Expert: Malcolm Speechley - 1/31/2008

Question
Dear sir,

i attend british cultural studies and i'm really into it, so i applied for presentation about british social class system. I'm sure my teacher means that i should say something about the classes trough history of England but, of course, focus on the modern times.
So, i was wondering if you could describe, briefly, the class division in the period that your expertise covers...

Thank you very much!

Regards!

Answer
Hello Marina.

Firstly apologies for the time it has taken you to receive this answer. There appeared to have been some glitch when I replied first tome round. That's modern technology for you. One of the reasons I'm so fond of studying the past. Anyway, to your question.

My period is the pre Norman Conquest, or Anglo Saxon ere. This is basically how society was structured at that time.

Below the King their were four classes namely. Ealdormen, Thanes, Ceorls and Deow.

EALDORMEN

Ealdormen were the ruling aristocracy and governed large parts of the country on behalf of the King i.e. areas about the size of counties. In times of war they were responsible for leading the soldiery (known as the fyrd) of their particular area in battle. The Ealdormen usually belonged to a very small number of families, though their lands and titles did not necessarily pass from father to son as with our modern aristocracy. The title Ealdormen began to be replaced with that of Earl during the 10th and 11th centuries and with Duke following the Norman Conquest.

THANE

Directly below the Ealdorman came the Thane. A Thane could serve the particular Ealdorman on whose land he lived or he could serve the King directly. Those who served the King directly were summoned to serve him on a Rota basis. Failure you obey the summons could result in the loss of the Thanes lands and, in some cases, his life. Thanes were land owners. The land being granted in return for military service to their Lord (i.e. their Ealdorman or the King) and for keeping the land and buildings in good order. A particularly loyal and/or talented Thane could sometimes rise to the rank of Ealdorman.

CEORLS

Ceorls were divided into three subclasses: Geneats, Kotsetlas and Geburs.

Geneats were the richest Ceorls and could afford to rent their lands from their lords. They also had to work on the lords lands but not as much as the lesser ceorls.

Kotsetlas paid the rent for their land in labour alone. This they works harder and longer than the Geneat.

Geburs had no land at all bit worked for their Lord in return for their food and shelter.

Some Ceorls could rise to the rank of Thane. But someone who was born a Ceorl could not legally attain the rank of Ealdorman.

DEOWS

Or to put it another way, slaves. These were workers who were bound to a master who they worked for and could not leave without permission. Deows could be bought and sold like any other possession. They did however have certain rights. i.e. they had to be fed properly and given time off. In their spare time they were allowed to earn money with which they could buy property or their freedom. Deows also had the right to marry.

Deows were either born into that state or were originally Ceorls who had fallen on hard times and sold themselves into slavery.

I hope you find this brief description of the Anglo Saxon class system useful and that it reaches you this time.

Good Luck with your studies

Malc.