Norman Conquest revision guide

England under Edward the Confessor

Ruled since 1042
Before 1042, England had been ruled by Edward’s half-brother, Harthacnut
His reign had been stable and largely peaceful, there was a growing threat
from Normandy and Norway / Denmark
The earls were the most important aristocrats, the relationship with the king
was based on loyalty
King Edward was not a warrior king he relied on his earls being a powerful
military force, especially Earl Godwin
During his time he brought many of his Norman friends to England as advisors
This angered the Anglo – Saxons and caused some disagreement with Earl
Godwin
King Edward was a respected law – maker and he was very religious
King Edward was married to Edith of Wessex, Earl Godwin’s daughter

Exam skill time – Explain what was important about the death of Edward the
Confessor

Edward the Confessor, the King of England, died on 5th January 1066.
The King had the right to choose his successor…But…Edward had promised
the throne to two people.
Edward was 62 when he died but had no heir…But…He did have a nephew
called Edgar but he was young.
The country needed a strong, experienced warrior King…But …In 1066 there
were three men who were strong, experienced warriors who wanted to be
King.
 Contenders to the throne
• Who are the four contenders?
1. Harald Hardrada
2. Harold Godwinson
3. William of Normandy
4. Edgar Atheling
• Why do they think they should be king?
1. Harald Hardrada- Father had been promised the throne of
England, but was not given it upon Edwards death-Hardrada
wanted to claim what was rightfully his.
2. Harold Godwinson-Elected as king by the Witan Council-he also
claimed Edward promised him the throne on his deathbed. No
witnesses to support this claim.
3. William of Normandy-Cousin of Edward-Claimed Harold
Godwinson had promised him the throne of England while held
capture by William in return for his brother’s freedom-claims
Harold swore an Oath of Fealty to him. Harold denies this.
4. Edgar Atheling- Closest blood relative to the throne of England
but is only a young boy with no experience.
• Who do you think had the best claim? Explain your answer with
evidence.

The main battles

The Battle of Fulford
• When did it happen? 20th September 1066
• Where did it happen? Near York on the edge of a village
• Who were the leaders? Edwin and Morcar vs Tostig and Hardrada
• What happened? The two armies met either side of a small river-when
the tide went out both sides fought in the mud of the river causing
many to become trapped or die in battle. Hardrada and his best men
had hidden themselves away from the battle and then went around
 the back of the Saxon army to sandwich them-in doing so defeated the
Saxon army.
• Which armies were involved? The Saxon and Viking armies
• Who won? The Vikings
• How many people died? Thousands dead
Why is it significant? If the Saxon army had won at Fulford then Stamford
Bridge would not have taken place-as a result the English army size and
experience would have been much larger by the time they faced William at
Hastings-which could have affected the final battle significantly.

The Battle of Stamford Bridge

• When did it happen? 25th September 1066
• Where did it happen? Yorkshire
• Who were the leaders? Harald Hardrada and Tostig vs Harold
Godwinson
• What happened? The Saxon army caught the Viking army by surprise
after marching quickly to Stamford Bridge with his full army after
agreeing a prisoner exchange-Due to their recent victories the Viking
army had left most of their equipment and armour 25km away on their
ships along with a third of his army as Hardrada didn’t think Harold
would bring his entire force. The Saxons attacked with a single brave
Viking warrior holding them off on the bridge, killing dozens of men until
a Saxon floated under the bridge on a barrel and stabbed him between
the legs. Although this gave the Viking army time to form their defences
their lack of armour and men cost them the battle. Both Harald
Hardrada (killed with an arrow to the neck due to no armour) and Tostig
(refused to accept Godwinsons offer) died. The Viking threat had been
removed completely.
• Which armies were involved? Saxon and Viking
• Who won? Saxons
 • How many people died? Thousands dead-heavy losses for the Viking
army
Exam Question: Describe the Battle of Stamford Bridge (4 marks)
 To answer this question you must use a PEEL answer.
 Make 2-3 different points which are well explained.
 For example the lack of Amour cost the lives of many Vikings, compared
to the Saxon armour who were well protected. This led to the death of
Hardrada.
 Or the defeat of the Viking on the Bridge which finally allowed the
English to attack the weak and outnumbered Viking army who were
short on men and armour.

The Battle of Hastings

• When did it happen? 14th October 1066
• Where did it happen? Hastings in the south of England
• Who were the leaders? Harold Godwinson and William the Conqueror
• What happened? The Saxon army formed a shield wall on top of Senlac
Hill blocking off William’s route to London. William fired arrows towards
the Saxon army followed by an attack by his infantry and knights on
horseback. The Saxon shield wall stayed strong and the Normans lost
many men. At one point the Norman soldiers thought William had been
killed until he lifted up his helmet to rally his men, during this moment
the Norman army had begun to retreat making the Saxon army come
down the hill. William then used this tactic again causing the Saxon army
to break up. As a result the Saxon army were vulnerable and chopped
down by the Norman knights. Around this time Harold Godwinson is
believed to have been killed by an arrow in his eye or was cut down by a
hit squad of Norman knights and cut to pieces. The Saxon army was
defeated.
• Which armies were involved? Saxon and Norman
• Who won? The Normans
 • How many people died? Estimated 5000-7000 Saxon and 8000 English.
Exam Question: Explain why William was victorious at Hastings (8 marks)
 Once again you need to write using PEEL paragraphs.
 The two different factors to consider are What William did to prepare
and what problems Harold Godwinson faced.
 For every point you make you must explain why it was significant
towards William’s victory.
 The options:
1. Williams’s preparation-William had knights on horseback, flat pack
castles, food and drink, well rested, archers and tactics.
2. Harold-Tired army from battles and marching, lost his experienced
men, no archers, hungry and thirsty, no knights on horseback.

