Early Middle Ages: Norman Conquest, Feudal System & Society
UNIT 3: Early Middle Ages
Introduction: The Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is the period between 1066 and 1485. Some historians refer to the early part as the “Dark Ages,” but we consider the Middle Ages to have started in 1066 with the Battle of Hastings and ended with the emergence of the English Renaissance in 1485. The Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest saw William the Conqueror take lands from the Saxon English and give them to French nobles. The English Middle Ages saw the building of great castles, including the Tower of London, which helped the Normans retain control of England. This period also saw the start of the Crusades, the rise of knights, including the founding of the Knights Templar, the creation of the Domesday Book, the Magna Carta, the feudal system, and the devastating Black Death.
Background to the Conquest
When Edward “the Confessor” died on 5th January 1066 without children, there was a dispute over who should succeed him to the throne.
There were four candidates: Harold of Wessex, William II (Duke of Normandy), Edgar the Atheling, and Harald Hardrada.
On 6th January 1066, Harold Godwinson was crowned king, as it was said that Edward the Confessor had wished it so.
When Duke William II of Normandy heard that Harold had been crowned, he began planning an invasion, building 700 warships and transports at Dives-sur-Mer on the Normandy coast. Initially, William lacked support, but with the Church’s blessing, nobles flocked to his cause. Harold assembled his troops on the Isle of Wight in anticipation of the invasion, but the fleet remained in port for seven months. On 8th September, Harold disbanded the army and returned to London. On 12th September, William’s fleet sailed, but storms sank several ships, forcing them to wait for a change in the wind. On 27th September, the Norman fleet finally set sail for England. Harold’s army marched to intercept William, who had landed 7,000 men in Sussex. Harold established his army in a hastily built position near Hastings. On 14th October 1066, the Battle of Hastings occurred at Senlac Hill, near Hastings. Harold was killed, and his forces were routed. He was the last Anglo-Saxon king of Britain. After the Norman victory, William II, Duke of Normandy, became King William I, the Conqueror, the first Norman king in British history.
Change in the Property of Land
After conquering England, the Normans faced challenges in maintaining control. William I, “The Conqueror,” tried to eliminate the old English aristocracy and diminish English control over the Catholic Church. He dispossessed English landowners and gave their property to his continental followers. The Domesday Book, commissioned by William in 1085, recorded property ownership for taxation purposes. It consisted of two volumes: “the Little Domesday,” covering Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, and “the Great Domesday,” covering the rest of England and part of Wales. By 1086, only about 5% of land in England remained in English hands. After 1075, Normans held all earldoms, replacing English lords as they died.
Despite these changes among the English elite, society remained hierarchical, with five levels: the king at the top, followed by the nobility (including knights), freemen (also known as the middle class), serfs and villains, and the clergy. Importantly, William I eliminated slavery. The clergy had its own hierarchy, with bishops considered lords and clergy considered commoners. England had a feudal system, where landholders were the governors. Tenure referred to the right to hold property in return for services. Before William, the feudal system was a pyramid with the king at the top and common people at the base. Each person was a vassal of the person above, swearing loyalty for the right to live on the land and receive protection. This system existed across Europe. In England, land was granted to earls and barons, approved by the Witan, the highest council. William the Conqueror introduced a new feudal system, confiscating land from Saxon lords and giving it to those who helped him conquer the country. These tenants-in-chief did not own the land but rented it from the king in exchange for services. If services were not provided, the tenant-in-chief could be removed. This change allowed William to maintain control. In 1086, William summoned his tenants-in-chief to a meeting at Salisbury, where they swore an oath of support. The knights maintained by the tenants-in-chief could be used in war or to defend the king’s castles. In 1085, William launched a campaign for information to impose a land tax, leading to the creation of the Domesday Book.
Ecclesiastical Hierarchy and Members of the Court
Religion was central to medieval life. Each village had a church, and monasteries were built across Europe. Queens, kings, and nobles donated to the Church for blessings and forgiveness. Preachers were the primary source of information about God, as books were scarce and literacy was low. Many people dedicated their lives to the Church. In England, abbeys and monasteries were common, with the abbot as the most important figure.