anglo saxon society Flashcards
(16 cards)
shire reeves (sheriffs) were the kings representative in the local gov. the king issued order through writs name 3 of them
collect fines from the shire court
make sure men are provided for the fyrd
judge cases and witness my laws being enforced
how do tithings, shires, hundreds, and earldoms connect
earldom divided into shires, these divided into hundreds, hundreds divided into tithings
what is the hue and cry
someone in the community or the sheriff calling on others to help track down a criminal
what is wergild
compensation paid to avoid a blood feud
what is collective responsibility
when someone in the tithing broke a law everyone else was meant to bring them in to court otherwise they would all be punished
what were ceorls
peasant farmers
why did england have a good economy (3)
good climate for farming
strong trading links across the North Sea
efficient tax system boosted earning of the king
what is danelaw
anglo-danish, which is what half the country was, with its own law and customs. the king was still the king there but the danelaw had some independance
the earls were very powerful just below the king. what could they do (3)
collect taxes from their earldoms
oversaw law and order in their earldom
had military power - they were the kings generals
powers of the king (3)
law-making - king made new laws
money - king controlled distribution of coins
landownership - king granted land to those loyal, could take it away too
who are thegns
local lords
what were burhs (3)
fortified main town of each shire (hard to attack)
around 10% of englands population lived in them in 1060
people from countryside took refuge in them when vikings were around
3 main features of the church
bishops were important and controlled large church districts, witan always had bishops in them
monks and nuns farmed the land like peasants, not well educated
church was resistant to reforms from europe and bishops stuck to their old ways
what was the writ
written orders from the king, a royal seal proved that it was official
what was the hide
area of land that covered about 120 acres
what was the shire reeve
the sheriff
