Option B1: Key topic 2: William I in power: securing the kingdom, 1066–87 - 1 Establishing control — Edexcel GCSE History
Test yourself on Option B1: Key topic 2: William I in power: securing the kingdom, 1066–87 - 1 Establishing control with PEARSON EDEXCEL GCSE practice questions.
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Option B1: Key topic 2: William I in power: securing the kingdom, 1066–87 - 1 Establishing control explained
Following his victory at Hastings, William did not immediately march on London but instead secured the south coast, capturing Dover and Canterbury to protect his supply lines.
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Meanwhile, the surviving English leadership in London, including Earls Edwin and Morcar, Archbishop Stigand, and Edgar Aethling, initially planned to resist and proclaimed Edgar as king. To force their surrender, William enacted a brutal campaign of intimidation, destroying property and crops as he marched in a wide arc around London, cutting off the city's supply routes. Realising resistance was futile due to William's military dominance and their own lack of unified leadership, the English leaders met William at Berkhamsted. Here, they submitted to him, offered hostages, and swore oaths of fealty, paving the way for William's coronation.
Rewarding followers and establishing control on the borderlands through the use of earls. The Marcher earldoms.
William I secured his new kingdom by rewarding loyal Norman followers with land, particularly in vulnerable border regions. To establish control on the volatile borderlands with Wales, he created the Marcher earldoms (Chester, Shrewsbury, and Hereford). These earls were granted exceptional powers: they could build castles without royal permission, create new towns, and establish their own courts. This decentralised authority allowed them to respond rapidly to Welsh raids and suppress local English rebellions without waiting for the king's orders. By granting these privileges to trusted allies like William FitzOsbern, William effectively delegated the defence of the frontier, ensuring stability while rewarding those who had supported his invasion.
Reasons for the building of castles; their key features and importance.
William I built castles primarily to establish physical and psychological control over a hostile English population. Unlike Anglo-Saxon fortified towns (burhs), Norman motte and bailey castles were built quickly in strategic locations, such as river crossings and rebellious towns like York. Key features included the motte (a raised earth mound), the keep (a wooden tower on the motte for defence), the bailey (an enclosed courtyard for soldiers and horses), and a palisade (wooden fence). Their importance lay in providing secure bases for Norman garrisons to launch cavalry patrols, suppress local uprisings, and dominate the surrounding landscape, serving as a constant, intimidating reminder of Norman military supremacy and royal authority.
Your focus
- Trace William's strategic march from Hastings to Berkhamsted.
- Explain why the English earls initially resisted but ultimately submitted to William.
- Assess the significance of the submission at Berkhamsted in securing William's claim to the throne.
Show all 9 objectives
- Identify the location and names of the three Marcher earldoms.
- Describe the special privileges granted to the Marcher earls.
- Explain how the Marcher earldoms helped William I establish control on the borderlands.
- Explain the strategic and psychological reasons for the rapid construction of Norman castles.
- Identify and describe the key architectural features of a motte and bailey castle.
- Evaluate the importance of castles in helping William I secure control over England.
Option B1: Key topic 2: William I in power: securing the kingdom, 1066–87 - 1 Establishing control exam tips
Marking Points
- Explain William's strategic route after Hastings, securing ports like Dover to ensure reinforcements and supply lines.
- Describe the initial English resistance in London, including the elevation of Edgar Aethling as the new king by the Witan.
- Detail William's use of intimidation and destruction of the surrounding countryside to isolate and pressure London.
- Identify the meeting at Berkhamsted where Edgar Aethling, Edwin, Morcar, and leading churchmen formally submitted to William.
- Explain how William rewarded loyal followers with land to secure their continued support.
- Identify the three Marcher earldoms: Chester, Shrewsbury, and Hereford.
- Describe the special privileges granted to Marcher earls, such as building castles without permission and holding their own courts.
- Analyse how these privileges helped establish control on the Welsh borderlands by allowing rapid military responses.
- Identify the strategic reasons for building castles, such as controlling rebellious populations and securing key routes.
- Describe the key features of a motte and bailey castle, including the motte, keep, bailey, and palisade.
- Explain the military importance of castles as secure bases for Norman cavalry to patrol and suppress rebellions.
- Analyse the psychological impact of castles as symbols of Norman dominance over the conquered English.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Highlight the role of the Church; the submission of Archbishop Stigand and Ealdred was crucial in breaking English morale.
- 💡Use the concept of 'intimidation' to explain why the earls submitted without fighting another pitched battle.
- 💡Connect the submission at Berkhamsted directly to William's successful coronation on Christmas Day 1066.
- 💡Use the specific names of the Marcher earldoms (Chester, Shrewsbury, Hereford) to add precise detail to your answers.
- 💡Link the creation of the Marcher earldoms directly to the theme of establishing control and defending against Welsh threats.
- 💡When discussing rewards, explain that land grants were conditional on loyalty and military service.
- 💡Be prepared to draw or label a simple diagram of a motte and bailey castle in your revision to remember the key features.
- 💡Use the word 'psychological' when explaining how the imposing sight of a castle intimidated the local English population.
- 💡Contrast the speed of building timber castles with the time taken to build stone castles to explain their rapid spread across England.
Common Mistakes
- Error: Assuming William became king immediately after Hastings. Correction: William had to force the submission of the surviving English leaders at Berkhamsted before he could be crowned.
- Error: Stating the English earls surrendered without any plan to resist. Correction: The earls initially supported Edgar Aethling as king and prepared to defend London before William's intimidation tactics forced their surrender.
- Error: Confusing the submission of the earls with later rebellions. Correction: The submission at Berkhamsted occurred in late 1066, prior to William's coronation, whereas the major rebellions by the earls happened in 1068-1071.
- Stating that Marcher earls were independent of the king; correction: they had special privileges but still owed allegiance and military service to William.
- Confusing the Marcher earldoms with earldoms in the north of England; correction: the Marcher earldoms were specifically located on the border with Wales.
- Assuming all earls in England had the same powers; correction: Marcher earls had unique rights, such as building castles without royal permission, which other earls did not possess.
- Confusing Norman castles with Anglo-Saxon burhs; correction: burhs were large fortified towns to protect communities, whereas Norman castles were small, private military bases to control the local area.
- Describing early Norman castles as being made of stone; correction: the vast majority of early Norman castles were motte and bailey structures built from earth and timber for speed.
- Stating that castles were only used for defence; correction: they were also offensive bases used to launch patrols and dominate the surrounding region.