Money, power and morality in late Anglo-Saxon England
Malcolm Godden
England was a wealthy country at the end of Anglo-Saxon period, as P. H. Sawyer has reminded us; enough to tempt Vikings repeated raids and pay them enormous sums in tribute while still maintaining prosperous economy. It also, increasingly, whose wealth expressed terms money rather than other kinds assets. There an volume silver coinage circulation, continually renewed replaced by veritable army moneyers. Rents, taxes fines were defined monetary apparently paid that form, even peasantry. In land charters traditional rhetoric asserting grants are being made from affection, loyalty, reward for service or piety remains, but increasingly frequent references suggest market buying selling developing. Archaeological evidence points steady shift away such manifestations rings ornamented swords towards expression coinage. The growth urban society artisans traders within largely defensive structures burhs initiated King Alfred presumably played its part these developments. All this stage gradual movement which had been manifested military equipment, granted individuals recognition often held one lifetime only, acquired permanent possession through commercial activities; effect seems have particularly marked tenth eleventh centuries.
Anglo-Saxon England