Edexcel GCSE History - Anglo-Saxon and
Norman England
1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
Edward the Confessor died on the 5th January 1066 without an heir. Led to Succession
Crisis - ANS- Harold Godwinson (1022-1066) - Appointed successor by the King on his
deathbed. Proven in battle and had put the country ahead of his family (Tostig). Had
support of the Witan
Edgar Atheling (1051-1126) - Only living blood relative of the King. But only 14 in 1066
and had not support amongst the earls
Harald Hardrada (1015-1066) - King of Norway and descendent of King Cnut (Danish King
of England). Harald was encouraged to invade by Tostig. Weak claim but had 15,000
warriors and lots of battle experience
William of Normandy (1028-1087) - Believed Edward had promised him the throne in 1051
- a pledge reaffirmed by Harold in 1064. Had the backing of the Pope and lots of military
experience
1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex - ANS- - Led successful military campaigns against
the welsh (1055-1063) - Became sub regulus (2nd to the King)
- Religious belief evident in founding a monastery (Waltham Abbey) and going on a
pilgrimage (Rome)
- Unofficial 'Danish' marriage to Edith Swan-neck (20 years, 5 children)
- Official marriage to Edith of Mercia (Less than 1 year)
1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
Harold, Tostig and exile - ANS- - Tostig (Harold's brother) made Earl of Nurthumbria in
1055, defending the north of England against Scottish and Viking invaders.
- He was unpopular due to taxation and his harsh treatment of rivals
- In 1065 Northumbrian thegns rebel against Tostig and demand a new earl (Morcar)
- The King sent Harold to speak to the rebels - he supports them and the King replaces
Tostig
- Tostig went into exile and became Harold's enemy
,1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
Harold's embassy to Normandy - ANS- - Accounts (Norman) suggest that Harold visited
Normandy in 1064 and swore an oath renewing the King's (Edward) promise to William of
the throne and giving William his loyalty
- Other accounts (Saxon) claim Harold went to Normandy to recover hostages
1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
The house of Godwin - ANS- - Earl Godwin (d.1053) supported King Edward and married
his daughter Edith to the King
- Richest family in England - Lands produced income of £8,500 (£2,000 more than the
King's land)
1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
The Witan and reign of Harold Godwinson - ANS- - Harold was crowned on the 6th
January supported by the Witan
- Created a strong alliance with Northern Earls (of Mercia and Northumbria) by marrying
their sister, Edith
- Positioned the largest army England had seen on the south coast and a fleet in the
Channel - expensive and in September the Fyrd had to be disbanded for harvest
1066: Invasions and battles: Causes, significance and outcomes of battles
Gate Fulford, 20th September 1066 - ANS- - Hardrada and Tostig had landed with 10,000
warriors and marched towards York
- Outnumbered, the earls of Mercia (Edwin) and Northumbria (Morcar) still marched from
(fortified) York to meet them
- Thousands of English troops were killed, wounded or taken hostage. York surrendered
to Hardrada
- Harold was forced to march north
1066: Invasions and battles: Causes, significance and outcomes of battles
Hastings, 14th October 1066: Leadership skills - ANS- - William - Constructed a
dedicated invasion fleet, keeping his army together whilst waiting to cross, risking a
stormy crossing late in the year establishing a pre-fabricated castle near Hastings
- Harold - Rushing to fight William, failed to surprise him
1066: Invasions and battles: Causes, significance and outcomes of battles
Hastings, 14th October 1066: Luck - ANS- - Hardrada's invasion and the consequences
weakened Harold's defence (loss of men, forced march)
, - William survived the storm at sea and weather changed in time for crossing
- Luck on the battlefield. Battle lasted over 8 hours suggesting sides were evenly
matched
1066: Invasions and battles: Causes, significance and outcomes of battles
Hastings, 14th October 1066: Troops and tactics - ANS- Saxons (c.6,000):
- Housecarls (disciplined shield wall, axes effective)
- Thegns - Experienced but part-time soldiers
- Fyrd - Not all well-trained disciplined or well-equipped
- Relied on defensive shield wall tactic - Strong until late afternoon and had no archers
Normans (7,500):
- Knights - Highly trained, heavily armored, mounted on horse
- Archers
- Foot soldiers - Mercenaries so not all trained to fight with Knights
- Mix of tactics, including 'feigned' (fake) retreat
1066: Invasions and battles: Causes, significance and outcomes of battles
Stamford Bridge, 25th September 1066 - ANS- - Harold marched 185 miles in 5 days,
taking Hardrada's army by surprise (without their armour)
- Hardrada and Tostig both killed
Anglo-Saxon - ANS- - People who had settled in England after the Romans left Britain
- Came from different parts of what is now Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands
Anglo-Saxon Society
Life in Towns and Villages: Towns (100 in 1060/10% of population) - ANS- - Higher status
residents
- Markets sold a wide range of goods that were not available in villages - jewellery,
weapons, leather and cloth, spices and gems
- Significant towns - Ludenwic (London), Eoforwic (York) and Winchester
Anglo-Saxon Society
Life in Towns and Villages: Villages (12-15 houses) - ANS- - Simple homes made of
'wattle and daub'
- Shared by valuable livestock (sheep, pigs, cattle) in bad weather
- Ploughs valuable
- Most churches were wooden
- Fish (eels - river) & (herring - sea) could be used to pay rent
Norman England
1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
Edward the Confessor died on the 5th January 1066 without an heir. Led to Succession
Crisis - ANS- Harold Godwinson (1022-1066) - Appointed successor by the King on his
deathbed. Proven in battle and had put the country ahead of his family (Tostig). Had
support of the Witan
Edgar Atheling (1051-1126) - Only living blood relative of the King. But only 14 in 1066
and had not support amongst the earls
Harald Hardrada (1015-1066) - King of Norway and descendent of King Cnut (Danish King
of England). Harald was encouraged to invade by Tostig. Weak claim but had 15,000
warriors and lots of battle experience
William of Normandy (1028-1087) - Believed Edward had promised him the throne in 1051
- a pledge reaffirmed by Harold in 1064. Had the backing of the Pope and lots of military
experience
1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex - ANS- - Led successful military campaigns against
the welsh (1055-1063) - Became sub regulus (2nd to the King)
- Religious belief evident in founding a monastery (Waltham Abbey) and going on a
pilgrimage (Rome)
- Unofficial 'Danish' marriage to Edith Swan-neck (20 years, 5 children)
- Official marriage to Edith of Mercia (Less than 1 year)
1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
Harold, Tostig and exile - ANS- - Tostig (Harold's brother) made Earl of Nurthumbria in
1055, defending the north of England against Scottish and Viking invaders.
