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Anglo Saxon (Powers of the king
(Law-making, Controlled money production,…
Anglo Saxon
Anglo Saxon
In England in 1066 there were very few people. Around 2 million. Life was generally hard and most people died in their thirties. Almost everybody farmed the land in order to grow what was needed to live on.
Slaves
could be bought and sold, slave ownership was a normal part of Anglo-Saxon society.
Slaves 200,000 around 10% of the population
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Peasant Farmers
most rented land and worked it for themselves and their families. They did a set amount of work for the local lord as well. If they did not do this they might lose the right to their land.
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Thegns
Local lords, holding more than five hides of land, often living in a manor house with a church. The aristocracy and warrior class of AS England.
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Farming
England was an effective trader with foreign nations; most of its silver came from Germany. Western England was well suited to sheep rearing, for wool. Eastern England had fertile, drier soils that were important for growing crops. Farming was well organised: there were 6,000 mills in England for grinding grain into flour.
Towns
Burhs were trading hubs the king's laws demanded that all trade worth more than a set amount must take place there (to be taxed). Towns grew in importance during this period due to international trading links
The Witan
A council made up of the most important earls and archbishops (church leaders) – it advised the kings on issues such as: Religious affairs; arguments over land; Possible threats from abroad. The king did not have to follow the Witan's advice, and chose who was in it and when it met.
Earldoms
These were given to the leader of the most important family in an area. They collected taxes and kept a 1/3, controlled justice and punishments and had great military power. Earls controlled many things and had bodyguards called housecarls. There were limits could be punished by the king if they did not govern their lands correctly.
In 1066 10% of the population lived in towns. Each shire had its main town, called a burh.
A Burhs was fortified towns every 15 or 20 miles apart. Designed to protect people from Viking raids. Linked by roads so that troops could move quickly between them.
Villages
Houses made of wood and thatched with straw. Often a collection of scattered homes and farms. Thegns lived in manor houses that were large and well built, and sometimes fortified. Thegns would often build a church on their land to hold services for their household and the surrounding area
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Kings
was the most powerful person in the land. The king had the power to create new laws and give or take land.
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Witan
were a council of Nobel men who assisted the king in many way such as religious matters or potential threats to the kingdom.
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