Knowledge Organiser Topic One: Anglo-Saxon England 1065

Transcription

1 Knowledge Organiser Topic One: Anglo-Saxon England 1065 Anglo-Saxon England 1065 Key words 1 The Kingdom of England England as a country had only existed for 100 years. For a long time it was a collection of territories ruled by Anglo-Saxon chiefs. England only became a single kingdom in the 10th century. In the tenth century, the Anglo-Saxon kings, led by the rulers of Wessex, went to war against the Viking rulers in the north and east. By the time they had got rid of the last Viking leader in 954, England was fairly closely unified. But even though it was becoming united, there were still regional differences: the people in the south and midlands were mainly Anglo-Saxons who had come from Germany in the fifth century and who formed various kingdoms. In the north and east were a mixture of Anglo-Saxons and Vikings from modern-day Scandinavia. Cornwall still had a lot of the ancient Britons who had been there before the Anglo-Saxons arrived. 2 How did English kings rule? Many other countries, like France, had lords ruling large regions like small kingdoms but, English kings had a lot of control. The land was divided into shires, each with a fortified town called a burh. The burghs kept people safe and encouraged a system of markets, enabling trade to prosper. The burhs were also royal footholds in every shire, making central control much easier. Some burghs had royal mints that made good-quality coins. This all combined to make it much easier for English kings to collect taxes. Anglo-Saxon Archbishop Burgh Burgh-geat Ceorl Earl Pagan Pluralism Pope Simony Thegn Thrall Wergild Witan People who lived in England before the Norman Conquest. A very important church leader. A fortified town built by the Anglo-Saxon kings. A fortified dwelling of Saxon thegns. A free Saxon who worked on the land. A powerful nobleman. Someone who believes in the existence pf a wide range of gods or spirits rather than one single god. The practice of holding more than one church office at a time. The leader of the Roman catholic Church Selling church posts to the highest bidder. An Anglo-Saxon landowner with enough land to give him quite a high position in society. A slave. The cash value of someone s life in Anglo-Saxon society. The powerful lords and bishops who were the advisors to the Anglo-Saxon kings.

2 Knowledge Organiser Topic One: Anglo-Saxon England 1065 Anglo-Saxon Society 1065 Anglo-Saxon Women Anglo-Saxon society had a strong hierarchy. At the top was the king. The king owned more land than anyone else and was very powerful he was expected to be a fine warrior. The king could raise taxes, issue laws and was responsible for the courts. In 1065, the king was Edward the Confessor, a pious man who focused more on the church than on royal duties. The king s closest advisers were the earls. In 1065 there were just six earls. The earls each owned huge areas of land, and they acted as the king s agents on their territory. Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex, was the richest man in the kingdom and effectively ruled the country on King Edward s behalf. Together with the bishops, the earls formed the Witan, the king s advisory council. The Witan was very important and even had some say in who should take the throne when a king died. Below the earls there were around five thousand thegns. To be a thegn, a man needed to hold around 250 hectares of land some had a lot more than that but most thegns lived on their lands and acted on behalf of the king, running the local courts, collecting taxes and fighting for the king if necessary. The ceorls were by far the biggest group some were craftsmen, but most farmed the land, growing crops and keeping animals. Some ceorls owned land and houses of their own, but most paid rent and worked for the thegn who owned the land they lived on. They were free men and took part in local justice and decision making, but their freedoms had been gradually weakened over the years. At the bottom of the Anglo-Saxon system were the thralls or slaves. Thralls were the property of a master and in some respects were treated like animals, as they could be branded or castrated. About ten per cent of the population were thralls. Some were prisoners of war or criminals, others were sold into slavery. Children of thralls became thralls themselves. 1 Women had very little power, like men, the higher up the social scale they were, the more rights and privileges they had. Well-off women could own land, and that poor women s skeletons show evidence that they did hard manual labour. The last key difference was the wergild, which put a cash value on everyone s life. A woman was deemed to be of the same value as a man of similar status, but her value increased by a further 50 per cent if she was pregnant. There were also laws protecting women s rights, they were not allowed to be forced into marriage, and if they divorced they received half the property and custody of children. However, Anglo Saxon women still had fewer rights and freedoms than men. Many parts of their lives were controlled by their male relatives. Interpretation A An illustration of an Anglo-Saxon feast from Look and Learn, an educational magazine for children, 1975.

3 The English Church 1065 (part 1) 1 History of the English Church The Anglo-Saxons were Christians but they were originally Pagans. They adopted the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church after it was brought to England in 597. The leader of the Church was the Pope, based in Rome, and the leader of the English Church was the Archbishop of Canterbury. In the 10th century, the English Church had some important leaders and for a while the church flourished. Dunstan was a monk who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 960. He gave money to the church and had very high standards for religious life. Dunstan improved the monasteries and organised the rebuilding of churches and abbeys. He improved education for priests, monks and nuns, and forbade priests to marry. St Alphage was influenced by Dunstan he became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1006, and wanted to continue Dunstan s reforms. However. the Vikings invaded in 1011 destroying much of Canterbury and beat Alphage to death. These raids continued and it was this that stopped the flourishing of the English Church under the Anglo-Saxons. The Danish kings who ruled from 1014 to 1042 were Christian and supported the church, but it never really recovered from the disruption and Dunstan s legacy was lost. Edward the Confessor was a very holy man. He was concerned about low standards in the church and brought Norman priests in to try to reform the Church, one of whom was Robert of Jumièges, who became Archbishop of Canterbury in A woodcut of Edward the Confessor from the 1500s. Standing stone at All Saints Church in Bakewell, Derbyshire

