History

• Establishing Norman Control in England

  1. After the battle of Hastings, William still had to fight for power

  2. Many lands wanted Edgar Atheling rather than William

  3. William attacked towns in Kent forcing them to surrender

  4. English barons then began to change their minds due to this

  5. After Edgar and some other English barons surrendered, William was crowned king
• William tried to keep support


  He began to face troubles
• Ways William kept support

  • Continuing to wage war against the English for royal power
  • Allowing Stigand to remain Archbishop of Canterbury
  • Allowing key barons who pledged loyalty to him to keep their lands
• In 1066, the rebellions became more frequent
• Rebellions

  • By the city of Exeter which gave in after 18 days
  • A rebellion led by Edwin and Morcar in 1064
• William dealt with a rebellion in the North of England

  1. It was led by Edgar Atheling who also bought ships from Denmark as he was the king swien

  2. The rebels attacked York but were defeated

  3. William Slaughtered people throughout the region and burnt their homes and crops

  4. This was known as the "Harrying of the North"
• In 1071 William established control
• Castles

  • William built castles to prevent rebellion, especially in vulnerable areas such as the border between Wales and England
• Monasteries


  Religious houses where monks or nuns lived and worked
• Monasteries had existed since Roman times
• Benedictine order


  The order most monasteries in England belonged to
• Monastic vows


  • Poverty (giving up all of their possessions)
  • Chastity (promising not to marry and remain celibate)
  • Obedience (to follow the instructions of the abbot/abbess or prior/ prioress)
• Most monasteries were supported by a rich patron who paid for their building but expected some control (and often monetary rewards) in return
• Viking raids, poverty and the power of local lords had led to a decline in monasticism (the number of people who were monks or nuns) before the Conquest
• The Normans wanted to

  • Reduce the power of the local lords over the monastery
  • Ensure that monks and nuns followed traditional rules such as fasting (not eating)
• Lanfranc


  Introduced monastic reforms from 1077
• Lanfranc's reforms


  1. Introduced new constitution at Canterbury

  2. Laid out strict rules for monks' daily lives and for the creation of saints

  3. Reformed the liturgy (the words used at religious services)
• Although some monasteries were already following these strict rules, this made others more like the monasteries in Europe
• There was some resistance to these changes

  In 1083, Thurstan, the Abbot of Glastonbury, sent knights to force his monks to accept a new chant. Three people were killed and eighteen injured
• The Normans also gradually replaced English Church leaders. Although abbots were replaced less quickly than bishops, by 1086 there were only three Anglo-Saxon abbots remaining
• Archbishop Lanfranc introduced reforms


  1070
• Archbishop Lanfranc


  Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury (one of two Archbishops in England)
• Lanfranc came into conflict with Thomas, Archbishop of York


  Both wanted to show the primacy of their position
• Conflict between Lanfranc and Thomas

  1. Thomas submitted to Lanfranc

  2. King William and the Pope got involved
• Lanfranc


  • Created synods (Church councils)
  • Created Church courts
  • Wanted the clergy to face trial only in Church courts
  • Introduced new positions into the Church hierarchy (archdeacons, deans)
  • Officially ended marriage amongst the clergy
• The role of the parish (local) church

  Increased
• The number of parish churches doubled from 1070 to 1170
• The Normans drastically changed church buildings
• Changes to cathedrals by the Normans

  1. Knocked down almost every Anglo-Saxon cathedral except for Westminster Abbey

  2. Moved cathedrals to larger towns and cities

  3. Built cathedrals and churches in a Romanesque style with thick walls, rounded arches and sturdy pillars

  4. Built churches out of stone
• Romanesque style


  Thick walls, rounded arches, sturdy pillars
• Norman churches were a display of Norman power and a sign that God favoured the Normans