Earldoms and Saxon Government

• Anglo-Saxon earldoms

  • Northumbria
  • Mercia
  • East Anglia
  • Kent
  • Wessex
• After the fall of the Roman Empire, various tribes of Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invaded, forming several kingdoms known as the Heptarchy or the seven kingdoms
• By the 1060s, the customs, traditions, taxes, laws, and language in England were more influenced by Norse and Viking culture
• The earls were given many of the king's powers to aid in governing the country
• Earls' powers

  • Wealth - received one-third of the money raised by taxes
  • Law and order - ensured laws were obeyed
  • Armies - military leaders against the king's enemies
  • Maintained an elite bodyguard of professional soldiers called house carls
• Power of the earls


  Depended on the support of the thanes in their earldoms
• Thanes could demand the removal of an earl from his position, as seen in the case of Earl Tostig in 1065
• Earls could challenge the king, but a strong king could easily keep them in check
• Strengths of earls

  • Receiving one-third of all money raised by taxes
  • Maintaining an elite bodyguard
  • Having the support of their thanes
• Weaknesses of earls

  • Risk of punishment from a strong king
  • Potential removal from position by thanes
• Key points

  • Saxon England was split into earldoms
  • The Danelaw split England into culturally Danish and English sections
  • Earls helped enforce the king's laws, collect taxes, and raise armies
  • Earls could challenge the king, but a strong king could keep them in check
  • Earls relied on loyalty to maintain their positions