4 Knowledge Organiser Topic One: Anglo-Saxon England 1065 The English Church 1065 (part 2) 1 How was the English Church different to mainland Europe? In Europe the church had spread from Rome and was influenced by particular practice, and an artistic style with an emphasis on saints and angels. This tradition spread to the south of England at the end of the sixth century, and the pagan Anglo-Saxons became Christian. In the north of England, things were different as missionaries from Ireland had spread another form of Christianity we call this the Celtic Church. It had its own forms of worship and its art was based on interlaced curves and patterns. The English Church developed a strong independent identity and ignored the Roman Catholic Church s instruction that said the Bible should only be written in Latin. 2 Worship Many parishes were very rural and had no church building, so worship took place around stone crosses or in simple shelters. There were also many local traditions including lots of local saints. The Pope frequently complained about this, as the rule was that only the Pope could make new saints but the English ignored that rule and continued to create their own saints. 3 Behaviour and belief The church leaders complained about the Anglo-Saxon people s superstition and belief in spells and creatures like elves and goblins. They also criticised people s behaviour, which they thought was immoral they wanted to limit drinking, and what they saw as overeating and sexual promiscuity. A sermon of the time suggested that the Viking invasion of 1013 was a success because God was punishing the English for their sins. The English Church had a strong and independent character. 4 Bishops and Archbishops In 1065, the Archbishop was Stigand. He became a priest as a young man, and his motivation was ambition, rather than spirituality. He was a skilled administrator and a key advisor to the King. He was also a major landowner and the third richest man in England. Stigand broke several church rules, including pluralism and simony, but as he had the support of the King and Earl Harold, he got away with it. He made no effort to improve the church or appoint better priests. The Pope wanted Stigand to give up one of his offices and to come to Rome for a blessing. Stigand ignored him and stayed where he was. He devoted far more of his energy to helping Harold Godwinson govern England. Wulfstan was the leader of the Church in the north of England, who was also close to Harold Godwinson. Wulfstan was more spiritual than Stigand, but that didn t stop him holding two offices as well he was Archbishop of York AND Bishop of Worcester. Harold Godwinson s influence over the church can be seen in the appointment of Leofgar as Bishop of Hereford he had a military background and Harold wanted someone in Hereford who could defend the border against the Welsh. 5 Lower ranks of the clergy There were thousands of priests working in parishes across England, but compared to priests in the rest of Europe, they were poorly educated. Being a priest brought an income, so jobs in the church were sought after. Priests in the English Church were also allowed to marry, which the Pope heartily disapproved of. The church was seen as more of a career than a spiritual calling, and because it could bring wealth and influence, a lot of people went into it without any real religious vocation.

5 Knowledge Organiser Topic One: Anglo-Saxon England 1065 Anglo-Saxon culture 1 Anglo-Saxon Art Engraving was a key part of Anglo-Saxon art. The most famous work of art to survive is the Alfred Jewel, a fine enamel image of a man carrying long-stemmed plants, set in engraved gold. The engraving says that it was made on the orders of Alfred, and many believe it was part of one of the pointing sticks that King Alfred of Wessex had made in 890. Other engravings include the Fuller brooch, which shows figures representing the five senses, carved stone crosses used for worship, and a carved ivory case, showing fine engravings of dragons, birds and scenes of archery and farming. Precious items like this were very tempting to thieves, so many were stolen by Viking raiders and later by Normans. Records from the time mention the skills of English craftspeople, and we know that their work was prized by merchants across Europe. The most famous example of Anglo-Saxon craftsmanship is the Bayeux Tapestry, which was embroidered by English women on the orders of their Norman masters. 2 Anglo-Saxon Literature The majority of remaining Anglo-Saxon literature are church manuscripts, but we also have scientific manuscripts containing calendars, maps and information about astronomy and descriptions of far off places. The Anglo-Saxons also produced collections of writings on various topics, including sermons, poems, descriptions of cures, riddles and advice on grammar. Beowulf is the most famous example of Anglo-Saxon literature. It tells the story of a Viking warrior who battles monsters. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a remarkable work of history that was begun in the ninth century, and sent to monasteries around the country, where it was continued for around three hundred years. It tells the story of Britain from the arrival of Julius Caesar. Although it is biased and incomplete, it is still a very valuable source of information about England in this period. 3 Anglo-Saxon Architecture Anglo-Saxon buildings were almost all built using wood and clay, with roofs thatched with straw. This means that we have very few Anglo-Saxon buildings which have survived, as most have rotted away or been destroyed by fire. Most Anglo-Saxon people lived in simple rectangular single-storey houses although thegns lived in bigger houses with two floors. There are written descriptions that tell us that some of the buildings were very grand. The nunnery at Wilton, for example, had carved panels, painted plaster and beautiful ornaments made of gold and precious stones. There were only three castles in England in 1065, and they were all fairly new they had been built by friends of King Edward, who had brought the design over from Normandy. There were many defensive burhs built all over England. These looked a bit like castles, and were places where people could keep safe if they were under attack. Burhs were usually walls surrounded by ditches and ramparts. These were usually made from wood, but a few were stone, often taken from the remains of old Roman walls. Winchester was the English capital at the time, but London was the largest burh. The church was normally the only stone building in many villages. By the end of the Anglo-Saxon period, the stone crosses of the tenth century were being replaced by stone churches. Most Anglo-Saxon churches were replaced by the Normans, but in some cases parts of the original building survive, so we can see that they were usually fairly small, simple buildings, often with a tower. The one exception is Westminster Abbey, the finest Anglo-Saxon church, which was officially opened on 28 December It was built by Edward the Confessor, and because he had help from the Norman William of Jumièges, it was influenced by Norman fashions. It was bigger than any other English church and built from high quality stone. Edward spent the last years of his life making Westminster Abbey as impressive as possible a symbol of his piety and England s power.

