The main characteristics of the Norman elite of the first half of the 11th century in Norman sources

in the article, the key characteristics of the Norman elite of the first half of the 11th century are studied based on the analysis of Norman historical sources, primarily William of Jumi?ges’s Deeds of the Norman Dukes and Orderic Vitalis’s Ecclesiastical History. The introduction substantiates the relevance of the topic, emphasizing the role of the Norman aristocracy in strengthening the duchy and its influence on key events in European history, such as the conquest of England in 1066. The goal is to analyze the social structure, functions, values, and distinctive traits of the elite. In the section on materials and methods, the complex hierarchical structure of the Norman nobility headed by the duke is described in detail, including the high aristocracy (counts, barons), knights, and clergy. The mechanisms for forming and maintaining power are analyzed: the system of vassalage and grants (fiefs), inheritance principles (primogeniture), as well as strategic marriage alliances, land confiscations, and the role of ecclesiastical institutions. Methods of working with the chronicles are considered, taking into account their specificity (the courtly nature of Jumi?ges’s work, Vitalis’s more critical perspective) and informativeness for reconstructing social relations. The research results are presented through the prism of the elite’s multifunctionality. Its main functions are highlighted: military (organizing and participating in campaigns, defending territory), administrative (managing estates, adjudication, tax collection), economic (controlling land and resources), and spiritual (patronage of the church, founding monasteries). Dominant values are analyzed: martial valor and honor, religiosity (often combined with pragmatism), the aspiration to expand land holdings, kinship identity, ambition, and individualism. Characteristic features are noted: cohesion due to the relatively recent formation from the blending of Frankish and Scandinavian nobility, cruelty in conflicts, and the dynamism of the social structure. In the conclusions, it is emphasized that the Norman elite, despite internal contradictions, formed an effective state structure. The combination of its martial qualities, organizational abilities, land interests, and expansionist ambitions created the prerequisites for subsequent large-scale conquests. The work confirms the value of Norman chronicles as a source for studying the social history of feudal society.

norman elite, 11th century, aristocracy, social structure, values, functions, Normandy, William of Jumi?ges, Orderic Vitalis, Gesta Normannorum Ducum, Historia Ecclesiastica