Anglo Saxons

• The social system was not fixed


  • A free peasant who did very well could become a thegn
• Thegns


  Local lords who held more land than peasants (more than five hides) and lived in a manor house with a tower and a separate church. They were the aristocracy and warrior class of Anglo-Saxon England.
• Ceorls


  Free peasant farmers not tied to their land
• Slaves


  10% of the Anglo-Saxon population, could be bought and sold, not punished as harshly as others
• Peasant farmers


  Majority of Anglo-Saxons, rented small farms and did set work for local lord in return for use of land
• Earls


  Most important aristocrats, ruled regions on behalf of the king, competed for the king's trust and rewards
• In Anglo-Saxon society, social status was less rigid than in other parts of Europe, with opportunities for social mobility
• Heriot


  Tax paid by a man when he became a thegn, required him to equip himself with war gear
• Powers of the English monarchy

  • Law-making
  • Control of money
  • Landownership
  • Military power
  • Taxation
• Oath


  Solemn promise, often sworn on holy relics, to be faithful to the king
• Shire reeve


  King's official, managed estates, collected revenue, in charge of local courts
• The king's role was to protect his people from attack and give them laws to maintain safety and security, in return the people owed him service
• Witan


  Council that advised the king
• Danelaw


  Part of England where Danish (Viking) power had been strongest and kept some Danish laws
• to pay their taxes, otherwise they were fined or lost their land.
• The oath sworn by Anglo-Saxon boys once they reached 12 years of age.
• The king's role


  • To protect his people from attack and give them laws to maintain safety and security at home
  • In return, the people of England owed him service
• Every boy swore an oath when they reached 12 years of age to be faithful to the king. The oath was administered by the shire reeve at a special ceremony held each year.
• The Witan


  A council that advised the king on issues of government
• The Danelaw


  The part of England where Danish (Viking) power had been strongest and which had kept some of its Danish laws instead of Anglo-Saxon ones
• Embassy


  An official visit by representatives of one ruler to another ruler
• Anglo-Saxon society as a whole valued kings who kept things peaceful, because quarrels between families were common and could frequently break out into fighting that threatened everyone in a community.
• Anglo-Saxon kings claimed a special link to God: they were anointed as a representative of Christ on Earth. It was believed that a worthy king could bring God's blessing to his country and that God could also guide his actions.
• Half the country, called the Danelaw, was Anglo-Danish. Many of its inhabitants were the descendants of Viking invaders. Although they accepted Edward's rule, people wanted to be ruled by local men and to follow their own laws and customs.
• Edward the Confessor ordered Godwin to punish the people of Dover after a visiting embassy from Boulogne was attacked


  Godwin refused
• As a result, Edward, with the help of two other important earls, forced Godwin into exile


  But, in 1051, Godwin returned with a fleet and an army and asked Edward if his earldom could be restored to him
• To prevent war, Edward agreed to restore Godwin's earldom
• Earls


  Given many of the powers of the king to aid in governing the country
• Powers of earls


  • Responsible for collecting taxes and receiving a share of revenue
  • Oversaw justice and legal punishments
  • Had great military power
• When a king was strong, the power of the earls was less than that of the king. But a king like Edward the Confessor was not so strong and had to depend on Earl Godwin.
• Thegns sometimes demanded that earls be removed from their positions, as happened in 1065 when Earl Tostig lost his earldom after protests from his thegns.
• Shire


  Earldoms were divided into shires, which had social, political, economic and military functions
• Fyrd


  The men of the Anglo-Saxon army and fleet
• Hundreds


  A unit of land administration
• Tithings


  An administrative unit that was a group of ten households
• Hide


  Each hide of land carried obligations: payment of taxes and military service
• Shire reeves were the king's local government officials who carried out his instructions, including collecting revenues and enforcing the law.
• Geld tax


  A tax on land, originally to pay off the Vikings
• Fyrd


  • The select fyrd gathered men to fight anywhere in England for the king, while the general fyrd gathered men to fight who didn't travel outside their local area
• The king was the law-maker, issuing laws to fulfil his role of keeping the peace.