Establishing control
In order to gain control of England William needed to protect his small army
of 10,000 men in a country of 2 million Saxons. One way he did this was with
castles.
William had created a number of flat pack castles in Normandy and brought
them by boat to England-he constructed these to protect his men when he
first invaded. They were called Motte and Baileys and had never been seen in
England before.
• What type of castles did William and the Normans build? Motte and
Bailey Castles
• What are the features of Norman Castles?
1. Made of wood-quick and easy to build
2. Motte-The hill Bailey-The lower section
3. The keep-fortified structure on the motte-used as a home for the
lord
4. Moat/Ditch-outside of the bailey to protect the castle
5. Palisade Wall-Wooden spiked posts for protection
6. Drawbridge-Used to stop people accessing the bailey.
• What was the function of the castles? Control, protection and shelter.
 • Where did he build them? Around the country to control areas with
large populations.
• What are the advantages and disadvantages?
1. Advantages-Quick and cheap to build, can be put up within a few
months, allows you to quickly control an area. Can be built
anywhere near a forest.
2. Disadvantages-Can be burnt easily, can rot if too close to water.
Easily surrounded and sieged with enough men.
Exam question: Describe the advantages of a motte and bailey castle (4
marks). Remember PEEL. 2 points that are explained

What problems did William face in 1066?

 Anglo Saxons
 Controlling England
 Edwin and Morcar
 Being from Normandy
 Other challenges to his throne from abroad

Rebellions and uprisings

1067 Hereford: Trouble broke out in Herefordshire when Edric the Wild
started a revolt with a number of English followers. Edric was supported by
the Welsh princes and managed to steal property along the Herefordshire /
Welsh border. Edric failed to take control of the area.

1068 Exeter: The city of Exeter rebelled against William’s rule. William took
back control by besieging the city, Exeter held out for 18 days and then were
forced to surrender to the King. The King built a castle on the highest ground
and left his half brother Robert of Mortain in charge

1068 Mercia: Edwin and Morcar provided a challenge to William’s rule. The
two earls began to gather allies against William and in Edwin’s land in
Mercia. William acted as quickly as soon as he realised there was danger. He
led an army swiftly northwards, stopping in Mercia ensuring no revolts and
then to Northumbria, building castles along the way.

1068 And 1069 York: Edgar needed allies in order to continue his pursuit of
King of England, he flees to the North. Edgar attacked York and the North of
England became the most rebellious area of England. Danish Vikings joined
forces with Edgar and Waltheof. The joint English and Danish army defeated
the Norman forces and captured the castle in York. William decided to deal
with the attack in York himself, and marched North, as he approached the
Vikings retreated and William paid them to leave.
1069 Harrying of the North: After the events in York, William decided to
destroy lots of the land in the north of England, this is called Harrying of the
North, destroying the North. William laid waste to vast areas of land in
Yorkshire, burning and salting the fields and killing any living creature. 80% of
the land in the area was recorded to be waste – unpopulated and
uncultivated.

1069 South West: William is once again under attack from King Harold’s sons,
who landed in Exeter in the South West and attacked it. The Norman soldiers
placed at the castle after previous unrest, defeats them and forces them to
return to Ireland.

1069 East Anglia: After Harrying the North, the English earls Edwin and
Morcar continued to cause problems for William in East Anglia. They joined
forces with King Swegn of Denmark and Hereward the Wake, an English
thegn (a person who owned land). Hereward had a grudge against William
and wanted to dethrone him, the attackers used guerilla style tactics in the
marshes in East Anglia. They set up a base on the Isle of Ely, where they built
up supplies to survive a siege. William was not able to use his usual tactics, so
had to develop a new attacking method – siege towers. The events at Ely did
not all go William’s way, however in the end the Monks helped William find a
secret rout to Hereward and he disappeared and the rebels surrender to the
Normans.
Exam question: What was the Harrying of the North?
Exam question: How did William deal with Hereward the wake?

How was William’s situation different by 1075?

