The History of English Podcast Episode 69: From Conquest to Domesday
Oct 30, 2015
This episode explores the Norman Conquest's impact on England, including the introduction of the feudal system and French language, the shift of land ownership, the origins of the calendar and month names, the significance of the English land survey, the origins of the jury system and the importance of the Domesday Book, and the arrival of the Brettons and their influence on England and the legend of King Arthur.
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Feudal Transformation Of English Land
- William replaced most Anglo-Saxon landholders with around 180 French-speaking barons, reshaping England's social order.
- The feudal system concentrated land and power and bound native tenants into vassalage under French lords.
Legal Chaos Drives Vocabulary Change
- Competing land claims created administrative confusion that required written records and legal resolution.
- This pressure produced new legal vocabulary (claim, clamor) borrowed from Latin via French.
Doomsday Survey As Statecraft
- In 1085 William ordered a comprehensive land survey to record holders, values, and rights across England.
- The survey served both taxation and political control, clarifying ownership and securing baronial fealty.