military service

• the fyrd - two types
• the select fyrd - gathered men to fight anywhere in England for the King
• the general fyrd - gathered men to fight who didn't travel outside their local area
• the selective fyrd - made up of thegns and followers
• thegns - well trained and equiped with weapons, armour and horses
• thegns couldn't stay away from home for long, before the management of their farms would suffer - especially at harvest
• 40 days was fixed for thegns service, after which the fyrd would be disbanded