The Witan: Anglo-Saxon Council That Chose Kings

Before the Norman Conquest, England's kings were not absolute rulers. They were advised — and sometimes chosen — by a council of nobles and clergy called the witan. This episode explores who sat on the witan, how it worked, and its role in shaping the monarchy. Lucas and Luna discuss the witan's powers: electing kings, consenting to laws, approving land grants, and even deposing rulers. They examine key moments like the election of Athelstan in 924, the deposition of Æthelred the Unready in 1013, and the controversial choice of Harold Godwinson in 1066 — did the witan really elect him? They also untangle the meaning of the word 'witan' (wise men) and its connection to the modern phrase 'to wit.' Along the way, they touch on the witan's murky origins in Germanic tradition, its composition of ealdormen, thegns, and bishops, and how it evolved through the reigns of Alfred, Cnut, and Edward the Confessor. What happened to the witan after Hastings? Did it survive as the curia regis? This episode offers a fresh angle on the politics behind England's early kingship. #Witan #AngloSaxon #England #WitenaGemot #Kingship #Athelstan #HaroldGodwinson #Æthelred #Cnut #EdwardTheConfessor #AlfredTheGreat #Ealdormen #Thegns #Law #MedievalHistory #BritishHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo