History - Anglo-Saxon England Flashcards
key: M1 - Alfred and the Vikings M2 - Alfred and the Governance of England M3 - The revival of literacy and learning, the Alfredian Renaissance M4 - Edward the Elder 899-924 M5 - Athelstan 924-939 (105 cards)
1
Q
What is a mint?
A
The place where coins are produced
2
Q
What is Archaeology?
A
The study of human history through physical sites and remains
3
Q
What was Danegeld?
A
Money paid to the Danes to make them leave the Saxons alone
4
Q
What is Frankia?
A
A country with similar territory to modern-day France
5
Q
Who was Guthrum?
A
A Viking king who was Alfreds main opposition
6
Q
What was Lundenwic?
A
Viking London that was slightly above Roman London
7
Q
what was a moneyer?
A
A person who makes/mints coins
8
Q
Who were Ealdormen?
A
High ranking nobles with lots of land
9
Q
What are Shires?
A
local districts with their own councils to govern and administrate them
10
Q
What is a shield wall?
A
A standard military tactic where soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder and interlock shields to improve defence
11
Q
What is a Thegn?
A
A landowner beneath Ealdorman that leads armies for their superiors
12
Q
What is a fyrd?
A
A mostly voluntary form of military, that can be called upon when needed
13
Q
What is an Oath?
A
A legally binding promise that carries serious punishment if broken
14
Q
What is the Danelaw?
A
Viking occupied England
15
Q
M1 - What was the percentage of silver in Alfred’s coins?
A
90%+
16
Q
What was the Witan?
A
A secular(non-religious) council that are direct advisors to the king
17
Q
What is a medium
A
The type of source. e.g. newspapers, annals, biography, survey, etc
18
Q
What were Burhs?
A
Fortified settlements for armed soldiers
19
Q
M1 - What happened to version A of the Burghal Hidage?
A
It burned in a fire
20
Q
M1 - Which kingdoms did Alfred unite through marriage?
A
Wessex and Mercia
21
Q
M1 - Who married Alfreds daughter Aethelflaed
A
Aethelred of Mercia
22
Q
M1 - Where in England was the first place that the Vikings attacked?
A
Lindisfarne
23
Q
M1 - Who wrote ‘Life of Alfred’
A
Asser
24
Q
M1 - When was Alfred born?
A
849
25
M1 - What were the names of Alfreds siblings?
- Aethelstan
- Aethelbald
- Aethelberht
- Aethelred
- Aethelswith
26
M1 - When was the first Viking attack?
793
27
M1 - What disease is it believed that Alfred had?
Crohn's disease
28
M1 - When was the battle of Ashdown?
871
29
M1 - When did the aims of the Vikings shift, and what did they shift to?
After 850 - The aims shifted from attacking to settling.
30
M1 - Why was Wessex a difficult place to defend?
It had a high ratio of border to landmass.
31
M1 - Why could Asser be called a reliable source?
Because he was a part of Alfred's court and is likely to have first-hand knowledge about what occurred.
32
M1 - Why could Asser be called an unreliable source?
Because much of his work is likely to have been exaggerated due to the need to form an alliance with Wales against the Vikings
33
M1 - What baptismal name did Guthrum take?
Aethelstan
34
M1 - When was the Danelaw made?
'Officially between 886 and 890. But may have been in place as early as 878.
35
M1 - Why was the battle of Edington so important for Alfred?
Because it was Alfreds last stand when he had nothing to lose.
36
M1 - When was the battle of Wilton?
871
37
M1 - When was the battle of Wareham?
876
38
M1 - When was the battle of Exeter?
877
39
M1 - When was the battle of Chippenham?
878
40
M1 - When was the battle of Edington
May 878
41
M1 - When were the battles of Rochester and Benfleet?
885
42
M1 - I which battle did Alfred pay the Vikings a Danegeld?
The battle of Wilton
43
M1 - Why was the fact that Alfred paid the Vikings a Danegeld bad?
Because it presents Alfred as weak to the Vikings
44
M1 - Did Alfred win the battle of Wilton?
No
45
M1 - Did Guthrum stick to their agreement of peace after the battle of Wareham
No
46
M1 - Did Guthrum stick to their agreement of peace after the battle of Exeter?
Yes
47
M1 - Why did Alfred have an advantage in the battle of Exeter?
because 3000 of Guthrums troops was lost to a storm at sea
48
M1 - Why did Guthrums attack at the battle of Edington have strategic timing?
because they attacked on the 12th-night celebration, where people would be full and drunk.
