Posted on 07/19/2025 8:17:35 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
800 pages, thousands of entries, and almost a million words. The Domesday Book, England's earliest surviving public record. Amidst a grave crisis, William the Conqueror embarked on an extraordinary bureaucratic endeavor: the Domesday Book. Dr Stephen Baxter uncovers the immense scale of the 1086 survey, detailing who owned what across England down to the last pig. But why did William do it and what did it mean for the kingdom that he had just conquered?
The Intriguing Mystery Of William The Conqueror's Domesday Book | 51:49
Chronicle - Medieval History Documentaries | 811K subscribers | 9,669 views | July 19, 2025
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
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The Domesday Book is one of the most extraordinary documents in British history. Commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, this medieval survey provided a detailed snapshot of Norman England—its land, wealth, and population. But why was it created, and why does it still matter today?
Following the Norman Invasion of 1066, William needed to consolidate his power and prepare for a potential Danish invasion. To do so, he ordered a massive survey of his new kingdom. The result? A comprehensive record of landowners, taxes, and resources, covering over 13,000 settlements across England and parts of Wales.
Often called the "Great Survey," the Domesday Book was both an economic tool and a symbol of Norman authority. It settled land disputes, reinforced feudal control, and left no room for appeal—hence its ominous name, referencing Judgment Day.
Today, the Domesday Book is a treasure trove for historians, offering unmatched insights into medieval England—its economy, agriculture, and society. From the Battle of Hastings to the shaping of Norman rule, this document remains a powerful testament to how William the Conqueror secured his throne.What was the Domesday Book? William the Conqueror's Great Survey
The Norman Conquest | EXPLAINED | 3:18
HistoricUK | 3.53K subscribers | 2,460 views | January 16, 2025
The National Archives medieval records specialist Jessica Nelson introduces the Exchequer series and Domesday Book, one of The National Archives' most iconic documents.Spotlight On: Domesday Book | 7:25
The National Archives UK | 17.1K subscribers | 18,388 views | July 13, 2022
[snip] Resynced from best original sources available. [/snip]In Search of William the Conqueror
- In Search of the Dark Ages 1981 (Michael Wood) | 45:22
mrFalconlem | 6.03K subscribers | 189,803 views | January 19, 2014
Discover how the Bayeux Tapestry was used as powerful propaganda tool for William the Conqueror's invasion of England in 1066, a momentous chapter in English history when the Duke of Normandy invaded the country to claim the title of King of England. Lucy Worsley dives into the intricate details of this iconic tapestry, revealing its role in shaping the narrative of the Battle of Hastings and William's claim to the English throne.How William the Conqueror Rewrote History
Lucy Worsley Investigates | 11:21
PBS | 1.53M subscribers | 254,042 views | January 13, 2025
--> YouTube-Generated Transcript <-- · Introduction 0:01 · The Norman Conquest was the biggest land 0:03 · grab in Western medieval history. 0:07 · This prosperous, stable country called England 0:10 · was just taken by William, Duke of Normandy 0:13 · seemingly overnight. And stone castles like this one 0:19 · sprang up all over the land. 0:24 · This is Pevensey Castle, 0:26 · the first Norman castle on English soil. 0:30 · But it's actually a repurposed Roman fort. 0:35 · Of course, England had been invaded before. 0:38 · There were the Romans, but they eventually left. 0:42 · Then the Vikings, 0:44 · but they never gained complete control. 0:48 · But when the Normans invaded in 1066, 0:52 · they created a regime that lasted. 0:55 · They transformed the country, and they left traces 0:59 · that we can still see to this day. 1:04 · In fact, we can trace a line 1:06 · from William the Conqueror to our current monarch, 1:11 · King Charles the Third. 1:15 · But this belies the truth 1:17 · of how difficult the conquest really was. 1:21 · It took two decades for William to cement Norman rule. 1:26 · So how did he do it? 1:29 · And was William a conqueror 1:31 · or a war criminal? 1:37 · I think I'll begin my investigation in the place 1:40 · where William's master plan for conquest was originally formed. 1:45 · Normandy, in northwest France. 1:50 · Duke William built his castle 1:52 · here at Cong in 1060. 1:55 · He did it to consolidate 1:58 · his control over all of this part of France here. 2:03 · He was a Norman, the word coming from Northman 2:06 · or even Norseman, because William's 2:09 · ancestors were warlike Vikings from Scandinavia. 2:13 · They came down here and they settled. 2:15 · And once they made this their home, they renamed it 2:19 · as Normandy. · William the Conqueror 2:22 · At this point, William wasn't known 2:25 · as William the Conqueror, but William the Bastard. 2:29 · He'd risen a long way as the 2:32 · illegitimate son of Robert the 1st of Normandy. 2:37 · Now he wanted to expand his territory 2:40 · and conquer the lands across the English Channel. 2:45 · If William ever came up here himself, 2:48 · I think he'd have spent his time looking in that direction. 2:52 · Because 100 miles over there is the English coast. 2:55 · And on the 5th of January, 1066, 3:00 · the English King Edward the Confessor. 3:02 · Died. 3:04 · Without leaving an obvious successor. 3:06 · And William believed that he was the rightful heir 3:10 · to the English crown. 3:14 · There's one astonishing historical artifact 3:17 · just a few miles away in the town of Bayeux, 3:21 · which might explain exactly why William believed this. 3:25 · It's not a book or a manuscript. 