Anglo-Saxon England Before 1066

To understand the Norman Conquest, you must first understand the England that the Normans invaded. Anglo-Saxon England was a sophisticated and well-organised kingdom, with its own system of government, law, and social hierarchy. This lesson covers the political, social, and economic structure of England on the eve of the Conquest.

The Anglo-Saxon Social Hierarchy

Anglo-Saxon society was rigidly structured. Every person had a defined place and role, and the system was based on land ownership and loyalty.

Social Rank	Role and Status
King	Ruler of England; chosen by the Witan from the royal family. Held ultimate authority over law, taxation, and defence.
Earls	The most powerful nobles below the king. Controlled large regions (earldoms) such as Wessex, Mercia, and Northumbria. Collected taxes and raised armies.
Thegns	Local lords who held land from the king or earls. Served as warriors and administrators. Required to provide military service.
Ceorls (Churls)	Free peasant farmers who worked their own land. Paid taxes and could be called up for military service in the fyrd.
Slaves (Thralls)	The lowest class. Had no legal rights and were owned by others. Could be bought, sold, or freed.

Exam Tip: Make sure you can explain the difference between earls and thegns. Earls controlled entire regions, while thegns were local landholders. This distinction is important when analysing the feudal changes after 1066.

Government and Law

Anglo-Saxon England had a remarkably advanced system of government for its time.

The Witan (Witenagemot)

The Witan was the king's council of advisors. It was made up of the most important earls, bishops, and thegns. The Witan had several important functions:

Advising the king on matters of law and policy
Approving taxation and military campaigns
Choosing the next king from eligible members of the royal family (there was no automatic hereditary succession)
Witnessing royal charters and legal documents

Shires and Hundreds

England was divided into shires (similar to modern counties). Each shire was overseen by a shire reeve (sheriff) who collected taxes, enforced the law, and raised the fyrd. Shires were further divided into hundreds, each with its own court.

Administrative Unit	Leader	Key Responsibilities
Earldom	Earl	Defence, raising armies, collecting taxes for the crown
Shire	Sheriff (Shire Reeve)	Law enforcement, tax collection, local administration
Hundred	Hundred-man	Local court, settling disputes, minor law enforcement

The Economy

Anglo-Saxon England had a prosperous economy based primarily on agriculture. The open-field system was widely used, where peasants farmed strips of land in large communal fields. Key crops included wheat, barley, oats, and rye.

Trade was also important. Towns such as London, Winchester, and York were thriving centres of commerce. England produced high-quality wool that was exported to Europe. The coinage system was well regulated, with the king controlling all mints.

Key Term: The Danegeld was a land tax originally raised to pay off Viking raiders. By 1066, it had become a regular tax that demonstrated the efficiency of Anglo-Saxon government — the king could raise large sums of money quickly across the whole kingdom.

The Church

The Church played a central role in Anglo-Saxon life. Bishops and abbots were wealthy and powerful, sitting on the Witan alongside earls. Monasteries were centres of learning and literacy. The Archbishop of Canterbury was the most senior churchman in England.

The Church also provided legitimacy to the king. Coronation was a religious ceremony, and the king was seen as God's chosen ruler. This would become important when the succession was disputed in 1066.

Military Forces

Anglo-Saxon England relied on two main military forces:

The Housecarls — a small, elite force of professional soldiers loyal to the king and major earls. They were well trained and well equipped, fighting with the fearsome two-handed Danish axe.
The Fyrd — a militia of ordinary freemen called up from the shires in times of need. They were part-time soldiers who provided their own weapons. The fyrd could not be kept in the field for long periods.

Exam Tip: When writing about the Battle of Hastings, you should discuss the strengths and weaknesses of both the housecarls and the fyrd. The housecarls were formidable in defence but few in number. The fyrd was large but poorly trained and could only serve for limited periods.

Key Dates

Date	Event
871–899	Reign of Alfred the Great; united much of England against the Vikings
1016–1035	Reign of Cnut (Canute); England ruled as part of a Scandinavian empire
5 January 1066	Death of Edward the Confessor; succession crisis begins

Summary

Anglo-Saxon England in 1066 was a wealthy, well-governed, and culturally sophisticated kingdom. Its systems of government, taxation, and law were among the most advanced in Europe. Understanding this context is essential for evaluating the scale of change brought about by the Norman Conquest.