6 Knowledge Organiser Topic Two: Control: Invasion and Victory Normandy pre-1066 Key Concepts 1 The Feudal System: In the eleventh century there was no such country as France. A King of the Franks ruled much of the land that later became France, within this land were lots of duchies which were ruled by Dukes. This was similar to the Earldoms in England, but the King of Franks had less central control compared to the relationship between the King of England and the Earls. The land was granted to the dukes in return for a promise to use their own armies to fight for the King. This is similar to the feudal system set up in England after 1066, but the dukes had more independence and ruled their land like private kingdoms. 2 Normandy s Warrior Aristocracy: The Normans were originally Vikings, led by Rollo the Walker. In the 10 th century they settled around northern France using force to establish the Duchy of Normandy. Their society was dominated by small elite group of warriors who became Lords and were given estates by the Duke of Normandy. The Lords gave their subjects land and protection in return loyalty and military service when required. The Duke controlled who received the most valuable estates. The Norman elites was closely connected by marriage alliances and family connections, though this could cause tension and conflict. The elite adopted the local language and customs of the original Norman peasant farmers who made up most of the population they had taken control of. 3 Norman Warfare: The Normans were constantly fighting to defend the borders and increase the size of the duchy. The Duke also needed to be able to reward his fighters with land, so needed to conquer new lands for his followers. Warfare was a way of life for the Norman elite who sent their sons away at a young age to learn how to ride horses and use weapons, in order to become Chevaliers. Dukes across France provided their armies with armour and weapons and kept them as full time soldiers so they were highly trained and always available. The invention of the stirrup meant they mastered fighting on horseback, giving them the ability to charge at enemies at speed and use swords whilst on horseback allowing them to inflict damage from relative safety. 4 Castles: Knights built castles to defend their land. Built to keep themselves and their warriors safe but not the wider community. Ringwork castles: older, consisted of an enclosure called a bailey, surrounded by a ditch and an earthwork bank with a wooden fence. A gatehouse defended the entrance. Motte and Bailey: similar to the ringwork but within the bailey was a man made mound called a motte, on top of this was a wooden structure called a keep. 5 Church Reform: Rollo converted to Christianity when he took over Normandy. Normandy earned praise from the Pope for building many monasteries, having famously devoted monks and nuns and for creating beautiful stone churches, even in villages. Their Romanesque style was copied from the Roman Empire and was used across Europe. 6 Historical Writing: Churchmen like Dudo of St Quentin and William of Jumieges were encouraged to write about Norman history. Their work described Normandy s Viking origins and successful rulers. 7 William s early life: William s father died when he was eight. With William too young to rule Norman knights began to turn against each other to grab land and power for themselves. William s guardians were repeatedly murdered. As he grew older William took a more active part trying to restore order. In 1047 with a large scale revolt taking place William took control and crushed the rebels. He continued to take land through force and married Matilda of Flanders, creating an alliance with the neighbouring land. Key Words 8 Fiefs Land held by someone in return for providing a service. 9 Vassals A person who hold land in return for loyal service to a lord or king. 10 Chevaliers Knights. They were part of the feudal system and received land in return for fighting. They were not chivalrous, they were brutal and used their military power to take as much rent and tax from the people in their land as they could.