1066
 Opposition from Anglo Saxons
 Prominent earls against William’s rule; Edwin and Morcar
 Unrest particularly in northern England and London
 Challenge of Edgar’s claim to the throne

1075
 Had defeated many challenges to his power across England and threats
from Scotland
 Had continued to fortify England through the building of castles
 Developed attacking methods to defeat his opposition e.g. siege tower
 Exam Question: How convincing is Interpretation C about the way in which
William dealt with rebellions? Explain your answer using Interpretation C and
your contextual knowledge. (8 marks)
Interpretation C
Adapted from a history textbook by Toby Purser, 2004; Purser is a specialist
in Norman history and his book focusses on how Anglo-Saxon England was
transformed into Anglo-Norman England:
‘William put the rebellions down with great brutality; any pretence he had to
being the legitimate heir of Edward the Confessor ended during this period.
To underpin his occupation he built hundreds of castles across the kingdom,
garrisoned by armed mounted troops.
How do I structure it?
• You must also be BALANCED!
How is it convincing?
• How is it NOT convincing?
• And a final JUDGEMENT / Conclusion!
• PEEL Paragraphs

The Feudal System

 Before the Normans arrived , the English were ruled by the King and
the Anglo Saxon aristocracy – the earls
 England was divided up into earldoms (areas of land)
 The King could make anyone an earl and give them land, but he could
also take it away
 William wanted to retain Anglo Saxon earls but their lack of loyalty
meant they were replace by Normans
 The Norman feudal system was based on William favouring and giving
land to those who had helped him to conquer his new kingdom.
The Feudal system under Norman rule
 Hierarchy under Saxon rule-before William

A form of the feudal

system existed in Anglo-Saxon
times even before the Norman
Conquest. Across Europe the
countries were organised in a
structured way. In England the
land was granted to the earls
and barons, approved by the
Witan, the highest council in the
land. Each area of land was
administered by the earl who
ensured laws were enforced.
The earl was given the full right
to govern as he saw fit.
Sometimes this meant the rule
Year Event What happened

14th October Battle of Hastings The English infantry was broken, William had won
1066 the battle. He gave thanks for victory by founding an
altar and later an abbey at the place known
afterwards as Battle.
October 1066 William took the Following the defeat of Harold at the Battle of
treasury Hastings, William made it his first priority to gain
control of the English treasury.
Late October / William took London William mounted a campaign of devastation in and
Early around London which forced Edgar Atheling to
November surrender.
1066

25th December Coronation of William William, Duke of Normandy, was crowned King of
1066 England in Westminster Abbey.

1066 onwards The feudal system All land belonged to the crown. One quarter was
treated by William as personal property and the rest
was leased out under strict conditions.
1067 Distribution of land William distributed land to his trusted Norman
barons. He was careful to ensure that no one man
was given too great an area in any given region. The
estates were also scattered all over the country to
easily put down any sign of rebellion against
Norman rule.
1070 Taxation Tithes were introduced. Under this system, the
population had to pay one-tenth of their annual
increases in profit for the upkeep of the church.
1070 William refused to Although William was very religious, he refused to
allow the church power allow church authority to be greater than his own.
1070 William appoints Lanfranc is appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury,
Lanfranc he advised William on religious affairs and played
an important role in King William’s reform of the
Church.
1070 Ecclesiastical/ Lay William separated ecclesiastical courts from lay
courts courts and brought many of the church's everyday
functions under the authority of common law.
1073- 1076 William to Normandy Because England was now relatively secure, William
 spent much of this time in Normandy defending it
from increasingly hostile neighbours. The main
threats to Normandy were King Philip of France.
1085- 1086 Threat of invasion William returned to England to ward off a threatened
invasion from Scandinavia.
1086 Domesday Book The Domesday Book was a survey of England
compiled under the orders of William.
July 1087 William injured The garrison of the French fortress of Mantes made a
raid into Normandy. William retaliated and sacked
Mantes, receiving the injury from which he was to
die.
9 Sept 1087 William Died William died in France from wounds received at the
siege of Mantes. He left Normandy to his eldest son,
Robert Curthose. He left both his sword and the
English crown to his second son William.

What changed and stayed the same under William’s rule?

Similar
 In theory the King had the power
 The Royal household remained the same; servants, troops,
administrative staff and personal advisors
 Land was the key currency
 Feudal system was similar depending on power to the King and giving
land, taxes and food in return
 Peasants were essential for the amount of work completed for the rest
of society, also the biggest part of society
 Life for peasants continued much the same in the villages
 Lives were dominated by the different demands of the agricultural
year and surviving bad harvests and disease
 People had great respect for those who were successful in battle and
luck in battle meant that you were favoured by God

Differences
The King did have the power in Norman England, the government and laws
were set up in order to ensure this happened – centralised government
 The land was divided and held by tenants in chief in Norman England,
William changed the way he granted the land to increase Norman
control
 The thegns were destroyed as a class under the Normans, replaced by
knights
 Normans though slavery was wrong and sometimes freed slaves
 Economic demands on the peasants increased
 William was generous to his supporters, so they remained loyal to him
but not too much power
 Use of the king’s writs to maintain control
 Normans had mounted military, Anglo Saxons rode to the battlefield
and then fought on foot
 Castle building
 Rebuilding of churches and cathedrals in stone
 Norman knights replace Anglo Saxon thegns
 The Witan provided advice in Anglo Saxon England, in Norman England
this was replaced by Curia Regis (the King’s court)
 Trade with Scandanvia decreased, trade with Normandy increased

