Page 34 - All About History - Issue 09-14

What was it like?

ENGLAND

1070

A nation bloodied and bruised by a

conquering king, where the people were
England O
as concerned with ensuring they had
London O
food as with fighting their Norman ruler

illiam the Conqueror had just won a to return to Normandy for long periods. At that Military
bloody victory at Hastings against Harold time, England was a nation of rigid structure and
Godwinson, the last Anglo-Saxon king of hierarchy where the lords often ruled with an iron William’s conquering army
England, but if he thought the country fist. Education, art and culture were limited and the remained mostly intact following
W was simply going to roll over following grandest ambitions of most of the population were his victory, and he would require
this and let a Norman be crowned king of England to ensure they did not go cold and hungry. it to put down a number of revolts
without opposition he was mistaken. Following his In 1070, William’s process of placing Normans and uprisings. In 1069, Harold and
triumph William experienced serious resistance into positions of authority and power was well Canute of Denmark launched an
and it wasn’t until more than two months after under way, although he did not change the feudal attack on the Yorkshire coast. At
Hastings, on Christmas Day 1066, that he was structure of the country significantly. By the time first, the king’s forces were swept
declared king, after he had advanced on London of his death his Domesday Book (completed in aside but William’s army regained
and burnt a ring of fire around the city. 1086), designed to let the king know if there were control and burnt the city of York.
Large parts of his new domain remained more taxes he could collect, provided invaluable
resistant throughout his rule, but after the first information. By then, the Normans were firmly William the Conqueror burnt a circle of destruction
five years of his reign he was confident enough established in the country and would remain so. around London before he entered the city

William the Conqueror was crowned king
of England on Christmas Day 1066
Art

There was very little art in this
period but it is believed that the
Bayeux Tapestry was made in
this decade. The Tapestry is an
embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres
(230 ft) long and depicts the events
leading up to the Norman conquest
of England.

Government

William spent the early part of
his reign trying to consolidate his
power by taking lands from those
who had fought against him at
Hastings and giving them to his
own Norman supporters. England
was governed as a feudal system
at the time, where lords and large
landowners held great power.
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The Bayeux Tapestry has been described as
one of the Norman’s finest achievements