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Anglo Saxon England Flashcards

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1
Q

What was the witan?

A

The king’s advisors

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2
Q

What did the Witan discuss?

A

Possible threats from abroad
Land disputes
Religious affairs
Who was gonna be the next king

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3
Q

What could the king use his land for?

A

He gave out land in return for loyalty and service

For example, giving earldoms to earls

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4
Q

What were the responsibilities of the earls?

A

Keeping the peace
Raising the army
Collecting the taxes

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5
Q

How much did the king earn through tax?

A

£6500 a year

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6
Q

How did the king have military power?

A

He had the responsibility of defending the country
Had a powerful army which he could raise (the fyrd)

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7
Q

How did the king have control of the government?

A

Made laws
Decided taxes
Controlled production of coins
Responsible for domestic and foreign policies
Led the witan and could choose the members

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8
Q

How did the king have religious power?

A

He was ‘chosen by God’
Could appoint the archbishops and key bishops

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9
Q

When was the uprising against Tostig?

A

October 1065

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10
Q

What were the reasons for the uprising against Tostig?

A

People in the Danelaw were in an area that had been settled in by Vikings so they didn’t trust southerners and hated his high taxes on them
He was Friends with Malcolm III, king of Scotland and so did nothing when the Scottish attacked
He ordered the murder of 2 followers of Gospatric and assassinated Gospatric when he was on his way to go complain to the king about Tostig

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11
Q

When was the Battle of Hastings?

A

14th October 1066

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12
Q

What are the reasons that William won at the Battle of Hastings?

A

William was a good leader
Harold was a bad leader
Luck

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13
Q

How was William a good leader during the Battle of Hastings?

A

William waited for the Fyrd to be sent home before invading
Prepared well with horses, soldiers and even a pre-made castle
Used the feigned retreat to break the Anglo Saxon defence
He motivated his troops by taking off his helmet when a rumour spread that he was dead

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14
Q

How was Harold a bad leader during the Battle of Hastings?

A

His army was tired from fighting the earlier to battles in the North
The Fyrd were inexperienced
Lack of control over the Fyrd led to them breaking the shield wall because of the feigned retreat

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15
Q

How did luck play a huge role in the Battle of Hastings?

A

Harald invading caused Harold’s army to be tired
Harold was shot in the eye during the battle which caused the Fyrd to flee

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16
Q

How was Anglo Saxon England wealthy?

A

Had a system of silver coins traded from Germany
Sheep farming dominated in the West and the cloths woven from the wool were then sold around Europe
England had fertile land and exported its iron, cheese and crops like wheat

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17
Q

What was economy like in Anglo Saxon villages?

A

Almost everyone farmed and would trade for other things (exchange economy)

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18
Q

What was economy like in Anglo Saxon towns?

A

These were trading centres
Major towns had mints where coins would be produced by the order of the King

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19
Q

When was the Harrying of the North?

A

December 1069

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20
Q

What happened during the Harrying of the North?

A

Burnt and destroyed all food
Murdered any potential rebels
Earth was salted to prevent the growing of crops
Cattle was killed
Villages were burnt

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21
Q

What were the causes of the Harrying of the North?

A

The 1069 rebellion - Robert Cumin and thousands of Normans killed
Rebels refused to fight and would always scatter when William arrived
For years the North was rebellious

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22
Q

What were the consequences of the Harrying of the North?

A

Even in the 1086 Doomsday Book it was found that 60% of York was still a wasteland
From 1071 there were no more rebellions
Thousands of people fled North
Cannibilism was big and in the winter of 1069, 100000 people died

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23
Q

When did Edward the Confessor die?

A

5th January 1066

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24
Q

Who were the 4 contenders for the throne after Edward died?

