3.1 Anglo-saxon England Flashcards
How was England ruled under King Edward the Confessor?
Had been ruled by him since 1042. Country divided into areas and ruled by earls.
How was England laid out?
Most of southern England was covered in forest. Most people lived in small villages where forest was cleared and land was farmed.
How was society set out?
Population organised into hierarchy. People ordered by level of importance with King at top followed by Church and earls, with peasants at the bottom.
What was religion like in Anglo-Saxon England?
Very religious => all christians who followed Roman Catholicism
Who is the leader of Roman catholic Church.
Pope is the head of Roman Catholic Church. He lived in the Vatican - Rome.
What did people believe about the Pope?
He was God’s representative on earth.
Why did the Church play an important role in Anglo-Saxon society? (4)
- It provided rules for living
- Was a major landowner
- Heard legal cases on its land
- Set rules on marriage + inheritance
What was the population of Anglo-Saxon Britain?
Around 2 million - little in north and west
What was the protection like in Anglo-Saxon England?
Hardly an castles - unprotected. Only had Burghs.
What was defence like in Anglo-Saxon England in terms of soldiers?
- King and earls had 2500-3000 housecarls.
- Earls could call upon their peasants to fight when necessary.
What did it mean that England was wealthy?
England was very wealthy, so often a target for foreign invaders like the vikings.
What did Britain have lots of that brought them wealth? What did this mean?
Britain had many natural resources meaning it could establish good trade links.
Why did Britain have strong trade links with Scandinavian countries?
Previous Kings had encouraged trade with Scandinavian countries, such as King Cnut => especially Norway and Denmark because he was King of these too.
Why did Anglo-Saxon England have strong relations with France?
Because Edward the Confessor grew up in Normandy.
What was one of the reasons England was so wealthy?
England had a sophisticated minting system - it made its own coins + had a treasury which made it one of the most advanced economic systems in the known world.
