Normans life under the normans Flashcards
Feudal System
King
Bishops/Barons
Knights
Peasants
Barons
grant land through subinfeudation and give protection and justice
Bishops
25% land was controlled by church (tenants in chief)
Knights
provide military aid and loyalty to the kind, military service could be avoided by paying a form of tax called scrutage
Peasants
Mostly villeins who were not allowed to leave the land or marry without the lords permission
Some were freemen who paid rent to the lord but were not tied to him in other ways
Anglosaxon Earls land/roles
Most Anglo-Saxons were allowed to keep their earldoms,
but as some Earls had been killed at Hastings (e.g. Harold), land was broken up into smaller areas
He gradually replaced English earls with Norman Earls, particularly as English earls died
Changes to the government
Some changes, such as the feudal system, were developments that were similar to what was already in Saxon England. Norman punishments were very similar to Anglo-Saxon ones
On the other hand, new changes, such as the Domesday Book, new laws and the distributions of land were important
Shire courts
AS: Met twice a year to hear cases on crime, land dispute, tax, rebellion
Normans : Shire courts decline in importance due to honorial courts
Hundred courts
AS : Hundred courts
Hundreds divided up shire areas. Hundred courts would deal with local land issues.
Normans : Met more frequently and run by the sheriff’s deputy
Inheritance
AS: Land divided up among the family
Normans : Primogeniture. Eldest son inherits everything
Oath System
AS: Whole family took oath not to commit crime. Whole family liable to be punished
Normans :Murdrum fine. If any Norman was murdered, all English in areas would be heavily fined.
Punishments
AS: Brutal punishments e.g. execution
Normans :Similar to Saxons, introduced trial by combat.
Forest Laws
Severe punishment if hunting on the king’s land.
Trials
Trial by hot iron
Trial by fire
Trial by combat (particularly for land dispute)
The outcome was considered to be the God’s verdict on the accused
Domesday Book
The Domesday Book was a complete written record of property ownership across England, and was completed in less than a year
William had spent nearly 20 years conquering and distributing land in England. However, disputes were beginning to emerge in 1085 over who owned what!
Features of villages
Peasants lived in cottages, grew crops on strips of land and grazed animals on common land
Open field system, no separation of strips of land
Metal ploughs pulled by oxen
Church bells run to signal beginning/end of working day
Peasants would work every day except Sundays and holy days ‘holidays’
10% tax (tithe) to the church
Local church central, acted as a store, prison and fortress
People in Villages
Reeve
Bailiff
Priest
Miller
Peasants
Features of towns
Houses were built closely together and living conditions were cramped
Castles were at the centre of many larger towns and became centres of trade
Other towns had cathedrals at their centre
Burgesses were important figures. They had the right to buy and sell property but owned tax and services to the lord
Changes in towns
Towns grow in importance after 1066
London and Norwich became more important administrative centres
Norman nobles encouraged towns to grow to increase trade
Between 1066-1100 21 new towns developed
Main industries and income: salt, metalwork, wool, guilds and markets/fairs
