Paper 1 Norman

Question 1

What happened to crime and punishment during the Norman period?

Answer 1

The influence of the king over law increased
Punishment and law enforcement became more centralised and fewer decisions were taken by local communities
There was an increase in harsh punishments - execution which added to the visible power and authority of the king

Question 2

What years did William I reign?

Answer 2

1066-1087

Question 3

What were William I’s main aims when he took control of England?

Answer 3

He was determined to establish his royal authority and a stronger more centralised approach to crime and punishment

Question 4

What was the consequence of William’s centralised approach?

Answer 4

There was resistance from the Anglo-Saxons
There were rebellions in York and East Anglia
William used brutal means to force the people to submit and to unite England under his control
He ordered extreme punishments for the rebels, and also punished large groups of people who were not directly involved, to show his power
Farmlands were destroyed and animals were killed
It is estimated that 100000 people died of starvation as a result of food shortages caused by his punishments

Question 5

What were the Norman castles and where were they placed?

Answer 5

In every part of the kingdom
Peasant workers were made to build the castles in which Norman lords would live, and they would control the local population under Norman law
They were designed to keep a careful watch on communities and to look intimidating - reminding those who lived outside of their place in society
They represented the increasingly strong royal authority over law and order in England

Question 6

List the Norman feudal system

Answer 6

King
Nobles
Knights
Serfs

Question 7

Describe the role of the king on the feudal system

Answer 7

Owns all the land in the country
Makes laws
Gives some land to nobles

Question 8

Describe the role of the nobles in the feudal system

Answer 8

Given land by the king
Wealthy and powerful
Some have castles to help them control their area and enforce the law
In return they supply the king with soldiers and horses for the army
Give some land to knights

Question 9

Describe the role of the knights in the feudal system

Answer 9

Live on a smaller area of land
Fight for nobles and the king

Question 10

Describe the role of the serfs in the feudal system

Answer 10

Own no land
Work for nobles or knights for very low pay
No say in making the law

Question 11

What was the murdrum fine?

Answer 11

If a Norman was murdered by an Anglo-Saxon, and the murderer was not captured and executed, a large sum of money was paid by the hundred where the body wad found to the court and the king

Question 12

What was the murdrum fine supposed to stop?

Answer 12

The increase in revenge murders, and make it less likely that people would cover up the crime of a neighbour

Question 13

How does the murdrum fine show change and continuity from Anglo-Saxons?

Answer 13

Change: New law to protect authority
Continuity: Collective responsibility for the behaviour of everyone in a tithing and with the idea of making a financial pay,meant as compensation for the loss of life

Question 14

What were William’s Forest Laws?

Answer 14

William declared large stretches of the English countryside to be ‘royal forests’, which he would use for hunting
He took control of the New Forest and around 40 village communities were evicted from the forest in order to clear the new ‘royal playground’ for hunting

Question 15

What did the Forest Laws mean?

Answer 15

What had previously been common land - where peasants had the right to graze animals, take firewood, or catch a few rabbits - was now strictly controlled by the king
Only those who could afford to pay for hunting rights were allowed to hunt there
For peasants, it became illegal to carry hunting weapons or even take a fallen branch

Question 16

What was poaching?

Answer 16

Illegal hunting on land that belonged to someone else
Hunting wild animals for food was now treated as poaching due to the forest laws

Question 17

How did the public feel about the Forest Laws?

Answer 17

Bitter
They took away people’s access to natural resources, and took away what they saw as fundamental freedoms
Ordinary people saw the Forest Laws as unjust and unfair and, therefore, did not frown upon those who broke these laws

Question 18

How did the king enforce the Forest Laws?

Answer 18

He hired men to work as foresters to catch poachers and anyone else who did not have permission to go into the forest
Anyone who was caught faced punishments, including hanging and corporal punishments such as castration and blinding
These were deliberately harsh and intended to deter others from poaching

Question 19

What were outlaws and waived women?

Answer 19

Any man, aged 14 or over, who tried to avoid trial and punishment by running away from his community
Women who ran away were said to be ‘waived’
Outlaws and waived women lost the protection of the law
They could be killed without any legal consequences for the person responsible

Question 20

How was there change in punishments in Norman England?

Answer 20

Wergild was abolished
Fines were now paid to the king’s officials instead of victims and their families
Increased number of crimes punishable by death or mutilation - poaching - was viewed as unjust so poaching was used as an alternative - branding

Question 21

How was there continuity in law enforcement from Anglo-Saxon to Norman?

Answer 21

King’s mund and king’s peace were similar ideas

Question 22

What was the king’s mund?

Answer 22

The idea that all men should expect to be safe from crime, and to live peacefully in and around their homes, under the authority of the king
Crime was seen as an attempt to disrupt the king’s mund

Question 23

How was stealing punished?

Answer 23

Fines payable to the king
Stocks and pillory
Public beatings or flogging

Question 24

How were poaching, murder, and rebellions punished?

Answer 24

Capital punishment by hanging or beheading

Question 25

What was trial by combat and why was it used?

Answer 25

It was sometimes used to settle disputes over larger sums of money or land
The two people involved in the dispute would fight using swords, or large sticks
The two people fought to the death - or until one gave in
Anyone who gave in was later put to death

Question 26

How was there continuity in Norman law enforcement?

Answer 26

Collective responsibility
Hue and cry

Question 27

How and why were there changes in the definitions of crime in Norman England?

Answer 27

Poaching - Becomes illegal to hunt in newly defined forest areas
King wanted exclusive hunting rights

Leaving home - Becomes illegal for a serf to leave his lord’s village
Change in society - Introduction of Norman feudal system

Question 28

How and why were there changes to punishments in Norman England?

Answer 28

Murdrum fine - Fines for murdering a Norman are paid by community where body is found
King wanted to protect Normans against Saxon population

Trial by combat - Used to settle disputes over land or money
Change in society - Norman noble custom introduced to England