Normans life under the normans

Question 1

Feudal System

Answer 1

King
Bishops/Barons
Knights
Peasants

Question 2

Barons

Answer 2

grant land through subinfeudation and give protection and justice

Question 3

Bishops

Answer 3

25% land was controlled by church (tenants in chief)

Question 4

Knights

Answer 4

provide military aid and loyalty to the kind, military service could be avoided by paying a form of tax called scrutage

Question 5

Peasants

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Anglosaxon Earls land/roles

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Changes to the government

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Shire courts

Answer 8

AS: Met twice a year to hear cases on crime, land dispute, tax, rebellion
Normans : Shire courts decline in importance due to honorial courts

Question 9

Hundred courts

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Inheritance

Answer 10

AS: Land divided up among the family
Normans : Primogeniture. Eldest son inherits everything

Question 11

Oath System

Answer 11

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.

Question 12

Punishments

Answer 12

AS: Brutal punishments e.g. execution
Normans :Similar to Saxons, introduced trial by combat.

Question 13

Forest Laws

Answer 13

Severe punishment if hunting on the king’s land.

Question 14

Trials

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Domesday Book

Answer 15

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!

Question 16

Features of villages

Answer 16

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

Question 17

People in Villages

Answer 17

Reeve
Bailiff
Priest
Miller
Peasants

Question 18

Features of towns

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Changes in towns

Answer 19

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