William I and the Consolidation of Power (1066-1071) Flashcards
(28 cards)
Why did William return to Normandy in early 1067?
To secure his continental lands and demonstrate confidence in his rule over England.
Who did William leave in charge of England in 1067?
William FitzOsbern (Earl of Hereford) and Odo of Bayeux (Earl of Kent & his half-brother) governed as regents.
What does William’s departure reveal about his early approach to rule?
He aimed to control England through trusted Norman nobles and castle-building, not by personal presence alone.
What did William do in Rouen during his 1067 stay in Normandy?
Celebrated victory, distributed land to Norman followers, and planned further castle construction in England.
What sparked the Exeter rebellion in early 1068?
Gytha, Harold’s mother, rallied local support against William’s high taxes and prescence of Normans in the city.
What happened in Exeter in 1067-1068?
The city registered Norman rule after William’s demands for loyalty and tax. It fell after an 18- day siege.
What castle did William build after defeating Exeter?
Rougemont Castle was constructed inside the city to assert permanent Norman control.
Which towns saw castles built in response to 1068 revolts?
Warwick, Nottingham, Lincoln, Huntingdon, Cambridge, and York - placed to secure rebellious areas.
What key tactic did William use after putting down the 1068 revolts?
Built castles in strategic locations and garrisoned them with loyal Norman knights.
Who supported the 1069 York rebellion?
Edgar Aetheling, with 240 Danish ships under King Sweyn, and local Northumbrians.
Which two castles at York were destroyed in 1069?
York Castle and its temporary sister fortress were burned by rebels in a surprise attack.
What did the Harrying of the North involve (winter 1069-1070)?
Systematic destruction from York to Durham: burning villages, killing livestock, salting fields.
How many people are estimated to have died due to the Harrying?
Modern estimates suggest 100,000; The Domesday Book shows vast northern areas as “waste”.
What is an example of a village affected by the Harrying?
The village of Pickering in North Yorkshire was listed as “waste” in Domesday 1086.
Where did Hereward’s rebellion take place?
Isle of Ely, a marshy area ideal for guerrilla warfare.
Who joined Hereward’s 1070 revolt?
Danish forces (briefly) and Earl Morcar.
How did William suppress the Ely rebellion?
Bribed local monks to guide his men through the fens and stormed the stronghold.
What was the first castle William built in England?
Hastings Castle, established immediately after landing in 1066
Name three key castles built in the early years of conquest.
York Castle (North), Durham Castle (North East), and London’s Tower of London (South East, begun c. 1067)
How were castles funded?
Through heavy taxes like geld and seizure of Anglo-Saxon lands redistributed to Norman lords.
What tax continued from the Anglo-Saxon period under William?
The geld tax - a land tax collected annually, used to fund castles and the military.
By 1086, what % of English land was held by Normans?
About 90%; fewer than 5 Anglo-Saxon thegns held major landholdings.
Who were the key members of William’s new elite?
Roger of Montgomery (Earl of Shrewsbury), William de Warenne (Earl of Surrey), and Robert of Mortain (half-brother).
What was the Treaty of Abernethy (1072)?
An agreement in which Malcolm III of Scotland swore allegiance to William after a campaign to the Firth of Forth.
