2007-04-01 15:52:27 · 4 answers · asked by fscndc 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Royalty
Thane. You read the Telegraph as well?
2007-04-01 15:57:27 · answer #1 · answered by Sylvia H 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ge-selda, an; m. One of the same dwelling, a companion, comrade; contÅbernÄlis, sÇcius :-Ic eom cyninges geselda "I am a king's companion".
Members of the king's family were known as "aethel", later earl.
There was also the status of a freeman, or thegn (thane), who could aspire to greater things.
"And if a ceorl throve, so that he had fully five hides of his own land, church and kitchen, bellhouse and burh-gate-seat, and special duty in the king's hail, then was he thenceforth of thegn-right worthy." A hide of land was considered sufficient to support a family. And again—"And if a merchant throve, so that he fared thrice over the wide sea by his own means, then was he thenceforth of thegn-right worthy". In a similar manner a successful thegn might hope to become an earl. In addition to the thegns there were others who were thegns on account of their birth, and thus thegnhood was partly inherited and partly acquired. The thegn was inferior to the aethel, the member of a kingly family, but he was superior to the ceorl, and, says Chadwick, "from the time of Aethelstan the distinction between thegn and ceorl was the broad line of demarcation between the classes of society." The status of thegn as opposed to ceorl is shown by his wergild. Over a large part of England this was fixed at 1200 shillings, or six times that of the ceorl. He was the twelfhynde man of the laws, sharply divided from the twyhynde man or ceorl."
2007-04-02 09:04:23 · answer #2 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thane
2007-04-02 14:27:05 · answer #3 · answered by brainstorm 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to go to the source-- Jah--He is thee only one who can help you.
Love Matt
2007-04-02 06:25:10 · answer #4 · answered by Jediknight 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