The Norman Conquest

I. England in the 11th century: the context of the conquest
    A. New Viking Attacks
        - attempts by the kings of Norway and Denmark to conquer England
    B. Ethelred the Unready (978-1016)
        1. managed to fend off the Vikings for a while
        2. but many English simply defected to the Danish side
                it appeared that the Danish king would win in 1013
        3. Ethelred then fled to Normandy
        4. the English accept the Danish King Swein as their king
        5. Swein dies in 1014 and leaves England to his son Canute
        6. Ethelred returned to fight the Danes, but died in 1016
        7. the English accept Canute as their king
                (Ethelred's oldest son died; the other was too young)
        8. the Witan: Anglo-Saxon council
    C. Canute and his Sons (1016-1042)
        1. Canute (1016-1035)  [family tree]
                a. inherits Danish and Norwegian thrones
                b. England part of a Scandinavian empire [MAP]
                c. until 1034, when Magnus Olafson led a revolt in Norway
                        and took control away from Canute's son Swein
        2. Harold Harefoot (1035-1040)
        3. Harthacanute (1040-1042)
                a. made a treaty with Magnus Olafson in 1038
                b. they made each other their own heirs
    D. Edward the Confessor (1042-1066)
        1. was actually more French than English
        2. he gave important government position to Normans
        3. this alienated the English lords
        4. thus, they did what they wanted and he was a figurehead
    E. The Claimants to the Vacant English Throne in January 1066
        1. Harold Godwinson: brother-in-law of Edward the Confessor
            a. no blood relationship; just brother of the king's wife
            b. but claimed the king chose him on his deathbed
            c. he was chosen king because:
                1. he was English
                2. he was Earl of Wessex = very powerful aristocrat
                3. he had the support of the archbishop of Canterbury
                4. he was "close enough" to the king (brother-in-law)
        2. Harald Hardrada: King of Norway
            a. his claim was based on the treaty between Harthacanute
                    and Magnus Olafson
            b. he was not chosen mainly because he was not English
            c. thus, he prepared an invasion force
        3. William, Duke of Normandy: cousin of Edward the Confessor
            a. blood relationship (first cousin once removed)
            b. claimed Edward had chosen him as his successor in 1051
            c. claimed that Harold Godwinson had sworn a public oath
            d. he was not chosen mainly because he was not English
            e. thus, he prepared an invasion force
II. The Conquest
    A. The Battle of Hastings: a watershed moment in military history?
        - Was it really the triumph of new military technology (cavalry 
            effectively using the stirrup) over old military technology (infantry)?
    B. The Events leading up to the Battle of Hastings
        1. Harold prepares an army for William's attack in July 1066
        2. contrary winds prevent William from attacking
        3. Harold has to disband his army; retains only his housecarls
        4. Harald Hardrada and his army land in northern England in September
                - Hardrada is joined by the forces of Tostig Godwinson
        5. Hardrada and Tostig defeat the earls of Mercia and Northumberland
                on 20 September at Fulford, SE of York [MAP]
        6. on 25 September, Harold Godwinson arrives and defeats Hardrada
                and Tostig at Stamford Bridge, NE of York
        7. winds in the English Channel shift and William's fleet arrives 
                on 28 September at Pevensey, just west of Hastings [MAP]
        8. Harold hears of William's arrival and heads back to southern England
         - he left behind much of his army in order to travel more quickly
    C. The Battle of Hastings (14 October 1066)
        1. with the English in position on a ridge, William attacked around 9am
        2. William had about 5000 troops; Harold had about 7000
        3. but Harold's troops were either untrained recruits or exhausted
              from the trip to York and back to southern England
        4. the English repelled the Norman infantry and archers, and also
              a charge by the Norman cavalry
        5. the English have the upper hand; William then try a different strategy
        6. during the battle, he twice ordered his infantry and cavalry to retreat
        7. as the English pursued, the Norman cavalry turned on them and inflicted
              heavy damage
        8. having weakened the English, William then had his archers send a shower
              of arrows over the English shield wall to disrupt the infantry
        9. then he had his cavalry charge the wall
        10. this time, with the English in disarray, the Normans breached the wall
        11. Harold was killed and the Normans took the ridge
    D. The Bayeux Tapestry
        1. Norman cavalry and the English shield wall
        2. Harold killed in battle
    E. The Verdict
        - Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?
III. William's Governance of England
    A. Castle Building
        1. motte and bailey castle
        2. Tower of London [the Tower today] [close-up of the Tower]
    B. Social Change
        1. William divided up most of England amongst his Norman followers
        2. they became the new aristocracy
    C. Language
        - French now became the language of the English king and his lords
    D. The Domesday Book [DOC 11]