William set up a Feudal System in England (you might have heard of this before). It was a simple, but effective system, where all land was owned by the King. One quarter was kept by the King as his personal property, some was given to the Church and the rest leased out under strict controls.

William the Conqueror primarily used land to control England through the implementation of the Feudal System and the creation of the Domesday Book. After his victory in 1066, William claimed that all the land in England now belonged to him by right of conquest. He then redistributed this land to about 200 of his most loyal Norman "Tenants-in-Chief" (barons) in exchange for their military service and political loyalty. These barons, in turn, granted portions of their land to knights who served as the local military force. To ensure he knew exactly what he owned and how much tax he could collect, William commissioned the Domesday Book in 1086—a massive, detailed survey of every village, manor, and resource in England. By tying land ownership directly to his personal authority and building over 100 stone and "motte and bailey" castles on strategic plots of land, he effectively suppressed rebellions and solidified Norman rule over the Anglo-Saxon population.