The building of castles Essay

How far do you agree the building of castles was your main reason why the English were unable to mount an effective challenge to William’s rule? I agree to a certain extent that the ‘building of castles’ was the major reason the English were unable to mount a successful challenge against William’s secret. Other factors which in turn somewhat offered as well would be: the lack of effective English command, uncoordinated rebellions and the ‘Harrying of the North’. One way where the Normans took control over the to prevent the spread of rebellions was by building castles and fortifications.

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There is evidence of around five-hundred motte and bailey castles built during William’s reign to symbolise the Norman strength and wealth. To invade a fortified fort to regain control over land was a very difficult task to get the British locals. When compared to other tactics of keeping the English below control- castles appeared because political statements (geopolitical, much like the church), they always told the English language locals of who was in charge and allowed the Normans to have many holdouts in an event of the uprising.

The castles had been placed intentionally at crucial points, largely 15 mls apart, in the middle of neighborhoods or in locations which allowed the Normans to manage the countryside or water crossings- in this way, not only performed William control a particular area for any rival activity, he could also monitor what moved into and left that region. Moreover, castles even acted as organisations for diplomacy and received to picked nobles of William, thus he may trust the control of the. It also meant that William simply needed hardly any Normans to control a castle, hence: control the The english language people.

As William wonderful men had been vastly outnumbered by the The english language, castles started to be a major factor in William’s carrying on success of holding on to his throne coming from 1066 to 1087. A language weakness was your whole ‘lack of leadership’ which as well meant that the English could not up surge a successful problem against William. The English language had never truly fought various wars, finding to mainly rely on national politics.

Therefore most of the Anglo-Saxon high level (including the earls) rather submitted to William: in the hope of keeping their lands, rather than struggled him. Gospatric, earl of Northumbria (one of the market leaders of a failed uprising in 1068), produced terms with William in order to prevent relegation and the lack of his earldom, so do Waltheof, the next earl of Northumbria in 1075. Edgar Atheling was expelled through the Scottish court docket in 1072 by Ruler Malcolm. One by one, leaders of rebellions throughout England had been giving up or being taken down to admiration William’s rule. Without frontrunners: rebellions were hard to develop and easy to destroy.

The widespread break down in Northumbria became referred to as Harrying with the North. Since William speedily marched North in 1069, responding to a newly released revolt, this individual devastated the countryside by simply burning plants, looting towns, chopping the limbs away all men as well as slaughtering the children (so that they may not have vengeance when they grow older) – this was a representation of his brutality but it was nothing when compared to devastated point out William kept York in: corpses rotting on the roads, famine and disease dispersing, this certainly set a good example towards the English language locals: seeing that the property in Yorkshire was remaining deserted with farms clear for over 15 years!

Intended for obvious reasons: no other city or perhaps village wished to intercept a similar faith as York, which means rise of rebellions we’re minimised to a extent as a result of fear aspect that the ‘Harrying of the North’ had made. Most people were terrified by simply its effects, some of the English language sided with the Normans as well as the rest of the The english language didn’t want to have to deal with since they are not interested of experiencing civil warfare. Overall, In my opinion to specific extent the fact that building of castles was your main reason the English failed to mount an excellent challenge against William My spouse and i. Removing leaders of revolts only achieved it harder to make a rebellion, not ‘impossible’.

Though William pardoned a few market leaders for their actions; some came back in later years with another uprising (Waltheof was eventually beheaded in 1076 due to treason). ‘Harrying from the North’ gave a clear alert to those who might oppose William’s guideline, it only supressed the revolts for any short period, but they all returned in later years (East Anglia 1070, mutiny of the British with the help of Norman earls in 1075 and so forth ). William’s armed forces were a true image strength- they were superior to anything at all the rebels could gather, but with severe methods emerged long term results (i. elizabeth. more revolts). There were many reasons for the remaining Saxons to hate the Normans. They had been treated badly and harshly.

The rebellions among 1066 and 1075 show how disappointed the Saxons were, Harrying of the North caused rebellions elsewhere and it damaged the population and countryside. Nevertheless , the areas around the new castles became relaxing, since many in the risings arose from community grievances, instead of dissatisfaction with William’s guideline, each castle provided help the local Saxons and retained the areas, by which they were built-in, stable. When a revolt would have been to rise; William’s men could have been able to move swiftly that will put down problems before completely a chance to develop whereas it could have taken days and nights to drive to an violent uprising (which would have risen in numbers by then).

Castles were an effective method of keeping the English manageable, they can last for years (some even for this day); which may have been how come William acquired built a huge selection of them about England during his rule from 1066 to 1087. Resources 5. Medieval Great britain 1042-10228 – Toby Purser * Bill the Conqueror- David Bates * The English and the Norman conquest- Ann Williams * Judgment England, 1042-1217- Richard Huscroft * http://www.btinternet.com/~mrfield/Conquest/resistance/resistance_to_william.htm?

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