Podcast
Questions and Answers
Who founded Westminster Abbey?
Who founded Westminster Abbey?
Which group of people settled in Normandy after conquering part of France?
Which group of people settled in Normandy after conquering part of France?
What was the relationship between Edward the Confessor's wife and Earl Godwin?
What was the relationship between Edward the Confessor's wife and Earl Godwin?
In what language did Edward insist on being spoken at his court?
In what language did Edward insist on being spoken at his court?
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Who led a monastic life and focused on building churches?
Who led a monastic life and focused on building churches?
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Which Norman leader was a claimant for the English throne after Edward the Confessor's death?
Which Norman leader was a claimant for the English throne after Edward the Confessor's death?
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What was the name of the territory conquered from the French king by the Normans?
What was the name of the territory conquered from the French king by the Normans?
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Study Notes
The Norman Conquest
- The Norman invasion resulted in a new royal family, ruling class, culture, and language in England.
- It took William and his barons over 5 years to subdue the whole of England after the Battle of Hastings.
- There were risings against Norman rule every year from 1067 to 1070, which William ruthlessly put down.
- The lands of Northumbria were raised to the ground, with every house or cottage between Durham and York burnt down, people massacred, crops destroyed, and cattle driven off.
Feudal System
- William organized his English kingdom based on the feudal system, where all lands belonged to him by right of conquest.
- One-seventh of the country was made the royal domain, consisting of 1420 estates.
- The monasteries were granted 1700 estates.
- Anglo-Saxon landowners and clergy were replaced by Norman barons, with only two surviving English lords of any importance by 1086.
Norman Background
- The Normans were a group of Northmen who settled in Normandy, France, after raiding the northern coast in the 9th century.
- They developed a distinct culture and language, assimilating with the French population and adopting their culture and dialect.
- The Normans lived under the rule of the Duke of Normandy, who acknowledged the King of France as their overlord but were practically independent.
- Norman knights were well-trained cavalry and formidable fighters, waging wars to seize new lands and serfs.
Claimants to the English Throne
- The question of who should follow Edward the Confessor as king was a crucial one in English history.
- Edward, being childless, named Harold Godwin as his successor, but William, the Duke of Normandy, also claimed the throne.
- Edward had relied heavily on Harold Godwin, but was more interested in the Church than state affairs, leading to a struggle between Norman influence and Saxon power.
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Description
Learn about the Norman invasion of England and the subsequent establishment of a new royal family, ruling class, culture, and language. Explore the challenges faced by William the Conqueror and his barons in subduing England after the victory at Hastings.
