The Norman feudal system
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how the feudal system helped William control his kingdom.
Key learning points
- The strict conditions for holding land from the king became known as the feudal system.
- The feudal system made landholding less secure than it had been under Anglo-Saxon kings.
- A key relationship in the feudal system was between a vassal and their overlord.
- Holding land came with obligations such as paying homage, providing knight service or labour service.
- The feudal system increased William’s power and control over England.
Keywords
Feudal - feudal refers to a hierarchical social system where people receive land to live and work on from those higher than them, and in return have to work and fight for them
Homage - paying homage was to publicly submit and swear an oath of fealty (loyalty) to someone above you in the feudal system
Overlord - an overlord in the feudal system was someone who granted land in return for service
Vassal - a vassal in the feudal system was someone who provided a service (e.g. labour) to an overlord in return for land
Fief - a fief was a parcel of land given by an overlord to a vassal in return for their service to their overlord
Common misconception
Paying homage, swearing allegiance, or making promises were weak obligations.
In fact, these promises are with the king and God. It was unlikely you would break a public and spiritual promise like this; it would not have been good for your reputation or your soul!
Teacher tip
Model the feudal system within your school. Who is who in the hierarchy, what service is owed by each level of the hierarchy and what is given in return? How much opportunity is there for the lowest level of the hierarchy to rise up a level?
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In what month and year was William crowned king of England?
Q2.Which of these Anglo-Saxon earls were also earls in Norman England?
Q3.Who did William make Earl of Kent and then the first Marcher earl of Hereford?
Q4.The term means someone appointed to govern a country while the monarch is away or too ill to govern.
Q5.Which tenant-in-chief and regent of England fell out of favour with William for trying to make himself Pope and ended up in prison until William I's death?
Q6.Which of these key individuals helped defeat the Revolt of the Earls before it became a threat to William's rule of England?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these definitions is the best for the term 'continuity'?
Q2.Which of these key terms refers specifically to a parcel of land which carried obligations for the landholder?
Q3.Which of these continued largely unchanged between Anglo-Saxon society and society in Norman England?
Q4.Which of these positions in the Norman feudal hierarchy describes a type of peasant?
Q5.The right of an overlord to take land away from disloyal tenants was known as .
Q6.In which of these ways did the feudal system increase loyalty to William?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The Norman feudal system, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The Norman feudal system, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the British Depth Study: Norman England, c1066–c1100 unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.