What policy promises did Rufus make to gain support?

• A. Lower taxation, end the royal forest, restore some laws
• B. Increase taxes
• C. Expand the royal forests
• D. Abolish the monarchy

Answer: (A)

Rufus aimed to win support by addressing the everyday grievances people faced under his rule: taxes, forest restrictions, and legal rights. Lowering taxation would ease the financial burden on lords, townsfolk, and others who paid the crown, making his rule more acceptable. Ending some of the harsh royal forest measures would relieve restrictions on landowners and tenants who were constrained by forest law and its costs. Restoring certain laws would reassure people that traditional rights and customary justice would be respected again, reducing fears of arbitrary royal power. Together, these promises offered practical relief and a sense of returning to familiar rights, which is why this option best fits the political strategy he used to secure support. The other choices either increase hardship, extend royal control in unpopular ways, or propose something as implausible as abolishing the monarchy.