Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyThe Domesday Book and Feudalism

After the Norman Conquest, King William the Conqueror needed a detailed account of the people, land, and property in England to manage his new kingdom effectively. What was the primary reason he commissioned the massive survey known as the Domesday Book?

  1. To record land ownership and resources to determine how much tax could be collected.Answer
  2. B
    To create a set of laws that gave every citizen the right to vote for a local leader.
  3. C
    To document the history and legends of the Anglo-Saxon kings from the Iron Age.
  4. D
    To act as a manual for peasants to help them choose which lord they wanted to serve.

Answer

The primary purpose of the Domesday Book was to record land ownership and resources for the collection of taxes.
The correct answer is that the Domesday Book was used to record land ownership and resources for taxation. It provided King William with an unprecedented level of detail regarding the value of land, the number of animals, and the inhabitants of his kingdom, ensuring he could effectively collect revenue to fund his government and military.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the historical context of the Domesday Book.
It was commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1085, following the Norman Conquest of 1066.
Understanding the timeline helps distinguish the Norman administrative tools from earlier or later reforms.
2
Analyze the content of the survey described in the Domesday Book.
It recorded who owned what land, how many people lived there, and what livestock they held.
This level of detail indicates an interest in the economic output and taxable value of the kingdom.
3
Determine the motivation for such a detailed record within the feudal system.
The King needed to know the wealth of his kingdom to ensure fair and efficient taxation and to confirm land ownership under the new hierarchy.
Taxation and land control were the central pillars of maintaining royal power in the Middle Ages.

Key Concept

The Domesday Book as an administrative tool for taxation and land survey.
Estimated Time:45s
Rate this question

Topics

The Domesday Book and Feudalism

More questions from this topic