Which group supported William Rufus and were willing to live under Norman rule, including local Fyrd troops?

Which group supported William Rufus and were willing to live under Norman rule, including local Fyrd troops?

• A. The Anglo-Saxon people
• B. The Norman aristocrats
• C. The Church
• D. The Merchants of London

Answer: (A)

After the Norman Conquest, the success of William Rufus’s rule depended on which groups would accept new authority and be willing to contribute to defense. The local Anglo-Saxon people represents the portion of the population most likely to be willing to live under Norman rule, because they formed the everyday heart of English shires. They remained in their communities and could be mobilized through the fyrd, the local levy of free men, to defend the realm when needed. This mix of acceptance and practical cooperation—continuing to live under the new regime and providing military service locally—made them the group best aligned with the idea of supporting William Rufus while adapting to Norman governance. The other groups have strong reasons to support the regime or to influence it, but the question centers on ordinary locals who would live under Norman rule and respond with local military aid, which fits the Anglo-Saxon people.

After the Norman Conquest, the success of William Rufus’s rule depended on which groups would accept new authority and be willing to contribute to defense. The local Anglo-Saxon people represents the portion of the population most likely to be willing to live under Norman rule, because they formed the everyday heart of English shires. They remained in their communities and could be mobilized through the fyrd, the local levy of free men, to defend the realm when needed. This mix of acceptance and practical cooperation—continuing to live under the new regime and providing military service locally—made them the group best aligned with the idea of supporting William Rufus while adapting to Norman governance. The other groups have strong reasons to support the regime or to influence it, but the question centers on ordinary locals who would live under Norman rule and respond with local military aid, which fits the Anglo-Saxon people.