anglo saxons

• what were the powers of the king?

  -the king could grant land to loyal followers or take it away as punishment.

  -the king decided when tax should be paid and how much it should be.
• what was the witan?

  -A council that advised the king. (the king decided who was appointed to the witan)
• who were the thegns?

  -local lords who governed an earldom.
• who were the earls?

  -the earls were the most important men in the country and they governed large areas of england on the kings behalf. eg:collecting taxes.
• what were the advantages of Edward the confessor?

  -wise lawmaker

  -a religious leader(people believed god was leading him)

  -married to Edith(daughter of the rich and powerful earl of Godwin)
• what were the disadvantages of Edward the confessor?

  -Exiled from Normandy

  -No children to succeed him

  -Struggled to keep control of Earl Godwin.
• who was the shire reeve?

  -The kings representative in the local government.
• what was the purpose of shire reeves?

  -Collected geld tax

  -Collected fines

  -made sure men are provided for the fyrd

  -made sure all roads and defences are well-maintained
• what was a hide?

  An area of land covering about 120 acres
• what was the fyrd?

  the men of anglo saxon army and fleet
• who were the ceorls?

  peasant farmers
• what was the hue and cry?

  -Anyone in the community could call on all the others to help them track down a criminal.
• what was a wergild?

  -Compensation paid to avoid blood feuds.
• What gave England its strong economy?

  -good climate for crops and livestock.

  -strong trade links

  -efficient tax system
• what were burhs?

  -Burhs were the fortified main town of each shire
• what were the key features of an anglo saxon church?

  -bishops controlled large church districts

  -most local priests farmed like peasants

  -monks and nuns farmed the land like ordinary people
• what were the key events of the rising against earl Tostig?

  -Northumbrian Thegns revolt against tosting and march on york.

  -Morcar is invited to be earl instead

  -King Edward orders his earls to put down the uprising but they found ways to not obey

  -Tostig is to be replaced by earl Morcar

  -Tostig is exiled
• who was Harold Godwinson and what was this strengths?

  -He was appointed successor by the king on his death bed

  -Had a good strength of claim(supported by witnesses)

  -good chance of success as the witan supported him to become king.
• who was Edgar the Aethling and what was his strengths?

  -Royal blood

  -Strong strength of claim

  -weak chance of success because he was only a teenager and had no experience
• who was Harald Hardrada and what was his strengths?

  -Anglo saxon warrior

  -weak strength of claim

  -good chance of success as he had 300 ships and 15000 warriors and huge battle experience
• who was William of Normandy and what was his strengths?

  -He made an agreement with King Edward following Harolds embassy to Normandy.

  -good strength of claim:Backed by the pope(lacked evidence)

  -good chance of success because of his military strength
• Who was crowned king after Edward the confessor died?

  -Harold Godwinson
• What were the reasons for the battle of Gate fulford?

  -Edwin and Morcar gathered an army to defend the north.

  -Tostig and Hardrada landed with 10,000 warriors

  -Edwin and Morcar had an open fight at gate fulford with Tostig and Hardrada
• What were the key events of Gate Fulford?

  -Edwin and Morcar were outnumbered

  -English shield wall (battle tactic)surged against Tostigs weaker troops however Hardrada hit the English troops with his best warriors.

  -Thousands of English troops were killed/wounded making them unable to fight

  -Hardrada and tostig took English Hostages
• what were the key events of the battle of Stamford bridge?

  -Harolds army vs The viking army

  -Harold was victorious. (hardrada and tostig were killed)

  -The vikings left their armour and weapons on their ships, the english broke their shield wall.
• what were the housecarls?

  -trained soldiers
• what were the key events of the battle of Hastings?

  -Harold army positioned themselves on top of a hill (This meant that William had to attack up hill)

  -Williams army vs Harolds army

  -the battle lasted 8 hours

  -the feigned retreat: English fyrdsmen left the shield wall to chase after retreating normans

  -Harold and his brothers died
• what were the reasons for Williams victory ?

  -Norman tactics: feigned retreat

  -williams luck: luck in battle, surviving storm

  -English tactics: lack of archers, shield wall could only defend not attack and it was very predictable.
• what were the features of a motte and Bailey castle?

  -keep: lookout point/elevated attack position for archers

  -Drawbridge: used to defend the gatehouse from attack

  -moat: protects the palisade (fence)

  -motte:large mound of earth (used because it was fireproof)

  -Bailey:an enclosure which was protected by the palisade (fences)
• why were motte and bailey castles important?

  -used as the base for attacks

  -the normans built castle to control areas
• how were motte and bailey castles different from burhs?

  -Burhs protected anglo saxons, castles were built to control anglo saxons

  -Castles were small/private, burhs were large and designed to defend whole communities
• what were the causes of Edgar, edwin and morcar revolting?

  -Edwin was unhappy because william promised edwin he could marry his daughter but went back on his word.

  -morcar was unhappy because his earldom was reduced in size by william
• what happened to Hereward the wake and the rebellion at Ely?

  -Hereward returned to ely after being exiled and started a rebellion.

  -the Danes and Hereward joined forces for a raid on Peterborough abbey

  -Hereward hoped to save the treasure of the monastery from the Normans but the danes took it.

  -Morcar and his men came to Ely and joined Hereward. They defended Ely but the normans eventually defeated them.

  -Morcar was captured while Hereward escaped.
• what were the reasons for the harrying of the north?

  -As a warning to other areas of England of what could happen to them.

  -Revenge for the death of Robert Cumin and other normans.
• what were the features of the harrying of the north?

  -livestock killed

  -homes destroyed so people had no shelter

  -planted salt in the crops to stop them from growing
• what were the immediate consequences of the harrying of the north?

  -cannibalism

  -100,000 people died from starvation

  -families selling themselves into slavery to survive
• what were the landownership changes in 1087?

  -5% of land was still held by anglo saxon aristocrats

  -the church owned 25% of land
• how did the changes in landownership give power to king william?

  -made rebellions less likely to happen

  -Anglo saxons had to pay William to redeem land

  -when landholders died without an heir, the land would go straight to the king
• what were King williams royal powers?

  -Landownership:he could give and take land from people

  -tax

  -use of the witan

  -religious influence

  -military power

  -Domesday book
• what were the names of the 3 earls that revolt against William?

  Roger, Ralph, waltheof