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The Anglo-Saxon State
The power, sophistication, unity and wealth of the late Anglo-Saxon state have been underestimated. The shadow of defeat in 1066, and an assumption that the Normans brought about strong government and a unification that had not previously been there, has prevented many of the remarkable features of Anglo-Saxon society from being seen. In The Anglo-Saxon State James Campbell shows how strong, unified and well-governed Anglo-Saxon England was and how numerous and wealthy were its inhabitants. Late Anglo-Saxon England was also a country with a political class considerably wider than just the earls and thegns. William Stubbs's vision of Anglo-Saxon England as a country with real representative institutions may indeed be truer than that of his denigrators. James Campbell's work demands the rethinking of Anglo-Saxon history.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2003
About the author
James Campbell
12 books11 followersProf. James Campbell MA, Hon DLitt, FBA, FSA was Tutorial Fellow and Professor of Medieval History at Worcester College, Oxford. He has published extensively on the medieval period and on Anglo-Saxon studies.
He celebrated his 80th birthday in 2015.
He celebrated his 80th birthday in 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 12, 2020
This is a series of essays written in the 80's and 90s by an expert who is also an elegant writer. This isn't a common combination by any means. Some of the works have aged better than others, as scholarship has moved on in a few cases. However, they all have something of interest in them. One fault is that he quotes key passages of sources in Latin or French, with no translation. Great if you read those languages, not so champion if you don't. This book cost me £25 new, but you can pick a copy up on the net for just north of a tenner.
The Late Anglo-Saxon State: a maximum view
Here Campbell details what the late Anglo-Saxon state could achieve through thorough administration, as opposed to what it couldn't manage. He shows that there were no gaps in the system for estates to be mislaid when it came to taxation and justice. Everywhere had rights, but also responsibilities. Of particular interest are Cnuts two letters addressed to the English people at large, not for their contents, but because they may have been read out at shire and perhaps hundred courts. The recourse to law rather than strong arm tactics by the great and good is also of significance. Whilst this is a maximum view, it would be interesting to see a minimum view argued.
The United Kingdom of England
This essay looks at the various elements of commonality that made England. A unified church with one pre-eminent focal point (York has never had the same weight as Canterbury), a shared language, shared administrative institutions, a participation in political society through hundred courts and Wapentakes, etc. The pre-history of unification is questioned and whilst common elements are identified, not too much is made of Bretwaldas and the like.
The Impact of Sutton Hoo
This essay was written prior to the work of Martin Carver at Sutton Hoo and it hasn't aged that well. It begins with the historiography of Anglo-Saxon archaeology before it then moves specifically onto Sutton Hoo itself. Here the date of publication becomes a problem, as so much is now known that wasn't then. HOWEVER, it is rescued by a very interesting 8-9 pages talking about the levels of wealth during the 'dark ages' and showing that the burial need not be thought royal on the basis of the wealth buried there. Partly this was in response to comments made by Wallace-Hadrill and whilst I'm not totally convinced by the arguments, good points are made that there may well have been more specie in circulation than we suspect. Depending upon how the values are reckoned, the coins in the Sutton Hoo hoard wouldn't have paid for the wergild of one slave.
Elements in the background to the life of St Cuthbert and his early cult
A very readable essay this. Campbell should have taught other historians how to write in an engaging manner and all of our lives would have been improved by it. Although it would have been nice if he didn't quote key phrases in Latin. Here the great wealth of the Northumbrian church is demonstrated and the congeniality of life inside the monasteries. The similarities between the life styles of secular lords with their retinues and the religious elite is stressed. Considering the brutal nature of 8th century Northumbrian politics and the clubbability of some monasteries the wonder is that more nobles didn't opt out.
