William
How did William gain control?
After the battle of Hastings William was crowned King. In order for him to gain control of England, he had to enforce various laws. Along with the building of castles, the Domes day Book and the feudal system these laws were part of William's way of controlling the English population. This essay will answer the question How did William gain control?' in detail describing many of the laws and explaining at the end which were most important. At the start of his reign, what William would have seen as conciliatory behaviour was not as well received as he would have wished for. After the rebellion in the north of England, Norman rule became far harsher. One of the best examples of this was "the harrying of the north" which devastated the land in a broad swath from York to Durham.
In 1069, more and more rebellions were taking place in the north, leaving William's army no choice but to fight by destroying farmsteads and villages as well as slaughtering the people and cattle that lived all the way from York to Durham, and also Stafford, Derby and Chester. He burnt everything between the River Humber and the River Tees and claimed all conquered land for the crown. The results of this burning and destruction left much of the area depopulated for centuries. The harrying of the north helped William maintain control by establishing fear into the people of England.
Many times William had tried to be loved by the people he reined. He had even tried to learn the English language. However, his approach always seemed negative to the people. They believed that no other but an English could rule the country. After a while he stopped trying to be liked. William came to the conclusion that he would rather be feared than loved by the people. This way, he thought everyone would always be loyal to him. To insure loyalty, William also made many people swear the Salisbury...
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