Life Under The Normans Flashcards
What was the order of the Norman hierarchy?
King
Barons & Bishops
Knights
Peasants
Slaves (eventually no slaves)
Why was there a rapid decline in the number of slaves under Norman rule?
- Expensive to keep slaves
- The church disapproved
What percentage of land did William I control?
20%
What percentage of land did the Church control?
25%
What was the role of barons and bishops in Norman England?
- Provide soldiers and taxes for King
- Loyal to king
- Held land
What was the role of knights in Norman England?
- Military service
- Loyal to baron/bishop
- Granted land
What were the 3 different types of peasant?
- Freemen
- Villeins
- Bordars & Cottars
- Slaves
What was a freeman?
- Free peasants
- Paid rent to lord for land
- Did some boon work
What is boon work?
Unpaid work for a lord
What was a villein?
- Poor peasants
- Did mostly boon work
- Granted some land
- Had no freedom (eg. couldn’t leave village without permission, couldn’t get married without permission etc.)
What were bordars and cottars?
- Poorest peasants
- Same as a villein but granted less land
What were slaves like in Norman England?
- No freedom
- No land
- Could be bought and sold
What was homage in Norman England?
When a vassal would kneel before their lord, clasping their hands in front of them and stretch them towards the lord. They would then swear the Oath of Fealty. The lord would then takes the vassals hands in his to show acceptance.
What was an Oath of Fealty
A vassal’s promise to be loyal and faithful to they lord
How would Homage and Oaths of Fealty have helped William’s control over England?
- All William’s subjects swore loyalty to those above them (eventually leading to the king)
- It was seen as a religious act so was unlikely to be broken
