Military Aspects Flashcards
All 20 cards in this deck
What were the first Norman castles in England like?
Motte and bailey castles of earth and wood, built very quickly, often by peasant labour; the bailey was an enclosed area holding houses and stables.
True or false? Norman castles were built only on England's borders and coasts, to protect against invasion.
False. Many were built inside England, e.g. at Exeter, Nottingham and York, to control areas where there had been Anglo-Saxon rebellions.
Who fought at the Battle of Gate Fulford (20 September 1066), and who won?
Harald Hardrada and Tostig defeated the earls Edwin and Morcar.
When was the Battle of Stamford Bridge and who won?
25 September 1066; Harold Godwinson defeated and killed Harald Hardrada and Tostig.
Give one reason Harold won the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
His attack came as a complete surprise — the Vikings were not even wearing their chain mail.
When was the Battle of Hastings?
14 October 1066.
What was the 'feigned retreat' at the Battle of Hastings?
A Norman tactic of pretending to flee, then turning around to attack Harold's army.
Give one way Norman troops and tactics helped William win at Hastings.
A flexible force of foot-soldiers, horsemen and archers allowed a range of tactics, including charges by mounted knights.
How did the condition of Harold's army help William win at Hastings?
It arrived tired after fighting at Stamford Bridge and marching about 250 miles south.
Give one way William's leadership helped him win at Hastings.
He fought on horseback, so he could respond quickly and control his troops effectively.
Give one criticism of Harold's leadership at Hastings.
He marched south too quickly, so his army was tired and reinforcements from the south-west could not join him.
How did Harold Godwinson prepare to defend England in the summer of 1066?
He kept a very large army on the south coast and a fleet patrolling the Channel, but in September he had to send the fyrd home to bring in the harvest.
In a motte and bailey castle, what were the motte and the keep?
The motte was an artificial earth mound, anything from about 3 to 30 metres high. The keep was the wooden tower built on top of it, serving as a lookout and the defenders' last refuge.
What was the Anglo-Saxon shield wall?
A tactic in which housecarls and fyrd stood shoulder to shoulder on foot with overlapping shields; at Hastings it held the ridge for most of the day.
True or false? The Anglo-Saxon army fought on horseback at the Battle of Hastings.
False. The Anglo-Saxons rode to battle but fought on foot; mounted knights (cavalry) were a Norman innovation.
How did the Battle of Hastings end?
Harold Godwinson was killed, his remaining troops fled, and William won.
Give two purposes of Norman castles besides defence.
Any two of: a base to patrol and control a conquered area; a residence and meeting place for government; a symbol to overawe and remind the Anglo-Saxons who was in charge.
True or false? The Anglo-Saxons had no fortifications of any kind before the Normans arrived.
False. They had fortifications such as fortified towns, but nothing like the castles the Normans built.
Where and when did William's army land in England in 1066?
At Pevensey in Sussex on 28 September 1066, three days after Stamford Bridge. William then moved to Hastings and ravaged the surrounding countryside, part of Harold's own earldom, to provoke him into fighting.
What was the difference between housecarls and the fyrd?
Housecarls were paid, full-time warriors who served the king and earls as bodyguards, armed with mail and battle-axes. The fyrd was made up of ordinary freemen called out for a limited period of service, who otherwise farmed their land.