The Witenagemot was the king's council in Anglo-Saxon England; its members were called witan (meaning wise man). The place and time of council meetings was decided by the king. The council was comprised of nobles and clergymen summoned by the king, and its function was to advise the king. The Witenagemot also held the power of electing and deposing kings.
New kings were elected by the members of the council. The Witenagemot chose the new king from the members of the royal family; still the council tended to follow the principle of primogeniture. They could also depose an unpopular king, but this rarely happened. The only kings to be deposed were Sigeberht of Wessex in 757 and Alhred of Northumbria in 774.
Even if the Witenagemot had very limited powers, some times more symbolic than real, it demonstrates that the king needed the support of local nobles and clergymen in his reign. They advised the king on important issues, such as taxation, legal matters, security (both domestic and foreign), grants of land and church matters.
After the Normans conquered England in 1066, they replaced the Witenagemot with the Curia Regis (meaning King's Council). This was similar to the Witenagemot, but with a more complex structure, including a permanent council. In the 13th century, the Curia Regis became the Parliament, which has evolved throughout the centuries to its current form.
New kings were elected by the members of the council. The Witenagemot chose the new king from the members of the royal family; still the council tended to follow the principle of primogeniture. They could also depose an unpopular king, but this rarely happened. The only kings to be deposed were Sigeberht of Wessex in 757 and Alhred of Northumbria in 774.
Even if the Witenagemot had very limited powers, some times more symbolic than real, it demonstrates that the king needed the support of local nobles and clergymen in his reign. They advised the king on important issues, such as taxation, legal matters, security (both domestic and foreign), grants of land and church matters.
After the Normans conquered England in 1066, they replaced the Witenagemot with the Curia Regis (meaning King's Council). This was similar to the Witenagemot, but with a more complex structure, including a permanent council. In the 13th century, the Curia Regis became the Parliament, which has evolved throughout the centuries to its current form.
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