- eldest Robert Curthose - Duke of Normandy
- second William Rufus - King of England
- third Henry - £5000
Why did William Rufus become king
- Norman custom for eldest son to inherit everything (primogeniture) but Robert rebelled against William I in past
- William I broke tradition - shared inheritance
When was William II crowned
26th September 1087
1088 rebellion
- Robert thought he should be king of England
- many Norman lords did too - owned land in England + Normandy so had to serve William + Robert
- Lord Odo of Bayeux (William + Robert’s uncle) rebelled to replace William with Robert
- Robert sent no reinforcements from Normandy, rebellion failed
- Odo exiled
Problems with William II as king
- lacked experience in government
- lacked innovation
- exploited existing system for personal gain - heavy taxes, took money from Church
What ended William + Robert’s feud
1096 - Robert gave William Normandy
