Anglo Saxon Society Flashcards
What was England like in the eleventh century?
England was one of the wealthiest and best-governed countries in Europe.
How long had the kingdom of England existed by 1065?
The kingdom of England had existed for just over 100 years.
What were the regional differences in Anglo-Saxon society?
There were strong regional differences: Anglo-Saxons in the Midlands, descendants of Viking settlers in the north, and ancient Britons in Cornwall.
What significant event occurred in 954?
The rulers of Wessex led the other Anglo-Saxon kings to defeat the Vikings, uniting England into a single kingdom for the first time.
How was England governed?
English kings had strong, central control over their realm, dividing England into shires (counties) for easier administration.
What were royal burhs?
Royal burhs were fortified towns where local people could seek safety, hold markets, and serve as centers of trade and government.
What role did mints play in Anglo-Saxon England?
Mints produced good-quality coins that were trusted, encouraging trade and making taxation easier.
What was expected of English kings?
English kings were expected to be strong leaders and warriors to protect the kingdom.
What responsibilities did the king have?
The king owned more land and raised taxes to pay for defence, roads, bridges and burhs. He was responsible for the law courts and making new laws with his advisers.
How did Edward the Confessor approach governance?
Edward the Confessor was religious and left most matters to his advisers, preferring to focus on Church affairs.
Who advised the king?
The king was advised by the Witan (powerful lords and bishops), which was very influential and could even influence who became king.
What was the role of earls?
Earls did not keep their own armies, but led the fyrd (army) and held shire courts twice a year.
How many thegns were there and what was required to be one?
There were around 5000 thegns. To be a thegn, you had to own at least 250 hectares of land.
What were the responsibilities of thegns?
Thegns ran the local courts, collected taxes and helped the king manage the realm.
What are thralls?
Thralls (enslaved people) were the property of a master. They could not leave to find work somewhere else.
Who were the ceorls?
The vast majority of England’s population were ceorls (free Saxons who worked on the land).
What did ceorls do?
Most ceorls grew crops and raised animals; some were skilled tradesmen. They had to serve in the king’s fyrd in times of war and took part in trials in local courts.
Did ceorls own land?
Some ceorls owned their own houses and land, but most paid rent to a thegn and worked on his land.
What is ‘wergild’ in Anglo-Saxon law?
Wergild is the cash value assigned to a person’s life based on their rank.
What happened if someone was killed in Anglo-Saxon England?
The person responsible had to pay the victim’s wergild. If they could not pay, they were executed.
In what currency was wergild set?
Wergild was set in shillings.
What was the value of one shilling?
One shilling was about the value of a cow.
What was the wergild for a ceorl?
The life of a ceorl was worth 160 shillings.
What was the wergild for a prince?
A prince’s life was valued at 9000 shillings.
What was the wergild for a king?
A king’s wergild was 18,000 shillings.
What was the wergild for a thegn?
The wergild for a thegn was 1200 shillings.
What was the wergild for an earl?
The wergild for an earl was 4800 shillings.
How did a woman’s wergild compare to a man’s?
A woman’s wergild was the same as a man’s of the same rank.
What happens to a woman’s wergild if she is pregnant?
It increases by 50 percent.
What was the value of thralls in Anglo-Saxon law?
Thralls had no value.
