Alfred and the Vikings Flashcards
What does Bede suggest about the origins of the Anglo-Saxons?
He suggests that they originated as two different people:
- Angles
-Saxons
Came from Germanic tribes: Saxons, Angles and the Jutes
They were invited by King Vortigern to fight on behalf of the homeland - Saxons won victory against northern enemies - saw fertility and cowardice of Britons.
What does Bretwalda / Brytenwalda mean?
Old English word probably meaning ‘wide ruler’
What was a Hide?
- Anglo-Saxon unit of land - used to assess tax revenues and other revenues.
What was the difference in hidage in the 7th century and 9th century?
7th - split into 35 tribes (groups) that were mainly independent
9th - formed 4 kingdoms - Wessex had 100,000 hides
What could this change in hidage been influenced by?
The Germanic tribes arriving in Britain and settling in different areas.
Saxons sought separation from the Britons - they “murdered from east to west” - Bede
Who was the 8th king to become Bretwalda?
King Ecgbert of Wessex - conquered Mercia and all south of the Humber
What economic characteristics did an Anglo-Saxon king have?
- Coins minted in their name and stylised image - it communicated royal control over quality coinage. - The king ‘buys’ their loyalty.
- Giving plots of land to individuals as a reward
What was Bede’s idea about the English and religion?
That the English were united as a single ‘Church’
- a people with one ‘Ecclesiastical History’
- divine providence has foreordained their destiny as a Church and people.
What is a Monastery?
Religious institution where monks pray for the souls of the living and the dead.
What is a Diocese / See
Church territory organised and controlled by a single bishop.
Why was the Early Medieval Church important?
- Ethics - code of conduct to the afterlife - achieve success on earth
- Society based around religion - people illiterate - needed religion for education
- Ill people went to the Church for blessings - God was the cure
- Praying for forgiveness
