The Marcher earls
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the role of the Marcher earls.
Key learning points
- Wales was not a threat to Norman England, but the border situation helped those resisting Norman control.
- In 1067 and 1069, Eadric the Wild attacked Hereford and Shrewsbury with help from Wales.
- William I responded by creating the Marcher earldoms in Chester, Shrewsbury and Hereford.
- Marcher earls were granted special privileges to help them control and colonise the Marches.
- While there was no systematic plan to conquer Wales, the Marcher earls encouraged land grabs of Welsh territory.
Keywords
Marcher - connected to the Marches, the borderlands between Wales and England
Earldom - the territory controlled by an earl
Common misconception
The Marcher earls were completely independent of the king.
Although the Marcher earls had a lot of independence and special privileges, they were still vassals of the king and swore to obey him. Their feudal duties included providing the king with knights.
Teacher tip
Students could start the lesson by recapping the rebellions against William from 1067 to 1070: who was involved and what were the outcomes?
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
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.Which word describes being banned from living in your native country, usually for acting against those in charge?
Q2.Complete the sentence: Gruffydd ap Llywelyn’s ambitions were not restricted to Wales - the borderlands of the Welsh were also an area where he hoped to expand his territory.
Q3.By the middle of the 11th century, who was the most powerful figure in Wales?
Q4.How far was Hereford from the border of Wales?
Q5.Put the following events in chronological order.
Q6.Put the following events in chronological order.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word describes a person connected to the Marches?
Q2.Which word describes the territory controlled by an earl?
Q3.Who attacked Hereford in 1067?
Q4.Why did the borderlands of the Welsh Marches provide problems for William the Conqueror?
Q5.Who did William appoint as the first Marcher earls?
Q6.Which Marcher earl achieved the biggest expansion of their territory in Wales?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The Marcher earls, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The Marcher earls, 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 Norman Wales unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.