Anglo Saxon and the Norman conquest 1060-1088

What were the 4 main earldoms?

• Wessex

• East Anglia

• Northumbria

• Mercia

What was the hierarchy of Anglo-Saxon England?

King KIND

Earl ELEPHANTS

Thegns TAKE

Ceorls CARE

Peasants PLEASE

Slaves SMILE

How was the social status in Anglo Saxon England?

• It was very fluid

• People could easily move up and down the hierarchy

• Peasants who obtained 5 hides of land became thegns

• Thegns could easily be promoted to earls

What were the power of the king in 1060?

• Law making

• Money - controlled production

• Landownership- Grant and take away

• Military power

• Taxation

What were the limits to the kings power?

• Half the country were Anglo-Danish (Danelaw). They accepted Edwards rule but didn’t like it

• Earl Godwin - He was as rich as the king and He and his family were as powerful as the king, putting pressure on the king

• Edward exiled Godwin, but a year later Godwin returned with an army asking to get his earldom restored, to prevent war Edward agreed

What were Hides?

What was a reeve?

Measure of land

What was a reeve?

An Anglo Saxon official

What was the role and features of the earls?

• Meeting of powerful lords and bishops

• Played an important role in succession

What was the role and features of the earls?

• Most powerful of the kings lords

• Ensured laws were enforced in their Earldoms

• Raised men for the army

Role and features of thegns?

• 70% of the population

• Worked in their lords land

Features of peasants?

• 70% of the population

• Worked in their lords land

Features of slaves?

• 10% of the population

• Free men who owned their own farms

• All male ceorls HAD to serve in the army

Features of peasants?

• 70% of the population

• Worked in their lords land

Features of slaves?

• 10% of the population

• No freedom

• Worked on lords land

What is Wergild?

• Fine paid to victims of crime

• Levels of fine were based on Hierarchy

Policing in Anglo Saxon society

• Tithing

• Hue and cry

• All villagers expected to help catch criminals

Anglo Saxon towns

• Made silver pennies and money

• Exported wool and cheese

• Imported Glass, wine and spices

The role of Anglo Saxon Church

• Rich and powerful - owned 25% of land

• Very impressed and centre of life

Structure of the church

• 2 Archbishops

• Priests

• Monasteries

Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex

• Led successful military campaigns against the Welsh

• Very rich and powerful

Harold’s embassy to Normandy

• Harold visited Normandy in 1064 and swore an oath renewing the king’s promise to William of the throne

Rebellion against Tostig, 1065

• Tostig was made Earl of Northumbria in 1055

• He was unpopular due to tax and his harsh treatments

• 1065, Northumbrian Thegns rebel against him and demand Morcar to be Earl

• King supports them and exiles Tostig

Battle of Gate Fulford, September 1066

• Hadrada and Tostig had 10,000 warriors and marched to York

• They outnumbered Edwin and Morcar

• Thousands dead, York surrendered to Hadrada

Battle of Stamford Bridge, September 1066

• Harold marched 185 miles in 5 days, Taking Hadrada’s men by suprise

• Hadrada and Tostig killed

What is the Domesday book?

Record of a survey of the lands England made by William in 1086

Reasons Harold won at stamford bridge

• Vikings had no armour

• Harold took them by surprise

• Hardrada’s men just fought 5 days before and were fatigued

• Harold’s men broke the Viking shield wall which took great fighting skills

Submission of the Earls, 1066

• Surviving English leaders gathered after Battle of Hastings

• William approached London and destroyed crops and towns as he passed

• This intimidated the English and resulted in Archbishop Stigand, Edwin and Morcar surrendering

• William was then crowned King on Christmas 1066

Rewarding his followers

• William gave the lands of those who died at Hastings to his followers as a reward

• however he didnt make much changes straight away to avoid provoking the English

Reasons for Revolt of Edwin and Morcar, 1068

• Edwin and Morcar were humiliated as they realised they had received less power from William

• Williams Heavy taxes

• Castles were a symbol of Norman domination not Saxon

• Land forfeits

Rebels of the North,1069

• Normans were attcked

• Edgar the Aethling arrived from Scotland to lead the rebellion

• Cumin, Williams new Earl, was killed during his attack North

Hereward the wake

• He allied with the Danes

• Morcar Joined

• Danes bribed with gold

• Bridges constructed

• Rebels slaughtered and imprisoned as a warning

Changes in landownership

• By 1085, 5000 thegns had lost their land

• 25% of land was held by 10 Normans

• 1% of Tennants in chief were Englidh

Reasons for the Revolt of the Earls, 1075

• Roger of Hereford- inherited only a bit of land and resented he was given far less power and land

• Ralph of Norfolk - Was given less power

• Waltheof of Northumbria - Inherited only a bit of Land and was far less wealthy than other Earls

The plan of the Revolt of the Earls

• Vague and optimistic

• Relied on local and Danish support

• William was in Normandy but Lanfranc was capable

• Waltheof informed Lanfranc of the plot

The defeat of the Revolt of the earls

• Lanfranc sent 2 armies and prevented the opposing armies from meeting up and Marching north

The fate of the leaders at the Revolt of the Earls

• Ralph of Norfolk - fled to Brittany whilst his men were mutated

• Roger of hereford - imprisoned and his lands were taken

• Waltheof - imprisoned and executed

Reasons the revolt of the Earls failed?

• Danes didn’t arrive in time

• No local support

• Lanfranc and Odo reacted quickly

• Waltheof reported the plan to Lanfranc

What were the forest laws?

• A series of laws introduced to protect areas of land designated for Hunting

• Introduced restrictions and punishments