解題
### Introduction
William I faced immense opposition after his victory at Hastings, with major rebellions erupting across England between 1067 and 1075. While the use of extreme violence and terror was a highly visible and devastatingly effective short-term mechanism for crushing active resistance, it was not the sole reason he maintained control. Long-term security and control were achieved through a combination of defensive military architecture (castles), fundamental socio-economic reorganization (the feudal system and land redistribution), and institutional dominance through the Normanisation of the Church and administration.
### Agree: The Use of Extreme Violence and Terror
There is strong evidence to support the claim that extreme violence was crucial to maintaining Norman control. The most prominent example is the Harrying of the North (1069–1070), launched in response to Anglo-Saxon rebellions supported by Danish invaders. William ordered a scorched-earth campaign across Yorkshire and northern counties: crops, seeds, livestock, and entire villages were burned, and salt was reportedly sown in the soil to prevent future farming. This resulted in the death of over 100,000 people from starvation and exposure, leaving vast areas completely depopulated and ruined for decades (as recorded in the Domesday Book). This act of sheer terror acted as a powerful psychological deterrent, effectively ending large-scale coordinated rebellion in the north. Furthermore, William used brutal punishments to deter rebels elsewhere, such as cutting off the hands and feet of captured insurgents during the siege of Ely in 1071, and executing Earl Waltheof in 1076. These actions sent a clear message that resistance would meet with absolute destruction.
### Disagree: The Role of Castles
However, terror alone could not hold the country without permanent military infrastructure. The rapid construction of motte-and-bailey castles was arguably more important for day-to-day control. William and his barons built over 500 castles across England by 1087. Strategically placed in major towns (such as York, Exeter, and London), along coastlines, and at key river crossings, castles acted as highly defensible strongholds from which small Norman garrisons could control surrounding areas. They served as visible symbols of Norman dominance, protected the new ruling elite from hostile local populations, and served as bases from which Norman cavalry could quickly ride out to suppress localized riots before they grew into major rebellions.
### Disagree: The Feudal System and Land Redistribution
Furthermore, William secured control by completely replacing the Anglo-Saxon ruling class with loyal Normans through a militarised feudal hierarchy. By 1087, virtually all Anglo-Saxon thegns and earls had been dispossessed, with only about 5% of English land remaining in Anglo-Saxon hands. William redistributed this land to approximately 190 Norman tenants-in-chief (barons). In return for these land grants, the barons swore oaths of loyalty (fealty) and were required to provide a specific quota of knights to serve in the king's army (knight service). This created a self-funding military occupation force deeply invested in defending the Norman regime, as their wealth and survival depended entirely on William remaining on the throne.
### Disagree: The Church and Legal Control
Finally, William utilized institutional and administrative systems to legitimize and secure his rule. He systematically Normanised the English Church, replacing Archbishop Stigand with Lanfranc in 1070 and ensuring that almost all bishops and abbots were Norman by the end of his reign. The Church preached that William's victory was God's will, helping to pacify a deeply religious Anglo-Saxon population. Administratively, William retained the effective Anglo-Saxon shire system and the use of royal writs but adapted them to Norman needs. The compilation of the Domesday Book in 1086 was a monumental administrative feat that allowed William to understand the wealth of his kingdom, prevent tax evasion, and assert his supreme ownership of all land in England, further locking down royal control.
### Conclusion
In conclusion, while extreme violence and terror were essential for breaking the back of active Anglo-Saxon resistance—particularly during the crises of 1069–1070—they were not sustainable as a sole method of governance. Terror successfully pacified the population through fear, but long-term, stable control of England was only achieved through the structural imposition of castles, the systemic redistribution of land to a loyal Norman elite, and the spiritual and legal legitimacy provided by the Normanised Church and administrative state. Therefore, violence was the ultimate shield against rebellion, but institutional and physical control was the true foundation of William’s lasting rule.
評分準則
**Level 5 (17–20 marks)**
Candidates demonstrate detailed, accurate, and wide-ranging knowledge to construct a highly balanced, analytical, and well-focused explanation. The essay addresses both the prompt factor (violence/terror) and alternative factors (castles, feudalism, the Church, etc.) in equal depth, reaching a logical, nuanced conclusion.
**Level 4 (13–16 marks)**
Candidates use accurate and detailed knowledge to explain different factors. The response is clearly balanced and examines both sides of the argument, though one side may be more developed than the other. There is a clear attempt to reach a conclusion based on the arguments.
**Level 3 (9–12 marks)**
Candidates construct a one-sided explanation that provides good depth on either violence or other methods of control; OR they provide a two-sided argument that is superficial, highly descriptive, or lacks analytical depth. Historical knowledge is mostly accurate.
**Level 2 (5–8 marks)**
Candidates demonstrate some relevant historical knowledge about how William controlled England but write a largely descriptive narrative. Points are only weakly linked to the analytical focus of the question.
**Level 1 (1–4 marks)**
Candidates provide general assertions or highly limited, disjointed details. The response lacks focus on the question and exhibits very little historical understanding.