Securing power

Question 1

What is the feudal system?

Answer 1

• Norman feudalism was based on royal strength.
• The king owned all the land but gave some to the barons.
• The barons had to fight for the king and train knights for him. The knights then received some land from the barons.
• The villeins worked on the land for the knights and barons. The knights and barons paid them taxes and gave them some of their crops, as well as fines if they broke the law.

Question 2

What is the Harrying of the North?

Answer 2

• It occurred in the winter of 1069 - 1070 and is remembered as the most important moment in the whole of King William’s reign.
• It happened because William set about systematically destroying large parts of the north.
• He did it because he could not keep control over the people, he did try to deal with the people of the north peacefully just after his conquest, but William believed the safest way to control the north was to depopulate it.

Question 3

What happened at the revolt of the Earls?

Answer 3

• By 1074 Roger was unhappy with the little amount of power he had. He felt he did not have the same authority as his father in England and blamed King William for reducing his inheritance.
• The only way he could increase his power was to align with other powerful earls.
• Ralph de Gael’s father was very important. After the death of his father, Ralph’s new territory was reduced because King William wanted to reduce the power of barons he did not trust.
• Ralph’s anger made him open to Roger’s plan to rebel in order to force King William into giving them more territory and power.
• This revolt failed for many reasons;
  
  • They did not have the support of the Anglo-Saxon people.
  • They were betrayed by Earl Waltheof when he revealed the whole plan to King William.
  • Norman barons loyal to the king defeated Ralph in and forced him to escape abroad.