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GCSE History · key term
The Anglo-Saxon council of leading nobles and churchmen that advised the king.
Used by AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Paper 2
A council of leading Anglo-Saxon nobles and churchmen which advised the king and helped choose his successor.
Revise: Causes of Norman ConquestThe Witan, a council of leading nobles and churchmen, helped choose the new king. Without one universally accepted successor, several men could put forward different arguments for why they should rule.
Paper 2
A council of leading nobles and churchmen that advised an Anglo-Saxon king and approved the choice of a new king.
Revise: Government, Economy and SocietyThe Witan was a council of leading nobles and churchmen, including earls, bishops and archbishops. It advised the king about matters such as foreign threats, religious questions and disputes over land.
The council of leading Anglo-Saxon nobles and churchmen which advised the king and approved the choice of a new king.
The council of leading Anglo-Saxon nobles and churchmen involved in choosing and advising the king.
Paper 2
An Anglo-Saxon council of leading nobles and bishops that advised the king and helped choose his successor.
Revise: Anglo-Saxon Kingship and the Norman ConquestAlongside leading bishops, they formed the Witan, which advised the king and helped decide who should succeed him.
Paper 1
The council of leading nobles and churchmen that advised Anglo-Saxon kings.
Revise: ReligionBishops served on the Witan, the council that advised the king. Their education and religious authority made them influential political figures. Religion and government were therefore closely connected rather than separate parts of life.
The council of leading Anglo-Saxon nobles and advisers whose support helped determine who became king.
Support judgements with precise details, such as Edward’s death on 5 January 1066, Harold’s coronation the following day and the Witan’s support.
Distinguish the Witan's advice from its role in approving a new king: the king did not have to follow its advice.
Distinguish religious belief from Church power: concern about the afterlife explains worship, while landownership and membership of the Witan explain political influence.
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