The Power of Anglo-Saxon Monarchs (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Author
Zoe WadeExpertise
History
Who was Edward the Confessor? - Summary
Edward the Confessor became the King of England in 1042. He had spent much of his childhood living in Normandy. Edward's family was exiled from England after Vikings took over the throne of his father, Æthelred the Unready, in 1013. Edward's father died in 1016. Edward's mother was remarried to the Viking King of England, King Cnut. Edward became king when his step-brother, King Harthacnut, died unmarried and with no children in 1042. Historians note how peaceful and successful England was under Edward's reign. English earldoms fought occasionally with Scotland and Wales. England's economy and legal system flourished. English merchants traded well with foreign powers. Edward's background caused issues during and after his reign. His childhood in Normandy meant that Edward invited Norman friends to the royal court. This angered his English earls, especially the earls of Mercia and Wessex. Edward's connection to the Vikings also caused difficulties. Some Scandinavian kings believed that Vikings should still rule England. Edward's claim to the English throne came from a Viking King of England. |
What Powers and Duties did Anglo-Saxons Have?
As king, Edward had many powers and the people in turn had duties to the king
Powers are the areas of society that Edward had control over
Duties are what Edward insisted that the people did in Anglo-Saxon England
Powers of the king
A concept map showing the powers that Edward the Confessor had in England
Duties of the people
Area of society | Duties of the people |
Law-making | To follow the laws given to them by earls and thegns |
Money | To only use the king's coins. Forgery was not acceptable |
Landownership | Those who held land had to fulfil their duties to their thegn, earl and king. Every man at the age of 12 made an oath of loyalty to the king. By refusing to fulfil their duties, the person would gain a reputation as an 'oath breaker' and could lose their land |
Military | Thegns and earls had to provide soldiers for the king. Peasants had to fight for the king. Failure to do this would result in fines or the confiscation of land |
Taxes | Those who held land had to pay taxes. Failure to do this would result in fines or the confiscation of land |
Exam Tip
An exam question may ask you to explain why Anglo-Saxon monarchs had so much power. As the table above shows, an Anglo-Saxon monarch controlled who had land, made all of the rules in the country and their subjects believed that God chose him to rule. This ensured that people had to obey the king, otherwise the monarch had the power and support to punish the person harshly.
How Powerful was Edward the Confessor?
Edward had the respect of his people through two aspects of his personality:
Edward was a gifted law-maker
Edward introduced laws that helped resolve long-standing family feuds
This approach brought more peace into Anglo-Saxon society
Edward was pious
People believed that, when the church anointed Edward, he became God's representative on Earth
England was prosperous. People saw this as a sign that Edward had God's blessing to rule the country
Edward was not a warrior king
Most Anglo-Saxon monarchs were war leaders
They gave land and gifts to their soldiers after military victories
Victories would increase a king's authority over his people
Defeats would reduce a king's authority over his people
Edward relied on his earls to:
Ensure that thegns provided soldiers
Lead a military force in battle
Limits to the King's Power in Anglo-Saxon England
Limitation One: The Danelaw
For centuries, Vikings had settled in large parts of Northern England
Parts of England had a large Anglo-Danish community
Areas with a high Anglo-Danish population wanted a different style of government
They accepted Edward as king but wanted their local leaders to have more power
The north of England established the Danelaw
The Danelaw was the area that used Danish laws and customs to govern
Where was the Danelaw?
A map showing the area of England covered by Danelaw
Why did the Danelaw limit the king's power?
Edward had to respect the Danelaw
If Edward refused to allow Danish laws, the Anglo-Danish community could rebel
Vikings in Scandinavia would support this rebellion
It made administration hard for Edward
The people in the Danelaw spoke a different language
Peasants and ceorls had more freedom
They paid less tax to Edward
Limitation Two: The Earl of Wessex
The Earl of Wessex was Godwin
Wessex was the richest earldom in England
The House of Godwin was as rich as the king
The land that the family owned made it a powerful military force
Why was the Earl of Wessex a limit to the king's power?
He had already attempted to rebel
In 1050, Edward exiled Godwin
Edward asked Godwin to punish Dover after they attacked an embassy from Boulogne. Godwin refused
Disloyalty towards the king was a serious crime. Edward ordered the earls of Northumbria and Mercia to force Godwin out of England
Godwin's power intimidated Edward
Godwin returned from exile in 1061 with an army
Godwin forced Edward to give the earldom of Wessex back to him
Edward's acceptance undermined his power as king
Worked Example
Describe two features of the powers of a monarch in Anglo-Saxon England
4 marks
Answer:
One power that an Anglo-Saxon monarch had was over money (1). Edward was responsible for minting all the coins used in England (1)
Another power that an Anglo-Saxon monarch had was law-making (1). Edward made all the laws of England and used thegns and earls to ensure they were enforced (1)
Exam Tip
Ensure you make your details as specific as possible to access all 4 marks. The details of this example include keywords such as 'minting', 'thegns' and 'earls' to show specific knowledge of the period.
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