Part 2: Life Under The Normans Flashcards
How was Land Distribution changed by the Normans
. In Anglo-Saxon times, land was distributed to 6 Earls who controlled all of the Land in England
. Earls held lots of power by having lots of land
. Under the Normans, William gave land to over a hundred different trusted barons who held a smaller area of land compared to the Earls
. This helped William rule as you would need to convince a lot more people to have enough power to rebel against William
. William delt with the marcher lands by giving lots of power to Marcher Lords and allowing them to build castles without needing permission
. William kept shires and increased the power of the Shire Reef
How did the feudal system work
. The Feudal System is a Hierarchy which the Normans used
. The king was at the top followed by Barons then Knights and lastly peasants
. The Feudal System worked by giving land to other people in return for loyalty
. Knights in return for Land would have to provide 40 days of mandatory military service and could be called upon to fight a war
. Peasants would be given land to farm
Why was the Domesday Survey important
. William had to deal with threats from abroad so he made commissioners write who lives where and what they owned in the entire country into one book so he could Tax people Efficiently and know how strong of an Army he could raise
. He divided England into 7 circuits and sent Commissioners to collect information
. No-one could hide what they owned
. This stopped people Hiding their wealth to avoid taxes
How did the legal system change under the Normans
. There was a hierarchy of courts that dealt with cases
. The most important court was the Kings Court then the Shire Court, hundred court, Lord’s Court and Manor Court
. The Normans introduced Forest Laws that meant Anglo Saxons Couldn’t hunt as it was seen as a Rich man’s sport so only the aristocracy would be able to hunt
. The Normans introduced Primogeniture so only the Eldest son would inherit All of the Land
. The church would only hear Ecclesiastical cases (related to the church)
. The Normans introduced a Murdrum Fine so if a Norman was Attacked all of the Anglo Saxons would have to Pay if the offender Wasn’t found
. The Normans Continued to use Trial By Ordeal and introduced a New One Trial By Battle where the winner of a fight would be telling the truth since the Normans Didn’t trust Saxons to tell the Truth under an Oath
. The Normans liked all writs (laws) in writing so they changed the Official Language of the Government From English to Latin
How was life in villages under the Normans
. Villages would have a church at the centre, a Manor house for the Lord, 2 sown fields, 1 fallow field, a stream of water, a mill machine and a pasture
. The land was farmed in strips so it was easier for oxen to pull the ploughs
. Some fields were left fallow for a year to recover
What was the role of the Lord in a village
. The Lord had overall control of the village
. The Lord was usually a knight given land by a baron
. The Lord would have to provide 40 days of military service a year
What was the role of the Miller in a village
. The Miller produced grain to make bread
. Bread was baked in ovens
What was the role of the Reeve in a village
. The Reeve was a senior official who worked locally
. The Reeve ensured everyone did their jobs
. The Reeve was a peasant chosen by vote and kept things in order
What was the role of the Priest in a village
. The Priest ran the church and ensures marriages were legal
. The Priest was important because everyone in the church would be religious
What was the role of the Bailiff in a village
. The Bailiff would collect taxes, ensure crops were gathered and depts were repaid
What was the role of peasants in a village
. Peasants would work when they could and farmed on their strips of land
. Peasants would have to rent strips of land as well as having 10% taxes on anything they harvested
. Peasants would have to farm 5 days a week in the harvest and had to go to church
How was life in villages for the poor
. The poor had a small strip of land to farm
. All work was done by hand except when an ox-drawn plough was used
. bread and pottage was the main food
. animals had to live in their houses
. The poor had to work all day
. The poor needed permission to leave the village
. The poor had to work for the lords when required
. If there was a bad harvest the poor might starve to death
. Had bad quality houses
How was life in villages for the rich
. The rich lived off the rents paid by tenants and the produce grown by tenants
. Diet could be worse than the poor
. only ate meat and not dairy or vegetables as these were seen as food for the poor
. Did not need permission to leave the village
. Had good quality houses
. Made decisions for the village
What was life like in towns
. Town citizens had special freedoms such as the right to be tried only in the town court
. There was a wider range of occupations and trades in towns including bakers, blacksmiths, armourers, apothecaries (who provided treatments and remedies) and barbers
. There were opportunities to join a trade
. Young men could also become an Apprentice for Seven Years, before becoming a Journeyman and eventually a master craftsman
