Where were Norman castles and what did they look like? Flashcards
Between 1068-1071 why did William build castles?
To show his power and to stop rebellions
Why were Norman Castles unpopular with the English?
- The English were often forced to build the castles
- They were a visible sign of Norman rule
- In some places, Norman soldiers living in the castles treated the local population very badly
- In some towns, hundreds of houses were demolished to make room for the castles
- William raised the taxes to pay for the castles
The castles in York had a big motte. How big was it and which 2 rivers did it overlook?
60 meters wide and overlooked Ouse and Fosse
Why was it important that William’s castles protected roads?
So he could move his army across England
Who did the king trust to establish control in Southern England?
The Sussex barons - sussex was divided between 6 barons, who each had a castle. These protected the roads between London and Normandy
Who did the king trust to establish control in Western England?
Robert of Mortain - Robert was Williams half brother. William gave him huge amounts of land and Robert built castles across the West
Who did the king trust to establish control along the Welsh borders?
William FitzOsbern - William’s closest friend and Earl of Hereford
By 1071 how many castles were there across England?
35
When William died in 1087, how many castles were there in England and Wales?
500
Where were these castles build mostly and why were they built?
They were built in the countryside and they were used to manage the land and for military purposes
What were most motte and bailey castles made of?
Timber on an earth mound (motte)
Very few were built of stone
If castles didn’t have a motte what did they have instead?
They had earthwork defences called ‘ringworks’
