Angelo Saxons topic 1 Flashcards
(35 cards)
What are earls
- most powerful lords that owned huge areas of land
What are thegns
Carried out duties in the local community
- guarded tax collectors from attack
- organised the repair of forts, roads, bridges
What are ceorls
- Owned small areas of farmland
- Had to carry out services for the lord however fee to work for another lord
Peasants
- Worked on lands belonging to their lord
- Worked up to 3 days a week
Slaves
- Had no land
- Were bought and sold
- Worked on lords lands
Role of the Witan
A council that advised the king on issues of government
- discussed issues such as land, disputes religious matters and concerns over possible threats
- make recommendations on who should be king next
What is the divine right of kings
that the monarch gained his right to rule directly from the will of God.
How did the Church impact society
-Church owned 25% of land
-Archbishops and bishops sat on the Witan as royal advisors
-Archbishop of Canterbury would anoint a new king
What’s a hide
Measurement used for land, showed how much one family would own
What’s a tithing
an administration unit made of 10 households
What were hundreds
A sub-division of shires managed by shire-reeves (contained about 12 villages)
What’s a shire
Earldoms divided into counties managed by shire-reeves (were about 40 of them)
What’s an earldom
The top layer of local government about 6 in one kingdom
What were blood-feuds
The act of taking revenge for an injury caused to a family member
What were blood-feuds
The act of taking revenge for an injury caused to a family member
What is a weigield
a fine paid based off of the severity of a crime and who the crime was against
Describe Trial by jury
Accuser and accused will tell their version of events and the jury would make their judgement on whose guilty
Describe trial by ordeal
- Took place in church and lead to Gods judgement
Example: persecuting by placing the skin in boiling water and depending on how it healed would show innocencr
What did crimes such as treason result in
Capital punishment
What was a common method of punishment for repeat offenders
Mutilation
What is ‘hue and cry’
person could call out loudly for help in pursuing a suspected criminal. All who heard the call were obliged by law to join in the chase; failure to do so would incur a heavy fine and any misuse of the hue and cry was also punishable
What were the responsibilities of the shire reeves
- dispensed justice
- responsible for taxes
- maintenance of infrastructure
- raising the fyrd
How did the church influence education
Monks and Nuns copied important books and acted as teachers to the lords and their families
What is subsistence economy
an economy in which people produce food, clothes, etc. for their own use
