The Creation of Marcher Earldoms

• How did Land Control change under Norman Control?

  • Old Anglo-Saxon Nobles were removed from power and were replaced by loyal Norman followers
  • Land was divided between more people to stop them from gaining as much as control as land owners did back during Anglo-Saxon reign
• What are the Marcher Earldoms?

  Earldoms that were on the Welsh border, to stop Welsh from invading
• What were the 3 Marcher Earldoms?

  Hereford, Gloucester, and Shrewsbury
• Who was left in charge of Chester?

  Hugh D'Avranche
• Why was Hugh D'Avranche left in charge of Chester?

  His father provided 60 ships for Norman's invasion in England in 1066
• Who was left in charge of Shrewsbury?

  Roger de Montgomery
• Why was Roger de Montgomery left in charge of Shrewsbury?

  He did a good charge of keeping Normandy under control during the Norman invasion on England
• What was left in charge of Hereford?

  William FitzOsbern
• Why was William FitzOsbern left in charge of Hereford?

  Fought with William in the Battle of Hastings
• What special privileges did William give them?

  • Build castles without needing permission
  • Establish towns without needing permission
  • Didn't need to pay tax (Money could be put towards defence and economic control)
  • Controlled Law and Order as Sheriffs would respond to them rather then the king
• Why did William give these special privileges?

  So that the Marcher Earls could control the border
• What else did William put into place to counteract the freedom he gave the Marcher Earls?

  Kept their land compact to stop them from getting too powerful
• The revolt of the Earls 1075

  A revolt by Roger de Breteuil, Ralph de Gael, and Waltheof against King William I
• Reasons for the revolt

  • Roger and Ralph were unhappy about the sizes of their lands
  • King William I did not approve of Ralph's marriage to Roger's sister
• Waltheof (Earl of Northumbria) was pulled into the revolt as well
• The revolt


  1. The three earls attempted to revolt

  2. They failed due to lacking support from the local population

  3. They were unable to get Danish reinforcements in time

  4. Waltheof betrayed them by telling Lanfranc about their plans
• In the end, Ralph escaped, Roger was excommunicated and imprisoned for life, and Waltheof was beheaded
• What example is there of a Marcher Earl establishing control?

  Roger de Montgomery established the town Montgomery