Chapter 2 - Alfred and the governance of England

Question 1

Alfred’s household

Answer 1

Formed the central part of his government

Question 2

The Witan

Answer 2

Trustworthy individuals who could advise the King

Question 3

Kings Thegns

Answer 3

Person of high rank who served the King

Question 4

The Clergy

Answer 4

Many linked to the functioning of the household, educated king and instructed him on spiritual matters

Question 5

Ealdormen

Answer 5

Senior officials and major landowners, raised armies from shires, acted as military advisors

Question 6

Reeves

Answer 6

Keeping law and order by making legal decisions - acted as judges

Question 7

Idea for burhs

Answer 7

Borrowed from Charles the Bald

Question 8

Where were burhs built

Answer 8

Many of them new, others built of sites of Roman towns, Roman forts, Iron Age forts

Question 9

Main function of burhs

Answer 9

Defence - guarded the main routes into and out of Wessex

Question 10

Secondary function of burhs

Answer 10

Trade and commerce, archaeological evidence - living quarters in close proximity to places where good could be sold

Question 11

How far away were burhs

Answer 11

No place was more than 32km from a burh

Question 12

Consequence of burhs

Answer 12

End threat of Viking attacks, continued by Edward, stimulate need for administration changes

Question 13

Why is the Burghal Hidage important

Answer 13

Constitutes first major administrative record

Question 14

What does Burghal Hidage contain

Answer 14

Lists 33 burhs, number of hides attached to each one and number of soldiers required to man a specific length of wall

Question 15

What happened to the original version of the Burghal Hidage

Answer 15

Destroyed in Cotton fire 1731, reconstructed from 1567 transcript

Question 16

Winchester burh

Answer 16

Reconstructed Roman town wall, underground streams redirected - growing population, defence focused, mint established

Question 17

Oxford burh

Answer 17

Military fortress under King Offa, houses set in substantial plots - self-sufficiency

Question 18

Chichester burh

Answer 18

Building on Roman walls, grid layout, strategic position on coast, helped preserve town as religious centre

Question 19

Wareham burh

Answer 19

876 Vikings capture, Asser - weak defences, strengthened through defensive banks

Question 20

Burhs as markets

Answer 20

goods produced on spot, surplus grain brought in from localities, Edward’s law code - buying and selling only in burh

Question 21

Burhs - coins

Answer 21

Produced as symbol of royal power, practical use - means of exchange, 9 mints by end of rule

Question 22

Wealth creation - Alfred’s belief

Answer 22

Alfred believed there was a connection between wealth creation and successful administration

Question 23

Wealth creation - Alfred’s will

Answer 23

Involved distribution of £2000, this could not be raised from private estate alone, so relied on commercial activity of burhs

Question 24

Law code - motives

Answer 24

Based on that of previous rulers King Offa and Ine, trace back through God through Mosaic law

Question 25

Oath helping

Answer 25

A number of people would swear on the defendants innocence

Question 26

Trial by ordeal

Answer 26

Defendant would be put through an ordeal e.g. trial by fire, God would ultimately decide if guilty

Question 27

Punishments

Answer 27

Fines, removal of body parts, death

Question 28

Impact of law code

Answer 28

Brought stability to kingdom, emphasis placed on fairness earned Alfred respect

Question 29

England at the time of Alfred’s death - Vikings

Answer 29

England had been ravaged but still survived full occupation

Question 30

England at the time of Alfred’s death - unification

Answer 30

West Saxons joined forces with Mercians to put down Viking threat

Question 31

England at the time of Alfred’s death - Burhs

Answer 31

Created a strong network of burhs, this was continued by his son - can be considered that Alfred’s work was not enough

Question 32

England at the time of Alfred’s death - economy

Answer 32

Burhs created a market-based economy supported by new law code

Question 33

England at the time of Alfred’s death - learning

Answer 33

Created a renaissance of learning - literacy was essential in understanding God’s will

Question 34

King of the English - Anglo Saxon Chronicle

Answer 34

Implies Alfred was only king of Wessex and Mercia

Question 35

King of the English - Asser

Answer 35

Brave in defeating Vikings, pious, scholarly

Question 36

King of English - Modern day view

Answer 36

Seen as main reason for nation’s success, promoted as founder of the navy and integral to establishment of the Empire