Starter quiz
- Why did the revolt of the earls in 1075 fail?
- English and Norman forces cooperated to stop the revolt. ✓
- The Church excommunicated the earls which stopped the revolt.
- William led an army and defeated them in battle.
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- What was different about Waltheof's punishment compared to that of the other two rebel earls of 1075?
- He was imprisoned for life while the others were pardoned.
- He was banished while the others were imprisoned.
- He was executed while the others' lives were spared. ✓
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- What is a regent?
- a fortified place, often found in East Anglia, containing troops
- a lord appointed to guard the border territories of Wales and England
- a person who rules a country for a limited period, because the monarch is absent ✓
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- How many Danish ships arrived to support the rebels in 1075?
- 100
- 150
- 200 ✓
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- What did the 1075 revolt demonstrate to William whilst he was away in Normandy?
- he could now rely on Anglo-Norman leadership to keep England secure ✓
- he could now see that Anglo-Norman leadership wasn't effective against the Danes
- he could now see that Anglo-Norman leadership was divided and weak
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- Where did the three earls hatch their plot to rebel against William in 1075?
- at Waltheof's castle in Northumbria
- during a council in London
- at Ralph's wedding ✓
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Exit quiz
- Which of these terms is used in history to mean things staying the same?
- change
- consequence
- continuity ✓
- controversy
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- Which of these key terms refers to a social system in which people received land in return for providing services, such as military service or working the land?
- feudal ✓
- fief
- homage
- overlord
- vassal
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- Which of these are differences 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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- What position in Norman society was held by someone like Odo of Bayeux, a large landholder who received his land direct from king?
- archbishop
- fief
- knight service
- tenant-in-chief ✓
- villein
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Complete the caption to this image: A medieval illustration of the act of...- 'homage' ✓
- In which of these ways did the feudal system help William control England?
- forfeiture gave him the power to punish those who disobeyed him ✓
- homage gave vassals more of a say in how Norman England was governed
- knight service provided him with military power to put down opposition ✓
- labour service made peasants wealthier and more likely to support William
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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 be 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