Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2016
Last exams 2025
The Marcher Earldoms (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
England's Relationship with Wales in the Eleventh Century - Summary
England and Wales had a violent relationship with each other in the eleventh century. Wales had an individual language, law and identity to England. England did not respect this and wanted to bring Wales under its rule. Vikings also targeted Wales for pillaging.
In Anglo-Saxon times, competing kingdoms divided Wales. For a brief period, Gruffudd ap Llywelyn united Wales under his leadership. Llywelyn attempted to expand the kingdom. In 1052, Llywelyn invaded Herefordshire and, in 1055, Llwelyn sided with Aelfgar, the Earl of Mercia against the house of Godwin. These actions ultimately led to his murder by Harold and Tostig in 1062.
After 1066, William wanted to enforce his rule in England. The borderlands were particularly unruly due to frequent raids and attacks. The Norman Conquest would show an increase in control of these regions and a desire to conquer Wales.
Why Were the Marcher Earldoms Necessary?
William did not have full control of England
He wanted to consolidate his power over all areas of England
Wales continued to threaten England's safety
It wanted to expand its borders
It raided the English towns and villages close to its border
William wanted to strengthen the border between England and Wales
Previous Anglo-Saxon monarchs had built a border (called a march) between the two countries
William created three new earldoms:
Chester
Shrewsbury
Hereford
The Marcher earldoms
Who governed the Marcher earldoms?
Marcher earldom | Earl | Why did William choose this earl? |
|---|---|---|
Chester | Hugh d'Avranches | Hugh's father gave 60 ships to William's invasion force |
Shrewsbury | Roger de Montgomery | William chose Roger to govern Normandy in his absence. William had a lot of trust in Roger's ability |
Hereford | William FitzOsbern | FitzOsbern was William's chief strategist in the Battle of Hastings |
Key Features of the Marcher Earldoms
Feature | Why was this feature important? |
|---|---|
Smaller than Anglo-Saxon earldoms | Earls could control the Marcher earldoms more easily. This control was necessary due to their proximity to Wales |
Marcher earls could create boroughs and markets. They had the power to replace Anglo-Saxon churches with Norman-style buildings | Marcher earldoms looked more like areas of Normandy. William wanted to attract Normans to settle in England. Their presence would bring more control to the borderlands of England |
Sheriffs in the Marcher earldoms worked for the earl, not the king. Earls had complete power over the legal system in their earldom | William trusted the earls to react quickly and firmly to disobedience. Earls had the power to end any sign of unrest without waiting for the king's response |
Marcher earls did not have to pay taxes to the king for the land. Every other earl in England had to pay tax | Marcher earls profited from their positions. This increased their loyalty to William. Marcher earls could use the extra money to build fortifications and expand their territory |
Unlike other earls, Marcher earls could build castles without the permission of the king | William believed that castles were crucial to enforcing his power in England. Marcher earldoms needed more military enforcement so they needed more castles as a result. The Marcher earls could attack Wales from these castles |
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the Marcher earldoms
2 marks
Answer:
One feature of the Marcher earldoms was their size (1). The Marcher earldoms were much smaller than other earldoms so the earls had more control over the area (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When answering ‘Describe one feature of…’ questions, the two marks are given to you for:
Identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic (1)
Describe - add some specific own knowledge about the point you have made (1)
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
How Powerful were Marcher Earls?
Marcher earls had independence from the king
This independence showed how much the king trusted the Marcher earls
As a result, all three Marcher earls were Norman
The Marcher earls could react much quicker to disruption
The power of the Marcher earls had conditions
The Marcher earls had to provide soldiers to William whenever he requested it
Their legal powers had limits
The Marcher earls could not put suspects of crimes against the king on trial
Examiner Tips and Tricks
An exam question could ask you to explain why William created the Marcher earldoms. William wanted to reward his followers, hence why all three Marcher earls were Norman. However, there were other motivations for William to create the Marcher earldoms. William wanted to increase his control of England and minimise the threat of Wales.
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