The Norman Conquest

• Edward the Confessor: in 1066, King Edward died with no heir to the throne, so there were many claimants:

  • Harold Godwinson was the powerful Earl of Wessex
  • William Duke of Normandy was Edward's cousin
  • Harald Hardrada claimed his father was promised the throne
  • Edgar the Aetheling was Edward's nephew
• Harold Godwinson:

  • was crowned king on the same day of Edward's burial in 1066
  • the Witan had supported his claim to the throne
  • However, there were now threats to England from the other claimants - Harold assembled an army in the south to wait for William's invasion, whilst Earls Edwin and Morcar defended the north from Hardrada and his army
• The Battle at Fulford Gate:

  • Tostig Godwinson, Harold's exile brother, joined forces with Hardrada and his army
  • September 1066, they landed at Fulford in York, where they defeated Edwin and Morcar, and captured York
• The Battle of Stamford Bridge:

  • Harold led his army north to York with the aim to defeat Hardrada - they travelled in only 6 days
  • Tostig and Hardrada were killed, and Harold won a famous victory
• The Battle of Hastings:

  • After months of preparation, William landed at Pevensey on 28 September, whilst Harold was still traveling back south
  • October 14, William and Harold met on Senlac Hill: Harold and his army formed a shield wall, William and his army performed a feigned retreat and broke the wall
  • an arrow hit Harold in the eye and William and the Normans had won the battle
• William the Conqueror: wanted to consolidate power after his victory in England

  • he gave land from disloyal Anglo-saxon nobles to Norman barons, whom he could trust
  • he let northern Earls keep their land, as long as they submitted loyalty to William
  • introduction of the feudal system
• The feudal system:

  • the king owned all of the land but gave some to his barons
  • the barons kept trained knights for the King's army, who received land from them
  • the villeins worked the land for the knights and barons
• Anglo-Saxon rebellion: William returned to Normandy in March 1067, leaving his closest advisors Odo and FitzOsbern in charge

  • 1067, Eadric the Wild and Anglo-Saxon forces, as well as Welsh Princes ransacked Hereford
  • 1068, Edwin, Morcar, and Edgar the Atheling joined forces to rebel against the Norman Earl of Northumbria
  • 1070, Danish King Sweiyn sent an army to conquer England but were paid to leave, Hereward the Wake continued the rebellion
• The Harrying of the North:

  • 1069-1070, William burned large parts of the north to crush the rebellions
  • as a result, villages and towns were destroyed, including crops and herds so that people starved
• Anglo-Norman Earls:

  • to consolidate land, large territories were given to William's closest advisors Odo and FitzOsbern