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History > The Normans - Unit 1 : The Conquest and Control > Flashcards

The Normans - Unit 1 : The Conquest and Control Flashcards

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1
Q

Succession in 1066

A
  • Post obitum (after death) - a nomination or request to become king after previous one has died
  • Novissima Verba - king names a choice on his deathbed
  • Witan (council of lords and churchmen) decide
  • Anyone who successfully attacks or invades
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2
Q

Why there was a succession crisis in 1066

A

Edward the Confessor died without any male heirs to the throne

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3
Q

Main contenders to the throne in 1066

A
  • Harold Godwinson - Anglo Saxon
  • Harald Hadrada - Viking
  • William Duke of Normandy - Norman
  • Edgar Aethling - Anglo Saxon
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4
Q

Edgar - STRENGTHS

A
  • Edwards nearest relative
  • Named successor by Edward the Confessor
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5
Q

Edgar - WEAKNESSES

A
  • Only 14 years of age
  • No money, soldiers or military experience
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6
Q

Harald Hadrada - STRENGTHS

A
  • Experienced ruler and seasoned warrior
  • Had previous Earl of Northumberland Tostig Godwin’s support
  • Many in England had Scandinavian roots = supported him
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7
Q

Harald Hadrada - WEAKNESSES

A
  • Very harsh
  • His claims to the throne were based on his own father being promised the throne
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8
Q

William Duke of Normandy - STRENGTHS

A
  • Allies with Wessex = good relations with the English
  • Had previously shown support of Edward when he had been faced with rebellion
  • Harold Godwinson had sworn an oath to support William as the next King (claimed by the Normans)
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9
Q

William Duke of Normandy - WEAKNESSES

A
  • Distant cousin of Edward but was the illegitimate son of the Duke of Normandy
  • Wasn’t the only one promised the throne
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10
Q

Harold Godwinson - STRENGTHS

A
  • King’s brother in law
  • from the most powerful family in England and richest man in England after inheriting the earldom
  • In Edwards last year he acted as sub regulus and gained power
  • skilled military leader
  • had the power to stop invasions from abroad
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11
Q

Harold Godwinson - WEAKNESSES

A

Disliked by some in England

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12
Q

Edwards Successor

A

Harold Godwinson
- declared King of England on January 6th 1066a day after Edward died
- Popular with the English lords
- Married sister of the Earls Edwin and Morcar

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13
Q

Events of 1066
JAN - MAY

A
  • William prepared army of 700 ships on Dieve Harbour in Normandy
  • Harold had his base on the Isle of Wight

Harold had two types of soldier
1. HOUSECARLS : full-time professional army
2. FYRD : part - time troops recruited from every village

In summer of 1066, after awaiting Williams invasion, Harold decided to dismantle his army and return to London

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14
Q

Events of 1066
SEP : Battle of Stamford Bridge

A

The VIKINGS invaded the north of England and Harold reassembled his army and headed up north

  • Saxons travelled 180 miles in 5 days
  • Got lucky as : Vikings were unarmed and split by the river
  • Once over the bridge, both sides formed a shield wall (locked shields)
  • The Saxons won and Harold was still King (HARALD HADRADA KILLED)
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15
Q

Events in 1066
SEP : NORMAN PREPARATION

A

Problem with Norman Army = not big enough or strong enough to invade so he had to gather some from other nations

  • He did this by : offering rich pickings and saying that it was a religious war backed by the Pope (carried the Papal banner)
  • William had cavalry something Harold didn’t have
  • Despite the south coast being vulnerable (Viking invasion) the wind meant that Norman’s couldn’t set sail until the 27th
  • Ns landed in East Sussex, Pevensey whilst the A-S were in the north
  • To provoke Harold, and establish control early, William began to burn and pillage villages on the coast
  • Saxons went from up north to south
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16
Q

Events of 1066
OCTOBER - Battle of Hastings
Pt 1

A

Harold set up his shield wall along the route to London to prevent them getting to London and to force them into battle : the wall was about a mile long and he put archers at the front to weaken the enemy shield wall.

  • Norman archers were shooting uphill so their arrows went over the wall
  • In order to break the A-S shield wall, the foot soldiers ran towards it but the A-S didn’t move so William ordered in his cavalry in place of the foot soldiers
  • Suddenly on the left of the Norman army they retreated and the A-S on that side followed which broke the wall and Harold couldn’t stop them as he was in the front line
17
Q

Events of 1066
OCTOBER - Battle of Hastings
Pt 2

A
  • Once both sides are on equal ground the AS were surrounded by the Normans as they were backed into a marshy area
  • Normans kept staging retreats to break the shield wall and lure the Saxons to even ground
  • FINAL TACTIC : William put every man that could still walk or ride into one solid mass and put the archers at the back so they could hit those behind the Shield wall

William was crowned 2 months later on Christmas Day in 1066

18
Q

Extra info on events on 1066 - TOSTIG GODWINSON

A

MAY 1066
- Harolds brother Tostig argued that he had a legitimate claim to the throne despit his exile to Flanders in 1065. So he attempted to raid the Sussex Coast in May but was unsuccessful

19
Q

Key Feature of Norman warfare - Castles

A

Built wooden ones to protect troops and control surrounding land (establish control)

They brought pre-made castles to England in order to save time.

