The king and the earls

Transcription

1 Anglo-Saxon society The king and the earls Money: the king controlled the inting and distribution of coins. Taxation: the king decided when a tax was id and how uch it should be. The king ruled over all of England, with all its resources at his coand. Landownership: the king could grant land to loyal followers, or take it away in punishent. Powers of the king Religion: the king was chosen by God to lead his peo. The Witan Fyrd: the king could raise the fyrd ary and fleet. Half the country was Anglo-Danish, with its own laws and custos, known as the Danelaw. The king was still king of the Danelaw, but he needed to allow the Danelaw soe independence. Law-aking: only the king ade new laws, and everyone had to obey the. In Anglo-Saxon England it was the king who was the ost powerful person in the land no one could tell the king what to do. In order to govern the country, kings granted out soe of their power to their earls and took advice fro their council, the Witan. The earls The earls were the ost iportant en in the country er the king and governed lar areas of England on the king s behalf. To do this they were granted soe of the king s powers. They collected taxes fro their earldo for the king. Earls kept a third of the taxes for governing and protecting their earldo. They overw law and order in their earldo. They judd cases and decided punishents for those found guilty. Earls were the king s nerals, leading their loyal thegns in battle against the king s eneies. Lar earldos eant earls could becoe very powerful indeed in Anglo-Saxon England. The Witan was a council that advised the king, but it was not a liitation on the king s power. The king decided who was appointed to the Witan. The king decided what the Witan should advise hi on. The king did not have to follow the Witan s advice if he did not wish to. Thegns (local lords) could coplain to the king about earls who governed an earldo badly. This happened with Tostig, the earl of Northubria in Tostig lost his earldo when his thegns coplained about the way he governed. Edward the Confessor ( ) Advantas As a religious leader, peo believed that God was guiding hi. He was respected as a wise lawaker. He was arried to Edith, daughter of the rich and powerful Earl of Godwin. Edward the Confessor in the Bayeux Tapestry Didvantas He had been exiled in Norandy for ost of his life, so had few supporters in England. He had no children to succeed hi. He struggled to keep control of Earl Godwin. Pick two features of the Anglo-Saxon onarchy fro the diagra at the top of this. For each feature, describe how they ade the king of Anglo-Saxon England powerful. 1

2 Noran England The Doesday Book The Doesday survey After a eeting with his advisers at Christas in 1085, Willia ordered an investigation of the landholdings of each shire: who held what land, what taxes they owed the king and whether they could y any ore. The results of this survey were written up as the Doesday Book. The Doesday Book is another exa of Willia s growing power over his conquered kingdo. It was produced as a result of the Doesday survey, ordered by Willia in Deceber 1085, and told Willia who held what land and what their obligations were to the king. Doesday Book facts There are around two illion words in the Doesday Book. Handwriting analysis shows the Doesday Book s records were all written down by one an, alost certainly an Anglo-Saxon because place naes and peo s naes were spelled correctly Norans tended to spell the incorrectly place naes are recorded in the Doesday Book. The estiate of England s population being around 2 illion in the 1060s coes fro analysis of Doesday Book records. The Doesday Book also gives us inforation about social roles in 11th century England. It lists: slaves; villeins (peants bound to their lords through labour service); freeen and sokeen a type of ceorl (80% of sokean were in the Danelaw); 1000 tenants-in-chief and 8000 under-tenants. As the work was ostly coted by August 1086, the Doesday Book is a rearkable achieveent and shows the efficiency of Anglo-Saxon adinistration. Because the Doesday Book doesn t cover the whole area of England, and because it doesn t list whole failies, historians have ultiplied these figures to produce an estiate for the whole country. The Doesday Book eant the king could see where landholders should be ying ore oney. It ight also have involved ending special tax priviles for tenants-in-chief. Military Financial Legal The eeting which decided to carry out the Doesday survey had been called because of the threat of a new Viking invasion in Although the invasion never happened, it is possible Willia used the Doesday Book to see how any ore knights tenants could provide for knight service. Financial The Doesday Book contains records of clais by Anglo-Saxons that Norans had taken their lands. Since the Doesday surveys were ade as fairly as possible, with key peo fro each hundred ying who owned what, the Doesday Book had a role in sorting out legal disputes. The way the Doesday Book is organised sugsts it was a handy guide to working out what reliefs should be chard when lands was due to be inherited. Explain one way in which the Doesday Book helped Willia increase his control over England. 25

