Family and Society in Early Medieval England, c.600 - 1050

The family and its evolution have traditionally occupied a central place in some of the most influential grand narratives of early medieval English and European history. This book undertakes the first extensive study of the family and its place within wider society in early medieval England (c. 600–1050), with the aim of challenging some of these long-established narratives.

Through interrogating a broad range of evidence not typically brought together in studies of the family, including law codes, penitentials, poetry, and wills, the book explores how people perceived, practised, and felt about their family relationships, as well as what the family’s wider role within society was, especially regarding identity and political culture. Most significantly, the book argues that, contrary to received wisdom, the role and importance of the family did not decline with the rise of lordship and with growing royal authority and political centralisation. In pushing back against this narrative about English society’s development, the book argues that kingship and the family existed in a more interdependent and co-operative relationship than has previously been recognised. The book also argues for the centrality of the immediate family in particular throughout this period, and considers how a person’s experience of their family relationships could be shaped by issues such as gender and socio-economic status.

The book will appeal to scholars and students of early medieval England and Europe more widely, especially those with an interest in social and cultural history.