The East Anglian Sees before the Conquest
This is a surprisingly obscure corner of history; one that you are surprised that more isn't known about. You then stop, ponder what you can remember about bishops there and say, 'ah' and that's it. Campbell makes the most of what is suspected. It turns out that we don't have secure dates for the bishops, or are even certain as to where the sees were located (North Elmham, South Elmham or moving from one to the other?). It does seem that the great abbeys like Bury St Edmunds and Ely existed in surprising harmony with the bishops, even though they had lots more valuable land.
Asser's Life of Alfred
This essay predates the controversy surrounding the question of whether Asser is a fake. Campbell acknowledges that the question has been asked on one line and with the next dismisses it as baseless and the essay is all the better for it (If you are interested in this, R Abel's has provided the best discourse). Instead of going over the minutiae of real or not, this one concentrates on the influences that made this book what it is. These are mostly Frankish and not just Einhard. There is then a postscript which talks about inconsistencies found in Asser by Kirby and explains them. It's not a particularly enjoyable read and I found it a bit of a dud, but still more interesting than what a dated real or fake argument would have been.
England c991
Here society is looked at. The conviviality of high level entertainment at monasteries (very much a drinking and entertainment culture) gets mentioned and the many links between members of the ruling class. The sense of social and national cohesion is well made out. This changed not long after as the stresses of Viking invasions and the rise of new men, such as Eadric Streona took their toll.
Was it infancy in England? Some questions of comparison
This title is misleading to the point of me wondering if there was a clerical error. Instead of tales of children we have an account of the strength of England's 11th century economy, with a few comparisons to that of Picardy and the like. In 1086, England had had a unified currency for ages and contained roughly 6,000 watermills and 80,000 plough teams, whereas Picardy alone had twenty different coinages in circulation,
Some agents and agencies of the late Anglo-Saxon State
This has a great joke on the first page concerning someone expressing doubts about the early medieval kingdoms, in contrast to the late medieval Italian City States, being sufficiently developed enough to pay for mercenaries. Campbell's response was to suggest that they go tell that to the lithsmen. If you're not laughing, you should be learning. This essay looks at who was involved in the administration of the late A/S state and the answer is a lot of people. 5% of the population of Leominster were reeves, beadles or radmen. It seems that a role in the administration was a good way to get on in the world. Especially if you weren't caught out in any fiddles, such as the geld collector in Devon who had £40 that should have been sent on. Probably just resting in his account, as Father Ted would say.....
The sale of land and the economics of power in early England: problems and possibilities
I found this one to be a little bit tricky. There is a lot we aren't sure about regarding land transactions. Widsith hints at early grants from kings being in return for a consideration. Gifts of land may not have been gifts when they involved a counter gift of mancuses. Treasure may have been a more important source of prestige than land if you go by written sources.
Stubbs and the English State and Stenton's Anglo-Saxon England
These are just straight historiography and I didn't fancy either.
The Late Anglo-Saxon State: a maximum view
Here Campbell details what the late Anglo-Saxon state could achieve through thorough administration, as opposed to what it couldn't manage. He shows that there were no gaps in the system for estates to be mislaid when it came to taxation and justice. Everywhere had rights, but also responsibilities. Of particular interest are Cnuts two letters addressed to the English people at large, not for their contents, but because they may have been read out at shire and perhaps hundred courts. The recourse to law rather than strong arm tactics by the great and good is also of significance. Whilst this is a maximum view, it would be interesting to see a minimum view argued.
The United Kingdom of England
This essay looks at the various elements of commonality that made England. A unified church with one pre-eminent focal point (York has never had the same weight as Canterbury), a shared language, shared administrative institutions, a participation in political society through hundred courts and Wapentakes, etc. The pre-history of unification is questioned and whilst common elements are identified, not too much is made of Bretwaldas and the like.
