The Formation of the English Kingdom in the Tenth Century, by George Molyneaux

Abstract

This book offers analysis of the making of the kingdom of the English in the tenth century, organised around a firmly stated argument. The author has in his sights the work of James Campbell and Patrick Wormald on the sophistication of the late Anglo-Saxon state, to which the book is presented as a rejoinder. Whereas Campbell emphasised the antiquity of many governmental structures, and Wormald regarded Alfred as the founding figure, Molyneaux makes the case for seeing Edgar’s reign as the key period of administrative change by associating his rule with a package of innovations. Some of these are well attested and known, notably the coinage reform of c.973, the promotion of Benedictine monasticism and the appointment of agents of southern origin to high office at York. But Molyneaux also makes the case for associating Edgar with developments the chronology of which has been debated: namely, the formation of midlands shires, the full establishment of the system of hundreds and wapentakes, and the emergence of the shire court and shire-reeve. The effect of these claims, as Molyneaux presents them, is to qualify Campbell’s view of late Anglo-Saxon government in respect of chronology: the emergence of structures engaging intensively with the mass of the population was, Molyneaux argues, the outcome of reforms under Edgar, and did not antedate his reign. Moreover, Molyneaux enlists his administrative analysis in a further argument against Wormald on the importance of ‘English’ political identity. Whereas Wormald emphasised the role of a nascent sense of ‘English’ identity as a pre-condition for unity, Molyneaux argues that standardised administrative practices in the territory ruled by Alfred’s successors emerged only in the second half of the tenth century, and that the consolidation of ‘English’ political identity may be best explained as a consequence of Edgar’s rule.