fbpx

KidsKonnect

Norman Conquest Facts & Worksheets

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Norman Conquest Facts & Worksheets

Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

The last Anglo-Saxon King of England, Edward the Confessor, failed to produce a male heir before he died. It gave way for the Norman conquest led by Duke William II of Normandy, later known as William the Conqueror. See the fact file below for more information on the Norman Conquest or alternatively download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

HISTORICAL ORIGIN

  • As part of the treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte with Charles the Simple, a group of Vikings led by Rollo settled in Normandy. In time, the Vikings adopted the French culture and religion. From paganism, they converted to Christianity. 
  • Edward the Confessor was a son of Aethelred the Unready and Emma, daughter of Richard II, Duke of Normandy. After spending much of his life in exile, Edward became the king of England from 1042 until 1066. By 1045, the new king married Edith, daughter of Godwine, Earl of Wessex.
  • In 1066, while Edward was on his deathbed, he appointed his brother-in-law Harold Godwinson to be his successor. Harold also inherited the power and influence of his father. As the richest and most powerful Earl in England, Harold was elected by the Witenagemot as king of England. 
  • Some accounts say that before the appointment, Harold took an oath of allegiance with William, Duke of Normandy, that he would secure the Duke’s claim to the throne sometime in 1051.
  • Months after his coronation, Harold’s rule of England was immediately contested by other neighboring rulers. The claimants to the throne of England in 1066 included Harald Hardrada of Norway, William of Normandy, and Edgar Aetheling. 

THE INVASIONS OF ENGLAND

  • King Harold II’s exiled brother, Tostig, conspired with the King of Norway, Harald III, to claim the throne through invasion. Harold II faced challenges as his brother started raiding the southern and eastern territories of England. Tostig raided East Anglia and Lincolnshire but was successfully pushed back by Edwin, Earl of Mercia, and Morcar, Earl of Northumbria. After his initial failure, Tostig moved to Scotland and recruited new forces. 
  • In September 1066, Harald III and about 15,000 men invaded northern England. At the Battle of Fulford, Harald defeated the forces under Earls Edwin and Morcar. After taking York, Harald III and Tostig’s army fought Harold at the Stamford Bridge. The invaders failed and died in the king’s hand.
  • Out of 300 Norwegian ships, only 24 returned with survivors. The victory left the English army exhausted. 
  • While Harold II was celebrating the victory at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, he left the south coast of England unguarded.
  • On the other hand, William, Duke of Normandy, seek the approval of the Norman aristocracy and the Church for an invasion. William Poitiers suggested that Pope Alexander II approve William’s invasion. 
  • Estimates of William’s forces were unknown, but historians were certain that he carried a mix of cavalry, archers, and infantry.
  • On September 28, 1066, William and his forces landed in Pevensey, went ahead to Hastings, and built a wooden castle.
  • At the dawn of October 14, Harold II’s 7,000 to 8,000 exhausted men faced the battle against William, now known as the Battle at Hastings.
  • Despite the lack of accurate numbers, military historians suggest that the number on each side were most possibly equal. What made the difference was the composition of their armies. While William’s troops were composed of cavalry, archers, and infantry, Harold’s army had few archers and foot soldiers. Amidst the English shield wall, it was no match against the charge attack of the Norman cavalry. 
  • According to the Bayeux Tapestry, Harold was killed by an arrow in his eye. In addition to Harold, his brothers Gyrth and Leofwine were also killed in the battle. 
  • Upon hearing the death of Harold at Hastings, the Witenagemot proclaimed Edgar Aetheling as king of England. Later in the evening, William marched around the coast of Kent to London. Along the way, he defeated an English force at Southwark. At Berkshire, William received the submission of Stigand. At Hertfordshire, Edgar Aetheling’s forces surrendered to William. 
  • On December 25, 1066, William the Conqueror was crowned in Westminster Abbey as the new king of England.  At first, William attempted to conciliate with English nobles, including Morcar, Edwin, and Edgar, but he held them as prisoners due to continuous threats in 1067. 
  • William’s reign was alarmed by revolts. One of which was in Northumbria between 1069 and 70.

