Pre-1066 - Culture
History: KS3, topic 1.13.3
Norman Culture
Religion and culture in Normandy before the conquest were very different from in England.
Paganism and Catholicism in Normandy
- Vikings were pagans and Rollo the Walker had been a Viking. Pagans believed in lots and lots of Gods.
- Eventually, the Normans became Christian, converting to Roman Catholicism.
- By the time William of Normandy invaded England, Normandy was a Roman Catholic fief.
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What was Norman architecture like?
- As the Normans converted to Roman Catholicism and Christianity, they built beautiful churches and monasteries to repent for their previous pagan beliefs and to show their Catholic beliefs.
- This style is celebrated across the Catholic world.
- The Norman style of architecture was in a Roman style and the most notable example of this is the Abbey of Saint Etienne in Caen, Normandy.
- The Normans built with stone rather than wood, which was common in Anglo-Saxon England.
Test yourself on Pre-1066 - Culture
Which religious beliefs did early Viking settlers hold?
In which city was the Abbey of Saint Etienne?
How did Catholicism emerge in Normandy?