Exam Question– Write an account of the ways in which Anglo – Saxon and
Norman England were similar / different
 Complex analysis of changes
 You explain two causes and their consequences and explain how one
leads to the other / how they LINK!
 Use a PEEL answer
 Don’t tell a story
 Justice and the Legal System

Anglo Saxon – Justice and legal system

 Sophisticated and organised system, more advanced than Normandy
 Shire and hundred courts
 The Witan advised the King on matters that related to England
 Royal treasury based at Winchester
 Anglo Saxons used silver pennies
 The King had lots of power in theory, there were also major
landowners, the earls, who had wealth and influence to challenge the
king
 Sheriffs were used to represent the king and the earls, they collected
taxes and ensured the shire met its military obligations

Norman England – Justice and legal system

 William chose to keep what worked from the Anglo Saxon justice and
legal system
 William refined Anglo Saxon systems to aid his control of England and
increase the power of the King
 Kept the Anglo Saxon organised courts of the shire and hundred
 Kept a royal council (similar to the Witan of Anglo Saxon times) to
meet and advise on matters relating to England
 Kept the Royal Treasury at Winchester
 Continued to use silver pennies like the Anglo Saxons had done, but
William took greater control on who was allowed to mint the coins
 William centralised power – he owned all of the land and punished
anyone who acted against him
  William reduced the power and number of earls
 William relied on regents to run the country when he was in Normandy
 Sheriffs were used to represent the king, collect taxes and also
represent the earls
 At first William wanted continuity to gain the support of the people
and then he wanted to introduce changes to increase his power

Kings Court
 Upheld the laws of the king and was presided over by the king or a designated official
 Did not exist under Anglo Saxon rule
 The king was the law maker.
 People of England looked for the king to provide peace and justice.

Shire Courts
 Large Anglo Saxon earldoms had been replaced with smaller Norman earldoms, often based
around shire towns.
 Castles were built in shire towns and the administration of law and order was based at the
castles, including the sheriffs and the courts.
 The importance of shire courts declined due to the increasing role of courts that would hear
tenants claims against their lords.
 England was divided into shires.
 The shire court met twice a year.
 Cases were heard by the shire court about land disputes, crime, taxes and rebellion and
heard by the sheriff.
 Shire courts remained the method of enforcing law and order in local areas.

Sheriffs

 Sheriffs had much greater power under the Normans.

#
 New laws were introduced to which the sheriff was responsible for enforcing.

 Sheriffs lost some power when church courts started dealing with religious cases.

 The King appointed the sheriff.

 The sheriff was less important than the earls in Anglo Saxon England.

 Sheriffs were responsible for maintaining law and order in their area.
 Hundreds Courts
 The Hundred courts met more frequently than shire courts and were run by the sheriff’s deputy
(second in command).

 Dealt with smaller areas of land after the change in the number of earldoms.

 Presided over by the head of the family.

 Shires were divided into hundreds which were 100 hides in size and being large areas, hundred
courts were now concerned with smaller areas.

 Hundred courts continued and looked at local issues.

 Cases were heard and punishments decided in the courts.

Inheritance
 Under the new feudal system it was vital that the new earldoms were not split up after a earl’s
death, primogeniture meant that the eldest son inherited the land or titles o it was returned to the
King.

 Primogeniture meant that younger brothers and sisters could be left with nothing after their father’s
death.

 Land was divided up among families (unless in the case of an earl).

The Oath System

 Murdrum fines were introduced, if any Norman Earl was murdered then the entire area around
where the criminal lived were heavily fined.

 The law was then extended to any Norman who was attacked or injured by an Anglo Saxon.

 A high value continued to be placed on people’s words or promises.

 People were persuaded to make an oath of allegiance known as a common oath which meant they
promised not to be involved in any major crime.

 If anyone was involved in a crime their whole family was punished. Punishments were decided in the
courts.

Language Used in Law

 French and Latin was also spoken in England after the Norman conquest.

 Written English declined as after 1066 all writs and charters were written in Latin. Latin became the
language of the government.

 Also Church sermons, works on science, law and theology were all written in Latin.

 Latin was essential for the important people in society to learn it and was taught in parish schools
and universities all taught in Latin.

 English spoken in England

  The legal system became more modern.

 Laws were written rather than oral, which made them easier to enforce.

 The Normans ended the practice of criminals paying compensation to the families of victims and
introduced the concept of paying fines to the government.

 The Normans introduced Ordeal by combat. This was if a nobleman was accused of a crime he would
fight his accuser and whoever won the fight would be right. The loser was wrong and was usually
dead by the end of the fight.

 Punishments extended the existing Anglo Saxon customs.

 Anglo Saxon system was brutal and used capital punishment.

 Trial by ordeal was continued and was still brutal.

 People believed that if a person was innocent of a crime then they would be saved by God.
However, this did not mean they were saved from the ordeal.

 Ordeal by fire involved a person putting their arm into boiling water or holding a red hot iron bar.
The wound was bandaged and if it started to heal after three days the person was innocent, if it did
not they were guilty.

