Forfeiture

William combined several methods rather than relying on one. He secured oaths, personally led campaigns, used castles and garrisons, negotiated with foreign forces, delegated to trusted relatives and churchmen, and punished rebels through forfeiture or execution.

One important mechanism was forfeiture: rebels lost their estates as punishment. William could then use confiscated land to reward followers or combine estates into new landholdings, including those needed to control troublesome border areas. Land was also taken through violent seizures and abuses by corrupt sheriffs, so not every transfer resulted from a formal punishment for rebellion.

Forfeiture allowed him to confiscate land and reward followers. Land also changed hands through violent seizures and abuses by local officials. Waltheof’s execution in 1076 removed the last powerful Anglo-Saxon earl.

The threat of forfeiture was equally important. A landholder who rebelled or failed to meet his obligations could lose his land. William could then grant it to someone else.