The Normans and Land

What happened to land under the Normans?

From 1066 until his death in 1087, William I oversaw the transfer of land from Anglo-Saxon to Norman ownership. This formed the basis of the feudal system.

Why was land important for the Normans?

Land ownership provided food, money, followers and fighting men. It was therefore a source of power in England during William's reign.

What changed for the Normans about land-owning during William I's reign?

By the end of William's reign, much of the land in England had been redistributed to Normans, rather than Anglo-Saxons. Large portions were owned by the king and the Church, and estates were consolidated.

• ❖ The land had been redistributed to Normans, rather than Anglo-Saxons.
• ❖ Large portions were owned by the Church, which was controlled in England by the Normans.
• ❖ The king directly owned about one fifth of the land.
• ❖ Estates were consolidated, and a small number of lords held large amounts of land.

How much land did the Church own in Norman England?

A quarter of the land was owned by the Church, but the Normans held all the important Church positions.

Who had the most land in Norman England?

Although William was careful not to allow any individual more power than he had himself, he did consolidate land ownership among fewer people.

• ❖ By 1087, over half the land in England was held by around 190 tenants-in-chief. Of these, only two were Anglo-Saxons.
• ❖ Half the land held by the tenants-in-chief was held by 11 men. These included William's greatest supporters, such as Odo and William FitzOsbern.

How much land did the Anglo-Saxons get in Norman England?

By 1087, less than 5% of the land was held by Anglo-Saxons, and this was mostly in the form of smaller estates.

What happened to the thegns' land in Norman England?

There were about 4,000 thegns holding land in England when William took over in 1066. These were a potential threat to his rule.

• ❖ William took land from the thegns. By 1086 only four Anglo-Saxon thegns remained.
• ❖ Thegns were dependant on the Normans for the small amounts of land that they still held.
• ❖ The thegns' way of life was destroyed. Many went to Europe as mercenaries.

Why did William I change land-ownership in Norman England?

William had some good reasons for changing land-ownership in England after 1066.

• ❖ The rebellions of 1068-1071 showed that the Anglo-Saxons couldn't be trusted.
• ❖ He didn't want any one individual to have enough land to challenge his power.
• ❖ He had promised his followers land and riches if they fought for him at Hastings. He had to make good on that promise.

How was the land redistributed in Norman England?

The Normans used three main methods to transfer land-ownership from Anglo-Saxons to Normans.

• ❖ By forfeit. The king, who owned all land, could confiscate land taken from the disloyal and give it to new lords of his choice.
• ❖ New earldoms were made up of land that had belonged to other landholders, particularly to defend areas where there was unrest, such as the Welsh marches.
• ❖ Sometimes the Normans snatched land from Anglo-Saxons, through corrupt dealings or just by taking it. These land-grabs were illegal.

Which parts of English land did William I give to the Normans?

William was able to use his conquest and the rebellions to redistribute lands.

• ❖ After the Battle of Hastings, William gave the Godwinson lands in the south and west of England to his followers.
• ❖ After the rebellions of 1068-1071, he redistributed the land in Mercia, Northumbria and East Anglia.

How did William I take control of the land in Norman England?

After 1071 William changed some of his lords' grants of land, so that they held more of it in the same place.

• ❖ Before 1071, forfeited Anglo-Saxon land was passed to the Norman lords in bits and pieces, which meant they often held land in different regions.
• ❖ After 1071, William consolidated more blocks of land. This meant that there was a single authority in an area and was better for control.
• ❖ Before 1071, William had claimed that he was maintaining Anglo-Saxon traditions, but afterwards he took a more pragmatic approach to keep control.