Normans

Power of the King

• Only one to: raise army, mint coins, create laws, decide on foreign and domestic policies
• Head of the Chrurch so appointed leaders.
• Centralised, organised, sophisticated BUT basic, north = independant and Earls had more power combined that the King

Earldoms and Local Gov

• Heirarchal system - King > Earls: Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria, and East Anglia. Kept peace, justice and raised army for king
• Sherrifs. Imposed king's laws, taxes and settled disputes- Shires > Hundreds and Vills

Legal System

• King saw disputes of Earls and Thegns - murder, treason, arson and rpe.
  
• Earl or Sherrif led shire court: theft, violence & fam disputes. > Hundred courts, ordinaries only experiance of royal gov. Ed= Justice Giver. Not uniform- North = blood feuds
• Swear oaths, or bring oath giver, floated in water priest has blessed = guilty.

Royal Mints and the Silver Penny

• Edward's England = rich and prosperous.
• Penny = stable national currency, King's head on showed authority
• 1p = 1 day labour & 2/3 coins weren't from local mint - fast trade! 5 years, new coins, cost 15% of old coins handed back to the mint.

Urbanisation and Trade

• Stable political enviroment, Settled population and well farmed land = network of trade
• ^urbanisation. Towns developed fortified burhs - no more than a day away from safety. Also acted as trade markets - things you couldn't get in village: wool, leather shoes, metal pots, clay pottery, salt, tools
• Complex European trading system: swords from Spain & coats of mail from Germany. Also access to Russia and Constantiople. Englan exported far more than imported.
• Main ports: Southhamton, London, Lincoln, Cambride, Norwich and York - ideally placed for continetal trade.

Tax                                                                                                                                                                        Geld administered by the shires and hudreds = collected annually, two shillings per hide. In times of emergance e.g Danish invasion, could raise large amounts. Under Ed, money X vikings so stayed with nobility.

Earl Godwin

• Political skill > King Canute's advisor & earldom of Wessex. When Ed. returned at end of Danish rule, G implicated in Ed bro's death so became king maker. - rewarded in 1043 when 2 oldest sons got earldoms - Halrold = East Anglia, Swegn = Hereford
  
• Ed married Edith 1045 (Godwin's daughter. Ed scared of God power and ****** about bro, Ed brought allies from Normandy. In 1051, he exiled Godwins, and sent wife to nunnary. Returned a year later, pillaged the SW, and army in London. Ed blaimed Norman advisors and restored Godwin Fam.

The Rise of Harold

• 1053 Harold became Earl of Wessex. 1055 Tostig got Northumbria. 1060's only Mercia wasn't under a Godwinson. Harold's wealth equal to King at £5000. Gain supporters by granting land.
  
• Ed knew v little about English politics as spent life in exile in Normandy. No inherted supporters in court. No real power base as land throughout England. +ve with Harold and Tostig- their strength ensured peace.

The Northumbrian Uprising

• Northumbria = wide and lawless kingdom, blood fueds and local nobles acting as crime lords.

The Threat <- Harold's first major campaign

• 1055 - Gruffydd declared himself as first king of Wales > focused the feuds between the principalities onto the welsh marches
• 1039, 1049, 1052 Gruffydd had defeated English forces. 1055 - allied with disgraced Earl of East Anglia - forces invaded Herefordshire.
• King raised army and sent Harold to deal. H refortified Hereford and reached a peace deal where Earl restored and Gruffydd gain territory by acknowledging King's overlordship. - sensible but didn't last 

Further Attacks

• Gruffydd defeated bishop of Hereford who had raided into Wales. Harold led army but forced to recgnise G as King of all Wales. 1058- joined again by Earl of EA and by son of King of Norway > Restored earl, G granted land and other bought off. - H prefered comprimise and deplomacy.
• 1062, Gruffydd launched more raids. Aimed to surprise G, H led small calvry for to capture King- he was tip off and fled so Harold burnt down his palace.
• 1063 launched full fled military campaign. English fleet blocked and destroyed welsh coastline, Harold invaded south wales and Tostig invaded north. Met in middle and devastated land.
• Fought for 3 months. Welsh morale broke and they turned of Gruffydd - Harold delivered his head to King Ed.
• Wales went back to warring with itself. Anglo-Saxon military = extremely effective. (^reputation peaked)

1064 - H travelled to France. Shipwrecked and held for ransom by count of Ponthieu - W rescued and took him to his court.