7 Knowledge Organiser Topic Two: Control: Invasion and Victory Key Concepts 1 Succession Crisis: Edward the Confessor, King of England since 1042 died in January Edward had no children so left no direct heir to the throne. Edward s father was Anglo-Saxon king, Aethelred II. His was mother was from Normandy where Edward was raised. Between 1013 and 1042 England s king included three Scandinavians, providing close connection with all three regions. 2 Rules of Succession: during this period there were no fixed rules of succession. Relation to the king strengthened your claim. But having the military force to take control of the country and approval of the Witan were also important. 3 Edgar Aethling (c1051-c1126) 4 Harold Godwinson (c ) Contenders Nephew of Edward the Confessor. Edgar was the natural-born heir to Edward, his title Aethling meant he was descended from royal blood. Edgar and his father had previously fled to Hungary whilst King Cnut was on the throne but had been brought to the country in 1054 by Edward and Godwinson. Edgar s father died shortly after, leaving six-year old Edgar in Edward s care. In 1066 the Witan knew the threats from Scandinavia and Normandy were serious so did not think a teenage king was a suitable choice. Most powerful Earl in England, with experience of leading an army. Godwinson, like many other leading men in the country, were present when Edward died. Godwinson based his claim on his family connection (he was Edward s brother in law), his role in recent years as Edward s right hand man, his proven military skills and influence with the earls and thegns. Godwinson also claimed Edward had appointed him directly on his death bed. Godwinson s claim was supported by the Witenagemot, the Witan s council. 5 Harald Hardrada (c ) 6 William, Duke of Normandy (c ) King of Norway. Experience ruler and successful military leader. His claim was based on Viking secret deals and treaties. King Cnut ruled England as part of an Empire, after his death in 1035 his son Harthacnut took the throne. Harthacnut soon lost part of his Empire to Magnus Olafsson. To avoid war they agreed in a secret treaty that they would become each other s heirs. When Harthacnut died, Magnus claimed the English throne as part of his Empire. Hardrada began raiding the Norwegian part of Magnus s Empire. To ease the tension Magnus offered to share rule of Norway with Hardrada. Therefore when Magnus died Hardrada took his claim to throne. It is likely Hardrada has no real plans to act on his complicated claim to the throne until Tostig Godwinson (Godwinson s exiled brother) turned to Hardrada for support. Tostig gave Hardrada the impression his brother was very unpopular, especially in the North. Powerful and successful leader, had defeated several challenges to his rule of Normandy. William was distant cousin of Edward. William based his claim on an agreement that William said was made between Edward the Confessor and himself around 1051, which was supposedly confirmed by Harold s embassy to Normandy and by Godwinson in William also obtained the Pope s backing for his claim. William's claim was not a surprise to the English. Godwinson as King Harold II, started to make preparation to defend England from attack from the south almost immediately. In contrast Hardrada s attack does not appear to have been anticipated.

8 Knowledge Organiser Topic Two: Control: Invasion and Victory Key Concept 1 King Harold II: Harold s coronation took place on the same day as Edward s burial: 6 th January This was remarkably rapid. The Witan, when selecting who should be king,were often influenced by the needs of the kingdom. As the Witan suspected William would act on his claim, Harold s coronation was probably a response to the need to prepare for England s defence as quickly as possible. 2 Battle of Gate Fulford 3 Battle of Stamford Bridge Battles Hardrada and Tostig launched their attack September Hardrada s fleet for warships, carrying up to 10,000 Vikings, landed. They marched towards York. Their path was blocked by Edwin and Morcar, Earls of Mercia and Northumbria who decided to launched an open battle to defend York. The battle resulted in a crushing defeat for Edwin and Morcar who, outnumbered, faced Hardrada s battle hardened troops. Hardrada used clever tactics: placing Tostig s weaker troops on one side so when the English rushed at them, his best troops attacked them from the other side. Edwin and Morcar also stationed their army with marshland at their backs giving them no where to retreat to. York surrendered to Hardrada without a fight. To assure the agreement Hadrada called for more hostages these were due to be handed over on 25 th September at Stamford Bridge. This is were Harold launched a surprise attack. The battle was a complete success for Harold, Hardrada and Tostig were both killed and it is reported only 24 of the Viking warships returned to Scandinavia after the battle. Harold was helped by he surprised nature of their attack which meant the Viking were without their armour and had only fought a battle five days before. 4 Battle of Hastings (14 th October 1066) On 28 th September 1066 the Norman s landed at Pevensey. They began to fortify Pevensey and Hastings with defences and raiding nearby towns and villages. Harold rushed from York to South to defend his crown. Harold s decision to rush meant his army did not have time to recover from the previous battle or collect more troops. Harold may have hoped that by rushing his attack would come as a surprise but William s scouts kept him well informed. Harold s Army: suited to defence, relied on the shield wall a line of Housecarls about twelve deep with shields forming a wall. Behind this were the fyrd armed with simple weapons like clubs and axes. Led by thegns with swords and javelins. The English fought on foot. William s Army: suited to attacking. They used cavalry to charge at foot soldiers and had archers. The battle began at 9am. Harold chose a strong defensive position at the top of a hill favouring the tactic of the shield wall. The Normans were unable to break through the shield wall which protected the English from the archers and cavalry charges. The battle raged for hours. At one point a rumour spread that William had been killed, William raised his helmet to reassure his troops. At some point a portion of Harold s army disengaged from the shield wall to chase William s men. They were cut off at the bottom and slaughtered. Accounts vary but from this point the shield wall crumbled, either through poor discipline or the use of a feigned retreat tactic by the Normans. The English soldiers became much more vulnerable to attack. Harold, his brothers and the Housecarls fought to the death. The battle was over. Housecarls: highly trained body guard of a king or noble Fyrd: name given to the army of an Anglo-Saxon king