20
Q

Reasons why William won at Hastings
NORMAN STRENGTHS

A
  • Combination of archers, soldiers, infantry and cavalry
  • Religion - God was on their side
  • Gained control pre - battle by burning and pillaging villages and building their temporary castles
  • Lots of ships = lots of resources with them
  • Archers = long distance attacks
21
Q

Reasons why William won at Hastings
SAXON WEAKNESSES

A
  • Harold killed = no morale left for the soldiers
  • Just marched down from Stamford Bridge = tired
  • Harold was fighting on foot
  • Defence rather than offence
  • Had inexperienced soldiers - Fyrd
22
Q

Reasons why William won at Hastings
LUCK

A
  • Wind changing direction allowing Normans to get to England quickly
  • Tactic of luring the Saxons to even ground
23
Q

How William Dealt with early rebellions

A
  • Violence (e.g. Harrying of the North)
  • Offer jobs and responsibilities to keep them happy
  • Remove titles and land from the rebels
  • Imprison and execute rebels
  • Offer money to invaders
24
Q

Rebellion 1
HARRYING OF THE NORTH

A

1068 - Edwin and Morcar (ex Saxon earls after William came into power)
Along with Edgar Æthling fled Williams court and went north. Edgar needed allies so King Malcolm gave his support to them

1069 - Norman Earl Robert of Commies was murdered by English rebels and Edgar attacked the City of York
+ Danish Vikings invaded and joined with the English Army with 249 ships = defeated Normans outside of castle of York and captured it

How William dealt with it
- He payed the Vikings to leave
- Laid waste to vast areas of land around York, burning and salting fields and killing any living creature. Thus was known as the Harrying of the North

25
Q

REBELLION 2
HEREWARD THE WAKE

A
  • had a grudge against William and his Earls as they had taken his father’s lands and killed his brother
  • Joined a rebellion with the English Earls and foreign supporters
  • He, along with King Swegn and Morcar launched guerrilleros style attacks in the marshes and fenlands of East Anglia
  • 1070 attacked Peterborough : looted and burned the Abbey

In response:
- Used the Church to identify where the rebeles were and built a castle to protect themselves and show authority

26
Q

REBELLION 3
WELSH BORDER

A

Welsh Borders = wild and untamed : refuge for English outlaws and difficult to rule

1067 - Edric the Wild began a revolt with a large number of English followers. With Welsh Princes support, he stole property along the border

1069 - launched another attack reaching Cheshire and Staffordshire
- as he and his followers approached the Norman castle at Shrewsbury the commanders held the, at the gates and William personally met them in battle and the rebeles were defeated

27
Q

Advantages of castles

A
  • Gives high vantage point due to elevation
  • Steel stairs = hinders quicker movements
  • Quick to build
  • High ground = good defence
  • Provides jobs and work to the locals
28
Q

Disadvantages of castles

A
  • Easily flammable
  • Rots easily
  • Weak to cannons
  • Can’t hold large amounts of weapons

1070 - Normans started to build motte and bailey castles out of stone

29
Q

Why motte and Bailey castles were built

A
  • Places that have or are likely to rebel
  • Close to each other = don’t have to travel for to stop revolts in different areas
  • Welsh and Scottish Borders = prevents invasion
  • Close to towns
  • On high ground close to a water source

E.g. York, Exeter, Pevensey

30
Q

How castles helped William keep control

A
  • He could watch over the cities that had rebelled - intimidation tactics
  • Reminded the English of Norman rule
  • Useful for housing troops and keeping supplies
  • Defence from invading countries helped them keep the crown
31
Q

William the Conqueror’s POSITIVE legacy

A
  • Domesday Book
  • Close to God and very religious (support from the Pope)
  • A good fighter
  • Castles gave work to local (castellans) and non - violent method of control
  • Strong military power - protects England from invasion
  • People were able to buy land
  • Some continuity of Edwards reign
32
Q

William the Conqueror’s NEGATIVE legacy

A
  • Harrying of the North
  • Burned and pillaged villages before he even became king
  • Built castles to impose and establish authority
  • Strong military = harder to get a Saxon on the throne
  • Taxed people to build castles
  • Seized land
33
Q

William’s Successors

A

William II (Rufus)
Henry I

34
Q

William II (Rufus) facts

A

1088 = faced baronial rebellion from his uncle in favor of Robert (eldest son of William I) but it failed

1089 = laid claim to Normandy by defeating Robert and reducing him to a subordinate role

1096 = laid a much resented tax to pay Robert for Normandy

  • Difficult relations with the Church and had Anslems (Archbishop of Canterbury) estates seized
  • Dies whilst hunting but it was suspected to have been an assassination as William II younger brother Henry I was crowned the day before he died (this is just a speculation
35
Q

Henry I facts

A
  • Strengthened the crown’s executive powers and modernised royal administration
  • 4th son of William I
  • Took advantage of Roberts absence (crusade) to be crowned
  • Bought support in response to barons support of Robert : granted favours, abolished abuses, married Edith the sister of the King of Scotland to secure the northern border
  • Robert tried to invade but was captured and imprisoned for life
  • Ruled both England and Normandy

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