Rufus Consolidation of Power

Question 1

When and at what age did William the Conqueror die?

Answer 1

9th September 1087, aged 59

Question 2

Who were his three sons, in descending order of age?

Answer 2

Robert Curthose, William Rufus, Henry

Question 3

What word could be used to describe a lord holding estates on both sides of the Channel?

Answer 3

Anglo-French/Anglo-Norman

Question 4

What did Odo of Bayeux believe would happen if he supported either brother?

Answer 4

The other would remove the baron’s land, revenues and honours in their state.

Question 5

Who inherited Normandy and why?

Answer 5

Robert Curthose as his father believed the eldest son should inherit his ancestral lands.

Question 6

Who inherited England and why?

Answer 6

Rufus because he was seen as a better leader.

Question 7

What did Henry inherit?

Answer 7

Great wealth, some of which he used to buy land from Robert in Normandy.

Question 8

What did many barons want to happen regarding the dilemma of inheritance? Why?

Answer 8

For Robert to inherit both states because he was easier to manipulate.

Question 9

How many of the barons sided with Robert? Name three.

Answer 9

6/10

Included Odo of Bayeux, Count Robert of Mortain and Roger de Montgomery.

Question 10

How did Robert plan to create a feudal anarchy?

Answer 10

By attacking villages and creating chaos in England.

Question 11

What did Robert hope to achieve by creating a feudal anarchy?

Answer 11

William would be seen as a poor leader and Robert would be welcomed as the new king.

Question 12

How long did it seem Rufus’ reign would last? Why?

Answer 12

Less than a year as the violence between the brother began in 1088.

Question 13

Who did Rufus pay and why?

Answer 13

The leading rebels to get them to switch sides e.g. Robert de Montgomery.

Question 14

How did Rufus get the people of England to support him?

Answer 14

He made pledges to make England a fairer state, some of which were never carried out.

Question 15

How did Rufus use his forces to deal with the threat of a feudal anarchy?

Answer 15

He split them up into smaller armies and instructed each one to put down a particular rebellion.

Question 16

What did Rufus do with the army he controlled?

Answer 16

Stopped leader of the rebellion in England Odo of Bayeux, attacking three castles before eventually capturing him.

Question 17

How did Robert contribute to the 1088 rebellion?

Answer 17

Sent a naval force from Normandy which was stopped.

Robert never reached England.

Question 18

What was the end result of the 1088 rebellion?

Answer 18

The rebellion was put down and Rufus greatly improved his reputation in England.

Question 19

What happened between 1088 and 1091?

Answer 19

No direct violence between the brothers.

Rufus rewarded Anglo-French barons to get them on his side.

Question 20

What did Rufus do in 1091?

Answer 20

Saw the chance to control Normandy.

Took an army there but decided against war as he deemed the conditions weren’t favourable.

Question 21

What did the events in Normandy in 1091 result in?

Answer 21

The Treaty of Rouen.

Question 22

List the three main terms of the treaty?

Answer 22

1. Agreed on the division of land made by their father.
2. Support each other in protecting both states from foreign attacks.
3. If either man died, the other would inherit.

Question 23

Describe the effectiveness of the Treaty of Rouen.

Answer 23

It didn’t last and was simply used as a pro tempore solution

Question 24

Give an example of how the terms of the Treaty of Rouen were followed?

Answer 24

Curthose provided military support to Rufus during the invasion of King Malcolm from Scotland in 1091.

Question 25

How did Rufus provoke his brother in 1094?

Answer 25

He failed to assist Curthose in his invasion of Maine.

Question 26

What did Rufus do after provoking his brother?

Answer 26

Invaded Normandy with the intention of defeating his brother.

Question 27

How did Rufus attempt to gain control of Normandy in 1094?

Answer 27

Create a feudal anarchy to make himself look like a better ruler, like Robert did in 1088.

Question 28

Describe the war in Normandy in 1094.

Answer 28

A drawn out affair. Rufus seemed to have the upper hand but did not gain total victory.

Question 29

What is an example of the Scots being a threat under William the Conqueror?

Answer 29

They joined the Saxons in the 1069 rebellion.

Question 30

What was William the Conqueror’s policy of containment regarding the Scots?

Answer 30

1072 Treaty of Abernathy where Malcolm gave homage to William and became a vassal.

Question 31

What did Malcom decide in 1087?

Answer 31

As an opportunist, he believed the 1072 agreement was no longer binding as the agreement was with William the Conqueror, not Rufus.

Question 32

What did Malcolm do in 1091?

Answer 32

While Rufus was in Normandy, he invaded Cumbria and Northumbria.

Question 33

Who arrived with Rufus to stop Malcom’s 1091 incursion?

Answer 33

Robert Curthose, under the terms of the Treaty of Rouen.

Question 34

Explain the events of the 1091 incursion.

Answer 34

Rufus sent grain ships north but they sank, however the threat of force made Malcolm return north.

Question 35

Describe how Rufus followed a policy of colonisation in Scotland in 1092?

Answer 35

He removed the largest land holder in Cumbria (Dolfin in Carlisle) as he was unsure of his loyalty.

Transplanted loyal supporters in the borderlands in Northumbria and Cumbria, potentially repelling a future Scottish invasion.

Question 36

Why did Malcolm invade England again in 1093?

Answer 36

Angered by colonisation.

His daughter Edith in England was supposed to be married off to a powerful noble but this hadn’t happened.

Question 37

How was the 1093 incursion defeated?

Answer 37

No involvement from Rufus. Local loyal nobles e.g. Robert de Mowbray destroyed Malcolm’s army, killing him and his eldest him.

Question 38

What did the defeat of the 1093 incursion cause in Scotland?

Answer 38

Extended period of internal political strife. Rivals fought for the throne of Scotland meaning there were no more incursions into England.

Question 39

In what way was Rufus pragmatic regarding the situation in Scotland?

Answer 39

Played off rivals against each other, providing monetary aid to the weaker rival.

Question 40

Provide evidence of the situation of Scotland providing greater stability to English politics?

Answer 40

The Scots did not take an army into England until 1136.

Question 41

How did William the Conqueror operate a policy of containment in Wales?

Answer 41

Colonisation of the border.

• Hugh d’Avranches of Chester.
• Roger de Montgomery of Shrewsbury.
• William FitzOsbern of Hereford.

Question 42

Describe the principalities of Wales.

Answer 42

Gwynedd to the north, Powys central, Pembroke and Gwent in the south.

Question 43

Why was Wales a challenge to conquer?

Answer 43

Each territory could rise in rebellion individually.

Question 44

What were the two main complications Rufus faced in his invasion of Wales?

Answer 44

• Mountainous terrain e.g. Snowdonia
• Guerrilla warfare frustrated Rufus.

Question 45

What strategy did Rufus use in his second invasion of Wales in 1097?

Answer 45

Recruited local Welsh people to act as guides.

Question 46

State the Anglo-Saxon chronicle quote that illustrates the events of 1097.

Answer 46

“ and when the king saw that he could do nothing… he returned again to his land… and let his men build castles on the borders”.

Question 47

What does the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle quote on Wales in 1097 prove?

Answer 47

Rufus retracted into a policy of containing the Welsh threat, similar to his father William the Conqueror.