49
M1 - Where did the Vikings from the attack of the battles of Rochester and Benfleet come from?
Francia
50
M1 - Which battle was Alfred's first victory against the Vikings?
Edington
51
M1 - How many soldiers did Alfred have at the battle of Edington?
400
52
M1 - Around where is the Danelaw?
East Anglia
53
M1 - What Viking owned area was created after the battle of Edington?
The Danelaw
54
M1 - Why was London a strategically important location?
Because whoever controls London controls the passageway along the Thames
55
M1 - From when did Alfred control London?
886
56
M1 - Why did Alfred retreat to Athelney?
Because he had devastating losses after the batter of Chippenham
57
M1 - Give a rough outline of the story of Alfred and the cakes.
Alfred meets a swineherd while travelling alone, when tasked with looking after some cake, he accidentally burnt it and got scolded.
58
M1 - Why is the Story of Alfred and the cakes important?
- It shows that Alfred is a man that can make mistakes
| - It presents Alfred as a peoples man
59
M1 - Give a rough outline of the story of St Cuthbert.
St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne visited Alfred as a pilgrim asking for food, he obliged so he was visited in his dreams and was given the secret to defeat the vikings.
60
M1 - Why is the story of St Cuthbert important?
- It shows Alfred as being chosen by god
| - It presents Alfred as a kind person
61
M1 - Give a rough outline of the story of Alfred Spying.
Alfred disguised himself as a minstrel and entered the tent of a Danish king.
He remained until he gathered the information that he needed
62
M1 - Why was the story of Alfred Spying important?
- It shows that he employed clever tactics to win
63
M1 - Why was the battle at Athelney important for Alfred's victory?
It shows that he was able to prevail through adversity in the worst of time
64
M1 - What was Alfred's position against the Vikings in 885?
dire as there was a resurgence of attacks by the Vikings with the battles of Rochester and Benfleet being lost/
65
M1 - Why did Alfred seize control of London?
- He was concerned about the strategic importance of London
- To clarify who administered and organised its affairs
- The significance of London being the center of production and commerce
66
M1 - Why was the capture of London important for Alfred's victory?
It provided him with an important strategic point with trade and the bond between Wessex and Mercia
67
What was render?
A kind of rent paid in goods/work to kings officials for living on an estate or the kings land (West Saxon only)
68
What was a royal tribute?
a tax paid by those subjugated in different regions to appease the king
69
M2 - What was Eorlpeburnon?
An earth work fortress at castle Toll (we think)
70
What was flax-retting?
A process to produce linen from flax plants
71
Who was Boethius?
A Roman philosopher favoured by Alfred
72
M1 - Why was the fact that the Vikings were confident about being able to defeat Wessex a problem?
The fact that they were confident means that they are strong and capable of not needing to be careful
73
M1 - Why was the fact that the Viking army is fast and mobile be a problem for Alfred?
- They can move their forces around Wessex with ease
| - It would be hard to predict their arrival
74
M1 - Why was the fact that the Vikings had a stronghold on the north of England a problem for Alfred?
- It made it easy to launch attacks on the south
| - The Vikings would be able to repeatedly attack and return
75
M1 - Why was the fact that some of Alfred's family and lords of Wessex formed alliances with the Vikings a problem?
He wouldn't be able to gain the support of those nobles in battle
76
Why was the fact that Alfred's nephew, Aethelwold, wanted to challenge Alfred's rule a problem when it comes to defeating the Vikings?
- He allied himself with the Vikings
- The Vikings can use him to claim Wessex
- Alfred is unable to have him killed due to the fact that he is a royal
77
M1 - Where did the Vikings of 892 come from?
Frankia
78
M1 - Why would the 892 Vikings be considered threatening?
- They are desperate for food, so will stop at nothing to get it
- They brought a total of 330 ships
- They had good leadership - The Viking leader Hastein
- They had better resources and were more experienced
79
M1 - Why would the 892 Vikings be considered not threatening?
- They were weak due to the lack of food (famine in Frankia)
| - The ships they led didn't have just warriors, there were also wives, children and horses
80
M1 - How did luck play a part in defeating Guthrums Vikings?
Many of Guthrums troops were destroyed in a storm in Swanage
81
M1 - Why might the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle have been put together in 893?
To inspire the Anglo-Saxons to come under the 'Hero' Alfred into attacking the Vikings
82
M1 - What role did leadership play in Alfred's victory against the Vikings?
