To what extent did landholding change after the conquest?

Monday 10th November

Do Now:

Examine the charts and maps which compare pre and post conquest landholding patterns.

What has changed? What has stayed the same?

EXT – what might the effects of these changes be?

Objectives

• Develop historical vocabulary

• Understand and evaluate the term ‘feudal system’

• Evaluate extent of change to landholding in

England

LandholdingLandholding is an area of medieval life that has a very specific lexis.

We need to understand it.

Read Thomas p71-84. Construct a glossary for the following key terms: • allod• demesne• enfeoffment• fief• homage• honor• liege lord

EXT – if you encounter any other unfamiliar words then add them to the glossary

• patronage• scutage• Tenant• tenant-in-chief• vassal• wardship

• Allod – independent holding which belongs exclusively to lord (much like modern property)

• Demesne – the part of the manor held directly by a lord• Enfeoffment – the granting of a fief• Fealty – pledge of allegiance from one to another• Fief – land and held on condition of providing future service (usually military)• Homage – the act of giving an oath of allegiance• Honor – the estates belonging to lord including those he runs directly and those

granted as fiefs to vassals• liege lord – the person to whom one owes homage• Patronage – the support/protection/sponsorship given by a patron• Scutage – monetary payments made instead of military service• Subinfeudination – the process by which lords who have received fiefs grant out

part of their land as fiefs to others• Tenant – someone who holds land from someone else• tenant-in-chief – someone who holds land directly from the king• Vassal – someone who owes homage• Wardship – guardianship of minors and their lands by lords• Carucate/hide – a unit of land for administrative/taxation purposes. Roughly

equivalent to 120 acres farmland• Hundred – subdivision of county/shire

Discussion• What you have just read is some of the most

confusing stuff we have to deal with!

• Come up with at least 3 questions you think will help you (and your peers) clarify your understanding.

• If you feel you can answer someone else’s question – feel free to do so!

Questions• Was the ‘feudal system’ about administration/rewards/military

service/something else?

• Do you think William had this all planned out before the conquest?

• What was the purpose of the feudal system?

• Was there a feudal system?!

• How familiar or unfamiliar would this have been to English landholders?

Plenary

Is this correct?

Consolidation lesson

No need for a title – continuation…

Randomly select a key word out of the ‘hat’ – what is the definition of that word?

Is this correct?

Questions• Was the ‘feudal system’ about administration/rewards/military

service/something else?

• Do you think William had this all planned out before the conquest?

• What was the purpose of the feudal system?

• Was there a feudal system?!

• How familiar or unfamiliar would this have been to English landholders?

Plenary

• What was the feudal system?

• Try and answer it in a paragraph or two.

• Good luck.