Anglo-Saxon society Flashcards
In anglo-saxon england , who was the most powerful
The King
What did AS kings do to govern the country
They granted out some of their power to earls and took advice from the witan council
What were the powers of AS kings ?
Law making , land ownership , religion , taxation , money and the fyrd
What did half the country being anglo danish and having their own danelaw mean for the king
He had to allow Danelaw some independence but still had control over them
What was the Witan ?
A council that advised the king but didn’t limit his powers
What powers did the king have over the witan?
He decided who was appointed to the witan , decided what he should be advised on and didn’t follow their advice if he so wished
What were earls ?
Earls were the most important men after the king and governed large areas of land on the kings behalf
What powers of the king were earls granted ?
Collecting taxes from their earldoms , overseeing laws and military powers .
How much of the collected tax could earls keep
one third
What were the advantages of Edward the confessor ?
He was religious and people believed god was guiding him , respected as a wise law maker and married to the rich daughter of Earl Godwin
Who was Edward the confessor married to ?
Edith , the daughter of wealthy Earl Godwin
What are the disadvantages of Edward the confessor ?
He was exiled for most of his life , so had few supporters in England . He also had no heirs and struggled to control Earl Godwin
What were Thegns and what could they do ?
Thegns we’re local lords who could complain to the king about earls who governed earldoms badly
Who were the Shire Reeves (sheriffs) ?
The kings representatives in local government
What were the responsibilities of the Shire Reeves ?
To collect revenues and geld tax from shires . Collect fines from and enforce laws in shire court . Maintain roads/defences and make sure men are provided for the fyrd
How was the division of land structured in AS england ?
Each earldom divided into shires , each shire divided into hundreds and each hundred divided into tithings
How big was a hide ?
An area of land covering 120 acres
what were ceorls ?
peasant farmers
What was a writ ?
written orders from the king with a royal seal
What were the strengths and weaknesses of AS government ?
+ Depended on everyone in the community knowing each other very well
- Powerless to prevent powerful men from breaking the law
What was collective responsibility ?
If one member of a tithing broke the law , the rest were responsible for bringing him to court or were punished themselves
What was Hue and Cry ?
Where everyone in the community would cooperate to track down a criminal , the sheriff could call up on them in the same way
What was the Wergild ?
The compensation paid to avoid blood feuds
What was a Trial by Ordeal ?
Where god would be asked to judge cases were courts couldn’t decide .
