2.2.1 Government Systems

Question 1

Anglo Saxon Government - Witan

Answer 1

• The Witan was the king’s council. It advised him on matters of state.
• The Witan advised the king but did not limit his power. He could ignore it if he wanted to.
• The king appointed those on the council.

Question 2

Anglo Saxon Government - Earls

Answer 2

• Earls were the most senior nobles in England. The king gave them a significant amount of power.
• They governed large areas of land and collected taxes in their regions. They could keep a third of the taxes that they collected for themselves.
• They were in charge of enforcing law, crime and keeping their regions in order. The Earls had the power to judge who was guilty or not guilty of particular crimes.
• Earls were also generals and led the thegns (local lords) in wars against the king (or England)’s enemies.

Question 3

Anglo Saxon Government - The King

Answer 3

• The King sat at the top of the social ladder and held absolute power. His powers included:
• Making new laws
• Controlling the minting of new coins and the circulation of these coins
• Executing God’s will on earth
• Controlling land. In Anglo-Saxon times, the king controlled land, which he could give to his followers or take away from those who he felt had wronged him (or that he wanted to weaken).
• Raising the fleet and the army - known as the fyrd. This was a kind of casual militia raised when it was needed.

Question 4

William’s 3 Regents

Answer 4

• Odo of Bayeux
• Lanfranc
• William FitzOsbern

Question 5

Odo of Bayeux

Answer 5

• Regents were effectively William’s deputies.
• Bishop Odo of Bayeux was one of William’s regents when he first took over England in 1066.
• Bishop Odo was King William’s half brother. Odo was also the Earl of Kent.

Question 6

Lanfranc

Answer 6

• A regent would be in charge of England, whilst William was in Normandy (where he was the duke).
• Lanfranc was the Archbishop of Canterbury.
• During the Earls’ Revolt in 1075, Lanfranc was the person who was in charge of England and was tipped off by Waltheof.

Question 7

William FitzOsbern

Answer 7

• William FitzOsbern was made the Earl of Hereford (one of the Marcher Earldoms) when William became King in 1066.
• FitzOsbern was not a good Regent and didn’t handle relations between Normans and Anglo-Saxons locals very well.

Question 8

Who was Regent in England in 1075?

Answer 8

Lanfranc

Question 9

In Anglo-Saxon England, what was the fyrd?

Answer 9

The army