Harold took oath of loyalty to Will - Normans claim that Harold swore to help W to throne after Ed's death. > before returning home, W and H campaigned together in Brittainy.

Sceptism for ^

• Ed never formally annouced Will as successor, didn't grant Will any land, and could have crowned Will within his own lifetime.
• Unlikedly Harolod would have prepared to make trip or offer - most powerful man in the country - King in all but name so probably was looking at the throne for himself at this stage.
• No corroboration of William of Poitier's account in either of the English sources - AS Chronicals, or the Vita Edwardi
• Bayeux Tapestry only mentions oath - not the nature of the oath < deliberate omission, undermines WP version
• Norman version = justification of invasion - makes Harold a perjurer by accepting crown. < serious charge to gain papal approval.
• Visit could be to gain W support for H own bid for crown, or to ask for release of brother and nephew from Normandy
• H = too free with oaths (Vita Edwardi) or could have been under coersion after being rescued :: not binding.

Northumbria = wild and lawless kingdom, many blood feuds and local nobles= crime lords.     1055 - Tostig appointed earl & tried to bring region under control > aquired rep as tyrannt

^bruntal tactics and funded his efforts by raising taxes. Unpop. added to by him being southerner.

1065 - Northumbria rebelled after Tostig arranged murder of 3 local magnates.

• Tostig's housecarls were slaughtered, treasure was plunded and Morcar (son of Earl of Mercia) = new earl.
• Rebels marched south, sackig Lincoln, Notts, Derby and Northampton
• King placed Harold in charge of finding solution > King wanted rebels defeated and Tostig (his fav) restored - H "that would lead to a civil war"
• King overruled, no army raised, Morcar instated as earl and Harold exiled his bro Tostig.

H = acting for good of country OR removing a rival for the throne (didn't fight to keep Tostig) - Unity of Godwin family shattered & Harold had dangerous enemy.

Ed's Death

• Harold claimed that Ed had offered him the throne whilst on his deathbed (last words = solemn and true)
• Jan 5 1066- Ed died, buried the next day @ Westminster.

The Claimants

• Succession crisis > Ed possibly offered crown to William of Normandy in 1051 
• The King had taken his great nephew -Edgar- into his care after the Kings nephew had died in 1057. Edgar had strongest bloodline claim to throne
  
• ^not absolute for Edgar, as whilst hereditary principal carried great weight , no fixed laws that goverened succession process.
• King Harald Hardrada of Norway also claimed through distant bloodline

The Corronation

• Witan met on day of Ed's funeral. Outsiders posed danger, Edgar = young, but Harold had dying words and strength. Harold crowned later same day! > could be Coup d'etat but Harold had already acted as sub-king 
• Normans suggest Harold = no legitimacy to claim, shouw have rejected. N claimed Stigand crowned - added to idea of coup (held two offices, Canterbury and Winchester) - whereas AS suggest Harold crowned by AB of York.

The Battle of Gate Fulford

• Tostig had allied with Hardrada, 1066, they appear of the Isle of Wight in May - fleet of 60 vessels. > pillaged the south and east coasts, before sailing to Scottish Waters (safe - H couldn't attack there)
• Not been successful- losses and abondonments had left Tostig with only 12 ships!
• Harold thought that this was the predecessor to a full Norman invasion and so mobilised the fyrd and summoned housecarls > normal time service for fyrd was 2 months.
• Harold saw major threat as Normans and believed Edwin and Morcar could handle the North. Regular patrols along south, Will kept at bay tho as unfavourable winds.
• 8 septemeber, Harold was forced to demobilse troops after keeping for 4 months as supplied ran low.
• A week later, Hardrada arrived off North-West coast & joined Tostig. Headed for York but @ Gate Fulford, Edwin and Morcar blocked them (3km away)
• Edwin and Morcar were both inexperianced, as were the fyrdmen - Saxons led charge, pressing it back but Hardrada and Tostig surrounded and many AS died - 1000men lost including experianced housecarls.

• Harold raised new army after releasing fyrd to collect in the harvest earlier in the month. Gathered housecarls in London and marched 300km in 5 days, gathering local troops on way.
• Wanted to take Vikings by surprise so launched attack day after they arrived.
• Small group on west bank of river fought back. Once AS through main fighting was on a Battle Flat. Viking formed shield walls and AS housecarls launched sustained attack.
• Hardrada was killed. Viking reinforcement arrived from protecting the fleet, initail boost but shield wall disintergrated and vikings were hunted down.

