You are not currently logged in. Please create an account or log in to view the full course.

History   >   Britain – Anglo-Saxon England, 410-1066

The King and Kingdom of 11th-Century England

 
  • About
  • Transcript
  • Cite

Britain – Anglo-Saxon England, 410-1066

In this course, Professor Rory Naismith (University of Cambridge) provides a detailed overview of what England was like in late Anglo-Saxon England. In the first module, we look at the king and kingdom of 11th-century England to assess how the kingdom was run. In the second module, we turn to look at how late Anglo-Saxon England actually functioned, before in the third module taking a closer look at its social structure. In the fourth module, we turn to look at the landscape of Anglo-Saxon England and how it was organised on the ground. Then, in the fifth and final module, we shift focus to look at the economy and trade in Anglo-Saxon England.

The King and Kingdom of 11th-Century England

In this lecture, we look at the king and kingdom of 11th-century England, focusing in particular on: (i) the origins of the word ‘England’, including the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms’ identification with the ‘Angles’, Bede’s use of the term ‘Angles’ in his chronicles of England, and Alfred the Great’s labelling of the vernacular language as ‘English’; (ii) the formation of a new ‘Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons’ under Alfred the Great, uniting the previously-distinct regions of Wessex and Mercia; (iii) the significance of the integration of York into the ‘Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons’ under King Æthelstan (c. 894-939); (iv) the changes that occurred in the ‘Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons’ between 924 and 927; (v) the continuation of regional differences and identities after the creation of the ‘Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons’; (vi) the consolidation of the unification of England under King Edgar of England (943-75); (vii) the different levels upon which the king ruled the ‘Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons’; (viii) the king’s councils and their importance for Anglo-Saxon governance and legislation; (ix) the importance of oaths of loyalty and obedience to the king in Anglo-Saxon England; (x) the importance of thanes in governing the ‘Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons’; and (xi) the changes that helped to strengthen England in the 11th century.

Cite this Lecture

APA style

Naismith, R. (2023, May 16). Britain – Anglo-Saxon England, 410-1066 - The King and Kingdom of 11th-Century England [Video]. MASSOLIT. https://massolit.io/courses/anglo-saxon-england-410-1066

MLA style

Naismith, R. "Britain – Anglo-Saxon England, 410-1066 – The King and Kingdom of 11th-Century England." MASSOLIT, uploaded by MASSOLIT, 16 May 2023, https://massolit.io/courses/anglo-saxon-england-410-1066

Image Credits

Lecturer

lecturer placeholder image

Prof. Rory Naismith

University of Cambridge