History-Anglo Saxons and Normans

• Anglo-Saxon society hierarchy


  • King
  • Earls
  • Thanes
  • Churls (peasants)
  • Slaves
• King


  Defended the country, passed good laws, ensured laws were obeyed, had power over the church
• Earls


  Most powerful lords, owned huge areas of land, ruled old kingdoms, advised the king, raised men for the army, protected people in their lands
• Thanes


  Noble but less powerful than earls, warriors who defended the king in return for land, carried out local duties
• Churls (peasants)


  Free men who owned their own small area of land, had to work for their lord 3 days a week, could be asked to fight for their lord
• Slaves


  Not free, had no land, worked on their lord's land or in their house, every aspect of their life dictated by their master, did not have to serve in the army
• Slaves made up around 10% of the population, peasants over 70%
• The country was ruled by a king, who was dependent on help from lords and earls
• Taxes were paid to the crown, people were expected to be loyal to the monarch and fight for them
• England had about 1.5 million people in 1066, with only 15 towns and 2 cities
• The south of England, controlled by Earl Harold Godwinson, was the richest part
• The Anglo-Saxons built elaborate churches and had luxurious homes, although there was a lot of poor people
• Peasants who earned more than 5 hides of land could become thanes, merchants who owned ships could also become thanes, slaves could be set free
• Thanes could become earls and earls could become thanes
• Thanes were local lords, there were 4,000-5,000 by 1060
• Thanes were an important part of the aristocracy and warrior class
• Earls were the most important aristocrats after the king, their relationship with the king was based on loyalty
• Earls competed to be the king's favourite to gain more rewards and honour, sometimes challenging the king to increase their own power
• Slaves were not punished as harshly as other people, as they were seen more as property than people
• The Normans thought owning slaves was barbaric, but it was normal in Anglo-Saxon society
• Anglo-Saxon Earldoms


  • Northumbria
  • Mercia
  • East Anglia
  • Kent
  • Wessex
• The green areas on the map represent places that were not part of the original earldoms but often came under Anglo-Saxon control
• After the fall of the Roman Empire, various tribes of Angles, Saxons and Jutes invaded over the centuries and several kingdoms formed, known as the Heptarchy or the Seven Kingdoms
• By the time of the course in the 1060s, the Danelaw line meant that the customs, traditions, taxes, laws and language were more influenced by Norse and Viking culture
• Earls


  • Received one-third of the money raised by taxes
  • Ensured their earldom was well defended and well-run
  • Decided who was guilty or not in their earldoms
  • Maintained an elite bodyguard of professional soldiers called house carls
  • Were the king's military leaders against his enemies
• When a king was strong, like Cnut


  The power of the earls was definitely less than that of the king
• When a king was not so strong, like Edward the Confessor

  The king had to depend on earls like Earl Godwin
• When Edward brought Normans into important positions in the English government, Godwin and other earls resisted their appointments and worked together to get the Normans sent back to Normandy
• The earl's power relied on the support of the thanes in their earldoms, as shown by occasions when thanes demanded that earls be removed from their positions
• A strong king like Cnut


  Could punish those who failed him
• A weak king like Edward the Confessor


  Spent most of his time in exile or in prayer and did not have the support of hundreds of important followers in England
• Anglo-Saxon economy


  How much money a country has and how that money is made, also related to work in late Anglo-Saxon England
• Coins


  • Very valuable, made from silver and sometimes gold, rarer than today
• Exchange economy


  1. One thing swapped for something else instead of bought with money

  2. Anything family didn't need swapped at markets or with neighbours
• Imports in Anglo-Saxon England

  • Fine quality cloth
  • Wine
  • Pottery
  • Jewelry
• Food could not be well preserved, so Saxon farms produced food sold and consumed locally rather than imported
• Exports from Anglo-Saxon England

  • Wool
  • Illuminated manuscripts and books
• Burh


  Fortified village or small town, with defensive wall, gate to control access, and economic functions
• Real example of a burh


  • Wareham in Dorset
• Purpose of burhs


  • To protect people inside from attack
  • Controlled who came in and out
  • Provided means to collect king's taxes