3 Noran England Bishop Odo Bishop Odo of Bayeux was Willia s half-brother and a loyal supporter throughout the Conquest. Willia rewarded hi with the earldo of Kent, aking hi one of England s (and Norandy s) richest en. The career and significance of Bishop Odo c1036 Odo is born. Willia and Odo have the e other. c1049 Willia akes Odo the Bishop of Bayeux. This appointent was significant because Odo s bad reputation would otherwise have kept hi out of Church leadership. He was in Willia s debt. Odo s contribution to the invasion was significant. Willia had to reward hi, and others like hi, with land er England was conquered, which ade it difficult to prevent trouble fro Anglo-Saxons who had lost land and power. Odo s wealth is an exa of how the Conquest rapidly chand the fortunes of soe Norans Odo is ade co-rent of England (with Willia FitzOsbern) when King Willia returns to Norandy Odo contributes 100 ships to Willia s invasion fleet. Odo fights at the Battle of Hastings, and is shown rallying nicking troops in a scene in the Bayeux Tapestry. Willia rewards Odo lavishly, aking hi Earl of Kent and any other estates and aking hi second only to the king in landholdings. Willia and Odo were half-brothers. Willia only put his trust in faily and a few close friends A three-day inquiry is held following coplaints to Lanfranc about land seizures by Odo. Odo is forced to return the land Odo falls out of favour with Willia and is iprisoned. He is not released until 1087 er Willia, on his deathbed, is persuaded by Odo s brother to show ercy Odo leads a group of barons in revolt against Willia II (see 30) Odo coissioned the Bayeux Tapestry as a piece of Noran proganda, designed to justify Willia s right to be England s king. The rency was a dister for relations between Norans and Anglo-Saxons. The co-rents allowed theft of lands and rape of Anglo-Saxon woen. Resentent resulted in Anglo-Saxon resistance. It is significant that there were liits to what even a Noran like Odo could do, though probably he only got into trouble because he took land fro the Church in a way that aggravated Lanfranc. The likely reasons for Willia s actions against Odo are inaent of his earldo and the clai that Odo tried to take soe knights with hi to Roe in a bid to becoe pope. Odo s iprisonent is significant because it shows how Willia wanted loyalty and obedience above all. Faily connections only protected peo so far. Explain why Willia ay have been anred by Odo taking knights with hi to Roe. 27

4 Noran England The defeat of Robert and Odo The conflicts between Willia and his eldest son Robert eant Willia did not want Robert to be king of England, preferring his favourite son Willia Rufus. However, this was not a situation Robert accepted and there were reasons why soe Noran barons did not accept it, either. Noran tradition was that the eldest son inherited all the father s estates. Willia Rufus had a strong character (like his father) which could threaten the power of the barons. Key events of the 1088 rebellion In 1087 Odo was released fro prison. In 1088 Odo led a rebellion against Willia II in support of Robert. The ajority of English barons and the English population supported Willia II. Odo and his brother, Robert of Mortain, took refu in Pevensey Castle. Odo then escaped to Rochester castle, waiting for Robert Curthose s support. Robert never arrived and Odo was forced to surrender. Odo was exiled. Who supported who in Odo s rebellion? Robert Curthose (Duke Robert of Norandy) Ror Bigod Robert de Mowbray Willia of Saint-Calais Robert was the eldest and the barons had sworn allegiance to hi. Willia had his father s deathbed letter to Lanfranc to support his clai. The disputed succession The barons wanted both Norandy and England to be united under one lord. Bishop Odo of Bayeux Robert of Mortain Willia of Eu Ror de Lacy Robert s conflicts with his father eant his father did not trust hi to be king of England. Robert had a weak character and soe barons hoped to be able to exploit this. Explaining the rebellion Willia Rufus was able to defeat Odo and Robert of Mortain, and the any ller rebellions across England of 1088, because of the support of ost Noran barons, alost all the English bishops and the English population. Bishop Wulfstan crushed rebellions in the Marcher earldos. The English fyrd helped defeat Odo and his brother in the south. Odo s rebellion failed because the support he expected fro Robert Curthose and Norandy never cae Willia Rufus (King Willia II) The English population The ajority of Noran barons Ror de Montgoery Hugh de Grandesnil All English bishops (except Willia of Saint-Calais) Explain why any Noran barons would have preferred England and Norandy to have been under one ruler rather than split between the two brothers, Robert and Willia Rufus. 30

