1. Who’s Who for Norman England?
Key Anglo-Saxons
Who’s Who for Norman England?
Key Person
dates
Details:
King Edward the Confessor
Ruled
During his time he brought many of his Norman friends to England as advisors
This angered the Anglo – Saxons and caused some disagreement with Earl Godwin
King Edward was a respected law – maker and he was very religious
King Edward was married to Edith of Wessex, Earl Godwin’s daughter
Died without an heir and he had left the throne to 2 people and there were 4 contenders for the throne.
Harold Godwinson
Ruled in 1066
He was the most important earl n England as the EARL OF WESSEX.
He was not a blood relation but he was the King’s brother in law as he was married to his sister Edith.
He was the Sub-Regulus’ a deputy king represented him in battle from 1060 onwards.
He ran England for Edward and He had the support of the Witan.
William of Normandy alleged that Harold had earlier sworn him a sacred oath of fealty to support his own claim to the throne.
Harold did not deny making the oath but he said he only swore it as he was a prisoner by William and his life was threatened so it wasn’t binding
Tostig Godwinson
Died 1066
Tostig had been removed from his position as Earl of Northumbria in 1065 and was in exile in Flanders.
Brother of Harold Godwinson.
He persuaded Harald Hardraada he had a legitimate claim to the throne and invade with Hardraada.
He died fighting for Hardraada at the battle of Stamford Bridge September 1066.
Edgar the Outlaw
(Aethling) c
The nearest relative and the great nephew.
Only 14 years old.
He had no money, no soldiers and no military experiences.
Edgar and his sister had lived with Edward and his wife Edith, since they were small children.
Edgar was an Anglo-Saxon had the support of many earls.
He continue to rebel against William in 1066.
Earls
Edwin and Morcar.
Edwin became Earl of Mercia in 1062.
Fought Hardrada at the Battle of Fulford Gate on the 20th September (which they lost) and the Battle of Stamford Bridge five days later that gave King Harold (their brother-in-law) victory over King Harold Hardrada of Norway.
Under William, Edwin not only retained his land but also his title.
Following Hastings, Edwin and Morcar supported Edgar the Atheling in his claim to the throne. William had to chase them around the southeast for two months before they finally submitted at Berkhamstead.
In 1067 Edwin was one of the hostages who accompanied William back to Normandy.Edwin and Morcar’s liking because they rebelled against William in 1068 and again in 1071.
The 1068 rebellion saw William building castles and stamping his authority on the land.  The earls submitted once again to William but then in 1069 William appointed Robert de Comines to the job of Earl of Northumberland. Understandably Edwin’s brother Morcar was a little disgruntled by this turn of events. The North rose up against William. It was during Hereward the Wake’s rebellion in East Anglia in 1071 that Edwin was betrayed to the Normans by his own retinue and killed.

2. Who’s Who for Norman England?
Norman Kings.
Who’s Who for Norman England?
Kings
Key details
William I
King of England by conquest, beating Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings. At the Battle of Hastings William had brought with him in ships over the 50 miles of sea which separates England from Normandy, 6000 horses all shod and with saddles and stirrups. He also had archers as well as foot soldiers with swords, shields and spears. Harold only had the latter
His son Robert became Duke of Normandy, William (2nd) King of England and his son Henry (1st) King of England and Duke of Normandy. 
The English King now ruled simultaneously in both England and part of France which set the scene for regular land battles over territory in France for the next 500 years.
To enable him to run both territories William ruled England by replacing the old Saxon Earls with Norman French speaking Barons and senior clergy with French speakers from Norman churches. This involved the building of castles and huge churches all over the country. The local Anglo-Saxon population were duly suppressed being intimidated by these huge new buildings.. The Normans only brought 4000 people into England.
William was used to running a country using the “Feudal System” which involved the King owning everything and everybody else renting it from him. In practise this meant he rented everything to his Barons in return for them providing him with an army when required.
To find out exactly what rent he could charge William had to do an inventory of the country which was completed in 1085 and published in The Doomsday Book
William died while fighting the King of France in 1087
William II (RUFUS)
When Rufus became King of England his elder brother Robert ruled Normandy. The English church and English people wanted Robert as king as Rufus was seen to have a ruthless  temperament and the Church did not like his promiscuous homosexual lifestyle.  Nevertheless he consolidated and expanded the boundaries of England into Wales and when the Scottish King Malcolm 3rd  invaded he beat back the Scottish army so decisively that not only did he take back the north western area known as Cumberland but also forced Malcolm to pay homage to him. (Homage in feudal law means to acknowledge as the superior and to pay out some peace money.)
William’s first battle had been in Normandy against his elder brother Robert which ended in a truce when it was agreed that who ever lived the longest would rule the vacant territory. It never come to this because Robert being a religious man was determined to join the First Crusade and to raise money he pledged (pawned) Normandy to William for 10,000 Marks.
William Rufus died out hunting in the New Forest in mysterious circumstances with an arrow in his back. No one knows if it was deliberate or an accident but what is known is that Rufus was very unpopular and that his hunting party disappeared never reporting the “accident” and left the body of the king.
Being a homosexual William Rufus left no children
Henry I
Henry, the youngest son of William the Conqueror had no right to the throne but his eldest brother Robert was still away on the First Crusade, so Henry who was in a different part of the New Forest the day Rufus was killed, saw his opportunity, rode swiftly to Winchester and demanded the keys of the treasury.
In three days this already popular man was crowned King of England and took no time to establish himself as an intelligent, tough but just ruler. He arranged to marry the Scottish Princess Matilda, daughter of Malcolm 3rd.
He filled the vacant positions in the Church which Rufus had not bothered to do. Notably he brought back Archbishop Anselm who had fled from Rufus.
He made concessions to the Barons for example removing taxes from those who supplied him with Knights.
To please the populous he restored the laws made by Edward the Confessor.
English territorial boundaries remained stable

3. Who’s Who for Norman England?
Advisors and Archbishops..
Who’s Who for Norman England?
Name:
Key details
Archbishop Lanfranc
1070
Appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1070
He came into conflict with Archbishop of York but this was sorted out by the Pope and William I.
He made key Reforms to the church of England:
He created synods Church Council and Courts.
Lanfranc wanted clergy to face trial only in the church courts. William support this but it became an issue with later Kings.
He introduced 2 new positions into the church hierarchy: ARCHDEACONS and DEANS.
He ended marriage within the clergy.
He crowned William Rufus.
He introduced monastic reforms form 1077
When he died in 1089 he was not replaced.
Archbishop Anselm
1093
William Rufus appointed Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury.
He did not want to be Archbishop or submit to a King who showed no interest in the church.
He openly criticised William Rufus for not being religious enough.
Anselm fell out with William about whether Archbishops should swear loyalty to the Pope or the King. This was resolved at the Council of Rockingham in 1095.
Rufus blocked Anselm’s attempts to carry out further reforms in the church.
By 1097 Anselm was exiled and fled to Rome.
When Henry became King, Anselm refused to perform homage or be invested by the King. He was exile again in 1103.
Bishop of Durham,
William of St Calais
1088
The Bishop of Durham was put on trail in 1088 because he d did not provide troops to stop at rebellion. Rufus refused to let St Calais be tried by the Church courts.
Relationship with the Popes?
Pope Alexander II
Pope Gregory VII
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William I: Had Good relation's.
Gave William the papal banner to bless his invasion.
They both wanted to bring the corrupt English church in line with Europe.
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