Key Words Anglo-Saxons People who settled in England after the Romans left. Earls (W2) Second only to the king, the earls controlled parts of England, (W1) They came from northern Europe. called earldoms, for him. They were very powerful. Normans People from northern France that were originally Shire An official of the king, his sheriff. They managed the king’s Vikings. They conquered England under William, reeve estates, collected taxes and ran local courts. Duke of Normandy. Subject: History Aristocracy The people in society who are seen as being most The The part of England where Danish (Viking) power had been Year:9 important due to their wealth and power which is Danelaw the strongest and which had kept some of its Danish laws Term: 1a often inherited from their parents or ancestors. rather than Anglo-Saxon ones. Topic: Anglo-Saxon England and the Ceorls Free peasant farmers that were not tied to their Geld tax A tax on land, originally to pay off the Vikings (Danegeld). It Norman Conquest, 1060-66 land. went to the king. Thegns Local lords that often controlled villages. They were Hides The measurement used for land in Anglo Saxon England. One Core Texts also a warrior class. hide was about 120 acres. Pearson’s Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History, Fyrd The men of the Anglo-Saxon army and fleet. Every Housecarls Highly trained troops that stayed with their lord wherever he Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, five hides provided one man for the fyrd. went – a bodyguard. c.1060-1088 Hundreds A unit of land administration, sometimes 100 hides Tithing An administrative unit that was a group of ten households – of land. originally a tenth of a hundred. Suggested further reading Blood feuds A revenge system where the victim’s family could kill Succession The process that decides who should be the next king or The Norman Conquest, Marc Morris someone from the murderer’s family, and so on. queen – who should ‘succeed’ to the throne. Key Individuals (W3 , W5) Timeline, 1015-1066 (W5, W6) W3 : Edward the Confessor – Anglo-Saxon king of England, from the House of W5: 1015 – Cnut becomes king of England. The first long-lasting Viking king of England. Wessex,before 1066. Had no children which led to the succession crisis. 1030s – Godwin, a thegn,made Earl of Wessex by Cnut. Edgar Atheling – Born in exile in Hungary, Edward’s great nephew, and the 1035 – Death of Cnut the Great, King of Denmark, England and Norway. Succeeded by his sons legitimate heir to the English throne, but was too weak to claim it in 1066. Harold Harefoot and then Harthacnut. Harold Godwinson – A powerful Anglo-Saxon noble and earl of Wessex after 1042 – Edward the Confessor, Cnut’s stepson, becomes king after the death of Harthacnut, the death of his father, Godwin. He became king in 1066. returning from exile in Normandy. He appoints some Normans to influential positions, Tostig Godwinson – Harold’s younger brother, Earl of Northumbria from upsetting Godwin. 1055 until a revolt against his cruelty led to his removal in 1065. 1045 – Edward marries Godwin’s daughter, Edith. This signals Godwin’s power over Edward. Godwin – Harold’s father and predecessor as Earl of Wessex. He made his 1051 – Edward orders Godwin to punish the people of Dover for attacking an embassy. family the most powerful in England. Exiled by Edward in 1051, but returned Godwin refuses and is sent into exile. in 1052. Died in 1053. 1052 – Godwin returns and is peacefully reinstated to his earldom. The Earls of England, 1030-66 Gyrth and Leofwine Godwinson – Younger brothers of Harold. Gyrth was Earl 1053 – Godwin dies and Harold becomes Earl of Wessex. The power of the Godwinsons wane. (W7) of East Anglia from 1055, Leofwine became Earl of Kent in the same year. W6:1055 – The Godwinsons re-establish their power, with Tostig given the Earldom of Godwin, Wessex, 1030-53. W4:William, Duke of Normandy – leader of the Normans from northern Northumbria while Gyrth and Leofwine received East Anglia and Kent. Harold, Wessex, 1053-66. France, defeated Harold in 1066 to take the English throne, ruled until 1087. 1062 – The death of Aelfgar, a rival of the Godwinsons. Harold and Tostig then defeat his old Siward, Northumbria, 1041-55. Harald Hardrada– King of Norway, another contender for the English throne. ally, GruffudapLlywelyn, a Welsh king. Tostig, Northumbria, 1055- Edwin and Morcar – Earls of Mercia and Northumbria respectively, allied to 1064/5 – Harold’s embassy to Normandy. It is unknown what happened here. 1065. Harold through his marriage to their sister, Edith. Sons of Aelfgar. 1065 – Northumbria rebels against Tostig. Edward orders the rebellion to be put down, but Gyrth, East Anglia, 1055-66. Aelfgar – Earl of Mercia, son of Leofric. A rival of the Godwinsons. Died in Harold sides with the rebels.Tostig is exiled and travels first to Normandy, then Norway. Leofwine, Kent, 1055-66. 1062. 1066 – Edward the Confessor dies. Harold marries Edith, daughter of his old rival, Aelfgar, as is Leofric, Mercia, d.1057 Stigand – Archbishop of Canterbury from 1052, an ally of Godwin. Also made king. Invasion of Harald Hardrada and William, Duke of Normandy. Aelfgar, Mercia, 1057-1062. th bishop of Winchester. Enemy of the Pope who excommunicated him in 1052. 20 September 1066 – Battle of Gate Fulford. Morcar and Edwin defeated by Harald Hardrada. Edwin, Mercia, 1062-66. th Cnut the Great – A Viking king of England who ruled for 20 years. Defeated 25 September 1066 – Battle of Stamford Bridge. Hardrada defeated by Harold Godwinson. Ralph the Timid, Hereford, th the kings of the House of Wessex. 14 October 1066 – Battle of Hastings. Harold Godwinson is killed and William wins the battle. 1051-57. .