life under normans

• what were tenants + whta did William give to them?

  William I made his supporters and allies tenants. He gave them land. Tenants were expected to be loyal to the king, contribute troops, knights, and military forces to the king if he asked.
• who was at the top of the norman feudal system?

  the king: William directly owned 20% of the land. 25% was owned by the church. The rest was shared amongst William's supporters (around 200 norman barons and bishops).
• who was below the king in the anglo-saxon feudal system?

  earls: there had been 4 main earldoms around 1000 but this had increased to 6 by 1066. The king owned the land but the earls controlled it. In return, they promised to support the king. They shared out this land among their supporters (the thegns).
• who was below the earls in the anglo saxon feudal system?

  thegns: there were over 4000 thegns who looked after the land for earls. In return, they paid 100 shillings to the earls and helped them by running the local courts. They also provided military service for 2 months each year. They granted to ceorls.
• who were below the thegns in the anglo saxon feudal system?

  peasants (ceorls/freemen): they had to work on the thegn's land for 2-3 days a week and pay taxes to him.
• who were below ceorls/freemen in the anglo saxon feudal system?

  peasants (villeins): they were not free, they had few rights and were the property of the ceorls and the thegns.
• who were at the bottom of the anglo saxon feudal system?

  slaves: they had the fewest rights and were the property of freemen. They worked in return for shelter and food.
• who was at the top of the anglo saxon feudal system?

  the king: owned most of the land. Some land was owned by the church.
• who were below the king in the norman feudal system?

  barons & bishops: they were granted large areas of land (they didn't own it) and paid homage to William. They also promised money and service (soldiers for his army). They granted some of their land to their followers to maintain.
• who were below barons & bishops in the norman feudal system?


  knights (under-tenants): a knight promised to be loyal to their baron/bishop in return for their land. A knight might also be called a "lord of the manor". They granted some of their land to the peasants who lived on their manor. They controlled day-to-day life in their manor or village.
• who were below the knights in the norman feudal system?

  peasants (freemen): they had to obey the lord of their manor in return for their land. They also gave the lord some of their crops and worked a set number of days on his land without pay. Most could not leave the lord's land without permission, therefore, most were not freemen. They didn't have to swear loyalty as they were too unimportant.
• who were below the peasants in the norman feudal system?

  slaves: they made up about 10% of the population in 1086, but this rapidly declined as they were expensive to keep and the church disappproved.
• what were the 2 effects of the geld tax?

  • william had a string military to prevent any potential rebellions.
  • the tax was mainly paid by the English nobles, so they were financially weaker as the king became financially stronger.
• what were the 2 reasons why castles were important?

  • castles helped defend England from foreign invasion. Castles were built in vital strategic locations across England. Places like the border between England and Wales and outside key towns helped defend Norman England against foreign attackers.
  • castles helped to maintain William's control over the local population. Many local earls didn't like William. Having a military presence in each town helped to secure the local area, and the size of castles was physically intimidating.
• what was the role of cult of personality during William's reign?

  • like Hitler and Stalin, William I used the cult of personality to seem more powerful.
  • his image appeared on royal writs and coins.
  • he visited different towns across the country and wore his crown frequently.
• what was the role of the witan?

  the witan was the king's council, it advised him on matters of state, but did not limit his power, he could ignore them if he wanted to. The king appointed those on the council.
• what was the role of earls?

  • they governed large areas of land and collected taxes in their reigions. They could keep a third of their taxes for themselves.
  • they were in charge of enforcing law, crime, and keeping their regions on order. The earls had the power to judge who was guilty/not guilty for their crimes.
  • they were generals and led thegns (local lords) in wars against the king's enemies.
• when thegns died, who inherited the land?

  normans, rather than the thegn's children. Thegns could have their land confiscated if they disobeyed their norman master.
• what % of the time was William I not in England?

  75%
• what was the principle of collective responsibility in the anglosa xon legal system?

  when members of a community (tithing) broke the law, the other members were required to enact justice or face punishment themselves.
• what was the "hue and cry" principle of the anglo saxon legal system?

  this describes groups of members of the same community forcing others to join them in the search for criminals.
• who were constables?

  they had the power to arrest people, break up fights, and prevent fires. They were not paid much and needed other jobs.
• who were watchmen?

  most towns had one who made sure people kept to the curfews. They were to prevent crime and catch criminals.
• what was wergild in anglo saxon england?

  money paid by one person/family to another in order to end/avoid blood feuding, meaning if someone hurt or killed another person, they may pay that person's family to compensate them and end the disagreement.
• what were the responsibilities of a shire reeve in anglo saxon england?

  • tax collection on the king's land
  • collecting the geld tax when the king decided it was necessary
  • judging gal cases in the shire court and enforcing laws.
  • rallying enough men for the fyrd and making sure the shire was protected.
• how were shire reeves more important in norman england?

  • they controlled the shire and answered directly to the king (they reported to earls in anglo saxon times).
  • they continued to be responsible for defence (army/fyrd) and for making sure that people in their shire obeyed the law.
  • after castles were built, guarding norman castles became their responsibility.
• what was demesne?

  the money that sheriffs paid to allow them to manage the king's lands and estates. Any money made after the demesne was paid to the king as was kept by the sheriffs themselves. Sheriffs were resented by local populations as they took a share of all the taxes that they collected from the king. This incentivised them to collect as many taxes as possible.
• what was the murdrum fine?

  if a norman was killed and their murderer was not found within 5 days, then all of the local community would be fined. These fines helped reduce acts of violence against the government and also provided valuable income for the king.
• how were offenders punished in norman england?

  less serious: (theft/causing injury) compensation to the victim.

  serious: (murder) a wergild, a fine based off the value of the person killed, paid to the victim's family. Likely to be punished by hanging or physical mutilation such as limb loss, castration, or blinding.
• how were offenders trialed?

  • trial by hot iron: the accused would carry a hot iron in their hands for 3 paces. Their hands would be bound and inspected 3 days later. If the wound was infected, they were declared guilty.
  • trial by water: the water was blessed by a priest. People believed that holy water would repel a sinner, so the guilty would float and the innocent would sink.
• according to the domesday book, what was the estimated population of England in the 11th century?

  2 million
• when was the domesday survey presented + to who?

  it was presented to the king of Salisbury on the 1st August 1086
• who completed the final survey?

  William Rufus
• which areas weren't included in the domesday survey + why?

  Northern areas such as Westmorland and Cumberland because they were not yet fully controlled by Normans. London and Winchester weren't included as they were exempt from certain taxes. County Durham as the bishop had the exclusive right to raise taxes.
• how many towns and villages were included in the domesday survey?

  13418
• what were the strengths of the domesday book?

  • the survey covered the details of 13418 town and villages in England.
  • it allowed William to charge rent and tax efficiently.
  • it showed who owned what and how this changed since William came to power.
• what were the weaknesses of the domesday book?

  • the survery didn't cover the whole country, making it inaccurate, especiallu since large careas like London weren't included.
• when did William order the domesday survey?

  december 1085
• how were towns affected by the norman conquest?

  • London became more important, Winchester became more religious.
  • smaller towns grew due to their markets
  • norman nobles encouraged local towns to develop as this would increase trade.
  • between 1066 and 1100, 21 new towns were created.
• why did norman towns grow?

  • many towns developed around new cathedrals and become important religious centres. For example, Durham, Ely & Salisabury.
  • the normans built many castles (initially to defend the new norman nobility) but later became centres for trade.
  • trading centres mainly in livestock, fish, salt, and wool.
  • towns attracted people who wanted to set up shops and businesses.