Anglo Saxon and Norman England Flashcards
(108 cards)
1
Q
Describe the Anglo Saxon Heirachy
A
King
Earls
Thegns
Peasants Slaves
2
Q
What is the role of the Witan
A
The King’s Council
3
Q
What are some of the roles of Earls and Sheriffs in AS time
A
E - provide soldiers, collect tax, run local courts
S - collect tax,
4
Q
What was the importance of churchmen in AS time
A
They were able to read and write and could therefore make written records
5
Q
Describe how the house of Godwin became so powerful
A
1018 Harold Godwin became the Earl of Wessex
1042 Godwin backed Confessors claim to the throne
Later married confessor’s daughter Edith
Godwin’s son, Harold was Earl of East Anglia
1053 Godwin dies and Godwinson becomes Earl of Wessex
He leads military campaigns to Wales and gains great support
Brothers held 3 other earldoms
Became sub Regulus
1065 family has more money than the king
6
Q
When did Harold Godwin become the Earl of Wessex
A
1018
7
Q
When did Godwin back Edwards claim to the throne
A
1042
8
Q
When did Harold Godwin die
A
1053
9
Q
When did Godwin family gain more money than the king
A
1065
10
Q
When was the embassy to Normandy
A
1064
11
Q
What is Anglo Saxon View upon the embassy to normandy
A
Godwinson went to recover his brother and nephew who William was holding hostage
12
Q
What is Norman View upon the embassy to normandy
A
Godwinson was sent to reaffirms Edward’s promise that William would become king
13
Q
Where did Tostig hold an Earldom
A
Northumbria
14
Q
What were the series of events that led to Tostig being exiled
A
He doubled tax
Northumbrians rebelled and demanded a new leader
Harold was sent to negotiate
He sided with the rebels
Tostig was exiled
15
Q
When did Edward the Confessor die
A
January 1066
16
Q
What was Harold Godwinson’s claim to the throne
A
Deathbed promise by Edward
17
Q
What was Williams’s claim to the throne
A
The Embassy to Normandy
18
Q
What was Harald Hardrada’s claim to the throne
A
Promise with late Danish king Harthaknut
19
Q
What was Edgar Aethling’s claim to the throne
A
Closest blood relative
20
Q
Who supported Godwinson
A
Witan
21
Q
Who supported William
A
Pope
22
Q
What is a dioceses
A
16 large areas split by the AS Church
23
Q
What is patronage
A
Kings and Nobles giving land to the church and protecting them from robbery in exchange for praying for them
24
Q
What were some features of Godwinson’s reign
A
Spent most of his time defending land
Strengthened alliances with Edwin and Morcar ( Mercia and Northumbria)
25
When did Godwinson gather his first fyrd
Mid 1066 on the south coast ready for the Normans
26
Why were these fyrd men dismissed
Needed men for the harvest
27
When did Hardrada invade and with who
After Godwinson dismissed the fyrd Hardrada invades with Tostig and they meet first resistance at York
28
When was the Battle of Fulford
20th September 1066
29
Describe the events of Fulford
Edwin and Morcar meet Vikings at York
They are outnumbered and outflanked and flee the battle
Vikings move forward
30
What happened directly after Fulford with Harold
He rushed up north gathering a fyrd as he went
31
When was the Battle of Stamford Bridge
25th September 1066
32
What happened in the Battle of Stamford Bridge
Vikings were resting with no armour
Prisoner exchange but Harold showed up ready to fight
One viking held the bridge holding off many but was eventually killed from underneath
Harald and Tostig both killed and some vikings withdrew
Harold won but with troops injured dead or fatigued
33
What happened after Stamford Bridge
south coast was left undefended so Harold rushed south and the Normans had arrived
34
When did the Normans land in 1066
28th September
35
Where did the Normans land in 1066
Pevensey
36
How did William lure Harold out of London quicker
Pillaging his home earldom of Wessex so his troops would have less rest
37
When was the Battle of Hastings
14th October
38
Describe the events of the Battle of Hastings
Harold chose a strong defensive position on a ridge
This suited his housecarls and their shield wall which the Normans struggled to break through
Normans used feigned flight and pretended to run away and drew out the saxons before turning and slaughtering them leaving gaps in the shield wall
