Anglo-Saxons Flashcards
(72 cards)
1
Q
What were the powers of the King?
A
- Law-making
- Distribution of land
- Taxation
- Raising the fyrd
2
Q
What is Divine right of kings?
A
That Kings were chosen by God to be His messenger and rule for Him
3
Q
Who were the Witan?
A
A council of aristocrats such as
* Archbishops
* Bishops
* Earls
* Thegns
who acted as the King’s advisors
4
Q
What did the Witan do?
A
- Discussed possible threats from foreign powers
- Resolved religious matters
- Approved new Kings
- Resolve land disputes
5
Q
What was an Earl?
A
6 Wealthy landowners who owned a large area of land known as an Earldom
6
Q
What were the Earls responsible for? (3 points)
A
- Collecting taxes
- Overseeing law and order
- Granted military powers
7
Q
What are the names of the four main Earldoms?
A
- Wessex
- Northumbria
- East Anglia
- Mercia
8
Q
What is a shire
A
Small divisions of an Earldom
9
Q
What were shires divided into?
A
Hundreds (100 hides of land)
10
Q
What were hundreds divided into?
A
Tithings (10 households)
11
Q
What’s a Hide
A
120 acres of land
12
Q
What was a Burh?
A
Trading centres in the main town of a shire, where taxed trade took place by law
13
Q
Who are Shire-reeves
A
a man (Sheriffs) who was the representative of the King in a town, city, or a shire.
14
Q
What were the roles of the shire-reeves (3 points).
A
- Collected geld taxes
- Enforced the law
- Provide men for the fyrd
15
Q
What is collective responsibility
A
If one member of a tithing broke the law, the rest were responsible for bringing him to court or would be punished themselves.
16
Q
What is hue and cry
A
Anyone in the community could call on all
the others to help them track down a criminal
17
Q
What is trial by ordeal
A
God was asked to judge cases where community courts could not decide.
18
Q
What was a blood feud?
A
A revenge system based on if someone was killed, the victim’s family had the right to kill someone from the murderer’s family
19
Q
What was a wergild
A
Compensation paid to avoid blood feud based off of the severity of a crime and who the crime was against
20
Q
What are thegns
A
Anglo-Saxon warrior/noble class
with five hides of land or more.
21
Q
What were ceorls
A
Freer workmen that carried out services such as farming
22
Q
What was the role of slaves
A
Treated as property: people who could be bought and sold
23
Q
How did trade give England a strong economy?
A
It had strong trade links with Scandinavia, Normandy and Flanders
24
Q
What is Subsistence economy
A
an economy in which people produce food, clothes, etc. for their own use
25
What is Exchange economy
When surplus supplies are produced and are able to be bartered (sealed) for goods
26
How did taxes gives England a strong economy?
The efficient tax system boosted the earnings of
the king and also the income of his nobles
27
How did the control of money give England a strong economy?
Burhs (trading centres) meant money was reliable as it kept its value and trade could be taxed
28
How did the Church contribute to Anglo-Saxon England?
1. Provided education (as most people were illiterate)
2. Arch/Bishops sat on the Witan advising the king
29
What was a Burh?
Trading centres in the main town of a shire
30
What was the House of Godwin?
The Godwinson family
31
How did the House of Godwin family increase their power and influence?
* Political marriage
* Vast amount of land
* Accumulation of wealth (more than the king)
32
Describe Harold's embassy to Normandy
Harold 'allegedly' swore on holy relics that he would support Williams claim to the English throne
33
Describe the early tension between Tostig and Harold
Tostig's unpopular rule caused for Harold to replace him with Earl Morcar as Earl of Northumbria
34
Why was there a revolt against Tostig?
