Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Legal System in Anglo-Saxon England (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
How did Law Enforcement in Anglo-Saxon Times Work? - Summary
Crime was common in Anglo-Saxon England. Society did not support people who were struggling to survive. Crime against property happened often in Anglo-Saxon times. Some people stole as a last resort to keep themselves and their family alive. Crime also occurred between families. Family feuds often resulted in assault or murder. Preventing this type of crime was challenging for local officials. The king had very little influence in enforcing laws. He believed that his role was to create the laws. Each level of the hierarchy of Anglo-Saxon society had a role in law enforcement. The local government and the community supported each other in preventing and handling crime. Shire reeves and earls ensured that the court system operated efficiently. Trial procedures included trial by jury and trial by ordeal. Both types of trials reflected the highly Christian nature of Anglo-Saxon society. |
Anglo-Saxon Monarchs and the Law
The king made all the laws in England
It was one of his important powers
The king's laws helped to keep peace in England
The people expected the king to bring justice to Anglo-Saxon society
The king should treat everyone in the same social class equally in issues with the law
Different social classes would have dissimilar legal treatment
Crimes against the king's peace were serious crimes in Anglo-Saxon England
A person who robbed a traveller would receive a harsh punishment
Blood Feuds and Wergild
What was a blood feud?
Blood feuds were a revenge system in Anglo-Saxon society
If a family killed a member of another family, the victim's family had the right to murder someone in the murderer's family
This is a cycle that continued for decades
Why were blood feuds an issue in Anglo-Saxon society?
Blood feuds could continue for generations
Blood feuds could almost wipe out entire families
Blood feuds affected whole communities
Blood feuds could draw in other families
Violence could spread across towns and villages
The solution to blood feuds - the Wergild
Edward the Confessor attempted to resolve the issue of blood feuds by introducing the Wergild
The murderer's family had to pay compensation to the victim's family
A ceorl's family received 20 shillings
A thegn's family received 1,200 shillings
An earl or an archbishop's family received 3,600 shillings
The compensation meant blood feuds were unaffordable to many families
One shilling is worth roughly £100 today
It showed that, within classes, the legal system treated everyone the same. However, it demonstrated how important class was to Anglo-Saxon society
Hue and Cry
A hue and cry was the community's effort to hunt down a criminal
Each member of the tithing had to support the effort to find the criminal
If a member of the tithing refused, they had to pay a fine
Collective responsibility
The hue and cry showed the emphasis on collective responsibility in Anglo-Saxon England
Collective responsibility means that law and order was everyone's duty
The men of the tithing had to enforce the good behaviour of the ten households
For example, a person who refused to join the fyrd would bring punishment to the whole village
To avoid punishment, the men of the village forced people to follow the law
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the legal system in Anglo-Saxon England
2 marks
Answer:
One feature of the Anglo-Saxon legal system is the Wergild (1). If a family member killed a member of another family, they had to pay compensation, for example, 1,200 shillings for killing a thegn (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Ensure you make your details as specific as possible to access all two marks. The details of this example include the amount of money the Wergild was for killing a thegn.
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
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