5.3 to what extent did aethelstan reform the government and administration of england?

Question 1

Give reasons why Aethelstan might want to change the governance of England? (3)

Answer 1

-*The kingdom he’s running is 4x bigger than Alfred’s was
-Limited communication
-To create a civil service

Question 2

Why might it be difficult for Aethelstan to change the governance of England?

Answer 2

-Expensive
-The change of hierarchy frustrate ealdormen
-Has to trust people to do work for him

Question 3

In what 3 areas of governance and administration did Aethelstan make changes?

Answer 3

-Role of King
-Role of Royal Court and the Council
-Role of Magnates

Question 4

In what ways was the role of King similar to past rulers? (3)

Answer 4

-The nature of Kingship, this is essential to kingship as it provided protection
-Importance of oath taking and the consequences of failing to carry out duties
-Family ties

Question 5

In what ways was the role of King different to past rulers? (2)

Answer 5

-Aethelstan never married>anxiety in the royal court over succession and the relationship with his family and close associates
-Fosters more than the average King in his household e.g. Hakon (Harald’s son)

Question 6

In what ways was the role of the Royal court and Council similar to past rulers? (1)

Answer 6

-Remained an institution that was transitory and mobile

Question 7

In what ways was the role of the Royal court and Council different to past rulers? (2)

Answer 7

-Prevalance of royal feats, good behavior was awarded here, feasts were all over the kingdom, other kings copied him
-Office responsible solely for the drawing up of charters, contained a royal Chancery, secular>gives him more control

Question 8

In what ways was the role of Magnates similar to past rulers? (1)

Answer 8

-Ealdormen continued to be associated with the King through blood ties or marriage

Question 9

In what ways was the role of Magnates different to past rulers? (4)

Answer 9

-Considerable pressure for the role of ealdormen to be reformed:
-Reorganised the provinces by dividing Mercia into the East (East Anglia) and West (e.g. Worcester)
-Atleast one leader from East Anglia had emerged as a ‘half king’=refferered to as a kingdom, not an ealdorman>rise in the status of ealdormen
-Meets 3 times a year with Aethelstan

Question 10

How many Magnates are there? Why?
Where were they?

Answer 10

7, they are too powerful to have too many
1 in Northumbria, 2 in Mercia, 4 in Wessex (more money in Wessex, more control is needed there)

Question 11

What are Magnates?
How do you become one?

Answer 11

The ealdormen of ealdormen (very senior)
Through loyalty, it is NOT inherited

Question 12

In what 3 ways was England divided?

Answer 12

Shires (biggest unit)
Hundreds (smallest unit, replaced hides)
Buhrs (middle ground, like cities)

Question 13

Give 3 ways there was change in shires under Aethelstan

Answer 13

They would have twice-yearly shire meetings with the presence of a local bishop to review the defence and discuss issues of internal security

Question 14

Give a way there was continuity in shires under Aethelstan

Answer 14

Shires were already divided and came together to form a large geographical regions>formed local government

Question 15

Give a way there was change in hundreds under Aethelstan

Answer 15

Hundreds are related to the amount of hides in the Shire e.g. 100 hides=1 hundred
These were counted by population instead of geographically=effective

Question 16

Give a way there was continuity in hundreds under Aethelstan

Answer 16

Shires being subdivided into hundreds, aka ‘wapentakes’ in the Danelaw

Question 17

Give a way there was change in buhrs under Aethelstan

Answer 17

Buhrs became more econically important, as a trade centre instead of a military defence
This is because Aethelstan owns England

Question 18

Give a way there was continuity in buhrs under Aethelstan

Answer 18

Aethelstan continued to use buhrs as the centre of administration and legal governance

Question 19

Who made the most changes to laws, after Alfred? Why?

Answer 19

Aethelstan, to create a sense of shared values in a diversifying and expanding his kingdom

Question 20

Why was Aethelstan’s law codes produced?

Answer 20

To meet the changing circumstances as the kingdom had expanded a great deal>complicated

Question 21

How were Aethelstan’s law codes written? Why?

Answer 21

Venecular so they could be read and applied by local officials

Question 22

What is the order of Aethelstan’s law codes?

Answer 22

I
II
V
IV
III
VI

Question 23

What did I Aethelstan deal with?
Who was to oversee this? What did they get?

Answer 23

-The paying of tithes to the Church and Ordinance on Charities
-Reeves, responsibility to collect other dues to the Church and to feed the poor

Question 24

What were ‘plough alms’? What were these linked to?
What was the clear motive behind I Aethelstan

Answer 24

-Dues of a penny per area of land, that could be put under the plough, linked to bhurs
-To gain projection of God for the King and his subjects

Question 25

Where was II Aethelstan created?
What issues did it cover? (6)
What was this law code for?

Answer 25

Grately, Hampshire
-Administration of justice
-Capturing of thieves
-Minting coinage
-Establishment of uniform coinage
-Functions of trial by ordeal
-Rules for the purchasing of cattle
*Tool for maintaining stability and obedience

Question 26

What were reeves required to obtain from shires?
What was there an emphasis on?
What was the lowest age you could be persecuted at? Why?
What was theft associated with?

Answer 26

-Pledges from shires that all laws would be obeyed
-Theft
-12 years old, no concept of teenagers
-Breach of loyalty or oath taking

Question 27

Where was V Aethelstan created?
The failure of what law code led to V Aethelstan?
What punishment was given for for theft?

Answer 27

Exceter
II Aethelstan
Short-term amnesty (pardon) if they agreed to pay victims compensation

Question 28

What did a meeting in Faversham focus on?
Whose role was also further tightened and how?
Aethelstan V

Answer 28

-What was to be done about ‘power kindreds’ (families of ealdormen) who were disturbing the peace and challenging the King’s authority
-Reeves, if any of them neglected their duties, they would be fines and removed from office

Question 29

Did V Aethelstan achieve the results Aethelstan hoped for?
Which council produced IV Aethelstan?

Answer 29

No
Thunderfield, Surrey

Question 30

How was IV Aethelstan much different to other parts of the law code?
What penalty was given to thieves?
What happened if a thief tried to run?

Answer 30

Took a much tougher stance
Death penalty
Killed

Question 31

What happened if reeves neglected their duties in IV Aethelstan?
What were ‘powerful kindreds’ reminded of?

Answer 31

Heavy fines
They would still be treated the same way as thieves

Question 32

Which 2 law codes is III Aethelstan connected to?
Why is this difficult to say for certain?
What was this a statement showing?
What was this an acknowledgment of?
What did it confirm?

Answer 32

IV, V
-There was no written record of events at Faversham
-An appreciation of what Aethelstan was attempting to do with his law code
-That the laws were understood and would be implemnted
-Propaganda
-His reforms were having a positive impact

Question 33

What is VI Aethelstan a statement about?
What was created here?
What was the aim of this isntitution?

Answer 33

-How law and order was to be perserved on London
-London peace guild
-An alliance between prominent ealdormen and guild members to combat crime in the city

Question 34

What was special attention paid to in VI Aethelstan?
Who was provoking the unrest it was created to deal with?
How were individuals confronted?

Answer 34

Thieves, but also those who sheltered from the law
Powerful kindreds
Groups of guild members

Question 35

Who did VI Aethelstan record the views of?
Who were they seeking advice from?
What did this law code show?

Answer 35

Londoners about law and order
Aethelstan
Aethelstan wanted to clamp down on crime and was willing to impose heavy sanctions