OCR Specification focus:
‘Edgar’s reforms: legal codes, charters, the role of the Witan, improvements in local government and administration, coinage’
Edgar’s reign (957–975) marked a period of political stability and administrative consolidation, during which his reforms strengthened royal authority and improved governance across England.
Background to Edgar’s Reforms
Edgar inherited a relatively stable kingdom, benefiting from the work of earlier kings to consolidate the realm. His reign allowed for a focus on administrative efficiency, legal codification, and economic regulation, rather than constant warfare. The absence of major Viking incursions gave Edgar the opportunity to refine the machinery of governance.
Legal Codes
Edgar issued a series of legal codes intended to enforce royal authority and standardise justice across his territories.
These codes aimed to maintain law and order, prevent feuds, and ensure that punishments were consistent.
They promoted Christian moral values, reflecting the influence of Church leaders.
Laws addressed:
Theft and violent crime
Maintenance of public peace
Obligations of subjects towards the king and Church
Legal Code: A formal written collection of laws issued by a ruler or government to regulate behaviour and administer justice.
Edgar’s legislation also reinforced the obligation of oaths of loyalty to the king, with penalties for breaking such commitments. The codes reveal a deliberate attempt to unify diverse regions under a single legal standard.
Charters
Charters under Edgar formalised the transfer of land, rights, and privileges. They were legal documents, often witnessed by leading figures, that confirmed royal grants or settlements of disputes.
Charters strengthened the bond between the king and his supporters.
They provided a written record of royal authority over land distribution.
Many charters also detailed religious endowments, linking secular authority with ecclesiastical power.
Charter: A written document granting specific rights, land, or privileges, often sealed and witnessed for authenticity.
Charters (royal diplomas) under Edgar formalised land grants, immunities and obligations, and projected sacral kingship in concert with reforming bishops.
Frontispiece to the New Minster Charter (966), showing King Edgar offering the charter to Christ, flanked by Mary and St Peter. The miniature presents royal authority, law-giving and ecclesiastical patronage as mutually reinforcing. Image credit: British Library, Cotton MS Vespasian A viii, f. 2v. Some artistic iconography goes beyond the OCR syllabus but clarifies the charter’s political-religious messaging. Source
The Role of the Witan
The Witan (also called the Witenagemot) was the king’s council of nobles, bishops, and other influential figures.
Functioned as an advisory body on laws, taxation, and foreign policy.
Played a role in confirming royal succession.
Discussed matters of governance, legal disputes, and administrative changes.
Served as a forum for consensus-building, ensuring support from the most powerful magnates.
Edgar worked closely with the Witan, which helped maintain political unity across England’s various regions.
Witness lists in Edgar’s diplomas functioned as participation by the Witan, revealing the roles of bishops, ealdormen and royal officers in sanctioning royal acts.
Latin page from King Edgar’s New Minster Charter (966), recording legal grants and formulae typical of royal diplomas. Such documents structured obligations and immunities, with witness lists signalling high-level approval. This image focuses on the written instrument itself; any detailed palaeography exceeds the syllabus but aids authenticity. Source
Improvements in Local Government and Administration
Edgar refined the local administrative structure to make governance more effective.
Shire and hundred courts were vital in applying royal law at the local level.
Ealdormen (senior nobles) and reeves (local officials) enforced justice, collected taxes, and organised local defence.
Clearer administrative boundaries improved law enforcement and tax collection.
Strengthened royal oversight reduced the potential for local powerholders to act independently.
Processes in Local Governance
Appointment of trusted royal officials to supervise key areas.
Regular assemblies to ensure communication between the crown and local authorities.
Maintenance of records for taxation, landholding, and disputes.
Coinage Reform
Edgar introduced reforms to the English coinage system, which had important economic and political consequences.
Coin designs were standardised across the kingdom, ensuring uniform quality and weight.
This reduced fraud, increased public confidence, and made trade more reliable.
Centralised control of mints reinforced the symbolic authority of the king, as coins bore his image and name.
The reform facilitated taxation and payment of dues in a consistent currency.
Coinage Reform: The standardisation and regulation of a currency system to ensure uniform value, quality, and official control.
