A knowledge organiser for Year 7 History on the feudal system, covering the 1086 Domesday Book and social hierarchy.
.
The feudal system was how medieval society was organised into ranks based on land and loyalty, from the king down to peasants.
.
What’s Included
.

• Key Knowledge & Core Facts: Essential timeline including 1066 and the introduction of land ownership by right of conquest.
• Key Vocabulary: Clear definitions for terms such as ‘Fief’, ‘Vassal’, ‘Homage’, and ‘Villein’.
• Social Hierarchy Breakdown: Detailed analysis of the pyramid of power, from the King and Barons down to Peasants and Serfs.
• Rights and Responsibilities: Specific duties for each rank, including Knight Service and peasant week-work.
• Mechanisms of Control: Overview of Motte and Bailey castles and the Harrying of the North as methods of Norman rule.

.
How to Use It
.

1. Use the Key Vocabulary section as a starter, asking pupils to define terms like ‘tithe’ or ‘demesne’.
2. Display the knowledge organiser during the lesson to help pupils work through how power and control operated in the Norman era.
3. Set the Key Knowledge section for homework revision, ready for a quick quiz on the 1086 Domesday Book.

.
Curriculum Coverage
.

• KS3 National Curriculum — History (Year 7): Understand the development of Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509.
• KS3 National Curriculum — History (Year 7): Analyse the methods William I used to establish control, including the Harrying of the North and Motte and Bailey castles.

.
Last updated: 1 July 2026
.
File Includes
.
PDF file included.