Norman cavalry then rode through and kill them
Harold shot in the eye by an archer
39
5 Reasons why the Normans won at Hastings
Leadership
Mistakes
Military
Tactics
Luck
40
How was William's leadership present at Hastings
Raising his helmet and riding across the front line when he was rumoured to be dead
41
How were Harold's mistakes shown at Hastings
Rushed into battle and were tired
42
How were Norman Militiary power shown at Hastings
While the AS had only Housecarls and the Fyrd with a few archers the normans had cavalry and plenty archers as well as a decently disciplined infantry groyp
43
How were tactics on show at Hastings
Feigned flight
44
How was luck a factor at Hastings
2 battles at once
Bad weather - winds
Luck of the arrow
45
What did the aftermath of Hastings look like for William
Saxons didnt recognise him as king
Edwin and Morcar took refuge with Edgar in London claiming him as the rightful king
William took the SE england ready for an attack on Lodndon
December they had a meeting and they surrender and swore loyalty Submission of Earls
46
When was the Submission of the Earls
December 1066
47
What were 3 challenges to William's rule
Welsh and Scots provided refuge to rebels
Godwinson sons were in exile in Ireland but still provided support
Danes still believed that they had a chance at the English throne
48
When was William crowned as king of england
25th December 1066
49
How did William sort his nobility and spread land and what were the effects of this
He tried to incorporate both Saxons and Normans into his nobility
He seized land from nobles who has died at Hastings or who didn't accept him as king and the others were allowed to keep their land
However there wasnt enough land to go around so Normans forcefully took Saxon land which led to resentment
50
What were the 3 marcher earldoms
Shrewsbury
Chester
Hereford
51
Why were marcher earldoms created
William didnt have the finances to control Wales
52
What were the advantages of leading an marcher earldom
No tax
No limit on castles
53
Which two people did William give some of the marcher earldoms to
William FitzOsbern and Roger of Montgomery
54
Why did the Normans build castles
Control strategic points
Visible sign of power
Prevent invasions
55
Examples of castles built
Dover by sea
Chester from Wales
Pevensey
56
How many castles were recorded in the Domesday book
50 but 10x as many werent recorded
57
Describe the design of a motte and bailey castle
To have both military strength and living spaces
Motte - large cone on a hill
Bailey - living quarters
Both raised
Mote
One bridge - only entrance
58
When was the Revolt of the Northern Earls
1068
59
What happened at the Revolt of the Earls
Edwin of Mercia and Morcar of Northumbria grew fed up of their restricted power being kept close to the royal household
Fled to Mercia with the support from Welsh lord Bledwyn
William marched into Mercia and built a castle in Warwick
Edwin and Morcar surrendered and William granted them life
Built castles in Nottingham and York
60
Who was the Welsh Lord that supported the Revolt of the Earls in 1068
Bledwyn
61
Where did William build castles after the Revolt of the Earls in 1068
Warwick
Nottingham
York
62
Describe the two rebellions in1069
Group of forces - northern earls, Aethling and King Malcolm and King Swein for a major rebellion
Early 1069 they massacred the new Earl of Northumbria and hundred of knights at Durham and beseige York
William hurried up north and put down the rebellion and built a second castle
In September Swein sent a new Danish fleet who joined the remaining rebels ad they tookk York and controlled both castles and all of Northumbria, William paid of the Danes and with the AS unsupported they scattered
63
What did the Rebellions in 1068 and 1069 lead to
The Harrying of the North
64
When was the Harrying of the North
Winter of 1069 and 1070
65
What did the Harrying of the North involve
Burning of Northern villages and killing of inhabitants
Famine
People forced to eat animals
66
What tactics did William use in the Harrying of the North
Scorched Earth Tactics
67
How were Northern Villages described as in the Domesday book
