Alfred's Law Code: How the King of Wessex Made Justice English

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Alfred the Great's law code, a foundational text in English legal history. Alfred compiled and adapted earlier laws from the kingdoms of Kent, Mercia, and Wessex, prefacing them with a translation of the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule. The code reveals how Alfred sought to unify his realm through Christian justice, blending biblical precepts with Anglo-Saxon tradition. Lucas explains how the laws were enforced through a hierarchy of courts, from the shire court to the king's own judgment, and how the concept of 'bot' (compensation) was central to Anglo-Saxon justice. They discuss specific laws, such as those protecting women and the church, and how Alfred's code influenced later English common law. The episode also touches on the manuscript tradition, including the unique copy in the Parker Library at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. #AlfredTheGreat #AngloSaxonLaw #HistoryOfLaw #Wessex #MedievalJustice #EnglishCommonLaw #TenCommandments #KingAlfred #Bot #Wergild #ShireCourt #ParkerLibrary #AngloSaxonChronicle #MosaicLaw #LegalHistory #FexingoHistory #MedievalHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo