changes to landownership

• William took land off the Anglo Saxon earls and thegns - no Anglo Saxon could hold any land
• William consolidated blocks of territory together to make it easier for individual Norman lords to control their lands - more Norman control
• William made new laws for landownership
• Tenancy was not secure - tenants depended on their lords - revolts = less likely as the rebel would lose their home
• new law - William is the only landowner - Everyone King rented land off of him - William was richer and more powerful
• Anglo Saxon landowners had to redeem the land - pay William to get their land back

  Norman followers did not have to redeem the land
• If a landowner died without heirs the land went back to the king - an heir would have to pay tax to inherit the land - William is richer and more powerful
• If you acted against the king you lose your land - William is more secure
• tenants-in-chiefs - replaced Anglo Saxon thegns - Norman control increased
• Tenants-in-chief could dispose thegns who acted against them - thegns get kicked off their land
• many thegns left the country to become mercenaries in Europe - thegns disappear as a class
• new tenant-in-chiefs wanted to get money from the Anglo Saxons - made Anglo Saxon lives worse
• free peasants became rarer and rarer - the new lords made the peasants work for them which reduced their independence - no movement and end of ceorls