 Ordeal by water involved a suspected person strapped to a chair and thrown into a lake. If they sank
they were innocent, if they floated they were guilty and then they were executed.

Forest Laws
Forest laws were new and meant that anyone caught hunting in forests could be fined, mutilated or
executed.

 Forest laws were introduced to protect the animals and prohibit damage to the vegetation that the
animals needed.

 Forest land was considered to be any land reserved for hunting and was protected from other uses
by law, it did not have to be covered in trees.

 King William did not tolerate the general population hunting on his lands.

 King’s were avid hunters.

 King’s were free to hunt across his own land at any time.

Exam Question – Write an account of the ways in which law

and order changed in Norman England
 PEEL Paragraphs
 Don’t tell a story
 Explain the similarities and differences
Domesday Book
 William ordered an inventory, a survey
 The survey was carried out in 1086
 Domesday allowed William to ensure that he got as much money as
possible from taxes
 He could also make sure that his feudal lords were not withholding any
money
 He also could legalise and record ownership of land
 The survey was recorded as the Domesday Book – a day of judgment
 The survey recorded information about who owned the land,
population, wealth, status of the people
 It helped to record who lived in the villages and who lived in the towns
of Norman England
 But it had limitations as it did not cover all areas as the survey was
unfinished

Norman Villages

 90% of people lived in the countryside

 Villages had a few small clusters of houses with between hundred and
several hundred people living together
 Controlled by the lord of the manor who lived in the manor house
 At the centre of the village was a church made of stone, this was the
most important building in the village
 The church tower had a bell that was rung to tell villagers when to start
and finish work
 Peasants spent most of their free time in the church
 The church was also used to store goods, serve as a prison and act as a
fortress in times of danger
 Farmland around the village was divided into fields surrounded by
hedges
 Some fields were used to graze cattle and others were used to graze
crops
 The fields for crops were divided into strips of land but these strips were
NOT separated, this is known as the Open Field System
 Some of the land was kept for the lord and the rest was divided up
between the peasants
 Each peasant was responsible for farming a number of strips and paid
the lord the rent for the land in the form of money or a share of the
crops
 Some fields were left fallow, empty, this was for the soil to recover so
that it would produce better crops when it was planted again

A peasants Year
 Most peasants were farmers and they worked in fields owned by their
lords
 Their lives were dependent on the seasons and farming
 Poor harvests had a negative impact
 Peasants worked six days a week
 Holy Days and Sundays were the only time off and spent in Church
services followed by entertainment

Norman Village Homes

 A peasant’s home
 Lived in houses arounds the lord’s manor
 They were not allowed to leave the area without the lord’s permission
 Most were farmers, some were servants of craftspeople
 Cold, damp and dark
 A floor made of packed mud
 Very small windows
 Thatched roofs, easy to set alight
 Peasant families ate, slept and relaxed in one room

Norman Village Manor

 A manor
 Manors were specific areas within villages that included a manor house,
barn, churches and villagers houses, grazing land and mills
 A group of peasants who lived in the manor were known as freemen
 Freemen could not leave the manor unless they had the permission of
their lord
 Manor houses were made from stone
 Manor houses were warmer and more secure

Norman Towns
 There were a number of established towns in England before the
Normans arrived
 After the Norman Conquest some existing towns grew as important
military, religious or administrative centres
 King William encouraged the growth of towns in order to increase trade
and taxes to the Crown
 London and Norwich became increasingly important
 Smaller towns grew because of their markets
 Further trade was encouraged particularly in the south as they had more
links with Normandy and the continent
 Between 1066 and 1100, 21 news towns were created
 Houses were built closely together and conditions were cramped
  Many towns developed around newly built Cathedrals and became
important religious centres
 Norman castles built for the nobility soon became centres for trade
 Sometimes houses were destroyed in towns to make way for castles
 A good indicator of the size and development of a town was the number
of burgesses who lived there
 A burgess was a town dweller from the upper ranks of townspeople,
they owed services and taxes to a lord and could buy and sell property

How did life change in Norman England?

 The Normans did change life in England
 The extent of how life changed differed according to social status
 For the Norman aristocracy, the impact was significant
 For the Norman peasants, there was little change
 He took positive aspects from both systems to make sure that the
governments of England and Normandy were successful, efficient,
profitable and secure

Exam Question: Exam skills – Write an account of the ways in which town /
village life changed under the Normans
Life during the Anglo Saxon times was…
For example they…This was a good/bad way of life because…
However when the Normans took over things changed…
The Normans introduced new concepts such as…
This was a significant change because…
It affected life because…
Overall life in the Norman towns and Villages changed a lot/very little
because…
 How did the role of Churches change from Anglo Saxon to Norman England?
The Anglo Saxon Church
 The English church was a very powerful and wealthy organisation
 It owned 25% of the land in England
 Archbishops and bishops were often royal advisers
 Played an important part in everyone’s life in villages and towns
 Bishops and priests greatly influenced people’s thinking
 Church played a large role in society
 It was important when William took control to also control the Church