3:29 · It's nearly 230 3:31 · feet long, and it's over 900 years old. · The Bayeux Tapestry 3:37 · It's kept in the dark. 3:40 · Quite literally, for its own protection. 3:47 · There it is. 3:49 · The Bayeux Tapestry. 3:55 · This tapestry shows the invasion of England 3:59 · and the Battle of Hastings in 1066 4:02 · as a heroic enterprise. 4:08 · It's basically a medieval movie. 4:11 · It tells the story, scene 4:14 · by scene, from beginning to end. 4:18 · And did you know it's not actually a tapestry at all? 4:21 · The pictures are stitched on, which is embroidery. 4:26 · This is women's work, and I suspect that the men 4:30 · who give names to things 4:31 · like this don't necessarily know what they're looking at. 4:34 · But the first thing that strikes me is the sheer scale of it. 4:39 · Look how long it is. 4:41 · And it goes off right round the corner. 4:44 · It's just a stunning piece of work. 4:51 · And here's the scene I'm looking for. 4:55 · It depicts a 4:56 · pact which allegedly took place between two of the main 5:00 · contenders for the English throne. 5:04 · The hero of the tapestry, that's William. 5:07 · And Harold, King Edward the Confessor's 5:10 · brother in law. 5:14 · This is Harold. 5:15 · And you can tell because of his ginger mustache. 5:19 · The Anglo-Saxons have mustaches. 5:21 · The Normans are all clean shaven. 5:24 · And what's happening here? 5:25 · It says in the caption. 5:27 · This is the bit where Harold, 5:30 · he "fecit a sacramentum." 5:32 · He makes an oath to Duke William 5:36 · of Normandy, whos that chap there 5:39 · And Harold is touching 5:40 · a casket full of holy relics 5:43 · to make the oath even more powerful. 5:44 · And in his oath, he swears he will support. 5:47 · William's claim to be king. 5:50 · Let's see what happens next. 5:52 · Well. 5:54 · Oh, here we go. 5:55 · Edward the Confessor dies. 5:58 · There's his dead body. 6:00 · He's "defunctus" - he's defunct. 6:04 · And in this scene, 6:07 · Harold has made himself king. 6:10 · "Rex Anglorum," King of the English. 6:14 · It says. 6:16 · So in this version of the story, at least the Norman 6:20 · version of the story, Harold has betrayed William. 6:23 · This is why William is justified in invading England. · The Battle of Hastings 6:31 · But like all historical sources, 6:34 · the tapestry has an agenda. 6:38 · It was commissioned by William's half brother Odo, 6:42 · Bishop of Bayeux, and it was basically propaganda 6:46 · justifying William's invasion of England. 6:50 · On the 28th September 1066, 6:54 · William's fleets of hundreds of ships carrying thousands of men 6:59 · landed here at Pevensey on the south coast of England 7:06 · This is the very beach where the Normans landed. 7:11 · But the battle took place a few miles away in that 7:14 · direction at Hastings. 7:16 · It was a brutal fight. 7:19 · It lasted for more than nine hours. 7:26 · You could 7:27 · be forgiven for thinking that although William's 7:29 · victory was hard won, it was basically inevitable. 7:34 · The tapestry suggests that the Normans had 7:37 · enormous military superiority. 7:45 · Here are the Norman knights. 7:47 · And what's brilliant is the way that you see them moving off. 7:50 · They're starting to gallop off. 7:52 · It's really exciting. 7:54 · And here are the Norman archers. 7:57 · It's really striking that the Normans have got better weapons. 8:01 · They've got these horses. They've got bows and arrows. 8:04 · The poor Anglo-Saxons have only got things like axes and clubs. 8:08 · You do get the impression that this indomitable. 8:11 · Norman war machine, 8:14 · The Storm Troopers are coming. 8:22 · The Bayeux tapestry 8:23 · famously ends with the death of Harold. 8:28 · An arrow from a Norman archer 8:31 · hits him in the eye. 8:37 · It's a heroic end to the story. 8:42 · Harold is dead, and William, the rightful king is triumphant. 8:48 · But is this what really happened? 8:53 · There's another source that historians now 8:56 · believe to be 8:57 · one of the earliest depictions of the Battle of Hastings. 9:01 · This Latin poem, probably dating from 9:04 · 1068, has a very different story 9:07 · to tell about Harold's last moments. 9:12 · It's called The Common 9:14 · or the song at the Battle of Hastings, 9:17 · written two years after the battle, we think. 9:20 · And according to this version, 9:23 · it took four Norman soldiers to finish him off. 9:27 · It's quite hard to read, 9:29 · but I've got some notes here from the translation. 9:32 · It says the first of them did the job of 9:36 · shattering his breast through his shield. 9:39 · The second, by his sword, severed the head. 9:43 · The third of them by his spear, poured forth 9:46 · the body's entrails. 9:50 · And then the fourth of them hued of a leg. 9:54 · Some other translations say it was a different body part 9:57 · than that. 9:58 · And then, being removed, he drove it afar. 10:00 · He threw the body part away. 10:04 · So that makes it 10:05 · sound like Harold was really difficult to kill. 10:09 · And there's no mention at all of the arrow going 10:11 · into his eye. 10:13 · Unlike the tapestry, the poem is an unsanitized, hyper violent 10:19 · account of the battle. 10:23 · Harold's body was so mutilated 10:26 · it could only be identified by some marks on his skin. 10:31 · One of those four Normans who killed 10:33 · Harold was William himself. 10:36 · I wonder if this poem is 10:38 · the more accurate predictor at the violence still to come 10:42 · after the battle. 10:45 · When it was over and William had won, 10:48 · he wasn't automatically King of England. 10:51 · He was kind of in limbo. 10:54 · He waited for the English to formally surrender to him, 10:59 · but nobody came.
