Pre 1066

?
View mindmap
  • Pre 1066
    • Well governed
      • Organised social structure, with King at the head, down to earls, thegns and housecarls then the sheriff and the Fyrd.
      • Very advanced administrativ system.
        • Within the earldom a were shires which were administrativeand fiscal units enforcing taxation and law in accordance to the King.
        • Earldoms, shires, hundreds and hides.
          • Were able to divide up land, for example Offer's Dyke which divided England from Wales.
      • Had an clear church system and hierarchy with papal authority at the top. Very important part of A-S life, the face that churches were built from stone rather than wood shows how important they were.
      • Writs, sealed with royal seal. helps promote royal authority.
        • Circulated to Royal agents or 'sheriffs' and ensured the imposition of royal will.
      • Chancery created regular communication between local and central government.
        • 'solved the problem of government at a great distance' (Nigel Saul- 'the Oxford Illustrated history of Medieval England.')
        • had a bureaucratic body dedicated to producing and distribution writs and charters.
      • System of government was so centered on the king that it relied strongly on the king being a stong personality. Carpenter  :'weakness in a king could undermine the structural integrity' of government.
        • Events in 1052.after the Godwin's exile after the dover fracas they returned with an army and Edward was unable to raise one of his own and was forced to restore Godwin's earldom of Wessex , Harold to east Anglia and Edith to court.
        • Edward left it to Harold to deal with exiling Tostig, Perhaps shows the confessor's incompetence and Harold's status as the 'subregulus'
    • Wealthy
      • England like the rest of Europe was in a period of economic growth but unlike other countries this growth remained centralised and increased Royal wealth further.
        • Expansion of the population,Norwich expanding from 50 to 200 acres between  900-1066
      • Had a very strong currency that was reminted every 5 years at which time it was also taxed.
        • Helped to promote the authority of the king, had his face on the coins.(helps promote the centralized government etc.)
        • Well governed
          • Organised social structure, with King at the head, down to earls, thegns and housecarls then the sheriff and the Fyrd.
          • Very advanced administrativ system.
            • Within the earldom a were shires which were administrativeand fiscal units enforcing taxation and law in accordance to the King.
            • Earldoms, shires, hundreds and hides.
              • Were able to divide up land, for example Offer's Dyke which divided England from Wales.
          • Had an clear church system and hierarchy with papal authority at the top. Very important part of A-S life, the face that churches were built from stone rather than wood shows how important they were.
          • Writs, sealed with royal seal. helps promote royal authority.
            • Circulated to Royal agents or 'sheriffs' and ensured the imposition of royal will.
          • Chancery created regular communication between local and central government.
            • 'solved the problem of government at a great distance' (Nigel Saul- 'the Oxford Illustrated history of Medieval England.')
            • had a bureaucratic body dedicated to producing and distribution writs and charters.
          • System of government was so centered on the king that it relied strongly on the king being a stong personality. Carpenter  :'weakness in a king could undermine the structural integrity' of government.
            • Events in 1052.after the Godwin's exile after the dover fracas they returned with an army and Edward was unable to raise one of his own and was forced to restore Godwin's earldom of Wessex , Harold to east Anglia and Edith to court.
            • Edward left it to Harold to deal with exiling Tostig, Perhaps shows the confessor's incompetence and Harold's status as the 'subregulus'
        • Helped to stimulate the economy and stop unregulated currency's.
        • Contemporary has written 'Never 15 miles away' from Mint.
    • Advanced.
      • Evidence of sun dials so could tell the time.

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all Britain in the Middle Ages resources »