Religion and Monasticism In Norman England

Question 1

Why were religion and church important to Norman England?

Answer 1

-meeting place for everyone in village- find out news.
-where religious ceremonies took place, e.g wedding, baptism.
-heart if the village, most important building
-unexplainable events could be explained by existence of God (e.g meteors, bad weather, bad harvest, natural disaster, plague/disease)
They would view these as punishments due to lack of scientific understanding.
-belief in heaven and hell.
-they bel

Question 2

What was the role of the pope?

Answer 2

Head of Catholic Church in all Western Europe. Most powerful figure as all kings, prices and emperors obeyed him.

Question 3

What was the role of Bishops/Archbishops/cardinals?

Answer 3

• advised kings and emperors on how to govern their people.
• became ministers if kings or foreign diplomats
• England had 2 archbishops, (of Canterbury and York) however the archbishop Canterbury was viewed as more important.

Question 4

What was the role of the parish priest?

Answer 4

• Responsible for the parish church and his parishioners.
• advised on spiritual matters.
• taught the meaning of religion
• baptised, married and buried people.
• the parish church was a central place for community affairs entertainment and socialising.

Question 5

What was the role of monks and nuns?

Answer 5

• worshiped privately in a nunnery or monastery

- often cared for for sick and poor people.

Question 6

What was the role of friars?

Answer 6

• these were travelling monks.
• they wandered from village to village, working and begging for food.
• they helped the sick in their homes, taught religious lessons and carried news from village to village.

Question 7

What was the role of peasant (in religion)?

Answer 7

• Medieval people always went to church
• people were encouraged to go on pilgrimage to feel close to God and heaven.
• pilgrimage might be to special holy places or to a monastery that held a relic.

Question 8

What was the order of religious figures?

Answer 8

Pope
Bishops/archbishops/cardinals
Parish priest / monks and nuns
Friaries
Peasants (medieval people)

Question 9

What was the educational role of the church?

Answer 9

It was the only institution that produced books. Texts were copied and illustrations were painted by hand by minks I order to make new books.

Monks also copied other important works such as medical texts for doctors. This meant the church could control which books were published.

Question 10

What was the economic role of the church?

Answer 10

The church collected tithes (10% tax people had to pay to the church). The tithe was tax on all that a farm produced in a year and could be paid in money, seeds or equipment. It was stored in a huge tithe barn.

Church was a major landowner. Peasants had to work on church lands for free which took them away form working on their lands. They believed God would know if they didn’t work on the church’s land and would punish them.

Question 11

What was the religious role of the church?

Answer 11

To ensure that people demonstrated their beliefs in God by going to church, that they lived a good life and went to heaven.

Question 12

What was the role of health in the church?

Answer 12

People in the twelfth century did not understand the causes of disease and thought it was a punishment from God. As a result, priests tried to cure the sick by praying for them or recommending they lay a penance in the form of money, pain or prayer.

Question 13

What was the role of law of the church?

Answer 13

The church heard court cases for crimes carried out on the church lands; for example, theft, or marrying a relative which was considered a serious offence as the church had forbidden it. The church then handed down justice in the kings name.

Question 14

What was the political role of the church?

Answer 14

Leading members of the church advised the king on important national matters as meme era if the Witan.

Question 15

Who was Lanfranc?

Answer 15

He was introduced as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1070. William did this to replace the other Archbishops which were Anglo-Saxon.

Question 16

What does primacy mean?

Answer 16

Leadership of English church.

Question 17

Who was Lanfranc’s competition?

Answer 17

Lanfranc wanted primacy. He had a rival, Thomas Archbishop of York.

Question 18

What was some of Lanfranc’s previous religious work before becoming Archbishop?

Answer 18

1039: became master of the Cathedral school at Avranches
1045: opened up a school on Bec - pupils came from all over Europe.
1066: appointed first abbot of the Abbey of St-Etienne at Caen Normandy.

Question 19

What was some of the previous work Lanfranc had done for William?

Answer 19

He helped him gain permission to marry his cousin Matilda.

His influence with Pope Alexandra ll also helped him ensure the Pope supported him (e.g with the Papal banner) when he invaded England in 1066.

Question 20

What actions towards William prove Lanfranc should have primacy?

Answer 20

He helped William deal with the rebellion by the earls of Norfolk and Hereford in 1075. This means he has already robbed him support and loyalty to William.

Question 21

What does Pluralism mean?

Answer 21

There were a number of the Clergy who held more than one position. It was argued that they could not fulfil their role.

Question 22

What does nepotism mean?

Answer 22

Positions were often given to relatives and friends rather than more suitable candidates.

Question 23

What does Simony mean?

Answer 23

Positions in the church were often sold.

Question 24

What does lack of celibacy mean?

Answer 24

Many members of the clergy were often married which went against their traditional vow abstaining from sexual relations.

