Anglo-Saxon England and the Death of Edward the Confessor

What was an earl in Anglo-Saxon England?

The most import people in England after the king. They controlled earldoms

How was a ceorl different to a peasant farmer in Anglo-Saxon England?

Ceorls were peasant farmers who were free to work for another lord but peasant farmers had to work for the lord they rented land from

What percentage of the population were enslaved in Anglo-Saxon England?

About 10%

What are two ways that a peasant could become a thegn in Anglo-Saxon England?

• Grow enough crops to purchase five hides of land

• Become a merchant

What five areas did Edward the Confessor have power over in Anglo-Saxon England?

• Landownership

• Law-making

• Money (making coins)

• Taxes

• The military

What military duties did people have in Anglo-Saxon England?

• Thegns/earls had to provide soldiers to the king

• Peasants had to fight for the king

At what age did every man make an oath of loyalty to the king?

12

What did pious mean in terms of Anglo-Saxon England?

Solemnly religious, it meant that the King became God’s representative on Earth

How was Edward the Confessor a gifted law-maker?

Introduced laws that helped resolve long-standing family feuds, this brought more peace

What is one disadvantage of Edward the Confessor not being a warrior king?

He had to rely on his earls to fight for him and leads his military

What was the Danelaw?

The area that used Danish laws and customs to govern

What was the Witan?

A council of important English aristocrats who advised the king on various matters. Included earls and archbishops.

What is one important power that the Witan held when the king died?

Approve the next heir to the throne

What are three powers that Anglo-Saxon earls had regarding tax?

• Collect tax in their earldom

• Keep third of all tax revenue

• Use tax to defend earldom

When did earls have limited power?

When the King was very powerful

What was a hundred?

A unit of land. It could be divided into tithings and hides

What social importance did the shire have for Anglo-Saxon earls?

Important role in law & order. They had their own courts to hear criminal cases

What is a shire reeve?

A local government official. Duties included: rent and tax collection, overseeing court judgements

What was geld tax in Anglo-Saxon England?

A land tax, originally paid to pay off the Vikings. It went to the King and was taxed on everyone

How were the select fyrd and the general fyrd different in their training and equipment?

The select fyrd were well-equipped and were trained by the thegn.
The general fyrd had limited weaponry e.g. pitch forks and weren’t trained.

What was a blood feud?

A revenge system where if one family killed a member of another family, the victim's family had the right to murder someone in the murderer's family

What was the purpose of the Wergild in Anglo-Saxon society?

Resolved blood feuds as the murderer’s family had to pay compensation to the victim’s family.

What was the hue and cry?

The community's effort to hunt down a criminal. If a person refused to join it they had to pay a fine.

Which countries did Anglo-Saxons mainly trade with?

• Germany (silver for coins)

• Denmark (millstones)

Where was the main trading hub in Anglo-Saxon England?

London

What were burhs?

Fortified towns that served as centres of defence and trade

Where did thegns and peasants live?

In thatched, wooden houses with multiple relatives. Thegns lived in manor houses.

Did bishops in Anglo-Saxon England control land?

Controlled large area that made them very wealthy

What challenges did monasteries face in Anglo-Saxon England?

• Became less religious

• Targets for Viking attacks

• Monks had to work with peasant farmers to survive

How was England's prosperity linked to religion in the Anglo-Saxon times?

People saw it as a sign that Edward had God's blessing to rule

What year did Earl Godwin die?

1053

Who were some of Godwin’s children?

Harold, Tostig, Gyrth, and Leofwine.

What earldom was Tostig responsible for?

Northumbria, from 1055

How did land give the House of Godwin so much power?

• Had a lot of money

• Could raise a large fyrd

• Held key areas of England e.g. Wessex and Hereford

How many wives did Harold Godwinson have?

2, both called Edith. They were political as Harold gained land in England and Wales

What are two negatives about the relationship between Edward the Confessor and the House of Godwin?

• Their power scared Edward

• Edward reportedly made William his heir for support against them

Why did Edward the Confessor's links to Normandy annoy the Godwin’s?

Edward appointed Normans to key positions in England so their power was being taken away from them.

How did the embassy to Normandy give Harold Godwinson a reputation of being an 'oath-breaker'?

The Normans claimed that Harold made an oath on holy relics to support William’s claim. This was used against him in 1066.

Why was Northumbria experience a lot of Viking attacks?

It was far from the King in the south, many Vikings also settled in Northumbria.

Why was Northumbria difficult to rule in Anglo-Saxon times?

• Danelaw meant peasants had more freedom

• Paid less geld tax

• Spoke a different language

How did Tostig Godwinson, the Earl of Northumbria's, friendship with Malcolm III, King of Scotland cause an uprising against him?

It suggested that Tostig wasn’t protecting the earldom.

When did the uprising against Tostig Godwinson begin?

October 1065

Who did the rebels ask to be the new Earl of Northumbria?

Morcar

What did Edward the Confessor order his earls to do in response to the uprising in Northumbria?

Raise an army to support Tostig. The Earls ignored him

What did the earls' response to the uprising against Tostig Godwinson show about the power of Edward the Confessor as king?

The earls had more power than the King. It showed that if they all worked together, they could ignore the King

When did Edward the Confessor die?

5th January 1066

What is a succession crisis in the context of Edward the Confessor's death?

A period of uncertainty about who will become the next king/queen. Edward and Edith did not have any children so there wasn’t a clear heir.

What phrase did Harold Godwinson claim that Edward the Confessor said to him on his deathbed that made him believe that he should be King of England?

'I commend this woman [Edith] with all the kingdom to your protection.'

What was Harold Godwinson’s claim to the throne based on?

• His family connection to Edward

• His political influence

• Witnesses hearing of Edward’s deathbed promise

What are three weaknesses of Harold Godwinson’s claim to the throne?

• He wasn’t a blood relative

• Edward didn’t fully trust Harold

• The witnesses were loyal to Harold so may have lied

Which claimant had the strongest blood connection to Edward the Confessor?

Edgar the Aethling. He was Edward’s great-nephew

What prevented the Witan from choosing Edgar Aethling as the next King of England in 1066?

The Witan were afraid of the threat from Normandy and Scandinavia and Edgar was only a teenager.

What does ‘Hardrada’ mean in the context of the 1066 Succession Crisis?

Means ‘stern ruler’. The nickname showed that he was a strong, warrior king.

Why was Hardrada’s claim weak?

He did not have a claim in his own right. He took Magnus Olafsson’s claim to the English throne after his death in 1047.

What strengthened William, Duke of Normandy's claim to the English throne?

• An alleged agreement with Edward to name him as heir

• He was Edward’s cousin

• William had support from the Pope

Why did many people in England not want William or Hardrada to be the King of England?

The were foreign. Only the Danelaw would welcome Hardrada.

What were three factors that influenced the Witan's decision on who should be king next in Anglo-Saxon times?

• If the king had a son

• The military needs of the country

• The interests of the earls in the Witan

Who did the Witan select to be king in January 1066?

Harold Godwinson

Why did the Witan select Harold Godwinson quickly?

They feared invasion from William

What did Tostig Godwinson do in May 1066?

Arrived with an invasion force. Once he realised the size of Harold’s army, he left

How did the Earl of Mercia prove his loyalty to Harold Godwinson in early 1066?

By defeating Tostig's army when they sailed to Lincoln

Which other claimant to the throne did Tostig Godwinson ally with after his failed invasion?

Harald Hardrada