Waste
68
When did Hereward the Wake lead a rebellion in East Anglia
1070 and 1071
69
Describe the rebellion in 1070 and 1071
Hereward the Wake led an uprising in East Anglia and were supported by the Danes but they were paid by William
1071 joined by rebels including Morcar and went to the Isle of Ely
William beseiged the island
Morcar captured and imprisoned
70
How did the rebellions cause a change in his views
Stopped integrating Saxons into the nobility
Replaced saxons and took their land
Increased land held by the king
71
What was the structure of the Norman heirachy
King
Tenants in chief
Knights
Peasants
72
What was the Norman feudal system based on
Vassalic Bonds
King giving land for loyalty
73
How did the Norman elite compare with the Anglo Saxon elite by 1086
Almost all AS elite replaces
Norman elite was smaller than AS as recorded in Domesday book
74
How many was the Norman elite in the Domesday book
200
75
What was centralisation
When power becomes more focuses around one person
76
How did power in Williams Government change
(with Sheriffs and Earls)
Sheriffs given more power
Earls given less power
Overall no one was near powerful than the king
77
What did William use to rule in his absence
Regents
78
Who were examples of Regents
Odo
Lanfranc
79
What was the role of a sheriff in Norman times at a local level
Collect tax and dines
Judge cases in local court
Organise militia forces
Manage the Royal Demesne
80
What is the royal demesne
The 1/4 of all land that William kept for himself
81
What were two new laws William introduced
Forest Laws
Murdrum fines
82
What were the forest laws
Ordinary people were not allowed to use the royal forests or any hunting grounds, punished many Saxons
83
What were murdrum fines
Protected Normans, if a Norman was killed the whole village was punished with a large fine
84
How did towns change in Norman England
Building destroyed
Economy damaged
Became centre of trade from abroad, Canterbury
85
When was the Domesday Survey ordered to be carried out
December 1085
86
When was the Domesday Survey carried out
1086
87
How did the Domesday book help William
Financial Legal and Military
Make sure he was receiving all his taxes and whether he could demand more
End Saxon and Norman disputes over land
Show his military resources in case of attack
88
Which areas changed with the Norman nobility
Food clothing hair and language
Trial by combat rather than by court - God would intervene
89
How did the language change in spoken language and written documents in Norman England
Old English to Old French
Old English to Latin
90
Who was Stigand
Archbishop of Canterbury
91
Why was Stigand not removed earlier
Too powerful
Could negotiate with AS
92
Why was Stigand removed
Pluralism - holding two positions
93
When was Stigand removed
1070
94
Who was Stigand replaced by
Lanfranc
95
What were Lanfranc's reforms
Get rid of Simony (buy or selling roles) and Nepotism
Church became more centralised
Introduced Church courts
96
What relation did Odo have to King William
Half brother
97
What happened to Odo in 1049
Became Bishop of Bayeux
98
What happened to Odo in 1066
After supporting and providing ships for William he was made Earl of Kent
99
What did Odo supossedly order the creation of
Bayeux Tapestry
100
Why was Odo unpopular
Used harsh measures as Regent
Seized land
101
When Why and Where was a rebellion against Odo
1067, Dover Castle, tried to take the castle but failed
102
Why and When was Odo tried in court
1070s, by Lanfranc, for taking Church lands
103
Why was Odo imprisoned
Took troops and went to Italy to become pope
104
Why was Robert Curthouse sent to exile
Argument with Williamat ruling Normandy
105
Where did Curthouse fight King William and what was the result
Gerberoy
He humiliated his dad came back from exile but sent back after demanding more power again
106
What was each son given after William died in 1087
Robert Curthouse - Duke of Normandy
William Rufus - King of England
Henry - £5000
107
Describe the rebellion against William II in 1088
Odo wanted to make Robert king
Odo didnt gain enough support
Robert stayed in Normandy
Exiled
108
What year did Henry succeed William Rufus
1100