Edgar’s coinage policy centred on the silver penny, tightening oversight of weight, fineness and mint practice to reinforce royal authority.
Late Saxon silver penny of Edgar the Peaceful (moneyer Folchard), pre-reform type (AD 959–973). It illustrates denomination, inscriptions and moneyer naming that underpinned fiscal administration. Note: this specimen predates the c.973 reform; that chronological nuance exceeds the syllabus but clarifies what changed. Source
Integration of Church and State in Governance
Edgar’s reforms cannot be separated from the influence of the Church. Many of his laws reflected Christian doctrine, and senior Church leaders were instrumental in the drafting and enforcement of legislation.
Bishops often served as royal advisors and were active in legal proceedings.
Monasteries benefited from charters, securing land and privileges that reinforced both religious and royal authority.
The Church’s literacy and record-keeping skills were essential for administration.
Key Features of Edgar’s Reforms
Centralisation of power under the king
Standardisation of laws and procedures
Integration of local and national governance
Economic stability through coinage reform
Strong king-Church alliance
Reasons for the Success of Edgar’s Reforms
Political stability during his reign allowed for administrative focus.
Collaboration with both secular magnates and the Church.
Effective communication and enforcement via local officials and the Witan.
Economic measures that increased trust in governance and trade.
Impact on Later English Governance
Edgar’s administrative and legal reforms provided a framework for central authority that endured beyond his reign. His emphasis on law, order, and economic regulation influenced the governance of subsequent kings, contributing to the development of a more unified English kingdom.
FAQ
Edgar’s codes placed greater emphasis on uniformity across the whole kingdom, ensuring the same laws applied in both former Danish and West Saxon territories.
They also incorporated stronger Christian moral guidance, influenced by senior Church figures, and placed a greater focus on loyalty oaths to the king.
Earlier codes, while structured, often varied more regionally and were less explicitly tied to centralised royal authority.
Standardising weight, design, and quality created greater confidence in English currency, making it more acceptable to traders from abroad.
This reduced disputes over payment, simplified exchange, and strengthened England’s commercial links with markets in Scandinavia and the Continent.
It also reinforced England’s economic stability, encouraging merchants to operate within the royal monetary system rather than using foreign coinage.
Witness lists acted as a public record of political alliances, showing which magnates, bishops, and officials were aligned with the king.
They provided evidence of elite support for royal decisions, which could be crucial in deterring challenges to grants or legal rulings.
Such lists also reinforced the social hierarchy, placing the most important figures closest to the king’s name in the document.
Monasteries often acted as repositories for charters, preserving them in archives for legal reference.
Monastic scribes, skilled in Latin, prepared and copied these documents, ensuring they were legible and accurate.
Some religious houses benefited directly from charters granting land, privileges, or immunity from certain taxes, making their role both practical and self-interested.
The Witan could advise on the content of legal codes, suggesting clauses that reflected local needs or elite interests.
They ensured new laws had broad acceptance among leading nobles and clergy, making enforcement more effective.
In some cases, they mediated between the king and local authorities, smoothing the implementation of reforms without provoking resistance.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks)
Name two key features of Edgar’s coinage reforms.
Mark scheme:
1 mark for each correct feature identified (maximum 2 marks).
Acceptable answers include:
Standardisation of coin designs across the kingdom.
Ensuring uniform quality and weight of coins.
Centralised control of mints.
Inclusion of the king’s image and name on coins.
Question 2 (5 marks)
Explain how Edgar’s charters and the role of the Witan contributed to the governance of England.
Mark scheme:
1–2 marks: Basic description of either charters or the Witan, showing limited understanding of their functions.
3–4 marks: Clear explanation of both charters and the Witan, with some detail on how each supported governance (e.g., charters recording land grants, Witan advising the king).
5 marks: Detailed explanation linking charters and Witan to wider governance, showing clear understanding of their complementary roles in law-making, administration, and political unity.
Key points for credit:Charters recorded grants, rights, and legal obligations, strengthening royal authority.
Charters often involved religious endowments, reinforcing the Church–state alliance.
The Witan advised on laws, taxation, and succession, ensuring decisions had elite support.
Witness lists in charters demonstrated the Witan’s involvement in legitimising royal acts.