9 Knowledge Organiser Topic 3: Resistance and Response The Battle of Hastings left William in a strong position, but it didn t make him king. He hoped that the English lords would surrender, but the Witan chose Edgar Atheling as king. William still had a job to do if he wanted the crown. He fortified the south coast on his way to London, and although he couldn t take the city, he spent several weeks laying waste to the surrounding area until Edgar Atheling surrendered the kingdom to him. Key Events The first rebellions: 1. William was crowned king at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day By the end of March 1067, William felt that it was safe to return to Normandy although he took key English nobles with him as hostages. ` 3. In August 1067, Edric the Wild, a powerful thegn from Shropshire (then part of Mercia) who had lost a lot of his land to Norman knights, joined forces with Welsh princes to attack Hereford. Edric s rebellion never really took hold, but he made a nuisance of himself for years, and remained popular in the area. 4. Meanwhile, in Kent, some English nobles invited a French count, Eustace of Boulogne, to invade and take Dover castle while Bishop Odo was away. Eustace did sail to England, but soon decided the castle was too strong to take and went back home. 5. Gytha, King Harold s mother, had fled to Exeter and started encouraging local people to rebel against the Normans. The Exeter burh s defences were rebuilt and Harold s sons went to Ireland to gather an invasion force. Gytha also contacted the Danish king, hoping he would invade : William had to crush Gytha s power base. He started gently, urging the rebels to swear loyalty to him. They refused, and also said they would not pay any extra taxes to William. This was the last straw. William led his army to Exeter and laid siege to the city. Eighteen days later, the city surrendered and William pardoned the rebels except Gytha, who fled in return for oaths of loyalty, before building a new castle in the city. Key Areas Castle sites: South east and East Anglia, were fortified with castles and William put trusted allies in charge. The English were set to work building motte and bailey castles for their new overlords. This was just as unpopular as you would imagine. Devon: built castles at key strategic points such as Barnstaple, Totnes, Okehampton and Launceston. The south west was back under William s control, and William returned to Winchester.

10 Rebellions in the North Key Themes: William was trying to avoid conflict with his new subjects. Knowledge Organiser Topic 3: Resistance and Response 1. William didn t want Stigand, the corrupt Archbishop of Canterbury, to conduct the ceremony, so he chose the Archbishop of York instead but he still let Stigand keep his title because he d sworn his loyalty to William. 2. William invited English lords to the ceremony as well as Norman ones. 3. The document recording the coronation was in English as well as Latin. Why the English might rebel: 1. They d lost their land or titles. 2. They d lost loved ones at the Battle of Hastings 3. They didn t like the heavy taxes the Normans imposed. 4. some people just didn t like being ruled by foreigners. 5. Others didn t like their new French lords and didn t respect them because they didn t follow English ways. 6. Distance! People who lived a long way from the middle of the country were harder to control. Three Northern Lords sent a message to William saying he could not enter their lands: Places where William built Castles: Three other rebellions that took place in What did William do to stop the constant risings in the north How did William Harry the North 1. Earl Edwin 2. Earl Morcar 3. Edgar Atheling 1. Coventry 2. Nottingham 3. York 4. Lincoln 5. Huntingdon 6. Cambridge William s wife Matilda was crowned queen in May 1068, before the Siege of Exeter. 1. Harold s sons came from Ireland and attacked Bristol with an invasion force. 2. Robert of Comines, who William had appointed Earl of northern Northumbria, was killed by rebels during an attack in Durham. 3. Edgar Atheling and his followers came down from Scotland and attacked York. In September 1069, more than 250 Danish ships appeared off the coast of Yorkshire. The Danes, encouraged by Harold s mother Gytha, invaded near York and joined forces with the rebels led by Edgar Atheling. The problems in the north didn t show any signs of stopping. 1. He paid the Danes a huge sum of money to leave this was something that had worked before. 2. He sent for his coronation crown to wear on Christmas Day, to remind his subjects of his power and status and that he was God s chosen king. 3. He decided to destroy the land so his enemies could no longer live there. 1. His army tracked down any rebels and killed them. 2. They destroyed anywhere rebels could hide in practice this meant many people lost their homes. 3. Some sources describe the destruction of crops, food and livestock, causing widespread starvation.

