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Danegeld
Danegeld was a tax levied in Anglo-Saxon England to pay tribute to Viking raiders or to fund defence against them. First collected under Aethelred the Unready in 991, it became a regular form of national taxation that demonstrated the administrative efficiency of the Anglo-Saxon state.
Danelaw
The Danelaw refers to the area of northern and eastern England under Danish law and control, established by the Treaty of Wedmore (878) between Alfred the Great and the Viking leader Guthrum. It retained distinct Scandinavian legal customs and place names.
Domesday Book
A comprehensive survey of landholding and resources in England, commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. It recorded the ownership, value, and taxable capacity of nearly every estate in the kingdom, serving as a tool for royal administration and taxation.
Heptarchy
The Heptarchy refers to the seven major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex, and Wessex) that existed from the 6th to 9th centuries. In practice, the number and boundaries of kingdoms fluctuated, and the term is a later simplification.
Thegn
A thegn was an aristocratic landholder in Anglo-Saxon England who held at least five hides of land and owed military service to the king. Thegns formed the warrior elite of Anglo-Saxon society and served as local administrators and judges.
Witan
The Witan (or Witenagemot, meaning 'meeting of wise men') was the royal council of Anglo-Saxon England, composed of leading nobles, bishops, and abbots. It advised the king on legislation, taxation, foreign policy, and could participate in the election or deposition of monarchs.