EFFECTS OF THE INVASION

  • The Norman invasion of England led to the intact connection with France. The Normans also introduced the concept of land tenure and military service, which brought the feudal system. English aristocracy faced a revolutionary change in terms of social ranking. The social class was divided into a few Norman chiefs and tenants holding fiefs through knight service. The villeins, cottars, and serfs comprised the lower class.
  • William’s the Domesday Book meticulously recorded the dispossession of English landowners. By 1086, only 5% of lands in England remained in the hands of Anglo-Saxon aristocracy, and Norman barons held 50%, the church 25%, and William with 20% of England’s wealth. 
  • By 1075, all earldoms were held by Normans, while Anglo-Saxons had sheriff posts.
  • To impose Norman rule in England, William ordered the construction of motte-and-bailey castles in strategic places. Castles were designed to intimidate Anglo-Saxons of Norman authority and power. The urban landscape of Durham, Norwich, and Lincoln are some of the apparent manifestations of Norman rule. 
  • William continued to use the traditional Anglo-Saxon law since it was a highly organized judicial system. On the other hand, the Norman trial by combat was added to the old Saxon ordeals as practiced by the English.
  • Religiously, William replaced the Anglo-Saxon bishops except for Wulfstan of Dorchester with Norman bishops to lead the church of England. He also joined church councils and supported legislation against clerical marriage and simony.
  • Many English families fled to Ireland, Scotland, or Scandinavia, including the Godwinson family, while some settled along the Byzantine front. Many Englishmen joined the Varangian Guard of the Byzantine Empire. 
  • The Old English language of the English ruling class was displaced by the Anglo-Norman language of Old French origin. They were leaving literature in vain.
  • One of the immediate impacts of the conquest was the immigration of about 8000 Normans to England, and many intermarried with English natives within a century of the invasion. In the 1160s, Ailred of Rievaulx recorded that intermarriages between the Normans and the English were common at all levels of the social hierarchy. 
  • In the mid-12th century, slavery in England declined. According to the Domesday Book, in 1086, about 28,000 enslaved people were recorded, 20 per cent lower since 1066. It is believed that the decline was due to church disapproval and the cost efficiency of serfs. 
  • Norman monarchs of England ruled for a century. When William the Conqueror died in 1087, he was succeeded by his son William Rufus (William II). An unpopular king, William II was known for his disagreements with Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1100, William II was succeeded by his youngest brother Henry Beauclerc (Henry I), who married Matilda of Scotland. When Henry died of poisoning in 1135, the council did not recognize his daughter Empress Matilda as a fit heir to the throne. In the succession crisis following Henry’s sudden death, the Council chose Stephen of Blois (Stephen I) as king of England. 
  • The death of Stephen in 1154 marked the end of Norman kings in England. Under the Treaty of Westminster, Henry Plantagenet (Henry II) became king of England. Henry II was the son of Empress Matilda to Geoffrey V of Anjou. Despite Henry’s Norman lineage, Plantagenet kings succeeded the Norman kings. 
  • The House of Normandy or the Plantagenets had four kings, Henry II, Richard I (The Lionheart), John (Lackland), and Henry III. 

Norman Conquest Worksheets

This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use Norman Conquest Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about the Norman invasion of England. The Normans first introduced the concept of tenure and military service. It was also during this period when English aristocracy faced revolutionary changes in terms of social classes.

Download includes the following worksheets

  • Norman Conquest Facts
  • Claimants to the Throne
  • Map the Invasion
  • Hierarchy
  • William the Conqueror
  • Effects of the Conquest
  • Battle of Hastings
  • Bayeux Tapestry
  • Connection
  • Royal Houses
  • Castles

Frequently Ask Questions

What was the Norman conquest, and why was it important?

The Norman conquest of England diminished Scandinavian (Vikings) influence in English history. The conquest in 1066 resulted in massive Norman influence on English politics, economy, culture, and society. 

What led to the Norman Conquest?

The death of Edward the Confessor and the absence of an heir. 

Who defeated the Anglo-Saxons in England?

At the Battle of Fulford on September 20, 1066, Harald and Tostig’s army defeated the English. On October 14, 1066, Harold’s army was defeated by the Normans led by William, Duke of Normandy. 

Do Normans still rule England?

The Norman conquest of England in 1066 produced four kings of England. Despite Henry II’s Norman lineage, his rule marked the beginning of the House of Plantagenet in England. However, every English monarch after William I is considered of  Norman descent.  

Was the Norman conquest a good thing?

The Norman invasion resulted in replacing Anglo-Saxon elites, redistribution of lands, new architecture (castles), feudal system, religion, and language.  

Subscribe to KidsKonnect on YouTube →

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Norman Conquest Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 24, 2017

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources