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Y101: Alfred and the Making of England 871–1016

Enquiry: Alfred and the governance of England — burhs, law and the revival of learning

  • 3 things to know
  • Unit group 1

Overview

Recall questions on the burhs and the Burghal Hidage, Alfred’s law code, the state of England in 899, the scholars of his court, the translation programme, Asser’s Life of Alfred and literature as propaganda.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Key term

Name four burhs used as examples of Alfred's fortress network.

Key term

Describe the state of England at Alfred's death in 899.

Key term

Give two ways in which Alfred used literature as propaganda.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What was a burh?

    Model answer

    It was a fortified centre, either a refurbished Roman or Iron Age site or a new planned town, garrisoned by the surrounding district for defence.

  2. 2

    What was the Burghal Hidage?

    Model answer

    It was a document listing the fortresses of Alfred's kingdom together with the number of hides of land assigned to maintain and man each one.

  3. 3

    Name four burhs used as examples of Alfred's fortress network.

    Model answer

    Winchester, Oxford, Chichester and Wareham are the standard examples.

  4. 4

    Describe the links between the burhs and local economies.

    Model answer

    Many burhs were laid out with planned streets, markets and mints, so they became protected centres of trade and craft whose prosperity in turn paid for their upkeep.

  5. 5

    What were the consequences of the creation of the burhs beyond defence?

    Model answer

    They became the framework of urban life and royal administration in southern England, providing the network of towns and mints on which later kings built.

  6. 6

    On what earlier laws did Alfred base his own law code?

    Model answer

    He drew on the codes of earlier English kings of Wessex, Mercia and Kent, selecting what he judged good and setting it out afresh.

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