Securing his Kingdom: William's Methods of Control
5 Episodes
This series is centred around how William secured control of England after the Norman invasion and defeat of Harold Godwinson in 1066. It follows a story of conquest and strategic restructuring, but also of brutality and death. It is a story of numerous remarkable methods William used to control England. Each episode has a key focus. The theme that connects all the episodes is methods of control. These episodes are written and presented by history teacher Jack Pettitt.
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11:26Episode 1Securing his Kingdom - Castles
Episode 1
As soon as William entered England, he started to build the ultimate tool of control: castles. These symbolic powerhouses display how William stamped his authority on England. In this episode, Jack visits Buckenham Castle to gain a better understanding of a typical Norman castle.
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07:44Episode 2Securing his Kingdom - Marcher Earldoms
Episode 2
The Welsh presented problems for the Anglo-Saxons; William wanted to further strengthen this border, so created the Marcher Earldoms. In this episode, Jack visits a castle in Herefordshire, still displaying signs of its construction in 1067.
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Securing his Kingdom - Dealing with Resistance
Episode 3
The north of England still shows signs of the infamous Harrying of the North. In this episode, Jack explores the reasons why it happened, situated between two villages listed to have been scorched by Norman soldiers.
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Securing his Kingdom - Revolt of the Earls
Episode 4
Three earls in 1075 decided to rebel against William, but this was not like the revolts before. In this episode, Jack visits Norwich to show explores the reasons why it happened, situated between two villages listed to have been scorched by Norman soldiers.
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Securing his Kingdom - Normanisation of the Church
Episode 5
It wasn’t just castles that William built to stamp his mark on England. The Normans were Christian: this sees a complete restructuring of the English church as well as new Romanesque architecture. In this episode, Jack visits St Albans Abbey, one of the Cathedrals built under William I.