11 Knowledge Organiser Topic 3: Resistance and Response By Christmas 1069, William had been King of England for three years, and was just beginning his Harrying of the North, which would bring the north under control at the price of depopulating it for years. What next? Rebellions in the East, Hereward the Wake and the Battle of Ely Key People Key Event The Danes attack Ely Later: William Returns The Danes: In June 1070, despite being paid by William to leave, the Danes attacked Ely. Reinforcements arrived, including the Danish king, Svein, and they attacked deep into the Fens around Ely, before finally taking the town and abbey of Ely. Svein s army had spent the winter on land ravaged by the Harrying of the North they weren t in top fighting condition. Svein knew he couldn t win, so he left with the treasures from Ely and Peterborough. The English They thought it was great! They cheered them on and hoped that the Danes would remove the hated Normans. After William returned, the English knew the game was up and surrendered. The rebels were imprisoned, maimed or blinded. Hereward William Hereward, an English thegn, attacked the abbey at Peterborough about 30 miles from Ely. He had heard that William was taking valuables from monasteries to fund his army. Not only that, Peterborough was about to get a new Norman abbot, so rather than let William s French priests take the abbey s treasures, Hereward took them instead. He gave them to the Danes who d taken Ely. Then he joined forces with them, creating a strong base on the island of Ely to defend against the power of the Normans. The Abbot of Ely supported him. Wasn t happy! He went to meet Svein and they agreed that the Danish army would leave. Afterward William decided to let the local knights deal with him and went back to Normandy. The Knights William left behind failed to deal with Hereward. Nor did William capture him on his return. He escaped and continued his resistance against Norman rule, but he never posed such a threat again. William came back from Normandy in 1071 to find that another uprising was on the way. And he knew he had to deal with this one himself. He laid siege to Ely. Ely was an island then, of course, so it was quite easy to send ships to block supplies and prevent the rebels leaving by sea, as well as boats to cut off access to the Fens. Meanwhile, William s soldiers built a causeway over the marshes and eventually his army reached Ely. Earls Edwin and Morcar Earls Edwin and Morcar decided to come to Ely to join Hereward, although it s possible that only Morcar actually reached Ely as some sources say that Edwin died on the way.

12 Knowledge Organiser Topic Four: What can research reveal about early Norman castles? 1. What was new about Norman castles in England? 1 Fortifications in Anglo-Saxon England England had fortifications before 1066 Anglo-Saxon kings built towns with defences called burhs. These walled towns were often important royal administrative centres, and the walls were there to protect people from attack by the Vikings. Burh-geats were built by thegns. They were enclosures surrounded by banks and ditches, and they contained the thegn s hall, where he had feasts, and buildings where he lived with his family. Some archaeologists think that the burh-geats were designed more as status symbols than as defensive structures, but others disagree a two-metre bank and ditch would have provided considerable protection. However impressive the burh-geats were, they weren t castles. 2 The first mottes in England and Wales The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle tells us that the first castles in England were built in Herefordshire by three Norman friends of King Edward in the 1050s. The monk who described them in the Chronicle found them strange but by 1086, there were hundreds of castles all over England. 3 The Norman Castles The first key development was the motte a huge man-made mound of earth that formed part of the majority of Norman castles. The motte served several purposes: It was defensive the tower on the motte was the safest place in the castle. It made it easy to see what was going on around the castle. And it made the castle highly visible. On top of the motte was a wooden tower, surrounded by a wooden barrier called a palisade. At the base of the motte was the bailey, a large area which contained most of the castle s buildings. Around the bailey was a second palisade with a fortified entranceway. The whole thing was surrounded by a wide ditch, crossed by a bridge.

13 Knowledge Organiser Topic Four: What can research reveal about early Norman castles? 2. Where did the Normans build castles and what did they look like? 1 The first castles William built When William invaded England in September 1066, he landed at Pevensey, which was the site of a Roman fort. The walls and towers provided useful defences for the Norman army, so William used the fort as a base and quickly began strengthening the defences with an earth bank and a palisade. He used a similar approach at Hastings, where he built a castle on the site of an Iron Age fort although in this case, he added a motte. William s priority after the Battle of Hastings was taking control of London. As he moved his army through the south east, devastating the territory he passed through, he built more castles at Dover and probably at Canterbury, Wallingford and Berkhamsted. When William finally took London, he immediately began work on a castle there as well. 2 Why were castles part of William s strategy? At first, they allowed him to garrison troops to secure important areas such as the coast and major towns, which were crucial if he was going to take the throne. Once William was king, the castle building continued as he brought more of England under his control. Royal castles were built in key cities like Exeter, Warwick, Nottingham and York you will remember that Exeter and York in particular had rebelled against Norman rule. As he moved north, he built castles to fortify the route, at Lincoln and Cambridge, for example. 4 How did the Normans choose the sites for their castles? Their choices were strategic and symbolic. They built castles where rivers and roads crossed, and on top of important Saxon sites. This was not popular. The castles were often built using English forced labour, and in many cases, hundreds of houses were demolished to make room for them. The soldiers living in the castles did not always behave well there are reports of robbery, rape and violence against the English population. Add to that the sheer dominance and visibility of the castles, and it s not surprising that they soon became a focus of English discontent. 5 Case study: The Tower of London Historians think that the Normans began to build the Tower between 1075 and 1079, and that it was finished after William s death in This was the Conqueror s main fortress, royal palace and centre of government. William chose the south-east corner of the Roman walls which still surrounded London at that time, to build the Tower. The River Thames provided additional protection to the south. The Normans also built a ditch and earth bank with a palisade, for extra protection. See below a reconstruction painting of the painting of William s first fortress at the Tower of London. 3 Who else made castles? William relied on trusted Norman nobles to help take control of England, and those Normans also built castles. For example, William s half-brother, Robert of Mortain, built several castles in the west of England. William FitzOsbern controlled the border with Wales, and built castles along it. And there were six new barons in Sussex a key area because the route from London to Normandy ran through it.