The Norman Church

 The Normans believed in God
 The Normans practised a type of Christianity called Roman Catholicism
 People believed in heaven and hell
 Many people in England could not read or write, most church services
were in Latin, people learnt through the stained glass windows and
paintings
 William showed how religious he was and also how grateful he was for
God’s support by building new churches and cathedrals in England
 The Normanised Church enhanced the king’s power

The Role of the Church

 Religion – main role was to ensure that people demonstrated their
belief in God by going to church
 Economics – the Church was a major landowner, the Church also
collected tithes
 Law – the Church heard court cases for crimes carried out on Church
lands, the Church then handed down justice in the king’s name
  Politics – leading members of the Church advised the king on
important national matters as members of the Witan
 Education – The Church was the only institution that produced books,
texts were copied and illustrations were painted by hand by monks
 Health – People did not understand the causes of diseases and thought
that they were a punishment from God, priests try to cure the sick by
praying for them or recommending they pay a penance

Exam Question: What are the similarities and differences between Norman
and Anglo Saxon Churches?

Archbishop Lanfranc
 1010-1089
 Early in his career he was an Italian Benedictine monk and abbot of Bec
Abbey who was exiled by William after he opposed William’s marriage
to Mathilda.
 In 1065 he went to Rome to obtain the Papal Banner for William before
the invasion.
 He advised King William on religious affairs, and played an important
role in King William’s reform of the church in Normandy and England.
 He became the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1070.

King William’s relationship with the Pope

 In 1066, Duke William enjoyed the support of Pope Alexander II
 William was granted the Papal banner to fight in Hastings
 However, after he became King, William’s relationship did not remain
so positive
 Immediately after the battle of Hastings, Pope Alexander II ordered
King William and his men to do penance for all of the killing and
destruction
 King William did not link being ordered and for him not to have the
power
 King William used a geld (a type of tax) to extract money from religious
houses
 He also used religious positions to reward or promote people, it was
argued that only the Pope had the power to do this
 He also used the Church for personal gain
 During King William’s reign, Pope Gregory tried to reform the Church
by removing corruption, developing moral principles, ensuring monks
and nuns were celibate and ensuring churches were independent of
the monarchs of Europe
William Rufus (William II)
 c.1060 – 1100
 King of England 1087 – 1100
 William is known as Rufus to avoid mixing him up with William I, his
father
 Like his father he was a great soldier, intelligent and energetic
 He was religious like his father but also believed that the King should
have the most power
 As King of England after 1087, he twice invaded Normandy to take it
from his brother
 He was killed in 1100 in a hunting accident in the New Forest
Investiture Controversy
 This struggle became known as the investiture controversy
 Concerns conflict between the state and the church
 In the 11th and 12th centuries, a series of popes challenged the
authority of European monarchies.
 The problem - who, the pope or monarchs, had the authority to
appoint (invest) local church officials such as bishops of cities and
abbots of monasteries.
 How did William II deal with Church – State relations?
 William II continued to used religious positions to promote or reward
people like his father
 It was still believed that the Pope or the church had the power to make
religious decisions, however William II argued against this
 He used the Church for his own personal gain
 In 1089 when Archbishop Lanfranc died, King William II did not replace
him, instead he took money from church property and managed
Canterbury himself
 King William II became ill in 1093 and believed that this was because of
his lack of piety and his greed, believing he was going to die he asked
Anselm to hear his confession and read him his last rites, he then soon
after appointed Anselm as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093
 Anselm supported Pope Urban II and with his appointment, William II
acknowledged him
 Anselm agreed with Pope Gregory’s reforms of the church, in 1097 he
argued with King William II, Anselm asked if he could visit Pope Urban
II, Anslem fled showing that he accepted the authority of the Pope
over the King

Exam Question - Explain what was important about the Norman

reforms of the Church – 8 marks
 PEEL Answers
 Explain each point you make
 Compare the before and after
 What are the causes and consequences
 Short term, long term and wider impacts
 How did monasteries change under the Normans?

Before the Norman period

 When the Saxons first settled in Britain, they were all pagans.
 The Pope was in charge of all Christians. In AD 598, he decided to send
a bishop, named Augustine, to persuade all the Saxons to become
Christians.
 St. Augustine crossed the English Channel and went to the palace of
King Aethelbert of Kent in Canterbury.
 King Aethelbert was a pagan, but his wife was a Christian. She was a
Frank (from France). Augustine hoped she would welcome him. He was
right.
 Augustine spoke to the King about the Bible. He persuaded Aethelbert
to become a Christian. All Aethelbert’s people became Christians too.
 Aethelbert gave Augustine lots of land. He built 2 big monasteries. The
first was called St. Augustine’s Abbey. The other one is Canterbury
Cathedral.
 Augustine is usually called ‘St. Augustine of Canterbury’.
 Monasteries existed before the Normans conquered England

How did it change under Norman rule?

