1. The Feudal System
Shortly after their successful invasion of 1066, the Normans were quick to adopt the Feudal system in England which would completely transform the way in which land was distributed across the country. The general idea was that all of the land was owned by the King, who would grant portions of it to the nobility, in exchange for both their loyalty and military services. These nobles would be responsible for ensuring that law and order was maintained in their respective territories. They themselves would then grant portions of this land to the peasantry, who would typically be involved in agriculture. They would provide food for their superiors - who would ensure their protection in return.
This system was an important change in England as it provided stability and and ensured social order across the lands. Prior to the implementation of the Feudal system, these lands were dominated by local conflicts and tribalism, but now a clear hierarchy was defined where everybody had a role to play.
2. Language
After the conquest, the existing English-speaking aristocracy in England was replaced, seemingly overnight, by the French speaking Normans. Rather than attempt to learn the native language of the country that they had invaded, the Normans preferred instead to use interpreters – resulting in French becoming the dominant language of the nobility. However, Old English did survive and continued to be used by the Anglo-Saxons of the lower classes.
Over time, and very slowly, the lines between the two languages began to blur. French-derived words slowly made their way into the general population, such as "beef", "mutton", "prince" and "physician". Norman French and the Old English of the Anglo-Saxons came together into Anglo-Norman, which would lay the groundwork for Middle English - a language that would eventually become the dominant form of English in the following centuries.
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| William the Conqueror's successful invasion of England led to a number of changes and reforms in England |
3. Architecture and Castles
Inspired by the grand buildings of the Roman Empire, the Normans brought a new style of Romanesque architecture to England that would eventually dominate much of the landscape in the form of magnificent cathedrals, abbeys and churches. A few defining characteristics of this new architecture included rounded arches, intricate decoration and massive pillars. Below is a photo of the interior of Durham Cathedral, built in the late 11th century, which adopted many of these characteristics, and is a remarkable example of early Norman architecture.
4. The Domesday Book
In the initial years after the invasion, the Norman grip on the land was tenuous, and the threat of future invasions was still very real. What if the sons of Harold Godwinson, the previous King of England who was murdered and usurped by the Normans, decided to take their chances and launch an invasion themselves?
A likely paranoid William the Conqueror realised that an even larger army was required to ensure the protection of his new kingdom. This expansion of military personnel would need to be funded by taxes and, in order to work out the value of his new lands (and how much tax each person could afford to pay), William the Conqueror ordered a comprehensive survey of all of the wealth in England in 1085. This was called the Domesday Book and was one of the largest surveys that had ever been attempted before in England. This complete record of all of the wealth in the country allowed for a more efficient approach to taxation and administration than had been utilised previously.
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| A page of the Domesday book showing an account of the land holdings in Bedfordshire |
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