Chapter 2 - Alfred and the governance of England Flashcards
Alfred’s household
Formed the central part of his government
The Witan
Trustworthy individuals who could advise the King
Kings Thegns
Person of high rank who served the King
The Clergy
Many linked to the functioning of the household, educated king and instructed him on spiritual matters
Ealdormen
Senior officials and major landowners, raised armies from shires, acted as military advisors
Reeves
Keeping law and order by making legal decisions - acted as judges
Idea for burhs
Borrowed from Charles the Bald
Where were burhs built
Many of them new, others built of sites of Roman towns, Roman forts, Iron Age forts
Main function of burhs
Defence - guarded the main routes into and out of Wessex
Secondary function of burhs
Trade and commerce, archaeological evidence - living quarters in close proximity to places where good could be sold
How far away were burhs
No place was more than 32km from a burh
Consequence of burhs
End threat of Viking attacks, continued by Edward, stimulate need for administration changes
Why is the Burghal Hidage important
Constitutes first major administrative record
What does Burghal Hidage contain
Lists 33 burhs, number of hides attached to each one and number of soldiers required to man a specific length of wall
What happened to the original version of the Burghal Hidage
Destroyed in Cotton fire 1731, reconstructed from 1567 transcript
Winchester burh
Reconstructed Roman town wall, underground streams redirected - growing population, defence focused, mint established
Oxford burh
Military fortress under King Offa, houses set in substantial plots - self-sufficiency
Chichester burh
Building on Roman walls, grid layout, strategic position on coast, helped preserve town as religious centre
Wareham burh
876 Vikings capture, Asser - weak defences, strengthened through defensive banks
Burhs as markets
goods produced on spot, surplus grain brought in from localities, Edward’s law code - buying and selling only in burh
Burhs - coins
Produced as symbol of royal power, practical use - means of exchange, 9 mints by end of rule
Wealth creation - Alfred’s belief
Alfred believed there was a connection between wealth creation and successful administration
Wealth creation - Alfred’s will
Involved distribution of £2000, this could not be raised from private estate alone, so relied on commercial activity of burhs
Law code - motives
Based on that of previous rulers King Offa and Ine, trace back through God through Mosaic law
Oath helping
A number of people would swear on the defendants innocence
Trial by ordeal
Defendant would be put through an ordeal e.g. trial by fire, God would ultimately decide if guilty
Punishments
Fines, removal of body parts, death
Impact of law code
Brought stability to kingdom, emphasis placed on fairness earned Alfred respect
England at the time of Alfred’s death - Vikings
England had been ravaged but still survived full occupation
England at the time of Alfred’s death - unification
West Saxons joined forces with Mercians to put down Viking threat
England at the time of Alfred’s death - Burhs
Created a strong network of burhs, this was continued by his son - can be considered that Alfred’s work was not enough
England at the time of Alfred’s death - economy
Burhs created a market-based economy supported by new law code
England at the time of Alfred’s death - learning
Created a renaissance of learning - literacy was essential in understanding God’s will
King of the English - Anglo Saxon Chronicle
Implies Alfred was only king of Wessex and Mercia
King of the English - Asser
Brave in defeating Vikings, pious, scholarly
King of English - Modern day view
Seen as main reason for nation’s success, promoted as founder of the navy and integral to establishment of the Empire
