Y101: Alfred and the Making of England 871-1016 | OCR A-Level History A (H505)

Y101: Alfred and the Making of England 871-1016

114 questions
10 subtopics
British period study and enquiry, one of thirteen
Y101 to Y113

Alfred and the Making of England 871–1016 is unit Y101 of OCR History A, one of the thirteen options in unit group 1, the British period study and enquiry; a student sits one of them.

Its seven key topics are Alfred and the Vikings, Alfred and the governance of England, the revival of literacy and learning: the Alfredian Renaissance, Edward the Elder 899–924, Athelstan 924–939, Edmund 939–946, Eadred 946–955 and Edgar 957–975, Aethelred 978–1016. 107 recall questions across 10 subtopics.

Sample questions from Y101: Alfred and the Making of England 871-1016

Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.

Edward the Elder 899–924: avoidance of dynastic feuds, campaigns of Edward and Aethelflaed

What is meant by the Danelaw?

Show the answer
It was the area of eastern and northern England settled and governed by Scandinavians, where Danish law and custom prevailed rather than English law.
Edward the Elder 899–924: ‘submission’ of the Welsh kings and extent of Edward’s power in 924

State the year in which Raegnald submitted to Edward, and who he was.

Show the answer
Raegnald submitted in 920; he was a Norse leader from Ireland who had seized power at York.
Athelstan 924–939: capture of York 927, relations with Scotland and continued problems with the Vikings

Why was the capture of York in 927 a turning point in the making of England?

Show the answer
It removed the last independent Scandinavian kingdom in England and brought the whole country south of the Scots under one ruler for the first time.
Athelstan 924–939: connections with the Continent and Athelstan’s legal codes

What role did magnates and ealdormen play in Athelstan's government?

Show the answer
Ealdormen governed large provinces on the king's behalf and, with the leading magnates, attended the royal council to witness charters and endorse royal decisions.
Edmund 939–946, Eadred 946–955 and Edgar 957–975: return of the Vikings

In what year did Edmund recover the Five Boroughs?

Show the answer
He recovered them in 942.
Edmund 939–946, Eadred 946–955 and Edgar 957–975: Edgar’s reforms

What happened at the Old and New Minsters at Winchester in 964?

Show the answer
The secular clerks were expelled and replaced by monks living under the Benedictine rule.
Aethelred 978–1016: crisis over the new monasticism and return of the Vikings

What was agreed in the treaty of 991 with Richard, Duke of Normandy?

Show the answer
Each ruler undertook not to harbour or assist the other's enemies, in an agreement brokered by the papacy.
Aethelred 978–1016: legislation of Aethelred and cultural developments

State what Aethelred's monetary law sought to control.

Show the answer
It regulated the minting of coin, restricting where money could be struck and imposing severe penalties on moneyers who produced false or underweight coin.

The 10 subtopics

One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.

Subtopic	What it covers	Questions
Edward the Elder 899–924: avoidance of dynastic feuds, campaigns of Edward and Aethelflaed	Recall questions on the avoidance of dynastic feuds, the challenge of Scandinavian settlement and migration from Denmark, the campaigns of Edward and Aethelflaed.	9
Edward the Elder 899–924: ‘submission’ of the Welsh kings and extent of Edward’s power in 924	Recall questions on the submission of the Welsh kings, the Scottish king and Raegnald, the threat of the Norwegians from Ireland, including Raegnald, the extent of Edward’s power in 924.	9
Athelstan 924–939: capture of York 927, relations with Scotland and continued problems with the Vikings	Recall questions on the capture of York 927, relations with Scotland, including the battle of Brunanburh, 937 and continued problems with the Vikings.	9
Athelstan 924–939: connections with the Continent and Athelstan’s legal codes	Recall questions on connections with the Continent, including Flanders, France, Germany and Norway, government and administration role of magnates and ealdorman, changes in the nature of the court and royal council, Athelstan’s legal codes.	10
Edmund 939–946, Eadred 946–955 and Edgar 957–975: return of the Vikings	Recall questions on the return of the Vikings, including Olaf Guthfrithson as King of York, Edmund as liberator of the Danes, Eadred’s struggles with Eric Bloodaxe and Olaf Sihtricson and Eadred’s invasion of Northumbria.	8
Edmund 939–946, Eadred 946–955 and Edgar 957–975: Edgar’s reforms	Recall questions on Edgar’s reforms: legal codes, Edgar’s patronage of new monasteries and monastic reform, developments in Church art and architecture, Edgar’s coronation as King of all England 973.	19
Aethelred 978–1016: crisis over the new monasticism and return of the Vikings	Recall questions on the crisis over the new monasticism, the murder of Edward the Martyr and the return of the Vikings.	12
Aethelred 978–1016: legislation of Aethelred and cultural developments	Recall questions on the legislation of Aethelred, cultural developments, including the Church and education, the roles of Wulfstan and Aelfric, Aethelweard’s translation of the Chronicle.	8
Enquiry: Alfred and the Vikings — Alfred’s position in 871 and return of the Vikings in the 890s	Recall questions on Alfred’s position in 871, the defence of Wessex, the threat of the Great Heathen Army, reorganisation of the army and navy, reasons for and extent of military success, return of the Vikings in the 890s.	13
Enquiry: Alfred and the governance of England — burhs, law and the revival of learning	Recall questions on the burhs and the Burghal Hidage, Alfred’s law code, the state of England in 899, the scholars of his court, the translation programme, Asser’s Life of Alfred and literature as propaganda.	17

Y101: Alfred and the Making of England 871-1016 is 114 of the 6,240 questions in the guide.Get the guide, £8

How the guide is worked

Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.

Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.

Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.