Anglo-Saxon & Norman England is a core part of GCSE History. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.
Battle of Hastings 1066Decisive battle on 14 October 1066 where William of Normandy defeated King Harold Godwinson, killed by an arrow according to the Bayeux Tapestry.
Feudal SystemHierarchical land-holding pyramid: king grants land to barons for knight service; peasants worked land for protection.
Domesday Book 1086Comprehensive land survey ordered by William I recording landholders, livestock and value for taxation across England.
Motte and BaileyEarly Norman wooden castle design: raised mound (motte) with keep, enclosed courtyard (bailey) below for garrison.
Harrying of the North 1069-70William's brutal campaign destroying villages and crops in Yorkshire and Durham after rebellion; caused mass famine.
Forest LawsHarsh Norman laws reserving woodlands for royal hunting; punishments included blinding for poaching deer.
Raid on Lindisfarne 793The Viking attack on the Northumbrian monastery shocked Christian Europe and traditionally marks the start of the Viking Age.
LongshipsFast, shallow-draught vessels powered by sail and oars that could cross open seas yet row far up rivers, making surprise raids and long voyages possible.
The DanelawThe area of northern and eastern England under Danish law and settlement after the Great Army's campaigns, with Jorvik (York) as a major centre.
Trade and townsViking networks stretched from Dublin and Hedeby to the rivers of Russia, exchanging furs, slaves and silver, and building thriving trading towns.
North Atlantic settlementNorse settlers colonised Iceland from around 870 and Greenland under Erik the Red from around 985, and briefly reached Vinland in North America around 1000.
Cnut's North Sea EmpireThe Danish conquest of England made Cnut king in 1016, and he ruled England, Denmark and Norway together until his death in 1035.
Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one: