Year 7 Assessment Revision Sheet
In January 1066 Edwards the Confessor died leaving no heir
to the throne.
Three men claimed to be the rightful King of England:
1)
Harold Godwineson—Edward’s brother-in-law
2)
Harald Hardrada—the King of Norway
3)
William Duke of Normany—Edward’s cousin
Who was William?
William Duke of Normandy was a powerful and dangerous man. His childhood had been very
violent and he had become Duke of Normandy when he was only 8 years old. His army was
one of the strongest in Europe and his knights were experts at winning battles by charging
on their huge war-horses. William was able to defeat his enemies over and over again never
losing a single battle.
What problems did William face?
How did William solve his problems?
He had 2 fierce enemies—Harald Hardrada and
William waited! Eventually Hardrada sailed to
Harold Godwineson. Hardrada’s army were fa-
England and fought Harold Godwineson at the
mous for going crazy on the battlefield and were Battle of Standford Bridge (near York). This
called the beserkers. Godwineson’s army were
meant that William only had to fight Harold God-
famous for cracking their enemies skulls open
wineson. Harold Godwineson’s army were weak-
with axes and were called the Housecarls.
ened by the first battle and tired from the walk
down to Hastings.
William had no friends in England. He only had an William waited! Once the harvest arrived in Engarmy of 6,000 men compared to Harold God-
land most of Harold’s men went back to their
wineson’s 2 million! It would be difficult for
home villages leaving Haorld’s army about the
them to defeat the English army.
same size as William’s—this made them much
easier to defeat.
William had to get across the English Channel but William waited! At the end of September the
this would be very difficult with an army of 6000 wind changed making it easier for William to get
men. He had no boats and the sea could be very
the men across the channel. The wait also gave
dangerous, especially if it was stormy. His army
William time to make his boats.
was scared and didn’t want to sail.
Harold was accidentally killed The English ran away as soon as by an arrow in the eye. they saw their King was dead. Harold tried to a
ack William by surprise, Harold’s men had just come back from but William’s men spo
ed them by figh ng Harald Hardraada and were very red William tricked the English into thinking he was running away – then killed them William had archers that could fire arrows Many of Harold’s men had been killed al‐
ready figh ng Harold Hardraada William’s men had horses that they could use to charge at the English Lucky
Lucky and clever
Clever
Thomas Becket—who was to blame for his death?
In 1162 King Henry II appointed Thomas Beckett to be Archbishop of Canterbury because
he was his friend and he thought Becket would support his decisions as King. Thomas was
very rich from his time spent working for the King, however when he became Archbishop he
changed and became very religious. He started arguing with the King especially about how
clergymen should be treated if they broke the law. The king wanted to punish them in his
royal courts however Thomas disagreed because this often meant they got softer penalties.
Henry was amazed—Becket owed him everything but he showed no gratitude. The arguments got worse and worse until one day Thomas fled the country and went into exile in
France.
Thomas spent 6 years out of the country. Then in July 1170 Thomas and Henry met and
agreed to end their quarrel. Thomas returned to England in December. Soon afterwards he
suspended a number of bishops who were Henry’s friends. The bishops went to see the king
to complain. Henry was astonished and very angry.
Henry asked his barons and knights how Becket should be punished. Some said he should be
arrested; others said he should be killed.
On 29th December 1170 at 4:30 pm Becket was hacked to death in Canterbury Cathedral.
The killers sliced off the top of his head and scattered blood and brain across the cathedral floor. The killers were four knights who worked for the king.
But were the knights the only ones to blame? Or did they have instructions from the King to kill Becket? What role did Becket play in his own
death?
On the other side of the page write down any initial thoughts you have
about this.
Extra Evidence!
At the time of the murder Henry II was in France. The knights had been with him
and set off for England on the evening of Christmas Day – 4 days before the killing.
The knights had met with Thomas in Canterbury in the afternoon of 29 December.
They had argued in this meeting.
The knights had left the meeting they had with Thomas Becket in a very bad mood.
When they returned later they were carrying weapons.
A witness Edward Grim said that the monks wanted to lock the doors but Thomas ordered that they must stay open. He did not run away when the knights entered.
Edward Grim heard Thomas say that he was ready to die so that the church could be
free.
Gervase – a monk from Canterbury identified the killers as the king’s men: Reginald
Fitzurse, Hugh de Morville, William de Tracey and Richard Brito.
Gervase said that Thomas refused to escape before the knights came and said that
he was ready to die. He refused to lock the doors.
Gervase saw the knights carrying hatchets, axes and swords. They also wore armour
under their clothes.
On Christmas Day Henry made a speech in which he is thought to have said “Will no
one get rid of this troublesome priest for me?”