- He was unpopular due to taxation and his harsh treatment of rivals
- In 1065 Northumbrian thegns rebel against Tostig and demand a new earl (Morcar)
- The King sent Harold to speak to the rebels - he supports them and the King replaces
Tostig
- Tostig went into exile and became Harold's enemy
,1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
Harold's embassy to Normandy - ANS- - Accounts (Norman) suggest that Harold visited
Normandy in 1064 and swore an oath renewing the King's (Edward) promise to William of
the throne and giving William his loyalty
- Other accounts (Saxon) claim Harold went to Normandy to recover hostages
1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
The house of Godwin - ANS- - Earl Godwin (d.1053) supported King Edward and married
his daughter Edith to the King
- Richest family in England - Lands produced income of £8,500 (£2,000 more than the
King's land)
1066: Death, succession crisis and claimants to the throne
The Witan and reign of Harold Godwinson - ANS- - Harold was crowned on the 6th
January supported by the Witan
- Created a strong alliance with Northern Earls (of Mercia and Northumbria) by marrying
their sister, Edith
- Positioned the largest army England had seen on the south coast and a fleet in the
Channel - expensive and in September the Fyrd had to be disbanded for harvest
1066: Invasions and battles: Causes, significance and outcomes of battles
Gate Fulford, 20th September 1066 - ANS- - Hardrada and Tostig had landed with 10,000
warriors and marched towards York
- Outnumbered, the earls of Mercia (Edwin) and Northumbria (Morcar) still marched from
(fortified) York to meet them
- Thousands of English troops were killed, wounded or taken hostage. York surrendered
to Hardrada
- Harold was forced to march north
1066: Invasions and battles: Causes, significance and outcomes of battles
Hastings, 14th October 1066: Leadership skills - ANS- - William - Constructed a
dedicated invasion fleet, keeping his army together whilst waiting to cross, risking a
stormy crossing late in the year establishing a pre-fabricated castle near Hastings
- Harold - Rushing to fight William, failed to surprise him
1066: Invasions and battles: Causes, significance and outcomes of battles
Hastings, 14th October 1066: Luck - ANS- - Hardrada's invasion and the consequences
weakened Harold's defence (loss of men, forced march)
, - William survived the storm at sea and weather changed in time for crossing
- Luck on the battlefield. Battle lasted over 8 hours suggesting sides were evenly
matched
1066: Invasions and battles: Causes, significance and outcomes of battles
Hastings, 14th October 1066: Troops and tactics - ANS- Saxons (c.6,000):
- Housecarls (disciplined shield wall, axes effective)
- Thegns - Experienced but part-time soldiers
- Fyrd - Not all well-trained disciplined or well-equipped
- Relied on defensive shield wall tactic - Strong until late afternoon and had no archers
Normans (7,500):
- Knights - Highly trained, heavily armored, mounted on horse
- Archers
- Foot soldiers - Mercenaries so not all trained to fight with Knights
- Mix of tactics, including 'feigned' (fake) retreat
1066: Invasions and battles: Causes, significance and outcomes of battles
Stamford Bridge, 25th September 1066 - ANS- - Harold marched 185 miles in 5 days,
taking Hardrada's army by surprise (without their armour)
- Hardrada and Tostig both killed
Anglo-Saxon - ANS- - People who had settled in England after the Romans left Britain
- Came from different parts of what is now Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands
Anglo-Saxon Society
Life in Towns and Villages: Towns (100 in 1060/10% of population) - ANS- - Higher status
residents
- Markets sold a wide range of goods that were not available in villages - jewellery,
weapons, leather and cloth, spices and gems
- Significant towns - Ludenwic (London), Eoforwic (York) and Winchester
Anglo-Saxon Society
Life in Towns and Villages: Villages (12-15 houses) - ANS- - Simple homes made of
'wattle and daub'
- Shared by valuable livestock (sheep, pigs, cattle) in bad weather
- Ploughs valuable
- Most churches were wooden
- Fish (eels - river) & (herring - sea) could be used to pay rent