A

Harold Godwinson
William of Normandy
Edgar Atheling
Harald Hardrada

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25
Why was Harold Godwinson a contender for the thone?
Was an Anglo Saxon Was a brother in law to Edward Claimed Edward promised him the throne on his deathbed Very good fighter Had a lot of support
26
Why was William a contender for the throne?
Second cousin to Edward Claimed that Harold Godwinson promised to support him in 1064 Had a good army and was a good soldier
27
Why was Edgar a contender for the throne?
Edward's nephew Was only 14 when Edward died so wouldn't have been a good leader Didn't have any supporters
28
Why was Harald a contender for the throne?
Was the Norweigan king and was distantly related to the old English king Cnut Promised the throne of England by Magnus Alafsson who took it from Cnut's son Fierce and tremendous warrior
29
When was Harold coronated?
6th January 1066
30
What happened during the submission of the Earls?
William harried the South and seized the treasury at Winchester, while building castles everywhere else
31
Why did the Earls surrender?
William seized the treasury so Edgar had no money William was outnumbered but regardless was a ruthless military leader Intimidation tactics were effective Many of England's best warriors were killed in the battle of Hastings
32
How did Wiliiam reward his followers while in England?
He set a high Geld Tax to pay his mercenaries Rewarded followers land that was confiscated from people who dies in the Battle of Hastings
33
How did William appease the Anglo Saxons while in England?
Edwin and Morcar could keep their earldoms but they were made smaller Archbishops were kept the same
34
What were the castles called that William built?
Motte and Bailey castles
35
Why did William build castles?
To control rebellious/war prone areas To symbolise Norman power To house the local lords and earls
36
What were the marcher Earldoms?
Chester, Shrewsbury, Hereford Earldoms at the border with Wales to protect from their attacks
37
What power did the earls of the marcher Earldoms have?
Given independence over Earldom and permission to build castles They could also create new settlements and establish churches to convince Normans to settle there They did not have to pay tax and had basically complete power over law and order in their earldoms
38
What was the population of Anglo Saxon England?
2 million
39
What were the 5 earldoms?
Mercia, Wessex, East Anglia, Kent, Northumbria
40
What was the legal system like?
Villages had to keep their own law and order Wergild (compensation if your family was killed) Community joined together to track down criminals
41
Who was Godwin?
Earl of Wessex from 1018
42
How were the Godwins powerful?
Had 4/5 earldoms Rich Edward needed them for protection
43
When was the embassy to Normandy?
1064
44
What do the Anglo Saxons claim about the embassy to Normandy?
Harold went there to recover hostages
45
What do the Normans claim about the embassy to Normandy?
Harold went there to make an oath that he would support William in becoming the king of England
46
When was Fulford Gate?
20th September 1066
47
What happened during Fulford Gate?
Harald and Tostig invade with 10000 people and fight Edwin and Morcar right outside of York Edwin and Morcar lose so Harold is forced to go North himself
48
When was Stamford Bridge?
25th September 1066
49
What happened during Stamford Bridge?
Harald and Tostig surprised by Harold so they didn't have all their equipment and people Harold won because of the surprise attack
50
Why were there rebellions against William?
Anglo Saxons (e.g. Edwin and Morcar) lost power Didn't like the Normans William raised the geld tax Building of castles Odo and Fitzobern stole and looted Anglo Saxon lands
51
When did Edwin and Morcar rebel?
1068 + 1069
52
What happened during Edwin and Morcar's 1068 rebellion?
Both flee North and gather rebels (e.g. Edgar) William goes North and attacks their earldoms while building castles Edwin and Morcar surrender while others flee to Scotland
53
What were the results of the 1068 rebellion?
Edwin and Morcar imprisoned More castles built
54
What happened during the 1069 rebellion?
Sweyn (Denmark) sends 240 ships to invade and they join with Edgar, Edwin, Morcar and the Anglo Saxon army Attack York and kill 3000 Normans Rebellions spread North but William goes there and the rebels scatter William pays off the Danish to leave
55
What were the results of the 1069 rebellion?
Harrying of the North Last rebellion in the North
56
When did Hereward (an English thegn) rebel?
1070 - 1071
57
What happened during the 1070 - 1071 rebellion?
Rebels + Danish set up on Ely Raid local areas and are later joined by Morcar William bribed the Danish and they leave Rebels surrounded and lose
58
What were the results of the 1070 - 1071 rebellion?
Hereward escaped Morcar imprisoned Rebels had hands or feet amputated Last Anglo Saxon rebellion
59
How did William change landholding?
Broke up the big earldoms into smaller ones so the earls had less power People had to pay to inherit land Less than 5% of land was owned by Anglo Saxons
60
When was the revolt of the Norman earls?
1075
61
Why did the Norman earls revolt?
Angry about loss of land and power
62
What happened during the revolt of the Norman earls?
Lanfranc was told of the plans Lanfranc and Odo raise a combined Norman and Anglo Saxon army and defeat the rebels
63
What were the results of the revolt of the Norman earls?
Waltheof was executed Ralph escaped Roger was imprisoned
64
When was the Domesday Book completed?
1086
65
What were the benefits of the Domesday Book?
Valued England's land and wealth so William knew how much to tax Knew how many people he could put into the army Knew who held the land
66
What were the changes to society under William?
Slaves free under Norman rule Number of free peasants (ceorls) Normans earls replaced Anglo Saxons
67
How did the jobs of the shire reeves change?
Raised the fyrd Managed castles Kept law and order Managed William's lands/forests Took a share of the taxes
68
What were the different parts of the feudal system (William)?
Tenants in chief Under tenants Peasants
69
Who were tenants in chief?
Earls who were given huge areas of land in return for military service, raising tax, and maintaining law and order Could keep share of taxes and some were in the witan
70
Who were under tenants?
Knights who were given land by tenants in chief Had to do knights service Collected tax and kept order in their small area Replaced thegns with there being roughly 6000 of them
71
What happened to the church?
Archbishop Stigand was replaced by Lanfranc because he was corrupt Church courts set up Strict laws for priests e.g. celibacy Only one bishop was Anglo Saxon by 1070 Every English church replaced by Norman one New monasteries
72
Who was Odo?
William's half brother, bishop of Bayeux in Normandy
73
Why were there rebellions against Odo?
Earl of Kent Allowed theft of land and rape of women Was imprisoned in 1082 for taking church lands and planning to make himself pope
74
When was Odo released from prison?
In 1087, after William died
75
Who was Robert?
One of William's children who he had a very strained relationship with as Robert was weak and lazy
76
When did Robert rebel against William and why?
1077 because William allowed a prank against him to go unpunished
77
What happened during Robert's rebellion?
Captures Roeun castle and gains support from Phillip who was king of France Beats William in personal battle
78
What was the aftermath of Robert's rebellion?
Matilda (William's wife) organised a reconciliation between William and Robert where William makes Robert the heir to Normandy
79
How and when did William die?
1087, fell off his horse
80
Why did William's death cause a succession crisis?
William did not announce who wanted to be heir Some people wanted William Rufus, some wanted Robert
81
When was Odo's rebellion?
1088
82
What happened during Odo's rebellion?
Ended up controlling a lot of Southern England and took refuge in Pevensey Castle where he was eventually captured and surrendered
83
What was the aftermath of Odo's rebellion?
Odo is stripped of his titles and land and exiled

History (10 decks)

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