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?
No need for a title – continuation…
Randomly select a key word out of the ‘hat’ – what is the definition of that word?
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?