5 Had a go Option B1: Anglo-Saxon and Noran England, c Answer Question 4(a), 4(b) and EITHER 4(c)(i) OR 4(c)(ii). Put your skills and knowled into practice with the following question. 4 (a) Describe two features of the Harrying of the North. (4 arks) Feature 1 This was Willia s destruction of rebel areas in Yorkshire and other areas of the North in in You have 1 hour 45 inutes for the whole of Paper 2, so you should spend about 50 inutes on this option. Reeber to leave 5 inutes or so to check your work when you ve finished writing. You can revise the Harrying of the North on 14. which You need to identify two valid features and support each feature. Feature 2 38 An exa of a suitable feature ight be that the Harrying of the North involved destroying food stores. A suitable supporting stateent could be which the local peo and the rebels depended on for food for winter. Your exa per will have a serate sce for each feature you need to describe. Describe eans you have to give an account of the ain characteristic. You do not need to explain why the feature was iportant or what it was trying to achieve.

6 Had a go Put your skills and knowled into practice with the following question. 4 (b) Explain why there was a disputed succession to the English throne when Edward the Confessor died. (12 arks) You ay use the following in your answer: Edward s lack of an heir The ebassy to Norandy (1064) You ust also use inforation of your own. Reeber that question 4(b) is all about caution: this eans you are looking for relevant reasons. For exa, you ight explain that Harold Godwinson s ebassy to Norandy helped lead to a disputed succession because Willia id Harold swore to support Willia s clai to the English throne in 1064, but then went back on his word in You can revise the death of Edward the Confessor and the succession crisis on 5. There are 12 arks on offer for this question. You don t have to use the propts in the question in your answer but you ust include your own inforation to answer the question fully. Your explanations need to stay focussed on answering the question. Although you ight reeber lots of detail about Edgar Aethling s clai to the throne, you need to focus on providing reasons why not descriptions of. 39

7 Had a go Use this to continue your answer to question 4(b). For exa, you ight explain that the ain dispute was between Harold and Willia. Edward died childless, leaving the succession open, having aprently proised the crown to first Willia, and then Harold. You ight go on to explain that this caused a succession crisis because Reeber: the best answers to Question 4(b) will show a good knowled of the key features and characteristics of the period and analyse caution. They will also show how factors cobine with each other to bring about an outcoe so in this case how different factors cae tother to bring about the outcoe of the disputed succession. Make sure you support your explanation with a good ran of accurate and relevant detail throughout your answer. 40