 King William gave gifts of land and money to French monasteries and
had asked Cluny Abbey – the Cluniac order to send monks to England
 By the end of the C11th there were 36 Cluniac monasteries in England
 Revival of monasteries and abbeys in northern England
 Spectacular abbeys were built
 Monks were brought from Normandy to run the new abbeys and
monasteries
  King William and his earls gave large amounts of money to the abbeys
and monasteries as part of their penance for the Battle of Hastings
 This penance could also include giving a child to become a monk or a
nun

Who were monks and nuns?

 People who dedicated their lives to the worship of God and doing his
work
 Most monks live in monasteries or abbeys – which are churches with
domestic buildings attached
 Most nuns live in nunneries or convents
 Their way of life is known as monasticism
 A large monastery was called a abbey
 It was thought that because Jesus Christ suffered on the cross, monks
should suffer to try and be closer to God
 However some people joined holy orders to escape the harsh realities
of life
 Monks were among the best educated people in medieval society
 Monasteries were important centres of learning and acted as libraries
for ancient books and manuscripts

What was Norman education like?

Pre Norman Education
 Education was promoted in England by the Romans who had specialist
schools with full time teachers
 When the Romans were forced out of Britain, these schools closed
down and education was taken over by the Church
 The Churches now used the local language
 The teachers were monks or nuns
Norman Education
 As the towns and cities increased under the Normans, so did the need
for a better education system
 People who lived and worked in the towns needed better literacy and
numeracy skills in order to trade
 The Norman barons and knights who now lived in England wanted
their children educated to the highest standard
 It was usually the boys from rich families that went to school, it was
rare for peasants to be literate
 Reforms within the monasteries meant that children were no longer
allowed there, and this is previously where most education would take
place – so schools moved out of religious grounds and into separate
buildings
 School numbers increased rapidly from 40 in the C12th to 75 in the
C13th
 Latin was still used in schools as it was seen as the language of
Christianity but French was also used

How did education develop?

 Archbishops Lanfranc and Anselm were key people to reforms in the
education system in England
 Both promoted education and built libraries
 Church schools were used to educate people still – mainly for boys who
would then be part of the clergy - priests
 Grammar schools were also developed which were separate from
Church schools – these were mainly for the rich
 Universities did exist – for those who were advanced, you could be as
young as 13 to attend Oxford or Cambridge (the two main learning
centres)
Norman grammar schools
 Students stayed at grammar schools for at least 4 years
 The length of time depended on the career path they wanted to follow
 They learnt Latin grammar in detail, as well as how to write and speak
the language
 They used boards made of stones to write notes and then wiped clean,
paper was not introduced into after 1400
 The school system started in September, there were 3 terms and
finished in June
 This made sure that any students from peasant families could
concentrate on the harvest in July and August (this was rare that they
would be educated)
 The school day started as soon as the sun was up and ended late
afternoon
 During lessons, teachers sat in the middle of the room and children sat
on benches around the outside, answering questions that were asked
by the teacher
 If students were successful they moved onto university where all the
books and lectures were in Latin
 Students who did not go to university became merchants, parish
clergy, farmers
 Subjects such as maths, accountancy and law were not taught in
grammar schools, they were taught when students started work

Exam Question – Write an account of the ways in which education changed

under the Normans? 8 marks
 PEEL Paragraphs
 Compare the similarities and differences
 Expand on every point you make
 So what was life like in Anglo Saxon England?
 Around two million inhabitants
 Life was hard
 Life expectancy low
 Most people farmed the land
 At the top of Anglo – Saxon society were the aristocracy (people who
had wealth and power), in the middle the peasant farmers and at the
bottom the slaves
 Religion was an important feature of society
 King Edward the Confessor had ruled since 1042
 Topic: The Normans: Conquest and control Learnt Revised

Causes of the Norman Conquest including the death

Topic: Establishing control
of Edward the Confessor Learnt Revised

The redistribution of land

The Claimants to the
to the Norman aristocracy
throne.

The rising
TheinBattle
the north, the Danish
of Stamford invasion and the
Bridge
‘Harrying of the North’
The Battle of Hastings; Anglo-Saxon and Norman
The revolts from 1067-1071
tactics.

King William’s
Militaryleadership andincluding
innovations: government.
cavalry and castles.

Topic: Life under the Normans Learnt Revised

Feudalism and government: roles, rights and

responsibilities.

Landholding and lordship, land distribution.

The Norman and Anglo-Saxon Aristocracies;

Justice and the legal system such as ordeals,

‘murdrum, inheritance.

Domesday Book, its creation and purpose

Medieval village life: work, food, roles, seasonal

life, forest law.

Topic: The impact of the Norman Church and Learnt Revised

Monasticism

The Church: Archbishop Lanfranc and reform of

the English church; organisation and courts.

Church/state relations: William II and the church.

The wealth of the church
 Relations with the Papacy, the investiture control.

Monasticism: the Cluniac Reforms, monastic life,

learning, schools and education and Latin usage
and the vernacular.

