▁number ▁of ▁Norman ▁sett lers ▁at ▁around ▁ 8 , 0 0 0 . ▁William ' s ▁follow ers ▁expected ▁and ▁received ▁lands ▁and ▁titles ▁in ▁return ▁for ▁their ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁invasion , ▁but ▁William ▁claimed ▁ult imate ▁possession ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁in ▁England ▁over ▁which ▁his ▁arm ies ▁had ▁given ▁him ▁de ▁fact o ▁control , ▁and ▁assert ed ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁dispose ▁of ▁it ▁as ▁he ▁saw ▁fit . ▁Hence for th , ▁all ▁land ▁was ▁" h eld " ▁directly ▁from ▁the ▁king ▁in ▁fe ud al ▁ten ure ▁in ▁return ▁for ▁military ▁service . ▁A ▁Norman ▁lord ▁typically ▁had ▁properties ▁located ▁in ▁a ▁pie c eme al ▁fashion ▁throughout ▁England ▁and ▁Norm andy , ▁and ▁not ▁in ▁a ▁single ▁ge ographic ▁block . ▁ ▁To ▁find ▁the ▁lands ▁to ▁compens ate ▁his ▁Norman ▁follow ers , ▁William ▁initially ▁conf isc ated ▁the ▁est ates ▁of ▁all ▁the ▁English ▁l ords ▁who ▁had ▁fought ▁and ▁died ▁with ▁Harold ▁and ▁red ist ributed ▁part ▁of ▁their ▁lands . ▁These ▁conf isc ations ▁led ▁to ▁revol ts , ▁which ▁resulted ▁in ▁more ▁conf isc ations , ▁a ▁cycle ▁that ▁continued ▁for ▁five ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁H ast ings . ▁To ▁put ▁down ▁and ▁prevent ▁further ▁re bell ions ▁the ▁Norm ans ▁constructed ▁cast les ▁and ▁fort ifications ▁in ▁un pre ced ented ▁numbers , ▁initially ▁mostly ▁on ▁the ▁mot te - and - ba iley ▁pattern . ▁William ▁and ▁his ▁bar ons ▁also ▁exerc ised ▁t ighter ▁control ▁over