Life and Death in Medieval Times: Norman England

Norman Conquest - 1066

Edward the Confessor died

William, Duke of Normandy claimed the crown

Rejected by English nobles, Led by Harold, the Earl of Hereford

Battle of Hastings

William the Conquerer invaded England & defeated Harold and became King

Where can the Norman Conquest be told?

The Bayeux Tapestry

Other countries Normans would eventually control land in

Ireland, France, Italy, Tunisia, Libya and the Middle East

Feudalism

System of land ownership where rulers divided land among their followers in return for loyalty or taxes

Feudalism in order

King -> Lords -> Knights -> Peasants/Serfs

Name for the land given

Fief

Oath of Fealty

Promising to fight for the king, provide him troops and pay him taxes

Motte and Bailey

Temporary artificial hill with a wooden tower/keep where below was an enclosed area where soldiers lived

Curtain Walls

Protected those inside

Keep

Main building

Held Lord's apartment, the great hall and a chapel

Narrow windows to keep in heat + defence

Battlements

Ran along the top of the keep and walls

Soldiers would patrol them day and night

Towers/Turrets

Built into walls at regular intervals, especially at corners

Bailey

Stables, workshops, kitchens, well, soldiers' lodging here

If castle was under attack, animals & people from surrounding area could be brought inside for protection

Gatehouse

Held the drawbridge and portcullis

Drawbridge

Lowered at night and controls entry to the castle

Portcullis

Metal grid that could be lowered over the gate

Siege

Surrounding the castle and waited for surrender

Why were castles so hard to attack?

High walls

Well-armed soldiers and knights

Castle defences

Fire arrows from the walls

Pour boiling water or oil down on attackers

Castle attacks

Catapaults, Siege Towers

Tunnel under castle walls to undermine

Cannons

Dowry

Sum of money or land paid to groom

Solar

Warm sunny room where lady would weave, teach children or play music

Lady's duties

Bear children as heirs, ran the household, instruct servants, supervising storage, prepare food, act for husband whilst he's away

Lord's duties

Maintain order in his lands, act as a judge and train soldiers

Lord's leisure time

Hunting or hawking and held tournaments which included jousting and mock battles

The Great Hall

Feasts held, had big fireplaces and tapestries

Feast food

Beef, pork, mutton, duck, deer, pheasant, rabbit - farm animals or what the lord caught whilst hunting

Clothing

Men - Long Tunics & Trousers of fine wool or linen

Women - Full-length dresses

Embroidered / Dyed in vivid colours showed off wealth

Richest nobles wore silk brought from Asia

Foot Soliders

Largest part of any medieval army

Swords, daggers, spears

Shields & leather padded jackets

Peasants who returned to the fields when battle/war was over

Archers

Bow & Arrows, sometimes a longbow/crossbow

Little protective clothing

Knights

Minor nobles who fought on horseback

Plate armour, chainmail, shield, helmet

Lances, swords, maces

Page

Age 7, fostered by another Lord

Learn how to ride a horse, use a sword, sing and dance, taught manners, helped the lady of the castle ad served lady and lord at table

Squire

Age 14

Began fighting horseback, Accompany Lord into battle, look after his horse and weapons and help lord dress for battle and tournaments

Knight

Age 21

Spent night before ceremony in prayer in chapel

Dressed in white robe & full armour, dubbing ceremony

Oath of Chivalry

Stay loyal to his lord, protect the poor and weak and be brave in battle

Manor

Owned by a lord or knight

Manor house, church

Mill for grinding wheat, Blacksmith's Forge

Bailiff

Man who ran the manor in the lord's absence, responsible for collecting taxes and keeping law and order in the village

Open Field System

Three huge fields divided into long strips of land tended by different families. Each family had strips in each field

Crop Rotation

Commons - Used for grazing peasant's animals

Crop Rotation

Crop planted in each field changed yearly

Planted oats, barley, one left fallow

Freemen

Pay rent to lord and a tithe but didn't have to work the land for free

Could marry and leave manor as they wished

Serfs

Belonged to lord / No freedom

Worked 6 days weekly

Received small plot of land to farm and build house

If escaped for a year - Freeman

Serf's Home

Wattle and Daub walls, Earthen floor and thatched roof

Grew vegetables outside, Kept a few animals

Cramped inside, dark and smoky from fire

Animals kept inside at night for warmth & safety

Serf Clothing

Men - Tunics & Leggings

Women - Long dresses with a headscarf

Leather shoes, handmade of wool or linen, dyed with berry juice

Serf Diet

What they could produce from their small plot

Bread, cheese, vegetable & oat soup (pottage)

Ale was safer than water

Meat rarely, possible only Christmas and Easter

Serf Leisure Time

Sundays and the various saints' days

After Mass there was singing, dancing, drinking and village games

Charter

Contract where the town was granted freedom to run it's own affairs but had to pay taxes to the king

Common Features of a medieval town

High Walls, Strong Gates (Tolls), High Street (Market Square), Narrow streets, Churches, Cathedral (Bishop), Fair Green

Houses

Wooden, several storeys high. chamber pots, vegetables & animals back, dung heaps in gardens

Curfews

Streets