Socio-Political+Structure+Anglo-Saxon+England

 **Government** - Kings governed Anglo-Saxon England. [[|1] ]

- The eldest son of the last king was most often the heir to the throne. [[|1] ]

- When kingdoms grew, earls were selected by the king to take upon routine business in their districts. [[|1] ]

- Earls were selected from among the king’s companions. [[|1] ]

- The king’s council included.  [[|1] ]  - The king consulted the council on policy, law and the alienation of land. [[|1] ]
 * Thegns (kings noble companions)
 * Archbishops
 * Bishops
 * Great Abbots

- The King contained ancient and well-known rights, including. [[|1] ] 
 * He possesses large estates.
 * Receives a farm, or a food rent from land held by others.
 * May claim hospitality to his officials, messengers, huntsmen and other services.

- There was a strong bond between Lord and man. [[|1] ]
 * Social Structure **

- Some men refused to leave a battlefield if their lord lay dead on it. [[|1] ]

- It was a family’s duty to take revenge for harm done to a family member. [[|1] ]

- The social pyramid was based upon ones wergild. [[|1] ]

- Wergilds are prices to be paid to their relative in the event of a death. [[|1] ]

- Nobles had the highest wergilds. [[|2] ]

- Churls had the second highest wergilds. [[|2] ]

- The churl class included many different men, with different prosperities. [[|1] ]

- Many freemen had to buy assistance and protection. [[|1] ]

- Slaves had the lowest or no wergilds. [[|2] ]

- Slaves were sometimes able to buy their freedoms. [[|1] ]

- Freeing a slave was considered a commendable act. [[|1] ]

- Slaves were made up of. [[|1] ] 
 * Captives
 * People with high debts
 * Criminals
 * People born into slavery

- Anglo-Saxon England was a Christian state. [[|1] ]
 * Religion **

- During it’s monastic period monasteries were built more then churches. [[|1] ]

- A church tax became compulsory in the 10th centaury. [[|1] ]

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<span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif; text-align: center; display: block;">**__Citations__** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif; font-size: 90%;"> = = <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">Hanning, Robert W. "Anglo-Saxons." Encyclopedia Americana. 2009. Grolier Online. 22 Apr. 2009 <[] >. = 1

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">White, David. //Wergild: Anglo-Saxon Social Structure in One Word// 26 Jan. 2001. 7 May. 2009 <[]> = 2