# William orders the Domesday survey (1085)

URL: https://english-history.com/timeline/1085-william-orders-the-domesday-survey
Categories: main-event

Royal officials began a comprehensive survey of landholding, resources and obligations across much of England. Within the broader Norman & Angevin Britain period, Norman conquest, cross-Channel lordship and royal reform created a new aristocracy and a more centralized monarchy. This event is placed at 1085 in the chronology so it can be read alongside the political, military, social and cultural changes around it. The project gave the monarchy unmatched fiscal knowledge and produced one of medieval Europe's greatest administrative records.

## Why it matters
The project gave the monarchy unmatched fiscal knowledge and produced one of medieval Europe's greatest administrative records.

Ruler at the time: [William I](https://english-history.com/rulers/william-i)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — William orders the Domesday survey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=William+orders+the+Domesday+survey&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — William orders the Domesday survey](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=William+orders+the+Domesday+survey)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of British history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_British_history_%281000%E2%80%931499%29)
- [The National Archives — medieval education resources](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/)