8 Skills Question 1: explaining consequences 1 Question 1 on your exa per will ask you to explain two consequences of. There are 8 arks available for this question. Explain two consequences of the introduction of barbed wire (1874). (8 arks) You can revise the introduction of barbed wire on s xx xx. This is a correct consequence but the student has only given a vague answer that doesn t explain the consequence. Sa answer Consequence 1 On the Plains there weren t any trees and so hoesteaders were not able to fence their crops. But when barbed wire was invented they could fence their crops. Consequence 2 Fights between ranchers and hoesteaders happened because of barbed wire because hoesteaders fenced off the open ran. Consequence 1 On the Plains there weren t any trees and this eant hoesteaders had no tiber to fence their clais, which was a proble as they couldn t then protect crops fro wandering livestock, or protect their own livestock. Barbed wire allowed hoesteaders to build effective fences. While purchasing tiber to ake fences was very expensive, barbed wire quickly becae very cheap just 2 cents per pound of wire by the 1880s. It was effective at keeping livestock away because of the barbs. Hoesteader crops were now fe fro livestock. Consequence 2 Hoesteaders used barbed wire to fence off waterholes on their land, which they relied on for water for their failies, crops and livestock. In the 1870s, cattle ranchers often relied on their cattle being able to use the e waterholes on trails or as they roaed on the ran. One consequence of this was conflict between the ranchers and hoesteaders. The rancher workers would cut the barbed wire and let their cattle through because they had often been using the waterhole for lonr than the hoesteaders. Also a correct consequence and the beginning of an explanation: the student needs to add ore detail to the explanation to iprove this answer. Explaining consequences Consequences = results of. For consequences, think what happened as a result of? To explain consequences, you ust show the connection between the key event and the consequence. You should identify what the situation was like before the introduction of barbed wire, as this will help you to explain the consequence that followed its introduction. Use your knowled of the period to support your answer. State the consequence and explain how that consequence resulted fro barbed wire being introduced in the West. The inforation about the cattle industry in the 1870s is useful for providing context. Revise the early cattle industry on s xx xx. You can y One consequence of this to ake your answer clear. You could also include soe inforation about hoesteaders responses to the introduction to barbed wire. 37

9 Skills Question 2: analytical narrative 1 Question 2 on your exa per will ask you to write a narrative account analysing. There are 8 arks available for this question. A narrative account explains how events led to an outcoe. Analytical narrative Write a narrative account analysing the ways in which igration to the West grew in the years You ay use the following in your answer: the setting up of the Oregon Trail (1836) econoic probles in the East. You ust also use inforation of your own. (8 arks) A narrative sounds like it eans tell the story of, but this is not what you need to do for this type of question. The analytical bit eans you have to consider how key events were connected. Like all the questions on this per, you need to think about consequences and causes: what happened as a result of a key event. Sa answer Key events Your first step in writing an analytical narrative is to identify the key events in your narrative. This answer has selected the following key events: the setting up of the Oregon Trail (1836), financial crisis in the East (1837), publication of surveys and guides to the Oregon Trail and the California Gold Rush (1849). It was possible to travel to Oregon and California by ship, but the journey was very expensive ($500) and took a year. In 1836 a issionary faily were the first peo to travel overland to Oregon by wagon. They were the first to travel the Oregon Trail. Migrants needed wagons to carry with the everything they needed to set up new lives in the West, so the opening of the Oregon Trail was significant. Travelling the Oregon Trail was cheaper and faster than travelling by ship: it took six onths, starting fro Independence, Missouri. As a result, when the east of the USA was hit by the effects of the 1837 financial crisis, the Oregon Trail provided a reliable and affordable route West. Following a governent survey of the route, guides to the Trail were published, which eant that igrants could prere for the journey. In 1843 a wagon train of 900 peo successfully ade the trip. Peo suffering fro high uneployent in the East were inspired to igrate by these successes. The increase in igration fro 1000 peo a year in 1843 to in 1849 was the result of the California Gold Rush. Peo travelled fro all over the world in the hope of tting rich. Around arrived by ship, but travelled there across the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada along the Oregon and California Trails. Without the Trails, igration to the West would have been a very different story. You can revise igration to the West on s xx xx. Creating links Once you have identified the key events, your answer should consider how one key event links to the next. This answer has signposted this with phrases like as a result, which eant that. Inforation of your own The question states that you ay use the two propts it provides (the two bullet points) but also that you ust also use inforation of your own. Make sure you do use your own inforation; the best answers do this. In this answer the student has included their own inforation about the Gold Rush and governent surveys and publications of guides. Logical structure If you plan your answer by noting down your key events first on scrap per, this will help you structure your answer into a clear and logical sequence. Start with the earliest key event and work fro one event to the next, identifying consequences, causes and chans. 39