Classes

Classes

Modern (1930s) Saxon England has many classes.

Nobles -- Most members of the nobility have inherited their rank,

Earls -- Technically, one of the 50 members of the House of Earls. England is divided into fifty earldoms. The earls have many powers, including military. Each earl has his own military band, and the earls sometimes war with one another.

Aldermen -- The chief magistrate of an earldom.

Witan -- The House of Earls and the House of Thanes.

gemot -- local judicial assembly

A man ranking above an ordinary freeman and below a nobleman in Anglo-Saxon England. A freeman granted land by the king in return for military service in Anglo-Saxon England

witan -- An Anglo-Saxon advisory council to the king, composed of about 100 nobles, prelates, and other officials, convened at intervals to discuss administrative and judicial affairs.

when an earl dies, his eldest surviving son becomes earl; if he has no sons, his eldest surviving grandson; if he has no grandsons, his eldest surviving brother; if he has no brothers, his eldest surviving uncle; if he has no uncles, the King may name a new Earl.

not until the age of 14 may an earl participate in the House of Earls.

An earl may only be deposed by 25 votes in the House of Earls, in which case normal rules of succession apply.

When a king dies, the House of Earls assembles to choose another king from any of the surviving sons or grandsons of any past king.

The House of Earls would like the power to remove the king, but they have never had this power.

It is a tradition for the House of Earls to request three priveleges from the elected king, and for the elected king to choose one of the three priveleges to give to the House of Earls. In this way, the House of Earls has gradually acquired more power over time. To counterbalance this, starting in the reign of ----, the House of Earls offered one privelege to the House of Aldermen, so it too is gradually growing in power.

Review the Magna Carta

The housekirk is a house church and has grown up as a threat to the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland.

No United Kingdom.

Prince -- any son or grandson of a king is called a prince; only the princes may become king (need another word for it)

oneness

Constant battles with Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Currently Wales has a number of Earldoms. The main character's father (a prince) won fame during the Scottish Uprising.

Nuns emerge as nurses in the battles of the front.

On Christmas they sing Stille Nacht.

"We will fight on the beaches, we will fight on the shores, we will never give up, we will never give in."

Make an equivalent to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle -- concise yearly summaries

Plot --

think they will attack?

House of Earls declines to assist the Republic of France

one Earl commits his troops anyway (as is his right) and goes to France

that Earl dies in battle

The English pride themselves on military leaders who will fight with their troops. As a result, many of their kings have died in battle.

They claim to be the oldest monarchy in "Europe" since every king has been descended from Harold Godwinson (Harold the Defender)

the Earls are for the most part xenophobic and against foreign wars

Roman Catholic Church is in favor of foreign intervention to defend Catholics in Spain and France against the Lutherans

Germans get help from the Scots?

France will fall quicker than anyone expects

Many French flee to England

Germany attacks Spain next

undersea boats clear the sea lanes

the Great War -- France had defeated Germany, with assistance from Louisiana and Spain

when Spain falls, many Spanish flee to England as well

many have tried to conquer England and have failed: William the Bastard, French (after victory at Agincourt in 1415), Spanish Armada (1500s), (1600s), the Dutch (1700s), Napoleon (1800s)

aldermen now elected for five years by any landholding man; by tradition commoners, especially merchants