feudal system and Norman government

• what was the hierarchy of the feudal system?

  -king at top

  -tenants in chief

  -undertenants

  -peasants
• kings role in feudal system?

  -ultimate power

  -owned all land

  -demanded loyalty from anyone who received land
• tenants in chiefs role in feudal system?

  -received large areas of land from king

  -in return provided him with troops when needed
• vassals/undertenants role in feudal system?

  -received areas of land from tenants in chief

  -gave military service to tenants in chief
• peasants role in feudal system?

  -received small strips of land from lords which they farmed

  -in return had to do boon work on lords land for some days a week
• churches role in feudal system

  -major landholder and held 25 percent of English land

  -church collected taxes for king and church tenants did boon work for church

  -bishops head of cathedrals and area around them which helped to enforce kings laws

  -bishops owed king military service so church gave land to knights and provided for soldiers
• what was exchanged in the feudal system?

  -exchanged land, loyalty and labour
• exchange of land in feudal system

  -nobody could inherit land without making payment to the king and swearing homage

  -system of paying relief encouraged loyalty to king

  -system prevented any noble from gaining so much land they could challenge king
• what is homage?


  an oath of loyalty
• how was homage exchanged in the feudal system?

  -tenant in chief knelt before king and swore homage to him

  -swore on bible to be loyal to king for rest of life
• how was labour exchanged in the feudal system?

  -peasants worked for their lord until they had enough land to support themselves

  -peasants in towns had to do labour service for any land they farmed outside the ton

  -sometimes did boon work on lords land
• Tenants-in-chief


  Military followers of William who became feudal vassals of his holdings.
• what was the military role of tenants in chief?

  -had to lead own army to fight king

  -expected to defend own land and put down rebellions there
• what role did tenants in chief play in the economy?

  -very wealthy

  -passed some revenue onto king
• political role of tenants in chief?

  -sat on kings council and gave him advice

  -hosted king and his court when he travelled in their area
• what was the status of knights in Norman England?


  -some granted very little land

  -knight replaced thegns as under tenants

  -many knights local lords of manors
• role of knights in Norman England?

  -expected to guard lords property

  =had to provide 40 days of military service to king

  -rich/powerful knights fought for the king

  -extremely well trained and equipped
• knights used as defence

  -to put down rebellions

  -to garrison castles to control local population

  -against Vikings

  -for wars
• what did the Normans change in England?


  -government

  -law enforcement

  -use of land and new forests

  -taxes and doomsday book

  -the church
• what was fortfeiture?


  -if anyone failed to obey lord or did not pay taxes or do services they owed they could be punished by loss of land
• what did William keep the same about his government?

  -royal treasury remained in Winchester

  -William still consulted witan

  -kept land divisions of shires

  -Anglo Saxon gov much more sophicasted than Norman gov so William kept many aspects of it
• how did William limit the power of the earls in Norman government?

  -made earldoms smaller like Wessex and Mercia or redistributed them altogether

  -earls were tenants in chief and could be punished by forfeiture like anyone else
• What were regents?


  temporary rulers
• how did William use regents in the Norman government

  -had two countries to run so was often absent from either for periods of time

  -Archbishop Lanfranc Williams regent in 1075 and helped prevent earls revolt

  -tended to return quickly when he heard of problems in England
• sheriff in Norman England

  law enforcement officer
• what was the role of the sheriff?

  -collecting taxes and looking after kings estate

  -ad mistered justice and made sure shire met military obligations
• how did the sheriffs role change under William?

  -entitled to share of taxes they had collected

  -sheriff had greater power than earl in his shire as he answered directly to the king

  -sheriffs were responsible for overseeing knight service and the kings castles in shire
• why were sheriffs unpopular?

  -new Norman laws made it profitable for them to raise taxes for themselves

  -often involved in landgrabs