Changes Under the Normans - Rights & Responsibilit
History: KS3, topic 1.13.20
Rights and Responsibilities
The feudal system worked with lots of giving in-kind. Each group of people in the feudal system was dependent on another group for some resource or power.
Homage
- To control the inheritance process in England, William introduced a ceremony of homage. This meant that the king could extract parts of the inheritance and made everyone and their families' assets beholden to (dependent on) him.
- Similarly, using forfeiture, he could take people's land.
Landholding
- Peasants held land if their lord gave them land. They also had to do labour service for their lord.
- The nobles held land, but William could take land from them via forfeiture or in the ceremony of homage to reduce noble families' assets and influence.
Knight service
- Knights were the best soldiers in England. Having thousands of Knights paid for by William would be expensive.
- The leasing or renting of Knights for 1-2 months per year meant that William had a strong army, but didn't have to pay too much for it.
- Nobles who lent William their Knights were rewarded with their landholdings.
Labour service
- Peasants worked for their landlord in 'labour service'. In exchange for this labour, the lord or noble would protect the peasants.
- Unlike the ceorls (poor farmers) under Anglo-Saxon rulers, under Norman rule, peasants had to stay with their lord, and could not work for another if they chose.
Test yourself on Changes Under the Normans - Rights & Responsibilit
Who normally inherited their father's land in Norman England?
What was the role of peasants within the feudal system?
What could peasants NOT do under the Norman feudal system?