I have a copy around here, handy for genealogy and, y'know, for nerding around.
I didn't put up a transcript for the main video (51 minutes plus). I included the 7-8 minute transcript of Lucy W's thing. The two shorter ones don't need a transcript. The Michael Wood classic is also long.
If you have time to post a complaint about the lack of transcript, or about a transcript that is present, A) you have time to watch one, some, or all of these; B) you could do what I often do, start the video and listen while online in a different room of the house; and C) no one has any interest on whether you have time, don't have time, watch it, or don't watch it, so do everyone a favor and shaddup about it.
Just out of curiosity I asked if King Charles, the current King of England is a Norman descendent:
The AI response was:
Is King Charles a Norman Descendant
King Charles III is indeed a descendant of the Normans, as his lineage can be traced back to William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England. However, the extent of his direct descent and the genetic connection to William the Conqueror is a matter of historical and genetic analysis.
King Charles III: The current monarch of England, whose lineage includes William the Conqueror, the founder of the Norman dynasty in England. His ancestry includes various historical figures, including the House of Stuart and other royal families.
William the Conqueror: The first Norman king of England, who ruled from 1066 until his death in 1087. His conquest of England led to the establishment of the Norman dynasty, which significantly influenced English history and culture.
My 2 cents worth follows:
Since the Normand's are from France, that means the French have ruled England for almost a millennium now.
Will they manage to make it for another 86 years to reach that millennial mark?
A decent percentage of people with British Isles ancestry are descended from Bill the Bastard. :^) Cousin Chuck’s line is here:
https://famouskin.com/famous-kin-chart.php?name=6103+charles+iii&kin=3709+william+the+conqueror
So not french, Scandinavian.
William’s maternal lineage likely included local Frankish or French blood, as Herleva was a Norman woman of non-noble origin, possibly from a family of tanners or minor landowners in Falaise.
They had been French for 100 years or more.
I was intrigued when I understood that not only is English a bastardised mix of Gallo-French with Angko Saxon and a bitter Norse tossed into the mix but Gallo-French is a bastardised mix of latin with Frankish and Norse.
French is unlike the other Romance languages
I always thought the word “Norman” meant “Northmen/Norsemen,” aka, Vikings. My dad’s YDNA traces to both Normandy and Northeastern Scotland, and the oldest lineage extends to the high northwestern coast of Norway. I always assumed that meant my ancestor traveled with Rollo to Northern Europe and then Scotland.
Will they manage to make it for another 86 years to reach that millennial mark?
I have read that the fiefs given out by William were to last 999 years. If the Monarchy lasts long enough, does that mean all the land in the UK will revert to the ownership of the King? In that case, does he get to collect all the rents?
Probably used to tax people on their wealth.
Side note: Grandma, from Scotland, said we were descended from Rob Roy “on the wrong side of the blanket”. I figure some young lady was fooled by one of his soldiers. “yeah, I’m Rob Roy. That’s the ticket!”.
Question is, will the new ruling King be of white European descent?
Since the Normand’s are from France, that means the French have ruled England for almost a millennium now.
the Normans were Vikings who invaded France and established a foothold there. The French were unable to evict them. Eventually there was a treaty between the two creating the Dukedom of Normandy.
Throughout the middle ages everybody married everybody, so every royal house is descended from the French, the English, the Spanish, and the many other kingdoms (most no longer existing) throughout Europe.
This treaty, known as the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, allowed the Vikings, led by Rollo, to settle in the area in exchange for their protection against other Viking raids and their conversion to Christianity.
Yes this, property grab by the crown. For the same reason that the Ds want a list of all the gun owners, to seize their property.
👏
bump
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