Life Under the Normans

Question 1

what system did the normans use

Answer 1

feudal system

Question 2

in what order does the feudal system go

Answer 2

king
nobles
knights
peasants

Question 3

what did the peasants have to give to the knights in return for land and protection

Answer 3

food and services

Question 4

what did the knights have to give the nobles in return for land

Answer 4

protection and military service

Question 5

what did the nobles have to give the king in return for land

Answer 5

money and knights

Question 6

what was the act of homage

Answer 6

publicly showing honour respect and loyalty to person above you in feudal system

Question 7

what was oath of fealty

Answer 7

swearing loyalty to your lord

Question 8

what 3 things were different about kings control in the feudal system of anglo saxon and norman

Answer 8

king had more control and could take away land
king decides on who lands pass to
king takes money from land if heir not old enough

Question 9

what was different about land ownership in the feudal system of anglo saxon and norman

Answer 9

in norman land is shared between 200 barrons and bishops compared to 6 earls.
this meant that they were not powerful enough to challenge king

Question 10

what was similar and different about how lands were controlled in feudal system of anglo saxon and normans

Answer 10

4000 knights and anglo saxon thegns controlled land in both. both collect taxes and do military service each year

for norman william increased military service to 40 days and introduced oath of fealty

Question 11

how were peasants different in anglo saxon and norman feudal system

Answer 11

in anglo saxon there were freemen who held land and paid rent and taxes.
freemen declined in norman.
both had villeins which were peasants who worked the land and obeyed lord and did not leave land.

Question 12

were there slaves in norman england

Answer 12

no

Question 13

why did william create the three marcher earls

Answer 13

the area on the welsh border as it was lawless so william installed 3 lords to hold a big piece of land. they had more power than other lords.

Question 14

what inheritance system did the normans use

Answer 14

primogeniture

Question 15

what was primogeniture

Answer 15

oldest son inherited land from father

Question 16

why did they use primogeniture

Answer 16

otherwise lands would get split up amongst all sons making it hard to control

Question 17

what would the kings court hear

Answer 17

murder treason and rape. appeals from lower courts

Question 18

what did the shire courts hear and how often did they meet?

Answer 18

met twice a year to hear cases like criminals, land disputes, tax disputes and rebellion

Question 19

what did the Norman’s divide the shire courts into

Answer 19

hundreds

Question 20

what did the hundreds courts settle

Answer 20

looked at cases usually to do with land.

Question 21

what was the oath system in courts

Answer 21

where a member of the jury swore to tell the truth about the accused person

Question 22

what was trial by ordeal

Answer 22

using the “judgement of god” to prove a persons guilt or innocence.

Question 23

what were examples of trial by ordeal

Answer 23

trial by fire
trial by water

Question 24

what were feudal courts

Answer 24

where tenants would bring cases against their lord or each other about land disputes or taxes.

Question 25

what were church courts used for

Answer 25

hearing cases involving the clergy and for spiritual offences

Question 26

what was a murdrum fine

Answer 26

if a norman was killed then the local area had to pay a heavy fine unless the murder was handed over in 5 days

Question 27

what did the normans use as a form of punishment far more than the anglo saxons did

Answer 27

capital punishment and mutilation

Question 28

what was ordeal by combat

Answer 28

where if a noblemen was accused of a crime then he would fight his accuser

Question 29

what were the forest laws

Answer 29

punished those hunting in the forest with fines, imprisonment or death

Question 30

why was the domesday book made

Answer 30

he needed to enforce a geld to fund a defending army against the threat of invasion from Denmark

Question 31

what was the domesday book used as

Answer 31

a register of all land ownership and wealth ownership

Question 32

what questions were asked in the domesday survay

Answer 32

"who held land at end of edward confessors reign?" "who holds the land in 1086" "how many hides are there" "how many ploughs are there" "how many villagers are there" "how many animals are there" "how many mills, fishponds and meadows are there"

Question 33

why was it called domesday book

Answer 33

domesday- day of judgement

Question 34

what did the domesday book show

Answer 34

population was 1.5-2 million shows who owns land shows southern land had gained value harrying of the north had a big impact

Question 35

where did 95% of people live in norman england

Answer 35

in villages

Question 36

what were the main crops in norman england

Answer 36

wheat, oats, barley and rye

Question 37

what was the most important building in the village

Answer 37

church

Question 38

what were living conditions like for peasants in villages

Answer 38

poor housing high mortality rates in babies unchanged diet

Question 39

what kind of jobs had to be done in the village

Answer 39

ploughing sowing threshing and winnowing harvesting and tying

Question 40

what changed in villages under the normans

Answer 40

all villages had a norman lord more stone buildings increased rents for freemen higher taxes

Question 41

how did towns change under normans

Answer 41

focused on trading with europe new norman lords and castles markets and fairs guilds cathedrals increase in population

Question 42

what were burgesses

Answer 42

citizens who had responsibilities including being watchmen, helping the town in times of trouble and paying taxes

Question 43

what was a charter

Answer 43

something a town could get once it became established. This is where it could apply to become independent and govern itself