2.1 how did buhrs and those that run them change alfred's 'england'? pt2

Question 1

How many buhrs were there 899? How far apart were they? Why?

Answer 1

33. 32km apart (reinforcement distance), anti-viking raiding tactic.

Question 2

Who was present in buhrs at all times? (2)

Answer 2

Thegns and ealdormen.

Question 3

Strength and weakness of Alfred’s buhrs?

Answer 3

-Wasn’t a unique idea, invented by Frankish King: Charles the Bald.
-Alfred was unique for using buhrs to network.

Question 4

Where were churches found in burhs? Why?

Answer 4

In the centre, for maximum protection from Vikings. Buhrs were often built around churches.

Question 5

What was often outside buhrs? What was this the beginning of? Why?

Answer 5

Farming fields, beginning of urbanisation. Went from substitute farming (feeding you) to surplus farming (feeding everyone).

Question 6

Why were there back up farms inside buhrs?

Answer 6

Just in-case Vikings came and intervened with their crops>essential for life.

Question 7

Why were streets in burhs in a grid-like pattern?

Answer 7

Easier to move around.

Question 8

3 additionally things that are typically found in burhs?

Answer 8

-Close to an estuary (river)
-Guard houses
-Earthwork walls, 8-12ft

Question 9

What is a burh? How did Alfred uniquely design them? What was the primary purpose of them?

Answer 9

-Fortified towns
-Network and they interlinked
-Defence, but also had an administrative role

Question 10

What does Keynes argue about burhs? What are the origins of burhs?

Answer 10

Alfred extended pre-existing ideas of fort building. Most were rectangular with grid-like patterns to make movement of troops and trade easy, heavily featured earthwork fortification.

Question 11

What are 2 functions (outside of defence) of buhrs?

Answer 11

-Strategically placed and guarded all main routes into Wessex>provided security and easy reinforcement.
-Archeological evidence for buhrs being centres of commerce, especially true for buhrs constrcuted from scratch e.g. Winchester. Excavations (diggings) show streets planned around markets.

Question 12

Give 3 consequenses of buhrs

Answer 12

-Military advantage
-Futher administrive change
-Hub for commercial activity

Question 13

Explain the military advantage for buhrs

Answer 13

-Haestein’s army came in the 890s and tried to re-establish authority in Mercia and East Anglia. Attempts to do so in Wessex failed.
-Edward the Elder (Alfred’s son) expanded the buhr system after Alfred’s death>buhrs were effected defence measures E.g. he built a new buhr at Bukingham in 916, had an immediate effect. Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire Vikings submitted to his command at once.

Question 14

Explain how buhrs led to further administrative change.

Answer 14

-Thegns and reeves were selcted and deployed on a rotational system to run them>people used more effectively.
-New laws were brought in to govern them>firmed up the legal system.
-These laws also controlled the emerging urban economy and helped restore order.
-Alfred established legal ‘hubs’ at buhrs, laws were made and enforced there to help support wider geographical areas.

Question 15

Explain how buhrs created a hub for commercial activity

Answer 15

-Most goods and services throughout the whole kingdom were brought and sold in the buhrs
-This became intertwined with law codes (a section that dealt with the activities of merchants)
-Most coin mints were at buhrs
-Increased trade>a review of the coin system was in need of doing.

Question 16

Which 4 buhrs were most important?

Answer 16

Oxford, Winchester, Chichester and Wareham.

Question 17

Oxford buhr:
1) How many hides?
2) Which minister was established here?
3) When was the buhr in place?
4) What was it designed for?
5) What does the street plan suggest?
6) How do the houses in the buhr support economic growth?
7) What does Sturdy argue?
8) Where does evidence suggest it came under the jurisdiction of Wessex?

Answer 17

1) 1500 hides
2) St Frideswide’s
3) Early 10th century
4) Military and administritive base
5) The town was meant to act as an important commerce centre
6) Defensive structure allowed for trade an manufacture
7) Challenged the idea that buhrs were purposely designed as centred for trade and commerce
8) The settlement

Question 18

Chichester buhr:
1) How many hides?
2) When was it fortified?
3) What did they build on top of?
4) How were the streets laid?
5) What was Alfred accommodating?
6) Why was Chichester fortified?
7) What did it develop like other buhrs?
8) What did it gain, in the time of Aethelstan?

Answer 18

1) 1500 hides
2) 878-879
3) Existing Roman walls
4) To run in fairly straight lines, from North to South
5) Some already existing religious buildings
6) Strategic position on the coast
7) Market of towns
8) A mint

Question 19

Wareham buhr:
1)How many hides?
2) Where was it located?
3) What had it become by the 7th century?
4) Who is it the burial place of?
5) What does Viking capture of Wessex tell us?
6) How was it strengthened?
7) Why is it unsurprising that Wessex was fortified?
8) The importance of what was maintained?
9) Which buhrs is it’s status on par with?

Answer 19

1) 1600 hides
2) Dorset
3) Huge trading town
4) King Beothric of Wessex
5) Weakness in the defences in the West
6) By the establishment of high defensive banks that surrounded the town
7) Vikings found it relatively easy to gain a foothold in Wareham and then use this to decieve Alfred so that they could attack Exceter
8) As a religious centre
9) Similar sized towns e.g. Winchester and Warwick

Question 20

Winchester buhr:
1) How many hides?
2) What did Alfred reconstruct?
3) How large was the buhr in acres?
4) What did Alfred replace the Roman streets with?
5) What did Alfred do with nearby streams that was unique?
6) Whose work indicates that Winchester had a primarily defensive purpose?
7) What does he argue that the grid structure of Winchester makes easy?
8) What was established there which shows Winchester had economic importance?
9) Give a street name that indicates a certain type of trade.
10) What was preserved in Winchester and why?

Answer 20

1) 2400 hides
2) Roman town hall
3) 143.8 acres
4) New street patterns
5) Diverted into the side of the town
6) Martin Biddle
7) The grid structure allowed the quick movement of soldiers around the town
8) Mint=making of coins. There were 3 in Anglo-Saxon Winchester, London, Cantenbury
9) High street
10) Old Minister of Winchester to become the sight of an Anglo-Saxon royal palace