14 Knowledge Organiser Topic Four: What can research reveal about early Norman castles? 3. What exactly were Norman castles for? 1 Did castle building stop once his grip on England was secure? By 1071, the English resistance to Norman rule had faded away, but castle building didn t slow down it accelerated. It is estimated that William built 500 castles between 1071 between his death in Only 35 castles were built in the first five years after the Battle of Hastings. 2 Why did the Normans keep building castles? William had built his first castles to crush rebellion and to prevent opposition. But once the threat had passed, he wanted to be able to govern effectively and that meant that Normans had to settle the land. He continued to have castles built where they were strategically necessary which is why the densest concentration of castles was along the border with Wales. However, most of the castles built in this phase were owned by his barons, and they were mostly in the countryside, rather than in the key towns that had been the focus of the early phase. These castles acted as homes and as centres that these Norman lords used to administer their vast estates. The castles were partly made as status symbols. But even minor castles were well defended and had a clear military function as well. For example, archeaologists have investigated the castle at Goltho, which was built on top of a Saxon burh-geat. This was a minor castle, but it was still well defended. It had a huge moat that was 4 metres deep, ramparts that were 18 metres thick, a tall palisade and a gatehouse guarding the bailey. There was a motte, a tower and everything was built for strength. Added to that, the hall itself was quite small, so it s unlikely the lord actually lived in it. In summary, there were two clear phases of castle building during William s lifetime the first to help him conquer England and the second to help him govern it. 3 What historical interpretations are there of Norman castles? Firstly, the traditional view focused on castles military role. Secondly, the revisionists argued that the castles were designed for status rather than defence. Thirdly, recent historians have argued that the revisionist idea goes too far the castles definitely had an important military role. 4 Stone structures as evidence Archaeologists made discoveries about Norman castles by looking at the gatehouse in Exeter: The gatehouse was built facing into the city, indicating that it was at least partly about status. There were windows built in an Anglo-Saxon design, which implies it was designed to show off the status of the owner. The entrance had large wooden doors - not very defensive therefore not designed for military purposes. 5 Earthworks as evidence Ringwork fortifications were sometimes full rings, and sometimes were partial rings with natural features or old fortifications filling in the gap. Mottes were usually made from the earth that came from digging the ditches, but sometimes the Normans used hills or even burial mounds instead and they varied in shape and size. Therefore castles had no fixed design. 6 Landscape as evidence Norman lords changed the landscape near their castles. They sometimes diverted roads so they would have better views. Many lords created deer parks for hunting, and some encouraged the building of monasteries near their castles. Evidence that castles were status symbols. 7 Archaeological digs as evidence The excavation of Hen Domen castle on the English Welsh border which show it as an important military site. Remains of double ramparts and deep ditches, which would have been a strong defense; the remains of a large tower, which would have allowed soldiers to watch the surrounding roads and river crossing. Also few luxury goods were found, such as jewellery and coins, which indicates that it was intended as a home for soldiers, not nobles.

15 Knowledge Organiser Topic Five: Impact of the Norman Conquest on the English by 1087 The Domesday Book Land Ownership 1 What was it for? In 1085 William commissioned the Domesday survey a survey of all the property and resources in England. It provides us with valuable information about Norman England. 2 How was it made? There were 34 English shires and these were divided into 7 regions. 4 commissioners visited the manors to collect information for 2 different dates: first, the day on which Edward the Confessor died in 1066 and second, the day in 1086 when the survey took place. The commissioners had to find out about land ownership, how it had changed since Edward s death in They also asked about the value of the manor, the people who lived there and the type of land. 3 Why was it made? Existing records were out of date: The Conquest had changed land ownership all over the country as lands were passed from Saxons to Normans. The frequent changes and lack of documentation meant that there were frequent arguments over land. Taxation: William needed money to pay the soldiers he brought from Normandy, and wanted to know who owed military service in case there was a war. But the book is not laid out in a way that would help raise taxes. Control: Many historians now believe that the survey was designed to legitimise Norman ownership and control of the land. 4 Who owned the land by 1087? The king had about 20 per cent of land. The Church had 25 per cent, the Norman lords had around 50 per cent, the English had 5%. 5 What happened to the English Lords? Some rented the land they had once owned. Others left for Scotland, Ireland or Europe. 6 How was Norman land ownership different to the Anglo-Saxon system? Some of them had a lot of land and became very rich but William didn t let any of his nobles become as powerful as the Anglo-Saxon earls had been. Norman lords built castles and ruled their lands from there, but they were often harsh landlords. Another difference was that English thegns usually had one name, but the Normans often attached a place name to their name to show they owned the land. The Anglo-Saxons had always divided their land between their sons when they died, but the Normans passed it all to their eldest sons. 7 Case Study Alan Rufus Alan Rufus, the Count of Brittany. He was given land in Cambridgeshire that had belonged to King Harold s mistress, Edith the Fair. Later he was given land in Yorkshire belonging to Edwin, Earl of Mercia. But although his land made him the sixth richest Norman in England, it was spread over twelve different shires making it difficult for him to establish a power base and challenge William.

