Zachary Collins

HIST*2000

Dr. James Fraser

October 24th, 2023

1. In the long run, the Norman conquest undoubtedly had a transformative impact on
England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. But how transformative was William I’s own
reign (1066–87)?

2. What impact did the decisions of Richard I and Edward I to go on crusade in

Palestine have on Britain and Ireland?

As an isolated entity, the British Isles have historically faced a dilemma of balancing internal and

external prerogatives. The English Channel has served as a vital barrier to continental European conflicts

and a mechanism for English leaders to focus on domestic affairs. The cases of Britain’s first Norman

king, William I, and his great-great-grandson, Richard I, show contrasting approaches to how internal and

external governance can impact a kingdom. The self-sufficient British Isles were an effective ally for an

11th to 13th-century English King, but any significant economic disruption of the people could break the

efficient system.

The Norman conquest of England in 1066 is one of the most monumental moments in the Isle’s

history due to its long-lasting impacts. King William I's invasion brought over an extensive Norman

population, resulting in an influx of French ideals and culture in the Anglo-Saxon, Gaelic and Celtic

lands. The contention between historians is how impactful the rule of William was as a separate entity

from the conquest itself. His reign spanned over two decades, a formidable time to create regional change

and developments. Hence, to what extent was William's reign transformative?

The rule of William I was transformative to a certain extent due to his ability to unify and mould

the domestic strand of the British lands. The main prerogative of William's rule was to stabilize his

governance and kingship. The mechanism by which he decided to accomplish this was by bringing in an

influx of Norman allies into the Isles. He began by disposing of many old aristocratic English families,

many of whom had sided with Harold Godwinson's claim to the throne. The vacant lands and estates were
then swiftly granted by William to an array of Norman Knights and Barons who had aided his conquest.

The new King was now geopolitically surrounded by loyal allies who would hereditarily keep these

estates Norman through their heirs. The same tactic was achieved along the Welsh border and had similar

long-lasting transformative impacts. The Welsh were a reoccurring burden for English kings who sought

further control over the land. William established new Marcher Earldoms along the English-Welsh border

to secure it from any Welsh expansion or invasion. These estates were granted to other Norman allies of

William. The king had established a structure to ensure Norman wealth among the Isles for generations. It

was a highly transformative act as Britain now had an extensive influx of Norman wealth and power, both

locally and regionally.

The implementation of Norman control and culture was a highly transformative action undertaken

by William, but his drive and success in centralizing English governance is often overstated. The

kingdom already had an efficient, centralized, and bureaucratic power. This centralization had begun two

centuries earlier during the rule of King Alfred the Great and had slowly developed in the subsequent

kingships. Furthermore, William introduced no new taxes. Raising new taxes, or the lack thereof, often

correlates to external ambitions. As William was so focused on maintaining his domestic rule, he had no

extensive external prerogatives which required such tax imposition. The absence of new taxation kept

much of his populous pleased, which attributed to his stable governance.

During the rule of Richard I, a century later, heightened attention on foreign ambitions led to an

unstable rule. Shortly after his coronation in 1189, Richard used his entire royal fortune and heavy

taxation to fund his crusade to Palestine. This decision not only left an absent throne in England but

financially decimated the Royal court and the heavily taxed populous. During Richards's travels back to

England in 1192, he was captured by his adversary, Duke Leopold of Austria. A ransom of 150,000

marks was paid for by the English nobility and the peasantry, who were further taxed. Britain also lost its

hold on Norman land when Philip, King of France, invaded and occupied the region. Therefore, the

consequence of King Richard's Palestinian expedition resulted in an economically ravished Britain and a

territorially shrinking kingdom.

 The contrasting outcome of Edward I, great-nephew of Richard I, and his campaign to Palestine

is mainly due to their stance in the kingdom. At the time of the Ninth Crusade (also known as Lord

Edward’s Crusade) Edward had not yet obtained kingship and was still Duke of Gascony. He neither

imposed taxation, keeping his reputation strong, and the newfound parliament had agreed to fund this

crusade on the condition of the Magna Carta’s reinstatement. Furthermore, upon learning about inheriting

the throne, Edward leisurely made his way home due to the self-governing, centralized, and efficient

country. This parallels King Williams's inheritance of an efficient and centralized England and how it

could be used as an ally. In conclusion, the self-sufficient British Isles were an effective asset for an 11th

to 13th-century English King, but any significant economic disruption of the people could break the

efficient system.