The England of Edward and Harold: economy, society and government

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Government 

• Charters - medieval document which included grants of land or promises of trade
• 4 Earldoms; Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, East Anglia - ruled by earls. -> Shire -> Hundred -> Hide (measurement of 120 acre(ish) land that was taxable
• Laws passed by royal decree, often assisted by the Witan
• Writs - sealed letters sent from the chancery
• Rebellious areas often 'ravaged' by armed forces (1051 Dover)
• Religious state - Church was a powerful force & owned about 1/5 of the land in England - used for advice, administration (monks were often literate) and propaganda
• Sheriffs upheld the law and presided over the moots (shire courts) and had rights of purveyance (supply food supplies to the monarch) - one for every 32 shires
• Thegns supllied armed service, maintenance

   Finance  

• 60 mints nationwide - every five years all coins were to be handed in and exchanged
• Enabled Anglo-Saxon government to raise large amounts of money however much lost buying off danes in 1012 and '18 - 'Danegald' - 2/3 of issued coinage                  

    Organisation of society

• Workers, fighters and prayers with exceptions of merchants and craftsmen. Majority of country peasants (10% urbanisation)
• Peasant life heirarchy consisted of; thegn (held estate by right of charter), geneat (bailiff/riding-servant who served thegn), cottar (worked for Lord and held five acres of own land), gebur/boor (main worker on the land - 2/3 days work a week for lord) 

   Summary 

late-Saxon England had a relatively…