Concetti Chiave
- William I was crowned on December 25, 1066, initiating Norman control over England with significant changes, including a new aristocracy.
- The introduction of the feudal system redistributed land, where the King retained choice lands and others paid rent through military service.
- Under the feudal system, castles were built by tenants-in-chief to assert dominance, transitioning from wood to stone structures.
- The system allowed a minority to control a majority, ensuring security and prosperity through military and agricultural services.
- The Domesday Book was a comprehensive survey by William I to assess economic resources for tax purposes and understand wealth distribution.
What was the Coronation of William I?
The 25th December 1066 William I ‘The Conqueror’ was crowned in Westminster Abbey and in five years he, with the Normans, conquered all England.
William I brought several innovations: first of all he created a new aristocracy, establishing a feudal system: the King kept the best lands, towns and forests and distribuited the rest of those lands to the other Normans and even to a few Saxons; this people have to pay a rent to King in military services.
The Feudal System
In those lands, the tenants-in-chief (that were barons, bishops and abbots) built castles, in order to demostrate and keep their power; those castles were first made in wood, but then in stone.
So this Feudal System allowed a minority to dominate a majority, in fact the tenants were able to sub-let their lands to lesser tenats (like knights), in return of some services, like a military service and an agricultural labour.
This Feudal Sistem, with those military defences and with people that worked lands, guaranteed security, food, peace and prosperity.
The Domesday Book
William I was even an efficient ruler: he sent his men throughout England to examine the land in order to make a complete survey of the economic life of the country; this survey was written in the ‘Domesday Book’, and it had two objectives: to provide informations for collecting taxes and to give the King a knowledge of the extent and distribution of the wealth of his tenants.
About Religion, William had to pay an annual tax to Rome and the Pope, which was called the ‘Peter’s Pence’.
Domande da interrogazione
- How did the feudal system function under William I's rule?
The feudal system involved tenants-in-chief, such as barons and bishops, building castles to maintain power. They could sub-let lands to lesser tenants like knights in exchange for services, including military and agricultural labor.
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