Why the Vikings lost

• Harold's tatic of surprise worked > Hardrada had no time to properly form his army
• Troops had also been complacent, thought no initial threat so left mail coats with fleet as it was a hot day.
• 2 to 1 soldiers to the AS as Hardrada had left signf part to protect the fleet > reinforcement were exhausted from having to march in full kit to battle
• Hardrada died early in fight - severe blow to morale. Tostig died soon after.
• AS military decision allowed Harold to mobilise and deploy a force at v short notice.
• H had outstanding military skill

William's Military Experiance

• 1st battle aged 18, fought alongside King Henry I against rebels in western Normandy. 
• When rebel leader fled to castle in Brionne, William besieged it for 3 years 
• Will knew when to use sudden violence - 1051, town of Alencon rebelled against and hung hides out as ref to Will illegitimace - Will captured fortress, took 32 men and cut off their hands and feet.
• Two greatest enemies = Count of Anjou and King Henry I.
• 1054, launched two-pronged assult on Normandy > W forces/2, shadowed the enemy and launched surprise attack on Count of Anjou's force they were pillaging. Devistating enough to end the attack.
• 1057 both launched another 2 pronged attack. W allowed them in and atecked whilst Henry was crossing a ford & tide had split force in two = last time king invaded Normandy in W life.
• 1060 both enemies died. King Philip I = a minor and Anjou went into civil war.
• 1063, took Maine after policy of destruction
• 1064, Brittainy subdued.
• By 1066, Will had secure borders. Also had clostest friends - William fitzOsbern and Roger of Montgomery - all good fighters as liked it.

Secured backing of Nobility - Many thought it was too hazardous and beyond Normandy's resources. W won them over by promise of great rewards in a series of assemblies.

Diplomatic assult - Will sent formal protest to Harold.

Set out Norman case to Pope by Lanfranc, stressing Harold's perjury and corruption of English church - exemptified by Archbishop Stigand. > Pope sent William the Papal banneras blessing.   Soldiers from Brittany, Flanders and Ponthieu flocked to be under banner ^

By August, William had assembled his fleet - 10,000 men in camp and formidable fleet. Calculated what was needed to maintain force for one month - 9000 cartloads of food and fuel. 2000 war horses needed 13 tonne of grain and hay a day - kept army provisioned for 2 months.

William's fleet landed in England on 28 Septemeber > he had been extremely lucky as if he had arrived in summer, Will would have been met with instant resistance. From Pevensey, Will quickly moved to Hastings - Larger harbour and defensible location. Needed to tempt H into early battle whilst tired & to avoid being blockaded in Hasting for winter > ravaged land to tempt.

Harold's responce to William in Hastings

• King responded immediately, and raced army down from York. Covered 305km in 8 days - 5 days were spent in London, gathering what forces he could, then marched a further 149km!
• Reckless! ^Result of personal desire to avenge damage done to his lands.
• BUT Harold also didn't know if W was recieving reinforcements - could have been growing stronger.
• H arrived for battle with exhausted troops and reinforcements still on their way. A few more days = archers he had to leave behind at SB + housecarls sent by Edwin and Morcar. Also could have cut of Will's supply lines.
• Arrived on Friday 13th October - Normans spotted them so removed surprise. W needed to win but H only needed a draw.

Their Armies

• H formed army on crest of ridge & ran along 1km. H army = 7000-8000 men. Infantry organised into 10 ranks. HC and Thegns at front and Fyrdmen behind.
• Normans = similar size but higher proportion of professional fighting men. - Archers @ front, heavy infantry and knights on war horses at back. W divided army into 3 divisions. W @ centre and on horse so he could direct.
  
• AS = old style fighting, N = future of medieval warfare. Outcome NOT set! H = weak but held highground and shield wall - formidable defence.

• W launched agressive attack > would ultimately win but to start, shield wall held strong.
• Hand to hand combat & calvry assult lasted for hours. Crisis point @ noon, one division of W retreated and English went after them.
• Normans began to retreat as they thought Will was dead. H could have ordered general charge and capitalised on Norman chaos. Lost opertunity and W reformed troops who easily defeated the isolated peasants.
• 4pm, shielf wall severally weakened, W leadership skills came to fore. Coordinated last attack so arrow would go over shield wall - his calrvry then smashed through wall.
• Harold died! Loyal housecarls gathered around dead king and died fighting. H two brothers also killed - Godwin family collasped completely.

