Y101 871-1016 – Note: Based on 3x 50 minute lessons per week Terms based on 6 term year. Key Topic Term Week Number Indicative Content Extended Content Resources Alfred and the Vikings 1 1 Alfred’s position in 871; Position in 871 Events that influenced his rule: Expansion of Wessex Troubles with succession Threat of the Vikings OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin 1 1 the defence of Wessex; How the defence was organised Recruitment and organisation of military Weakness of the system OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland,Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin 1 2 the threat of the Great Heathen Army Alfred’s refuge at Athelney and defeat of the Great Heathen Army, terms of peace, the capture of London (886); How serious was the threat? Early Viking raids Changes in the nature and extent of attacks Differing views on the Vikings The significance of Alfred’s refuge Factors aiding in Alfred’s defeat of the Great Heathen Army Terms of the peace Why did Alfred decide to capture London? How was London captured? What was the impact of the capture? OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin
Key Topic Term Week Number Indicative Content Extended Content Resources 1 3 reorganisation of the army and navy; reasons for and extent of military success (leadership, strategy, tactics, of the army and navy, logistics, chance); Reorganisation: Leadership Strategy and tactics Army reforms Navy reforms Logistics The element of chance in warfare. OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin 1 4 return of the Vikings in the 890s. Why did they return? What was the consequence of their return? OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin Alfred and the governance of England 1 4-5 Administrative reforms and establishment of unity in Alfred’s territory; Reforms made under Alfred: The household The Witan The ‘King’s Thegns’ The Clergy The Ealdormen The Reeve The impact of reforms OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin 1 6 the creation of burhs (origins, functions, growth, consequences); What were burhs and their origins? What were their functions? What were the consequences of the burhs? OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin
1 6 the Burghal Hidage, examples of burhs including Winchester, Oxford, Chichester and Wareham; What was the importance of the Burghal Hidage? How and why did burhs grow? OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin 1 6 the links between burhs and local economies; Burhs as markets Burhs and coins Administration and wealth creation OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin 1 7 Alfred’s law code; Motives behind the law codes Features of the law codes Impact of the law codes OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin 2 8 England at the time of Alfred’s death; Condition of England at time of Alfred’s death OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin
2 8 Alfred as ‘King of the English’. Was Alfred truly the King of the English? OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin The revival of literacy and learning: the Alfredian Renaissance 2 9 Court intellectuals and the programme for learning; the connection between learning, religion and defeat of the Vikings; Why did Alfred implement a programme for learning? How did he implement it? How important were court intellectuals in the development of the programme? Alfred’s understanding of the connection between learning, religion and defeat of the Vikings Benefits of education Importance to Alfred of God’s help Comparisons to Charlemagne OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin 2 10 the role of writings and translations (including Bede’s Ecclesiastical History); Importance of writing and translations Gregory’s Pastoral Rule Boethius’s Consolation Philosophy St Augustine’s Soliloquies Book of Psalms Gregory’s Dialogues Orosius’s Histories against the Pagans Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People Bald Leechbook Martyrology OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder Alfred the Great, Abels, Longman Alfred the Great, Keynes & Lapidge, Penguin
Y101 899-1016 Note: Based on 3x 50 minute lessons per week Terms based on 6 term year. Key Topic Term Week Number Indicative Content Extended Content Resources Edward the Elder 2 12 The avoidance of dynastic feuds; Effectiveness of Edward in dealing with dynastic issues Threat of Aethelwold’s alliance with the Vikings Success of Edward as overlord of Mercia Use of marriage OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. 2 12 the challenge of Scandinavian settlement and migration from Denmark; Origins of the threat Extent of settlement and migration and consequences OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. 2 13 the campaigns of Edward and Aethelflaed (the ‘conquest of the Danelaw’); What was the Danelaw? Further construction of the burhs Use of force Purchasing land in Viking territory Use of Viking administrative systems OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P.
with the Continent (including Flanders, France, Germany and Norway); The problem of Olaf and Guthfrith The problem of Olaf Guthfristhsson Harald Fairhair and Hakon How closer links with the continent were achieved Why they were wanted The consequences of greater links The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. 3 17 government and administration (role of magnates and ealdorman; changes in the nature of the court and royal council); Reforms made: Role of the king The royal court Great magnates or major landowners Importance of administrative units Shires Hundreds Burhs OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. 3 17 Athelstan’s legal codes (II and VI). Background to the code Why they were introduced Purpose of each part Significance of the code OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. Edmund Eadred 946–955 and Edgar 3 18 The return of the Vikings (including Olaf Guthfrithson as King of York); the recovery of the northern Danelaw; the taking of Strathclyde; Edmund as liberator of the Danes; Impact of the return of the Vikings Extent of successes in dealing with Olaf Guthfrisson Extent of successes in dealing with the king of Strathclyde Extent of successes in dealing with religious reformers Extent of successes in dealing with criminals Succession issues OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P.
3 18 Eadred’s struggles with Eric Bloodaxe and Olaf Sihtricson and Eadred’s invasion of Northumbria; Struggles with Bloodaxe Alliance with Northumbria End of the alliance and reasons for invasion Death of Bloodaxe and its importance Significance of Eadred’s reign OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. 3 19 Edgar’s reforms: legal codes, charters, the role of the Witan, improvements in local government and administration, coinage; Reforms made by Edgar and reasons for them Importance of these reforms OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. 3 19 Edgar’s patronage of new monasteries and monastic reform, developments in Church art and architecture; Reasons for reform monasticism Extent of reforms Impact of reforms OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. 3 19 Edgar’s coronation as King of all England 973. First consecration 960-61 Second consecration 973 How Edgar became king OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. Aethelred 978–1016 4 20 The crisis over the new monasticism; Edgar’s marriages, his sons and the new monasticism Key figures, aims, methods and degree of success for the reformers OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England,
Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. 4 20 the murder of Edward the Martyr (978); Importance of the murder of Edward OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. 4 21-22 the return of the Vikings: the influence of Danish royalty, the treaty of 991 with Richard, Duke of Normandy, the battle of Maldon, tribute, divisions within the English nobility, the role of Viking leaders (including Sweyn, Thorkell and Cnut); Failure to deal with the return of Vikings Influence of Danish royalty Treaty of 991 and its importance The Battle of Maldon, events and consequences Issue of tribute after the second Battle of Maldon Divisions within nobility contributing to Ethelred’s difficulties Role and significance of Viking leaders Impact of Aethlred’s death OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. 4 23 the legislation of Aethelred (including the ‘10’ legal codes, monetary law, the role of the ‘jury’); Reasons for the introduction of the new law code Purpose of each part of the code Significance of the code OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England, Finberg, Paladin Anglo-Saxon England, Stenton, O.U.P. 4 24 cultural developments (including the Church and education, the roles Cultural change in Aethelred IIs reign Importance of Wulfstan and Aelfric and what they did Importance of the Chronicle being translated. OCR A Level History: Early Medieval England 871–1107, Fellows & Holland, Hodder The Formation of England,