Discussion And Analysis About Anglo-Saxon Law

By the end of Roman Britain, many Germans from the northern Europe migrated into the Britain. These peoples were mainly from three tribes that are the Angels, Saxons and Jutes, which had been called Anglo-Saxons. After the Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity, the Church enters the concepts and technologies of the European continent, the ancient customs of the Anglo-Saxons had been recorded, and the first Anglo-Saxon Code was produced, that is AEthelberht Code. From the king of Kent AEthelberht, a series of Anglo-Saxon codes had been promulgated, until the last one Cnut code; these legal texts of the Anglo-Saxons are generally called as the Anglo-Saxon law codes. This dissertation examines the Anglo-Saxon Law on the basis of these legal documents, and in order to be helpful for understanding the early history of British.The dissertation is divided into nine parts:exordium and eight chapters.The exordium mainly includes the summaries of the research from home and aboard, and the introduction of background knowledge, namely the concise history of Anglo-Saxon England.Chapter one discusses the legislative history of the Anglo-Saxon England, more than ten codes and other legal texts are introduced and investigated.Chapter two discusses the division of social classes and its evolution; investigate the status of the people in the Anglo-Saxon law. First of all, the nobility of Anglo-Saxon England is to research, and mainly narrates the ealdorman, gesith and thegn. Secondly, I discuss the common freeman which is called ceorl, and the decline of ceorl and its dividing. The next id about the non-freeman, mainly discusses the source and manumission of the slaves. Finally, I narrate the characteristic about the evolution of social ranks, and the change is analyzed and summarized.Chapter three discusses the Anglo-Saxon judicial system. First of all, the judicial function of the early assembly is investigated, and I analyze the judicial function of the Witan. Then I talk about the rise of local court in tenth century, including the court of shire, Hundred and borough, and investigate the judicial power of the lord. Finally, the trial system of Anglo-Saxon era is to be discussed.Chapter four discusses the categories of offence and the regulation, it is the criminal law by the modern concept, include homicide, the personal injury, theft, adultery and others.Chapter five discusses the land customs and the land law. First of all, the folk land in early age is to investigate, and then I narrate the emergence of book land in seven century and its development. After that the folk land and book land in practice is to study, and finally investigate the feudal germination in the land system. Chapter six discusses the movables; mainly analyze the control of the movables, the sales, and the alienability, succession and bequest of the movables.Chapters seven discusses the rules relating to marriage and family. Four aspects of the marriage and family are to investigate, and which are kinship, marriage, husband and wife, the guardian of a child.The last Chapter is a summary. First of all, I discuss the characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon law, and then investigate the relationship to the church, king and the law.