Anglo-Saxon Society in 1065 Flashcards
(31 cards)
In the eleventh century, what was England known for?
- In the eleventh century, England was one of the wealthiest and best-governed countries in Europe.
How long had the English Kingdom existed in 1065?
-In 1065, the kingdom of England had only existed for just over 100 years.
What was England like before becoming one kingdom?
Before that, each region had been separate, with several different rulers.
What were the regional differences in 1065?
-People had strong regional differences: Anglo-Saxons in the Midlands, descendants of Viking settlers in the north, and ancient Britons in Cornwall.
How did England become a single kingdom?
- In 954, the rulers of Wessex led the other Anglo-Saxon kings to defeat the Vikings in the north and east of England. England became a single kingdom for the first time.
How did the English kings govern the realm?
-English kings had strong, central control over their realm. England was divided into shires (counties), which made it easier to administer.
What were royal burhs and their importance?
-Most shires had several royal burhs (fortified towns) where local people could go for safety. Markets were held in burhs, and they became centres of trade as well as government.
What did English kings do to encourage trade and taxation?
- English kings set up mints , producing good-quality coins which were trusted. This encouraged trade and made taxation easier.
Who ruled England and advised the king?
-England was ruled by the king, advised by earls, and most of England’s population were peasants.
What were English kings expected to be?
-English kings were expected to be strong leaders and warriors to protect the kingdom.
What did the king own and why did he raise taxes?
-The king owned more land and raised taxes to pay for defence, roads, bridges and burhs.
What was the king responsible for in government?
-He was responsible for the law courts, making new laws with his advisers and — unlike other European kings — the work of the Church.
What was Edward the Confessor’s attitude to kingship?
-Edward the Confessor was religious and left most matters to his advisers, preferring to focus on Church affairs.
Who advised the king and how powerful were they?
-The king was advised by the Witan (powerful lords and bishops), which was very influential and could even influence who became king.
Did earls have their own armies?
-Earls did not keep their own armies, but led the fyrd . They also held shire courts twice a year.
What kind of rivalries existed among earls?
- These extremely rich and powerful earls developed intense rivalries as they struggled for power.
How many thegns were there and what were the requirements to be one?
-Below the earls, there were around 5000 thegns. To be a thegn, you had to own at least 250 hectares of land.
What were the duties of the thegns?
-Thegns ran the local courts, collected taxes and helped the king manage the realm.
What were ceorls and what did they do?
-The vast majority of England’s population were ceorls (free Saxons) who worked on the land, grew crops and raised animals; some were skilled tradesmen.
What could some ceorls own?
-Some ceorls owned their own houses and land, but most paid rent to a thegn.
What did ceorls do during war?
-Ceorls had to serve in the king’s fyrd in times of war. They also took part in local courts.
Who were the thralls and what could they not do?
-Thralls (slaves) were the property of a master. They could not leave to find work somewhere else.
Under Anglo-Saxon law, how was every person’s life valued?
- Under Anglo-Saxon law, every person’s life was given a cash value based on their rank: the wergild.
What happened if someone was killed in Anglo-Saxon England?
-The person responsible had to pay the person’s wergild. If they could not pay, they were executed.
