Norman descendants?

[bobthebandit]

At the end of the Channel 4 docu drama about the Battle of Hastings, it was stated that one fifth of Britain is still owned by the descendants of the Normans. Is this true, and who are these descendants?

[Huderon]

Well, whether or not it is one fifth I can't say, but for the other bit of your question ...

Think about how the Normans governed - the feudal system. That meant the king was at the top of the tree, then there were the barons and lords, then their vassals (knights) and so on down to the peasants. The king owned the country and granted land to his barons and lords, who in their turn granted land to their vassals, each raising taxes some of which had to be passed up the chain, and also supplying men to fight for the king.

So, who are the descendants of the barons, lords and knights ?

[VHG]

Little bit here about land owners

http://tinyurl.com/r9bukn

Try searching on "Britains land owners" and things like that.

[Ankou]

they are called anglo-normans.

the earldoms of leicester, harcourt and warwick are three examples. there are many others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Norman#Angl o-Norman_families

[bobthebandit]

Thanks for all the previous answers and links.
Perhaps we should kick out all the descendants of the Normans for their illegal invasion, and compensate the descendants of all those who were lost their lands!

[Ankou]

errr, you sure ???

roughly speaking land ownership, at the time of the norman conquest, had attained a four-story structure.

at the base or first story, the cultivators consisting of the freemen and the serfs; above these, the lords of the lands who held their title in various manner from the church or the thegn; in the third story, the church or thegn who held directly from the king; and at the very top the king in whom vested all titles and from whom all privileges were derived.

so any compensation would go first to the king (royal crown), then to the church. briliant

[Ankou]

my response was to "and compensate the descendants of all those who were lost their lands!"

this would be the crown and the church. the 'peasants' wouldnt get a dicky bird.