Norman-England-A3-Summary-Sheet

THE FEUDAL SYSTEM NORMAN GOVERNMENT

William CENTRALISATION OF POWER  Earls: Much less powerful than before. William made  Social structure was similar to Anglo- William kept many elements of Anglo-Saxon earldoms smaller – did not want earls becoming too powerful Saxons’. Tenants- in-chief government (e.g. land measurements, Witan). His (like the Godwins did).  Main difference was that William alone arons, main change was to centralise power on himself:  Regents: William used regents to rule England while he was now owned all land; others were given Under- in Normandy, e.g. Archbishop Lanfranc. He would usually land in return for carrying out a duty to tenants  Feudal system – all landholders depended on return if there was any trouble. someone else. William and swore loyalty (homage)  Sheriffs: Role stayed similar to Anglo-Saxon times, but they  Encouraged loyalty to William because Peasants  Knight service – all troops were loyal to him now had more power: they kept a share of the taxes everyone depended on him for land – if  Normanisation – Church was easier to control collected in their shire (very rich); they often took land from they upset him he would take it away.  Tenants-in-chief: Held their land directly  Royal demesne – kept land for his own Anglo-Saxons (land grabs). from the king; expected to help the king personal use and revenue  Forest: Land reserved for William’s hunting. Had strict rules  Relief: A payment that heirs had to make fight; looked after baronial courts; very  Domesday Book – record of who held what to protect animals and plants, and harsh punishments for when they inherited land (like an important people e.g. bishops; divided their  Taxes and reliefs – raised money and breaking them. Significant because it showed William’s inheritance tax). William could charge a land up among under-tenants. encouraged loyalty to William power and meant he directly controlled more land. small relief to people he liked or threaten  Knights (under-tenants): Had to provide difficult people with a high relief. knight service (40 days); best soldiers in DOMESDAY BOOK  Homage: An oath of loyalty to William, England; often based in castles; had taken by all landholders (“I become your weapons such as couched lances; looked  Giant survey of  Financial: Told William how much tax people were paying, after manorial (local) courts. England, written 1086. and whether he could charge them more. man”). NORMAN  Forfeiture: Punishment if a landholder  Peasants: Had to provide labour service to  Recorded who owned  Legal: Settled land disputes between Anglo-Saxons and didn’t carry out their duty; they were their under-tenant; this involved doing farm ENGLAND what and how much Normans, which boosted William’s image as a fair king. fined or had their land taken away. work or providing food they had grown. tax they could pay.  Military: Showed how many soldiers each area could  Significant in 3 ways  provide, meaning William could be prepared for an attack. THE CHURCH WILLIAM & HIS FAMILY  Church was very important: ARCHBISHOP LANFRANC’S REFORMS NORMAN ARISTOCRACY o Had lots of land Aristocracy = the upper class; rich, BISHOP ODO OF BAYEUX WILLIAM’S DEATH o Kept laws and documents  Lanfranc replaced Stigand as important people. Norman o Bishops were well-educated Archbishop of Canterbury in 1070.  William’s half-brother; Earl of Kent  William died in 1087 after falling from aristocrats loved to show off wealth: and advised the king  Lanfranc was in charge of the Church and co-regent in 1067. his horse several weeks earlier. o Archbishop Lanfranc was in the whole country, whereas  Buildings: Built huge cathedrals,  Odo was power-hungry and got  His death was full of bad omens, e.g. William’s regent Stigand had just controlled his area. churches and castles – himself into trouble: he illegally took his fat corpse burst in the cathedral! o Church leaders owed knight  He wanted Church members to lead a impressive and experimental. land; he looted Northumbria in 1079;  William had stated that eldest son service more spiritual life. He was against  Fashion: Men shaved the backs he tried to take some of William’s Robert would inherit Normandy, and pluracy and simony (Stigand had of their heads (luxury!). personal knights on a trip to Rome. favourite son William Rufus would NORMANISATION been guilt of both!).  Names: Family names based on  Put in prison by William in 1082 – inherit England…  Lanfranc brought in reforms: where they lived. only released on William’s deathbed.  William Normanised the Church: o WILLIAM II Created more monasteries  Chivalry: Moral code about how o Churches and cathedrals o ROBERT CURTHOSE Priests were no longer allowed to they treated enemies. were rebuilt in Norman style marry/have sex  William Rufus was crowned William II  Beliefs: Strongly Christian, o Almost every Anglo-Saxon o Created special church courts  Robert was William’s eldest son, but in September 1087. believed in penance. Destroyed bishop was replaced by a o Rural cathedrals were knocked the two did not get on.  Robert Curthose felt hard done by; as Saxon church relics and tombs. Norman down and rebuilt in bigger towns  They fell out in 1077, after Robert had eldest son, he thought he should have

o Churches were made to o Brought in more archdeacons to LANGUAGE a fight with two of his brothers. Normandy and England. follow Norman procedures look after priests and courts  Robert went to France and launched  His uncle Odo agreed, and began a  Most couldn’t speak English raids against William. rebellion against William II. Smaller (including William & Lanfranc!).  William and Robert fought in 1079 – This strengthened William’s power because… rebellions broke out across the  Legal/Church documents were William was knocked off his horse and country.  Norman bishops/priests spread William’s messages and were less likely to rebel. written in Latin. humiliated!  Crucially, majority of population did  William could control communication between the Church and Pope.  English became vernacular: spoken  The two eventually made up in 1080 not support the rebellion, and it failed.  William chose bishops and had a say in any important Church decisions. only by the common people. (reunion organised by Matilda). William II was popular afterwards.