Question types you will face

How convincing is Interpretation A about the Norman legal system? Explain
your answer using Interpretation A and your contextual knowledge.
[8 marks]
Explain what was important about the reforms of the monasteries for
Norman England.
[8 marks]
Write an account of the ways in which the feudal system changed under the
Normans.
[8 marks]
Historic Environment; ‘The main change that Norman castles brought about
was that they allowed the Normans to defend their new lands’.
How far does a study of Pevensey Castle support this statement?
[16 marks]

The Normans: conquest and control

Section A:

Answers the 15 quiz questions in your assessment book, you do not have to write in full
sentences.

1. Name the 4 claimants to the throne when Edward the Confessor died?
2. Who supported Harold Gowinson’s claim to the throne?
3. Who did William of Normandy send to Rome to gain support from the Pope?
4. Name two battles fought by Harold Godwinson against Hardraada?
5. Why did Harold Godwinson have to allow the fryd (peasant soldiers) to go home on
September 8th 1066? Hardraada invaded from Norway, how many ships did he invade with
sailing up the river Humber?
6. When was the Battle of Fulford Gate?
7. Which two Earls fighting for Godwinson were forced to flee?
 8. Which key leaders were killed in the Battle of Stamford Bridge?
9. When was the Battle of Hastings fought?
10. Name 3 rebellions against William by the Saxons?
11. What was the Harrying of the North?
12. Which King of Scotland invaded England in 1070?
13. What Treaty was Malcom forced to sign in 1072?
14. In a sentence what happened during the Hereward the Wake rebellion?

Section B: Answer all the exam questions in full sentences and paragraphs.

Interpretation C:

Adapted from The Feudal Kingdom of England 1042-1216 by Frank Barlow. Barlow specialises in
biographies of medieval figures which use many primary sources;

‘Order was fast returning to the English kingdom. Only in the fens, where Hereward and his
companions in possession of Ely Abbey was the country unsubdued. The King decided to suppress
this last centre of disaffection. A short campaign based on Cambridge cleaned up the Fens. Hereward
escaped and his future actions belong to folklore rather than history.’

1. How convincing is Interpretation C about the rebellion of Hereward the Wake? Explain your
answer using Interpretation C and your own knowledge? (8 marks)

2. Explain what was important about William’s preparations for the invasion of 1066. (8 marker)

3. Explain what was important about Edgar the Outlaw’s claim to the throne of England in 1066. (8
marker)

End of unit Test: Part two: Life under the Normans

Section A:
Answers the 15 quiz questions in your assessment book, you do not have to
write in full sentences.

Section B: Answer all the exam questions in full sentences and paragraphs.
Interpretation A:
This is an interpretation of the legal system in Norman times. It depicts a law
court and trial by battle. The picture was drawn in 1963 for a children’s story
book.
1. How convincing is Interpretation A about the Norman legal system? Explain
your answer using Interpretation A and your contextual knowledge. (8 marks).
2. Write an account of the ways in life in England changed under the Normans.
(8 marks)
3. Explain what was important about the reforms to law and order under
William I. (8 marks)

End of Unit Test: Part three: The Norman Church and

monasticism
Section A:
Answers the 15 quiz questions in your assessment book, you do not have to write in full
sentences.
1. What was the name of the painting in churches designed to warn people about
hell?
2. What did Church law courts hear cases about?
3. How did priests try to cure the sick?
4. What is pluralism?
5. Who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1070?
6. Where were new Cathedrals built?
7. What is a Dioceses?
 8. What reforms did Pope Gregory want to make to the church?
9. Who did William II make Archbishop of Canterbury?
10. Name a religious order of Monks?
11. How many schools were there in England by the 13th century?
12. At what age did Children move onto Grammar schools?
13. Why was there no schooling in July and August?
14. Which cities were grammar schools built in?
15. At university what language were all lectures and books in?

Section B: Answer all the exam questions in full sentences and paragraphs.
Interpretation B
From The Feudal Kingdom of England 1042-1216 by Frank Barlow, 1999,
‘Church laws were still under royal supervision, and although the church was allowed its
own law and its own courts, the king was the judge of the limits of Church power.’
1. How convincing is Interpretation B about the role of the Norman Church? Explain
your answer using Interpretation B and your contextual knowledge. [8 marks]
2. Explain what was important about the reforms of the monasteries for Norman
England. [8 marks]
3. Write an account of the ways in which education changed under the Normans. [8
marks]

Key words

Post obitum = which means after death, this was a nomination for the next king
Novissima Verba = where the king would name an heir of his choice
The Witan = a council made up of a group of nobles and leading churchmen could suggest
an heir or support the king’s choice

The housecarls were trained to wield their axes with such force that a well-
directed blow could decapitate a horse. Harold’s housecarls were the elite
foot soldiers of Europe. They would fight to the death to defend their king.
Vow of poverty – monks and nuns have to give up all wealth and personal
possessions when they join a monastery
Vow of chastity – this vow means abstaining from sex, but also from other
physical pleasure such as eating sweet food or drinking alcohol
Vow of obedience – Monks and nuns have to obey the teachings of God
through the Bible, their abbot or abbess, and the rules of their order
Vow of stability – monks and nuns promise to never leave the monastic
community, not even their monastery