Question 25

Why did William and Lanfranc feel the need to introduce reforms in the church?

Answer 25

Between 1070-76 they introduced a number of reforms. Some of these were because the church was in need of reform while others were to give William more power within England. Some reforms were also to give Lanfranc more power in the kings court.

Question 26

How much wealth did the church have and how did they get this?

Answer 26

• people were taxed when they died and had to lay surplice fees to the priest for ceremonies such as marriages, baptisms and funerals. As well as certain times of the year such as Easter dues.
• church was largest land owner in England. By 1086 it held 1/4 of the land in England. Abbots and bishops were feudal lords in both towns and rural areas. So they collected rent from people and grew rich.
• every one had to pay a tithe to the church (tax). Villagers had to give 1/10 of what they produced (meat, crops wool and milk) as well as a 1/10 of their profits.
• some people left their land and money to the church in the hope of going to heaven and pray for their soul.

Question 27

How much power did the church have and how did they use and gain this?

Answer 27

• religious leader (leaders of Christian church) were as powerful as the King.
• the Pope was the most powerful individual in Europe
• everyone was religious and their actions sent them to heaven or hell after death this meant to church had a great deal of influence over your daily life and attitude.

Question 28

How did William l use the church to his advantage?

Answer 28

He used held (taxes) to extract money form religious houses.

Question 29

How did William ll use the church to his advantage?

Answer 29

Used held to extract money form the church and rewarded his loyal followers with church positions.
Archbishop Lanfranc dies in 1089 and he did not replace him. Instead he took all his land and church property for himself.

Question 30

How did Henry l use the church to his advantage?

Answer 30

He wanted the bishops to pay homepage to him.

Question 31

How was William l relations with church regarding power?

Answer 31

Alexandra ll granted him the Papal banner in 1066 to fight under at Hastings. He then ordered William and his men to lay penance (payment). So William built Battle Abbey.

He also used religious positions of power to promote or reward people. This led to conflict with the Pope as he believe only he or the overall church had this power to do this.

Question 32

How was William ll relations with church regarding power?

Answer 32

• when Lanfranc dies he took all his land.
• money he required from Lanfranc’s assets helped deal with King Malcom Scotland’s invasion in 1091.
• he appointed Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury. When William wanted to introduce new reforms Anselm fled to the Pope. This showed he accepted popes authority over Williams.

Question 33

How was Henry l relations with church regarding power?

Answer 33

The Pope banned all kings form appointing bishops or abbots.

Became a problem because he wanted his religious leader to only be loyal to him. When Archbishop Anselm refuses to pay him homepage he exiled him in 1106.

Question 34

How did Lanfranc’s new reforms affect arch/bishops?

Answer 34

Anglo Saxon (Arch)bishops were removed and replaced with Norman’s. By 1080 there was only 1 Anglo-Saxon bishop left.

Archbishop Stigand was replaced by Lanfranc.

Question 35

How did Lanfranc’s new reforms affect parish priests?

Answer 35

• most Anglo Saxon priests remained in their jobs and therefore the peasants did not experience changes to their religious experience under the Norman’s.
• there were far more parish priests than there had been.

Question 36

How did Lanfranc’s new reforms affect architecture and building of religious buildings?

Answer 36

• new cathedrals were also built in more important towns and cities such as Coventry, Salisbury and Lincoln.
• at first Norman stole the treasure in English monasteries and took their land. However, the Norman’s soon began rebuilding churches and cathedrals in the Romanesque style- e.g Rochester, Durham and Winchester.

Question 37

How did Lanfranc’s new reforms affect legal issues?

Answer 37

• members of the clergy were no longer allowed to get married However those who ere already married could remain so (didn’t believe in divorce)
• In 1076 the council Winchester ordered that only church courts could try the clergy, meaning people who worked for the church would be tried of their crimes in church courts rather than local ones.

Question 38

Overall how was William and his sons relationships with the Pope?

Answer 38

The Pope gave William the Papal banner in 1066 however him and his sons during this reigns came into conflicts with the Pope over issues if power and wealth.

Question 39

What is a monastery?

Answer 39

A religious house were monks live and work. Sometimes known as Abbeys, priories and nunneries.

Question 40

What were Monks and nuns?

Answer 40

Religious followers of the Catholic Church. They devoted their whole life to church and loved a party from the rest of society to spend their lives concentrating on religion.

Question 41

What was the Bendict order and what were the Rules of St Benedict?

Answer 41

Monasteries were expensive to build and belonged to the St Benedictine order.

St Benedict in the 6th Century wrote a set of rules for monks to live by. After he died. After he dies the Rules of St Benedict become the basic guide for all monastic institutions.

Question 42

How did the Norman’s affect the amount of nuns and monks?

Answer 42

The amount of nuns and monks increased from 1000 to between 4000-5000 between 1066-1135

Question 43

How did the Norman’s affect monasticism in England over all?

