Starter quiz
- In what month and year was William crowned king of England?
- January 1066
- December 1066 ✓
- January 1068
- December 1068
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- Which of these Anglo-Saxon earls were also earls in Norman England?
- Edwin ✓
- Leofwine
- Morcar ✓
- Tostig
- Waltheof ✓
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- Who did William make Earl of Kent and then the first Marcher earl of Hereford?
- Eustace aux Grenons
- Odo of Bayeux
- Roger de Breteuil
- William fitzOsbern ✓
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- Complete this sentence: The term ______ means someone appointed to govern a country while the monarch is away or too ill to govern.
- 'regent' ✓
Which tenant-in-chief and regent of England is shown in this modern illustration? He fell out of favour with William and ended up in prison until William I's death.- 'Odo of Bayeux' ✓
- Which of these key individuals helped defeat the Revolt of the Earls before it became a threat to William's rule of England?
- Lanfranc ✓
- Matilda of Flanders
- Odo of Bayeux ✓
- William fitzOsbern
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Exit quiz
- Which of these definitions is the best for the term 'continuity'?
- gradual change
- rapid change
- becoming more significant
- staying the same ✓
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- Which of these key terms refers specifically to a parcel of land which carried obligations for the landholder?
- feudal
- fief ✓
- homage
- overlord
- vassal
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- Which of these continued largely unchanged between Anglo-Saxon society and society in Norman England?
- the amount of social mobility
- the ability of some landholders to buy and sell their land freely
- the monarch's ability to grant land to reward their followers ✓
- the security of landholding
- the importance of the Church as a major landholder ✓
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- Which of these positions in the Norman feudal hierarchy describes a type of peasant?
- heir
- fief
- knight
- vassal
- villein ✓
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Complete the caption for this image: The right of an overlord to take land away from disloyal tenants was known as...- 'forfeiture' ✓
- In which of these ways did the feudal system increase loyalty to William?
- forfeiture gave him the power to punish those who disobeyed him ✓
- homage involved an oath to 'be William's man' ✓
- knight service meant William was provided with well-equipped troops
- labour service provided food for those who did not farm for themselves
- landownership by the king meant William could grant land as a reward ✓
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Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The strict conditions for holding land from the king became known as the feudal system.
- The feudal system made landholding less secure than it had been under Anglo-Saxon kings.
- A key relationship in the feudal system was between a vassal and their overlord.
- Holding land came with obligations such as paying homage, providing knight service or labour service.
- The feudal system increased William’s power and control over England.
Common misconception
Paying homage, swearing allegiance, or making promises were weak obligations.
In fact, these promises are with the king and God. It was unlikely you would break a public and spiritual promise like this; it would not have been good for your reputation or your soul!
Keywords
Feudal - feudal refers to a hierarchical social system where people receive land to live and work on from those higher than them, and in return have to work and fight for them
Homage - paying homage was to publicly submit and swear an oath of fealty (loyalty) to someone above you in the feudal system
Overlord - an overlord in the feudal system was someone who granted land in return for service
Vassal - a vassal in the feudal system was someone who provided a service (e.g. labour) to an overlord in return for land
Fief - a fief was a parcel of land given by an overlord to a vassal in return for their service to their overlord