- A bibliography was written by Asser to embellish his successes and make him look strong so people were more likely to follow him
- He was able to muster 4000 soldiers to battle at Edington in 878 and beat the Vikings
83
M1 - What role did strategy play in Alfred's victory against the Vikings?
- He kept his aim into only being the keeping of Vikings out of Wessex and not England as a whole ( more manageable)
- He was able to control key points like London to slow Viking resupply and limit their movements
- He forged a closer alliance with the Mercians through marriage and the exchanging of goods
84
M1 - What role did military reform play in Alfred's Victory against the Vikings?
- He built Burhs that were easily defensible and protected trade routes
- Royal Navy founded around 882, repurposed Viking raiding ships
- massive administration overhaul, centred on burhs, quicker to assemble troops
- made frequent use of guerrilla tactics. Used to catch Vikings unaware in Edington
- Burhs used to establish and regulate supply lines and trade
- rotation of soldiers between fighting and farming increased morale
85
M1 - What role did logistics play in Alfreds Viktory against the Vikings?
- Army was split into 2 and put on a 6-month rotation between being at war and at home farming. Ensured there was always food
- constructed 33 burhs at key points in the country. All 32km ( A days march) from each other to move troops easily
86
M1 - What role did chance play in Alfred's victory against the Vikings?
- Guthrum lost 3000 men in 876 of the coast of Swanage, meaning that he lost the subsequent battle of Exeter in 877
- Ealdorman Odda won a decisive battle against the Viking leader Ubbe ( 878). no longer pressuring Alfred, giving him time to focus on Guthrum
87
What role did Religion/Propaganda play in Alfred's victory against the Vikings?
- Spread the story that he was visited by St Cuthbert to spread the idea that he was chosen by god
- Used religion to unite the Anglo-Saxons as 'Christians' and the Vikings as 'Pagans' in order to make it an 'us' vs 'them' situation
- He had the edited and published in order to present Alfred as a good leader to follow so that he could gain the support of the vikings
88
M2 - How were burhs designed to develop urbanisation?
- They can be used for markets markets build within them
| - Many people lived within the structures
89
M2 - Why did the nobles of Wessex resist the burhs?
They were a great military and financial burh-den
90
M2 - How is Alfred's council organised?
1) Royal family
2) Witan - advisors to the king
3) Ealdorman/Clergy
4) Thegns
5) Reeves
91
M2 - Why did Alfred increase the responsibility to that of the Clergy?
Because they are religious
| shows Alfred's importance in religion
92
M2 - What does Alfred's household do?
Make important decisions about the country
| They became known as 'an assembly of nobles'
93
M2 - What does the fact that they are a 'fluid institution' mean about Alfred's household?
The individuals moved in and out as needed
94
M2 - Where does Alfred's household work from?
Royal vils - They didn't have a single specific place to work from
95
M2 - Why was Alfred's household a politically weak organisation?
- There was a lack of formal communication between them and Alfred
- There were no bureaucratic bodies to support them
- Although Alfred would consult them, his word was final
96
M2 - What did the Witan discuss?
- issues of a local nature
- land disputes
- granting land charters
- wider issues to do with the realm
97
M2 - What wider issues did the Witan discuss?
- formulation and implementation of laws
| - external issues like Vikings
98
M2 - Who made up the Thegns?
Bishops, Ealdormen and reeves
| also those who formed a line of communication between them and the court
99
M2 - Who were the clergy?
Bishops priests and chaplains who performed a number of roles within Alfred's administrative system
100
M2 - What did the clergy do?
- Instructs the king on all matters of a spiritual nature
- taught the king and family with an emphasis placed on reading and writing
- Prayed for the welfare of the king and family
101
M2 - What did the historian Richard Abbels say about what the Ealdormen were originally like
'All were great men from ancient and distinguished lineages'
| shows how the title of Ealdorman was originally only inherited
102
M2 - What changes did Alfred make about the way that people became Ealdormen
He made it so that thegns could rise to the rank of Ealdorman based on meritocracy, Ealdormen could also fall in rank
103
M2 - How many of Alfred's Ealdormen were originally thegns?
2/3
104
M2 - What did the Ealdormen do?
- Were the kings military advisors
- Raised armies from shires in times of war
- Acted as special emissaries or messengers
- paid for the upkeep of burhs whether through armies or infrastructure - made them upset
105
M2 - What did the reeves do?
- had face to face relationships with the people of shires
- administered the kings estates
- monitored labour services
- kept law and made legal decisions
- were crucial to the maintenance of England though acting as judges
