Normans part 2 – Life Under the Normans
Def: feudal system####hierarchy of land ownership developed by the Normans from existing system
in England
What was important to changes in land ownership?####increased William’s powerdecreased others’
power
How did the feudal system increase William’s power?####removed autonomy from the English
What was the power distribution pre-1066?####6 earls controlled all of England
What was the power distribution post-1066?####200 barons w/ land ‘in tenure’ scattered across
England
Def: in tenure####land not owned by barons/knights, could be confiscated at any time
However, (William’s power increased)####William needed to install powerful barons on the border
w/ Wales to prevent invasion
Who controlled Welsh border?####‘Marcher Lords’ Earl of ChesterEarl of ShrewsburyEarl of
Hereford
How were Marcher Lords more powerful?####could build castles, raise armies w/out permission of
King
Therefore, (William’s power increased)####William’s power wasn’t increased uniformly across the
country
How did William decrease others’ power?####formalised oathsnoble class was weakened
What oaths were formalised?####barons to Kingknights to barons
Why were oaths formalised?####to encourage more loyalty
How was the noble class weakened?####6 earls → 200 barons
Why the noble class weakened?####harder to consolidate and coordinate a rebellion
However, (decreased others power)####peasants’ rights remained the same
What are the name for peasants?####cottars and bordarsvilleins
What remained the same for villeins?####had to serve Lord of the manorworked on his
demesnecouldn’t move
Therefore, (noble class weakened)####impact of changes of leadership wasn’t uniform across the
country
What was important about Norman changes to government?####central govlocal gov
In what ways was control of central gov changed?####kingly authority projectedpatronage was
tightened
How was kingly authority projected?####ritual crown wearingsappeared w/ crown at Great Counci
3x a yearcoinage depicted King w/ crown
How was patronage tightened?####only granted to those who swore an oath of fealty
, However, (central gov)####some continuities advisers to the Kingwrits
How was the Kings advisers continued?####witan renamed Kings Court (Curia Regis) an continued to
advise the King
How were writs continued?####still effective and issued to bishops, earls and sheriffs
Therefore, (central gov)####increased control didn’t completely change of central gov
How was control over local gov changed?####English sheriffs removedNorman sheriffs installed
What was different about Norman sheriffs?####had more power: make annual paymentspreside
over shire courtscollect taxesraise armiessome were castellans
Def: castellans####looked after royal castles and forests
However, (Norman sheriffs)####English sheriffs retained initiallysome continuities
What was the name for English sheriffs?####shire reeves
Why were English sheriffs retained initially?####knowledgeable and skilled
What were the continuities of sheriffs?####shire system remained
Def: shire system####dividing up land w/ 1 borough (town) to organise law and taxes under a sheriff
Therefore, (Norman sheriffs)####increased control didn’t completely change local gov
What was important about the Normans’ changes to the legal system?####more effective
courtsmore effective enforcement
Why did the courts become more effective?####honorial courts introducedtrial by combat
introduced
Why were honorial courts introduced?####to help knights manage their estates
Where the courts?####KingsShireHundredHonorialManorial
However, (more effective courts)####most courts remained unchangedother trials still remained
Eg: a court that didn’t change####k
Eg: trials that remaine####
Therefore, (more effective courts)####The courts changes weren’t major and mostly affected the
knights
How did law enforcement become more effective?####murdrum introducedWergild phased out
Def: murdrum####if a crime was committed the village had 5 days to find the culprit or monthly
fines were imposed until they were
Def: Wergild####‘man price’ was paid by murderer to the victim’s family dependent on victim’s
status
What was the man price for a noble?####1700 shillings
What was Wergild replaced by?####murdrum and physical punishments
Def: feudal system####hierarchy of land ownership developed by the Normans from existing system
in England
What was important to changes in land ownership?####increased William’s powerdecreased others’
power
How did the feudal system increase William’s power?####removed autonomy from the English
What was the power distribution pre-1066?####6 earls controlled all of England
What was the power distribution post-1066?####200 barons w/ land ‘in tenure’ scattered across
England
Def: in tenure####land not owned by barons/knights, could be confiscated at any time
However, (William’s power increased)####William needed to install powerful barons on the border
w/ Wales to prevent invasion
Who controlled Welsh border?####‘Marcher Lords’ Earl of ChesterEarl of ShrewsburyEarl of
Hereford
How were Marcher Lords more powerful?####could build castles, raise armies w/out permission of
King
Therefore, (William’s power increased)####William’s power wasn’t increased uniformly across the
country
How did William decrease others’ power?####formalised oathsnoble class was weakened
What oaths were formalised?####barons to Kingknights to barons
Why were oaths formalised?####to encourage more loyalty
How was the noble class weakened?####6 earls → 200 barons
Why the noble class weakened?####harder to consolidate and coordinate a rebellion
However, (decreased others power)####peasants’ rights remained the same
What are the name for peasants?####cottars and bordarsvilleins
What remained the same for villeins?####had to serve Lord of the manorworked on his
demesnecouldn’t move
Therefore, (noble class weakened)####impact of changes of leadership wasn’t uniform across the
country
What was important about Norman changes to government?####central govlocal gov
In what ways was control of central gov changed?####kingly authority projectedpatronage was
tightened
How was kingly authority projected?####ritual crown wearingsappeared w/ crown at Great Counci
3x a yearcoinage depicted King w/ crown
How was patronage tightened?####only granted to those who swore an oath of fealty
, However, (central gov)####some continuities advisers to the Kingwrits
How was the Kings advisers continued?####witan renamed Kings Court (Curia Regis) an continued to
advise the King
How were writs continued?####still effective and issued to bishops, earls and sheriffs
Therefore, (central gov)####increased control didn’t completely change of central gov
How was control over local gov changed?####English sheriffs removedNorman sheriffs installed
What was different about Norman sheriffs?####had more power: make annual paymentspreside
over shire courtscollect taxesraise armiessome were castellans
Def: castellans####looked after royal castles and forests
However, (Norman sheriffs)####English sheriffs retained initiallysome continuities
What was the name for English sheriffs?####shire reeves
Why were English sheriffs retained initially?####knowledgeable and skilled
What were the continuities of sheriffs?####shire system remained
Def: shire system####dividing up land w/ 1 borough (town) to organise law and taxes under a sheriff
Therefore, (Norman sheriffs)####increased control didn’t completely change local gov
What was important about the Normans’ changes to the legal system?####more effective
courtsmore effective enforcement
Why did the courts become more effective?####honorial courts introducedtrial by combat
introduced
Why were honorial courts introduced?####to help knights manage their estates
Where the courts?####KingsShireHundredHonorialManorial
However, (more effective courts)####most courts remained unchangedother trials still remained
Eg: a court that didn’t change####k
Eg: trials that remaine####
Therefore, (more effective courts)####The courts changes weren’t major and mostly affected the
knights
How did law enforcement become more effective?####murdrum introducedWergild phased out
Def: murdrum####if a crime was committed the village had 5 days to find the culprit or monthly
fines were imposed until they were
Def: Wergild####‘man price’ was paid by murderer to the victim’s family dependent on victim’s
status
What was the man price for a noble?####1700 shillings
What was Wergild replaced by?####murdrum and physical punishments
