The siege of Pevensey
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how Pevensey Castle was captured during a siege.
Key learning points
- William II Rufus fought with his brother, Robert Curthose, for the throne.
- Some Norman nobles supported William's brother Robert.
- Odo of Bayeux held Pevensey against William.
- William Rufus laid siege to Pevensey.
- William Rufus' siege was successful.
Keywords
Rebellion - an armed uprising against a ruler
Siege - military tactic of surrounding a settlement or fortification in order to cut off supplies and weaken troops
Common misconception
Kings have always passed on their whole kingdoms to one successor.
Throughout history, there have been many examples of rulers dividing their lands amongst their sons. Quite frequently, this led to war between the sons in an attempt to reunite the realm.
Teacher tip
Encourage students to keep a list of the different key individuals who feature in this unit: the repetition of common first names can become quite confusing otherwise.
Content guidance
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.Complete the sentence: The Normans built castles primarily to prevent by the Anglo-Saxons.
Q2.Complete the sentence: Pevensey was an centre.
Q3.Why did William the Conqueror build castles in strategic locations like Sussex?
Q4.What role did the sheriff play in the management of a rape in Sussex?
Q5.What was a significant feature of Pevensey Castle that made it particularly strong?
Q6.Why was Pevensey Castle strategically important for William?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word describes a military tactic of surrounding a settlement or fortification in order to cut off supplies and weaken troops?
Q2.When did William the Conqueror die?
Q3.Match the son to their inheritance from William I.
the Duchy of Normandy
the kingdom of England
given £5000 to buy land of his own
Q4.Why did many Norman nobles initially support Robert Curthose over William Rufus?
Q5.What was one of William Rufus' strategies to counter the rebellion against him?
Q6.What was a major factor in the failure of the Rebellion of 1088?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The siege of Pevensey, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: The siege of Pevensey, 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 Pevensey Castle unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.