Answer 43

• increased number if nuns form 1000-5000 about.
• increased number of cathedrals with monasteries attached.
• number of religious houses grew from about 60-250.
• they also brought new reforms and new monastic order.

When the Norman’s took over they revived monasticism

Question 44

How was the Cluny Monastery different to other monastery’s?

Answer 44

The Abbey Cluney answered only to the Pope. It also become very influential and rich.

Question 45

Why was Cluny monastery influential?

Answer 45

The Pope thought their strict observance of rules could be used to help revive monasticism. They became closely linked with the Papacy. They were asked to help reform religious houses in Rome and then France and then further afield.

Question 46

What was the vow of poverty?

Answer 46

Monks and nuns had to give up all wealth and possessions when they joined the monastery.

Question 47

What was the vow of Chasity?

Answer 47

They would abstain from sex but also other physical pleasures such as drinking alcohol.

Question 48

What was the vow of obedience?

Answer 48

Monks and nuns have to obey the teachings of God through the bible, their abbot and the rules of their order.

Question 49

What was the vow of stability?

Answer 49

The promise never to leave the monastic community and for some this meant nit leaving the monastery itself.

Question 50

Give a brief description of the life of a monk?

Answer 50

They would bath once a year. They held a church service (in order to pray about 6 times a day). They would spend their day healing the sick looking after the monastery (planting vegetables and doing chores) and copying scriptures as they were the educated members of society. They had one main meal a day and spent a lot of time fasting.

Question 51

Why were reforms introduced?

Answer 51

• Lanfranc wanted to make the monasteries more in line with Europe.
• Lanfranc’s monastic background resulted in him being keen to improve standard of English monasteries.
• many Monks were no longer strictly vegetarian, they often wore rich clothing and ignored rules about fasting.
• reformers wanted to reduce the influence that the state and lords had over monasteries as they would often have a say over who was abbot and would take money from the monastery.

Question 52

What were some of the reforms Lanfranc’s made to the church and monasticism?

Answer 52

• strict rules made about creation of saints.
• he defined the role of an abbot and set up a clear hierarchy
• laid out a structure to regulate monks lives. Monasteries who followed the Benedictine would not see much change as other monasteries.
• by 1135 there were 24 Cluniac monasteries in England to ensure St Benedictine rules were sticky adhered to.
• new religious houses were often built next to castles aiming to demonstrate that the Norman’s dominated England and had Gods blessing.

Question 53

Why was monasticism in decline in Anglo-Saxon England?

Answer 53

Viking raids, poverty and over reliance on local cause has caused instability

Question 54

In Anglo Saxon England why was there too much secular interference in monasteries?

Answer 54

Although the Benedictine monasteries were supposed to be independent, they needed land in order to be self sufficient and were often independent dependant on local lords to grant them land. This meant the local lords would often have a say in who was abbot and would also take money from the monastery leaving them in debt and poverty.

Question 55

How did the amount of cathedrals change under Norman influence?

Answer 55

In 1066 there had been 4 cathedrals with monasteries attached to them. By 1135 there were 19.

Question 56

What reforms affected the Cluniac monastery?

Answer 56

William asked the Cluniac Monastery to send monks over to England the first Cluniac priory was set up by William de Warenne in Sussex in 1077.

Monks were brought over from Normandy to run new Abbeys and monasteries. By the end of the 11th century there were 36 Cluniac monasteries in England.

In the tenth century the Cluniac order developed within the Cluny abbey in France, reinforcing the Benedictine rules more strictly.

The Cluniac monastery created a new tradition: that all Cluniac monasteries would answer directly to the Abbot Cluny.

Question 57

How did the Cluniac monastery and its reforms affect William and his earls?

Answer 57

• King William and his earls gave large amounts of money to abbeys and monasteries as parts of their penance for the battle of Hastings.
• in 1075 13 out of 21 Abbots were Anglo Saxon by 1086 only 3 were.

Question 58

What was the hero echo in Monasteries?

Answer 58

Pope
Abbot/abbess - head of monastery or nunnery.
Prior/progress - run monastery when abbot was away
Obedientaries - senior monks with different jobs (there were different types)
Monks/Nuns - meme era of the community who had taken their vows
Novices - monks and nuns who had not taken their vows.

Question 59

How did monasteries help hospitals?

Answer 59

It was seen as part of their duty to care for the sick beyond the monastery. The poor would have been looked after by the almoner. This is the place the poor would visit to get food.

Question 60

How did Monasteries act as centres of scholarships?

Answer 60

They were the only places for scholarships and education. Monks were the educated members of society. The monasteries built up libraries of ancient manuscripts.

Question 61

How did monasteries act as places for historians?

Answer 61

Monks were also the historians of their time. They wrote the history if their country. Sometimes they complimentary e.g (William l and Henry l were fared well and presented in a good way but William Rufus suffered due to his poor relationship with the church)