The Impact of Sutton Hoo
This essay was written prior to the work of Martin Carver at Sutton Hoo and it hasn't aged that well. It begins with the historiography of Anglo-Saxon archaeology before it then moves specifically onto Sutton Hoo itself. Here the date of publication becomes a problem, as so much is now known that wasn't then. HOWEVER, it is rescued by a very interesting 8-9 pages talking about the levels of wealth during the 'dark ages' and showing that the burial need not be thought royal on the basis of the wealth buried there. Partly this was in response to comments made by Wallace-Hadrill and whilst I'm not totally convinced by the arguments, good points are made that there may well have been more specie in circulation than we suspect. Depending upon how the values are reckoned, the coins in the Sutton Hoo hoard wouldn't have paid for the wergild of one slave.
Elements in the background to the life of St Cuthbert and his early cult
A very readable essay this. Campbell should have taught other historians how to write in an engaging manner and all of our lives would have been improved by it. Although it would have been nice if he didn't quote key phrases in Latin. Here the great wealth of the Northumbrian church is demonstrated and the congeniality of life inside the monasteries. The similarities between the life styles of secular lords with their retinues and the religious elite is stressed. Considering the brutal nature of 8th century Northumbrian politics and the clubbability of some monasteries the wonder is that more nobles didn't opt out.
The East Anglian Sees before the Conquest
This is a surprisingly obscure corner of history; one that you are surprised that more isn't known about. You then stop, ponder what you can remember about bishops there and say, 'ah' and that's it. Campbell makes the most of what is suspected. It turns out that we don't have secure dates for the bishops, or are even certain as to where the sees were located (North Elmham, South Elmham or moving from one to the other?). It does seem that the great abbeys like Bury St Edmunds and Ely existed in surprising harmony with the bishops, even though they had lots more valuable land.
Asser's Life of Alfred
This essay predates the controversy surrounding the question of whether Asser is a fake. Campbell acknowledges that the question has been asked on one line and with the next dismisses it as baseless and the essay is all the better for it (If you are interested in this, R Abel's has provided the best discourse). Instead of going over the minutiae of real or not, this one concentrates on the influences that made this book what it is. These are mostly Frankish and not just Einhard. There is then a postscript which talks about inconsistencies found in Asser by Kirby and explains them. It's not a particularly enjoyable read and I found it a bit of a dud, but still more interesting than what a dated real or fake argument would have been.
England c991
Here society is looked at. The conviviality of high level entertainment at monasteries (very much a drinking and entertainment culture) gets mentioned and the many links between members of the ruling class. The sense of social and national cohesion is well made out. This changed not long after as the stresses of Viking invasions and the rise of new men, such as Eadric Streona took their toll.
Was it infancy in England? Some questions of comparison
This title is misleading to the point of me wondering if there was a clerical error. Instead of tales of children we have an account of the strength of England's 11th century economy, with a few comparisons to that of Picardy and the like. In 1086, England had had a unified currency for ages and contained roughly 6,000 watermills and 80,000 plough teams, whereas Picardy alone had twenty different coinages in circulation,
Some agents and agencies of the late Anglo-Saxon State
This has a great joke on the first page concerning someone expressing doubts about the early medieval kingdoms, in contrast to the late medieval Italian City States, being sufficiently developed enough to pay for mercenaries. Campbell's response was to suggest that they go tell that to the lithsmen. If you're not laughing, you should be learning. This essay looks at who was involved in the administration of the late A/S state and the answer is a lot of people. 5% of the population of Leominster were reeves, beadles or radmen. It seems that a role in the administration was a good way to get on in the world. Especially if you weren't caught out in any fiddles, such as the geld collector in Devon who had £40 that should have been sent on. Probably just resting in his account, as Father Ted would say.....
The sale of land and the economics of power in early England: problems and possibilities
I found this one to be a little bit tricky. There is a lot we aren't sure about regarding land transactions. Widsith hints at early grants from kings being in return for a consideration. Gifts of land may not have been gifts when they involved a counter gift of mancuses. Treasure may have been a more important source of prestige than land if you go by written sources.
Stubbs and the English State and Stenton's Anglo-Saxon England
These are just straight historiography and I didn't fancy either.
June 20, 2007
Great collection of essays crucial for understanding the Anglo-Saxon state.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews