Late Anglo Saxon

• Anglo Saxon culture began with the depature of Roman is 410 AD and immigration of Jutes, Danes, Angels and Saxons
• 4 New Kingdoms were formed - Northumbria, Wessex, East Anglia and Mercia
• Christianity spread throughout England in 597, through St Augustine's missionary work
• Native Britons were forced to Wales or Cornwall. Or they assimilated with the incomers
• In the 790s, the Vikings came to plunder. In 860s, they came to conqueror. A-S land was reduced to only a few square miles
• King Alfred fortified towns using burhs. His son, Edward recaptured Merica and Essex
• Alfred's great grandson, Aethelstan recaptured Northumbria and allowed Alfred to impose his taxation and legal administration without the Viking threat
• West Saxons Kings now became the overlords of Britain, but they were not united.
• In 1013, King Sweyn of Denmark invaded and defeated King Aethelred II, with his son Canute completing the conquest
• Aethelred's sons (Edward and Arthur) fled and re-launched an attack in 1035 when Canute died. It ended in tradegy as Arthur died, with Edward escaping
• When Canute's sons, Harthacanute and Harold died in 1042, Edward could quickly claim the throne
• Anglo Saxon Kings were the only ones who could raise an army, while having the duty of protecting the country and its people
• The king was chief arbiter of justice and the law. He was the supreme judge and could pardon or condemn anyone.
• King was supreme decision maker, with the right to create and pass laws, domestically and foreign affairs
• He also had the ability to mint coins and make sure the intergrity of the currency was maintained
• The King could exercise his power through the royal household; which was intinerant
• The Chancery was where offical royal writs were created and sent out to control provinces
• The King had housecarls; which were his bodyguards and made the core of the army
• The King was always seen with nobles or people around him making decisions
• Edwards government was seen as basic by modern day standards; with very little departments
• Edward rarely had control of the independent North and the Danelaw
• He had to work with the noblility and Witan to closely govern the country
• Edward used patronage, his use of personality and bring nobility into his decision making to subude the nobility
• The King's authority was passed down locally and regionally
• Earls controlled areas such as the 4 key earldoms. They were seen to keep peace, exert justice and raise armies when needed. However, their power was limited as they could not mint coins or hold their own courts
• Local government had around 40 shires; where day-to-day administration was carried out
• The shire was controlled by the sheriff who: collected taxes, dispensed justice and settled disuptes in shire courts; but also in emergenices raise an army. They were usually drawn from the thegnly class; who were the backbone of the country
• For local matters; shires were divided into hundreds. They were administered by a reeve. Beyond the hundreds were the villes; also responsible by a reeve
• At the top of justice, the King presided over disputes between his nobility for: treason, rape, murder and arson
• Below the King, the Shire courts met to hear: family disputes, theft and violence
• More routine cases were heard in the hundred courts, such as: debt recovery, land disputes, and cases involving theft or assault.
• One method to prove innocence was swearing on an oath and have an oath helper fight their case
• Another was ordeals by fire and water. If you floated or were infected for a hot iron bar, you were found guilty
• People also saw justice as private affairs between families. In places like Northumbria, blood feuds were common in solving disputes
• Through local government, the king could raise money through the the hundred and shire courts
• Tax was normally collecte annually, usually at 2 shillings per hide. This normally came to a total of £6000, but could be more in cases of war and emergency
• £137,000 pounds were paid to Scandanavian raiders between 991-1012, showing the wealth that the state had
• The system of currency were silver coins, pennies and pence. Coins beared the King's face as a sign of power and authority
• During 1066, around 9 million pennies were in circulation, and were thoroughly speard through trade in markets
• Dies were created to keep the intergrity of the coin and its value. Every 5 years, coins were ceased to legal tender and replaced with new coins, with people paying 15% of their income to the government.