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What was the Domesday Book?

The Domesday Book, which is also called simply Domesday, is a survey of England dating from 1086, when King William I (c. 1028–1087; also known as William the Conqueror) ordered an inventory of property for levying (placing) taxes. Groups of officers called legati traveled throughout England, collecting information such as the names and locations of estates, their owners, and their resources. Not only did William use this information to determine tax rates, he also used it to strengthen his control over England by making nobles, churchmen, and tenants swear allegiance to him.

Further Information: Hallam, Elizabeth M. The Domesday Book through Nine Centuries. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1986; Wood, Michael. Domesday: A Search for the Roots of England. New York: Facts On File, 1988.

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