16 Knowledge Organiser Topic Five: Impact of the Norman Conquest on the English by 1087 Earning a living 1 How did rural life change for ordinary people? The Harrying of the North caused homelessness and hunger and we know from Domesday that in 1086 the population of Yorkshire was a quarter of its pre-conquest level. England was still a rural society. Ninety per cent of the population worked the land, and ploughing, sowing and harvest carried on as before. The number of free Saxons fell dramatically as ceorls were forced to become dependent peasants. Slavery became less common it fell by 25 per cent by 1086 because slavery wasn t part of the Norman system. Norman lords charged much higher rents they increased by 30 per cent by 1086 and that caused a lot of hardship. English families were now much poorer. The English were forced to build the lords castles, and were banned from fishing and collecting firewood as they had before. Some lords even charged high fees for using the mill to grind corn. 2 How did town life change for ordinary people? Many towns grew after the Conquest, and the Normans built some new towns. Towns in rebellious areas were badly damaged, and the castle-building project often meant that hundreds of houses, shops and workshops were destroyed. In some towns, the population actually fell. 3 How did markets and taxation change? Markets were the key way that townspeople made their living. However, Normans seized control of nearly all English markets and often charged higher rents and tolls. This made life even harder for the peasants who depended on markets to sell their goods. William needed extra cash to pay his troops, and he increased taxes to pay for them. The Anglo-Saxons had already developed an efficient tax system, and William squeezed it to the limit. Even after his throne was secure, taxes stayed high right up to Laws and Language 4 Adapted laws Saxons used trial by ordeal, in which an accused person held a red-hot iron or put their hand in boiling water. If the person was innocent, it was believed that God would heal the wound. William added a variation to this: trial by combat, in which the two parties had a sword fight again, it was believed that God would make sure the best man won. 5 New laws The Murdrum law said that if a Norman was murdered, the local community had to pay a huge fine until they handed over the murderer for trial. Forest Law imposed harsh penalties on anyone caught hunting in royal forests killing a rabbit could mean you lost two fingers, while killing a deer would result in the hunter s eyes being gouged out. 6 Written language Most of the manuscripts produced after 1066 were written in Latin before the Conquest, monks usually wrote in English. By 1070, power had moved to the Normans and most of them could not understand English so Latin became used for writing in the Church and in government. Spoken language Before the Conquest, everyone spoke English, king and peasant alike. The Norman ruling class spoke Norman French, while everyone else carried on speaking English. The English now found they literally spoke a different language from their government and it marked them as inferior. Over the years, the languages blended together as French words were added to English. At first theses were the words of politics and law (justice, government, authority), but soon more varied words crept into everyday English life (dance, music, mutton)

17 Knowledge Organiser Topic Five: Impact of the Norman Conquest on the English by 1087 The Church 1 Reorganisation of the Church In 1070 the Pope had given his official blessing to William s rule, and by extension, the Norman Conquest of England. English bishops were replaced with Normans until by 1080, only one of the sixteen bishops was English. The Norman Yoke 4 What is the Norman yoke? A yoke is a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals (oxen)and attached to the plough or cart that they are to pull, which keeps them under control. For some people, the yoke is a symbol of what the Normans did to the English people after Cathedrals and Churches Nearly every Anglo-Saxon cathedral was replaced with a new one, built on a larger, grander scale. These cathedrals were a powerful symbol of Norman authority. The Normans built lots of parish churches. They replaced the old Anglo- Saxon churches with new ones in stone, and added lots more until every parish had a church. While they were rebuilding, they removed dedications to the old Anglo-Saxon saints. Norman landowners often built new churches and spent a great deal of money on making them impressive and beautiful, with fine carvings and brightly-coloured paintings on the walls. 3 Monasteries As part of his reform of the church, William encouraged a revival of monasticism. He rebuilt or restored the old northern monasteries and Norman lords began to give land to abbeys back in Normandy. This had two effects it transferred a great deal of wealth from English monasteries to Normandy and France, and it also meant that more and more monks in English monasteries had been sent from France. Most English abbots were replaced with Normans. 5 What are the two ideas the Norman yoke based on? Late Anglo-Saxon England was a golden age when the English were free and equal people who lived in a prosperous and well-ruled country. They had a flourishing culture and were united through language. Following the Conquest, the English people lost their freedoms. They were robbed of their land and forced into poverty. The brutal and oppressive rule of the Normans imposed a foreign and unwanted culture on the English. 6 How did the myth develop? Ordeic Vitalis was the first chronicler to use the word yoke in the early 12 th century. 200 years after the Conquest, medieval chroniclers were still writing about the oppressive rule of the Normans. For the past 400 years, the idea of the Norman Yoke has been reinforced through the writing of historians, politicians and novelists. 7 What do historians think? Some historians point out that the romantic image of a Saxon golden age is a myth. They emphasise the brutality, inequality and slavery which existed in Saxon England. Others disagree and have much to admire in the government and culture of the Saxons. Historians also disagree on the transformation of England after For some, the Normans brought strong government and a rich culture to England. For other, they brought destruction and brutal oppression to the English.