Many Northumbrians believed that Tostig was abusing his power and authority in Northumbria
35
Why was their a succession crisis
Edward the confessor had died with no heir
36
What was Harold Godwinson's claim to the throne
1. Allegedly appointed successor by the King before his death
2. Had full support from the Witan
37
Why was Edgar Aethling's claim to the throne weakened
Although Edwards nephew and natural heir he was only a teenager
38
What was Harold Hardrada's claim to the throne (3 points)
1. A secret deal made
between two other Vikings
2. a descendant of King Cnut
3. Had Tostig's support
39
What was William the conqueror's claim to the throne (2 points)
1. Edward had sworn on holy relics
2. Had alleged support from the King and the Pope
40
What was the reason for the Battle of Gate Fulford
Hardrada and Tostig marched up to York with 10,000 warriors to claim the English throne
41
Describe the events of the Battle of Gate Fulford
1. Edwin and Morcar were outnumbered (only had 4000 men while the opposition had 10,000)
2. Battle was a defeat for Edwin and Morcar who managed to escape
42
Describe the events of The battle at Stamford bridge
1. Harold's army surprised the Vikings at Stamford
2. Both Tostig and Hardrada were killed in battle
43
How did Harold win the Battle of Stamford Bridge (2 points)
1. Vikings left their armour on their ships
2. Hardrada and Tostig had less men and energy from the prior battle at Fulford Gate
44
What were threats to King William's control
* Still needed to defend Normandy from enemies in France
* Danger that the Vikings would invade
45
Marcher Earldoms
* Didn't have to pay taxes: Normans had more money increasing William's support
* Free to build castles: Creates a hierarchy and enforces Normanisation
* Earls: complete control over legal system, similar rights to the king
* Smaller in size so that earls had more control over the area
46
How did William secure his power in England
* Ordered soldiers to destroy homes to force surrender
* Approach London slowly to cause more destruction to increase chance of surrendering
* Kept Archbishops the same as he didn't want to upset the Pope
* Let Earls keep land and position to create a trusting image
47
Role of motte and bailey castles
* Motte was a mound of earth roughly five to seven metres high that the keep was built upon so they could see attackers from far
* Had a moat so it would be more difficult for others to attack
* Drawbridge could be pulled up making harder for an attacker to break in
48
Why did the earls submit
* Williams strategy of destruction made Anglo-Saxons afraid of him
* William had captured the royal treasury so the earls couldn't pay for support
* England's best warriors had been killed at Hastings
49
How did King William award loyalty
* Land - William as the king owned all the land but was able to reward it to Normans and Anglo-Saxons
* Geld tax - William raised geld tax to gain enough to pay his mercenaries
50
Why did William create marcher earldoms
* To reward his followers
* To increase his control of England
* To minimise the threat of Wales
51
What were the causes of the revolt of edwin and morcar
* Both Edwin and Morcar had their lands shrunk and their power reduced
* Geld tax was increased and was mostly payed by Anglo-Saxon earls
52
Events of the revolt of Edwin and Morcar
* Brothers gained support from nobles such as Edgar Aethling
* Fled north and led a rebellion against William
* William sent his private army to Mercia and Northumbria
* Built castles in Warwick and Nottingham (Mercia)
* The brothers surrendered
53
Events of Edgar Aethling and the Uprising in York
* Rebels of York kill their Norman governor
*Edgar aethling and his troops leave Scotland to join rebels and they attack Norman Sherriff of York
* William arrives with army and builds castle in York
* William orders FitzOsbern to control the North
54
Events of the Anglo-Danish rebellion
* Edgar the Aethling allied with King Sweyn to capture North of England
* Rebels laid siege to York
* William retook control of York
* Harrying of the North was a response
55
How many people died due to the Harrying of the North
100,000 - 150,000
56
Why did Hereward the Wake oppose King William
* Edward the confessor exiled Hereward
* When he returns a Norman lord has claimed his family land
* William had replaced Archbishop of Peterborough with a Norman
57
Describe the rebellion in ely
Danish fleet migrate to Ely which is different to navigate throught
Due Danelaw makes connection with Hereward the wake
* Hereward and Danes raided Peterborough Abbey of gold and silver
* King William the Conqueror besieged Ely, built castles and quickly raised an army
* Morcar joins
* Bribed monks to direct soldiers through the marshland
* Captured Morcar & Hereward escaped
58
Why did the Rebellion of Ely fail
* Loss of Danish raiders
* Determination of William's troops to cross the marshland
* Norman bribery
59
Revolt of the earls
* Roger tells Waltheof the plan to rebel at Ralph's marriage
* Roger and Ralph believe Waltheof being Anglo Saxon would support
* Waltheof contacted King Sweyn to provide the revolt Danish support
* Earls wait till William leave for Normandy
* Waltheof informs Lanfranc of the revolt and the Danish fleet arrive too late for the rebellion to be successful
60
What are Tenants in chiefs
Consisted of Barons and Bishops
61
What what were the roles of tenants in chiefs
* Stop rebellions
* Provide soldiers for William's army
* Reallocate/seize land
62
Why did Anglo Saxons lose their land by 1087
* Involvement of rebellions
* Seized to create new earldoms
63
What are under tenants
Knights which would pay homage and do knight service for tenants in chief
64
How did William enforce his legitimacy
* Edward the confessor promised William the throne
* William was the cousin of Edward the confessor
* Harold broke his oath by claiming the throne so Williams win at the battle of Hasting reaffirmed his legitimacy
65
How did William maintain control of england
* Domesday Book
* Marcher earldoms
* Castle building
* Oath taking
* Land owning
66
Reasons for a need of reformation in church
* Pluralism
* Nepotism
* Simony
67
What are the forest laws
Protect animals for his pastime
68
What is the domesday book
Commissioners enquire about land, wealth and animals.
* Can be used to locate resources and where to get more soldiers
* Can record holdings of each Tenant in chief
69
How did Odo abuse his power
* William rewarded him for his Loyalty
* Got given the earldom of Kent
* Abused his power by seizing church land
* William pardoned him
70
Odo's rebellion
* William Rufus was made king after William the confessor died
* Odo believed this role should of gone to Robert Curthouse
71
Why did Odo's rebellion fail
* Lack of support from Robert or nobles
* Rufus sieged Rochester castle
* Made agreements with the rebels satisfying them
72
Robert Curthose rebellion
* Robert gets into physical fight with his brothers
* Angry that his father doesn't punish his brothers so they attempt to capture Rouen castle
* William's enemy King Philip gives Robert a castle
* Robert launches raids - William raises an army
* Robert knocks William off his horse embarrassing him
* Robert is reinstated as heir
