AS Society
- Created by: lyds1
- Created on: 04-06-18 16:12
View mindmap
- ANGLO SAXON SOCIETY
- KING + EARLS
- Powers of King
- Land-ownership... grant land to loyal followers
- Fyrd... raise the fyrd army and fleet
- Religion... chosen by God to lead
- Money... control minting + distribution of coins
- Taxation... decided when + how much tax paid
- Law making... made new laws, every1 to obey
- Witan
- council to advise King, but not limitation
- King decided who in Witan
- King decided what Witan gives advice for
- King didn't have to follow
- council to advise King, but not limitation
- Earls
- most important men after King
- governed large areas on King's behalf
- granted some of King's powers
- collect taxes from earldoms
- kept 1/3 of taxes for governing their earldom
- oversee law and order
- judge cases and decide who guilty
- military power
- they're King's generals
- lead loyal thegns in battle against enemies
- Thegns= local lords... they could complain to King about earls
- lead loyal thegns in battle against enemies
- they're King's generals
- collect taxes from earldoms
- Edward the Confessor
- Advantages
- religious leader- people thought God was guiding
- respected as wise lawmaker
- married to Edith,daughter of rich, powerful Earl of Godwin
- Disadvantage
- been exiled in Normandy for most his life, less support in England
- no children to succeed him
- struggled to keep control of Earl Godwi
- Advantages
- Powers of King
- LOCAL GOVERN-MENT + LAW
- Shire Reeve (Sheriff)
- King's representative in local government
- writ from K Edward to his sheriff
- collect revenues from land in shire
- collect geld tax from shire when I levy tax
- collect fines from shire court
- judge cases + witness my laws being enforced at shire court
- make sure men are provided for fyrd + all roads + defences maintained
- Law + Order
- Strengths... depended on everyone in community knowing each other very well
- Collective responsibility... if 1 member of tithing broke law, rest were responsible from bringing to court- else they'd be punished themself
- Hue + cry... any1 in community could call on others to help track criminal, sheriff can do
- Wergild... compensation paid to avoid blood feud
- Weakness... powerless to prevent powerful men from breaking law, eg. earls
- Key Terms
- shire- earldom divided into
- hide- area of land covering about 120 acres
- ceorls- peasant farmers
- fyrd- men of AS army + fleet
- writ- written orders from King, royal seal proved it was official
- Shires, Hundreds, Tithings, Hides
- each earldom / into shires
- each shire / into hundreds
- each 100 / into tithings
- Shire Reeve (Sheriff)
- POWER OF THE GODWINS
- In control
- Tostig Godwinson earl of northumbria- 1055
- Mercia= only major earldom not controlled by Godwins
- Gyrth- earl of East Anglia 1057
- Leofwine Godwin earl of lots of small shires 1055-7
- Earl Go died 1053 so Harold G succeeded as Earl of Wessex-richest earldom in Eng
- Political Marriage
- 3 Ediths + a Judith
- Earl G daughter- Edith- married King Edward
- Harold G married Edith of Mercia- daughter of Aelfgar + 2nd marriage to Edith the Fair- influential in East Anglia
- Tostig married Judith- daughter of Baldwin of Flanders
- 3 Ediths + a Judith
- In control
- EDWARD THE CONFESSOR
- Harold's embassy to Normandy-1064
- King Edward sent HArold to Normandy
- Harold taken prisoner by Count Guy of Ponthieu but William recused him
- Harold fought for William who rewarded him w/ gifts of weapons + armour
- Haold swore a v serious oath as part of embassy
- Why was this important?
- shows Harold was King Edwards trusted right-hand man for politics + leadign military campaigns
- Normans claimed that embassy was about plan of William of Normandy to succeed to throne of Eng after Edward died
- Normans used embassy to claim Harold was oath-breaker
- took crown instead of supportign Williams claim- had implications for Norman rule
- Key events in rising against Earl Tostig
- OCt 1065: Northumbrian thegns revolt against Tostig- march on York
- Tostig went too far of crackdown of lawlessness- abuse his power to threaten nobles, assassinating rivals
- Northumbrians invite Morcar (Edwins brother) to be earl instead
- K Edward orders earls to put down uprise
- earls find ways to disobey
- Harold agrees to rebels' demands that, on K Edwards behalf, Tostig replaced by Earl Morcar
- by 1st November, Tostig exiled- H has weakened House of Godwins but strengthened claim to throne
- Harold didn't stand up for brother- Witan support because decision gd for eng + would strengthen claim to throne
- OCt 1065: Northumbrian thegns revolt against Tostig- march on York
- Harold's embassy to Normandy-1064
- RIVAL CLAIMANTS TO THRONE
- Edagr Aethling
- CLAIM- royal blood, descendant of King Alfred the Grwat
- Strength- strong theory but nothing to back it up
- chance of success- weak- Edgar was teenage so threat of invasion too great
- Although Edward had planned to make him heir in 1050s he hadn't taken plan further
- Eng couldn't risk boy King
- Harold Godwinsod
- CLAIM- appointed successor by King of eathbed
- Strength- Good- supported by witnesses
- Chance of success- excellent as he had support needed (Witan)
- Had been Edward's sub regulus
- proven in battle, willing to go against Tostig
- Eng backed him
- K Edward's brother in law
- William of Normandy
- CLAIM- agreement w/ King following Harold's embassy
- Strength- lack evidence but backed by pope
- Chance of success- quite good due to military success, but only if able to get knights across channel t Eng
- Claim based on promise by Edward
- pope's backing link Williams plan to introduce reform to Eng's church
- Harald Hadrada
- CLAIM- based on secret deal between 2 other Vikings
- Strength- weak but had force to call to back claim
- Chance of success-good as he had 300ships, 15000 warriors, huge battle expereince
- Could also make claim as descendant of King Cnut (Danish king of Eng)
- Wasn't going to claim throne until Tostig convinced him
- Harold's reign + coronation
- crowned 6 days after Edward died
- soon after coronation he went York making sure he had North's support
- most Witan already in Westminster so easy to gather support
- Put together largest army Eng had ever seen in South of Eng
- Edagr Aethling
- KING + EARLS
Comments
No comments have yet been made