Starter quiz
- What two methods did William use to get the Anglo-Saxon nobility to submit to him?
- harrying ✓
- flattery
- violence ✓
- bribery
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- What word describes when goods have been stolen violently from a place, especially during a war?
- 'plundered' ✓
- Why did many Anglo-Saxon nobles initially rally behind Edgar the Aethling as the next king of England following Harold's death?
- Edward had officially named him as heir.
- He was King Edward’s brother.
- He was the surviving Anglo-Saxon claimant to the throne. ✓
- He was the last male member of the House of York.
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- In which part of England did William lead his army, harrying as they went?
- 'south-east' ✓
- How did William and his army make up for their lack of supplies?
- They paid locals for their food.
- They plundered and foraged. ✓
- The locals happily shared their food with William's army.
- They arranged for more supplies from Normandy.
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- Who submitted to William at Wallingford?
- Edgar the Aethling
- Ealdred the Archbishop of York
- Stigand the Archbishop of Canterbury ✓
- Earls Edwin and Morcar
- Harold Godwinson
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Exit quiz
- To help him keep control, what did William reward his most loyal supporters with?
- 'land' ✓
- When was William crowned King of England?
- 24 December 1066
- 26 December 1066
- 25 December 1066 ✓
- 25 December 1067
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- Match the keyword to the correct definition.
- sheriff⇔an official who oversaw law and order in a local area ✓
- regent⇔a person who rules a country for a limited period ✓
- Marcher⇔a noble appointed to guard the border between England and Wales ✓
- tribute⇔when you pay money and declare loyalty/submission to your ruler ✓
- Who did William appoint as regents?
- Odo ✓
- Earl Leofwine
- Earl Gyrth
- FitzOsbern ✓
- Archbishop Stigand
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- Why did William send treasures to the pope?
- Paying tribute to the pope kept the Church on his side. ✓
- He wanted the pope to visit him in England.
- The pope was known to love gold and to be very greedy.
- Harold had sent the pope treasures annually, so William needed to continue this.
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- What special powers did the Marcher earls have to help them secure the Marches?
- did not have to have sheriffs; they could oversee local law completely
- create new towns, markets and Norman churches ✓
- allowed to keep the taxes they collected ✓
- had all the same powers that William had
- could build castles, without asking the king for permission ✓
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Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- William was crowned king but the Normans continued to plunder England.
- William faced unrest throughout most of England.
- To help him rule, William rewarded his most loyal supporters with land.
- William appointed Odo and FitzOsbern as regents.
- William created new Marcher earldoms to defend the Welsh border.
Common misconception
After William the Conqueror was crowned King of England, he and the Normans were immediately accepted as rightful rulers and peace reigned across the kingdom.
In fact, William faced a hostile Anglo-Saxon population and threats of invasion from Wales and Scotland, requiring him to take measures to establish further control.
Keywords
Regent - a regent is a person who rules a country for a limited period, because the monarch is absent or too young or too ill
Tribute - tribute is when you pay money and declare loyalty/submission to your ruler, especially on a formal occasion
Marcher - a Marcher earl was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales
Sheriff - a sheriff was an official who oversaw law and order in a local area on behalf of the monarch