1. What was the impact of the 1075 Earls Revolt?

2. "In its involvement of Norman, Breton, English and Danish elements the rebellion was potentially disastrous for William's regime."
Goulding, Conquest & Colinisation, p.46

3. The importance of the 1075 Revolt
An army had been raised of Saxons and Normans (Odo being one) to trap Ralph in East Anglia.
William clearly had support from Anglo-Saxon and Norman nobles in England.
left William in a much more secure state than before it had begun
The importance of the 1075 Revolt
Once the war ended he had managed to eliminate several powerful rivals, and had shown the rest of his court that he was not to be toppled easily. For the next 11 years, there would be no rebellions in England against William.
The Church in England clearly supported William.
Archbishop Lanfranc played important role in crushing rebellion. Bishop Wulfstan had cut off Roger’s forces in the west.

4. William introduced the “Feudal System”
After the 1075 Revolt, William decided to change the way in which his kingdom was run.
“Feudalism” had been used in Normandy since 900AD.
It was simple but effective in allowing the king to maintain control.
All land in England now belonged to him. 25% was kept by the king, some was given to the Church and the rest was leased out to his Norman followers.
These barons had to provide armed men on horseback for military service. The number of knights a baron had to provide depended on the amount of land he had been given.
This is a painting of William at the Battle of Hastings by Francis William Wilkins.

5. (Lords, bishops & abbots)
Provides knights for army, taxation, runs baronial courts.
William I
Given land and tax concessions. Provides peace, law and protection.
Tenants-in-chief
(Lords, bishops & abbots)
Given land and other privileges
Provides military, pays tax, runs manorial courts
Under-tenants
(Knights)
Farm land, pays rent/tax
Given land to farm on.
PEASANTS

7. You can print this diagram off on the Caldew History website for your own studying!

8. Dictionary
Fief – land held by an under tenant (e.g. Knight) in return for service to lord.
Knight service – the duty to provide mounted knights to King. Had to ensure that he had the right armour, weapons and equipment.
Barony – Land held by a Baron (tenant-in-chief)
Manor – Land held by a Knight (under-tenant)

9. You can print this diagram off on the Caldew History website for your own studying!

12. Tasks
For each of the following, describe what happened to them after the failed rebellion:
Ralph de Gael
Emma de Breteuil
Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria
Roger de Breteuil
Create a small timeline to show they key events of the revolt.
2. Draw two diagrams side by side – Anglo-Saxon hierarchy and the Norman Feudal System. Underneath explain:
In what ways are they similar?
In what ways are they different?

14. Similarities
Differences
Power is still delegated out by the King to his followers (barons instead of Earls, Knights instead of thegns)
The king still relies on his followers to raise an army.
The king still relies on taxation to maintain wealth.
The system is still reciprocal – (Given land in return for service/tax etc)
The Norman system is much less mobile than the Anglo-Saxon. In the previous system, a thegn could be raised to the title of an earl or a ceorl could become a thegn if he owned a lot of land. In the Norman system this was not possible – lands and titles were passed on.
The King has much more power – William owned land and leased it rather than Edward who gave full control of land to Earls.
The barons are controlled more – unlike Anglo-Saxon England, they will not challenge the king due to fear of forfeiture.
Peasants are tied more to the land – they cannot move farms like ceorls could.