Anglo Saxon local government

• Earldons were divided into

  1. Shires

  2. Hundreds

  3. Tithings
• Shire


  • Had its own court
  • Had a shire reeve
  • Had a burh
  • Provided troops for the fyrd
• Shire reeve


  • Collected rent from the king's lands
  • Collected geld tax
  • Collected fines from the courts
  • Maintained the Syrd
• Blood feud


  Revenge attacks from conflicted families
• The cycle of revenge from blood feuds sometimes went on for decades
• Weregild


  Compensation money paid to a victim's family
• Weregild was introduced to replace blood feuds