Assessment

• Will's leadership - Careful prep., coalition of support, W able to pick time and place of battle, skilled at rallying wavering troops
• Harold's mistakes - rush took away all advantages, H was unable to keep army organised and didn't seize opperunity.
• Unequal armies - W had heavy calvry and archers - H disadvantaged on foot.

The Submission of the Earls

• Edwin and Morcar reached London with forces & Stigand put Edgar forward as the new king (although northern earls refused to agree)
• W staged savage attack on Romney before marching down to Dover and Canterbury. Both surrendered without resistance.
• Will needed London but knew of forces waiting there so isolated & intimidated city by brutal march through surrounding shires. Wasted parts of Wessex, and crossed the River Thames at Wallingford & est a castle to prevent London getting relief from the west.
• Strategy = working, Stigand left London to offer surrendor.
• Blocked remaining two main roads north > London panicked and remaining English leader surrendored inc Edmud Aethling, Edwin and Morcar.
• Christmas Day, William was crowned King of England - seremony had deep symbolism & followed corronation of King Edgar in 973 > Will reinforcing idea he was true heir.
• Appointed Archbishop of York & gained aura of being blessed by God
• Will gain loyalty of AS from crown, but Normans = insecure > mistook shouts of exclamation as revolt, guards set fire to houses and a fight broke out outside the Abbey.

• By spring 1067, no rebellions so Will returned home to Normandy. Did victory tour around Normandy - showing off English prisoners: Edwin, Morcar, Edmund and Stigand.
• William fitzOsbern & Bishop Odo ruled in Will absence - harshness of their rule stirred revolt.
• Summer, small rebellion broke out in Kent. Became threatening when Eustace of Boulogne became leader > wanted more reward for his part in Battle of Hastings but Kent wanted to end Norman Rule.
• Rebels easily cut down by Dover garrison & Eustace fled to Normandy and reconcilled with Will.
• Why no rebellion to start: Shock of defeat, heavy loss of warrior class in BoH, abscence of leadership > Edmund Atheling, Edwin, Morcar and Harold's children = too young and inexperianced, thegns accepted new regime in hope of retaining land,
• First true rebellion began end of 1067, in Exeter - raised tax to fund Norman occupations & presence of Harold's mother, Gytha. Will saw as big threat as travelled back from Normandy!
• Southwest = Godwinson stronghold & had given no official surrendor.
• Jan 1068, Will marched down to Devon, troops = english that had been raised under AS levy system - many were making best of situation.
• Laid siege to the English rebels in Exeter, suffering heavy losses from assulting the walls. Men of Exeter tried to rally support but none so submitted to Will & ended 18 day seige
  
• Will gave the lenient terms but est castle to ensure furture control. Also marched through Devon and Cornwall & recieved submission from Bristol and Gloucester.

• Greatest threat to Will's rule came from the north > forced to take to the field 3 times from 1068-1070
• 1068: Edwin and Morcar realised despite Will's intial promises to rule with AS elite, they actually held little power & Edwin = bitter as Will went back on promise to marry one of his daughters.
• Resistance built in the North - centred on York - Will staged series of raids into Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire - destroying (harrying) as went > Recived Edwin and Morcar's surrendor & set up a castle in York.
• 1069: CRITICAL > In Jan, rebels attacked Durham, killing Norman earl > news spread to York, Edgar Aetheling led rebels in york. W quickly marched up to the city to relieve the garrison, but Edgar fled. Built a 2nd castle.
• Summer 1069: 240 Danish ships appeared of shores of Kent w trained warriors - led by King of Denmark's sons > responce to the English exile's appeals. Fleet raided east coast and anchored off of River Humber.
• York once again decended into rebellion led by Edgar Aetheling, Danes and rebels seized York in september.
• Most dangerous point for Will! > facing a rebellion from fiercely independant region which resented rule of south &  they had a powerful figurehead - Edgar - who had legit claim to throne AND backed by Danish army!
  
• Malcolm III could threaten invasion as close links with Edgar - Will's forces were being stretched as uprising in South West and Wales.
• Will marched from Nottingham to York, devastating land & reoccupied land for 3rd time! Also went in search of Danish fleet who refused to give battle. Celebrated Christmas in York & wore crown to show authority.
• Split his troops into smaller war bands, and they systematically desroyed Yorkshire. The region didnt recover for generation. 1/3 was 'waste'. To deal w North West, pushed army through Pennines & surprise attack.