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FYRD

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Originally appearing in Volume V11, Page 376 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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FYRD , the name given to the See also:

English See also:army, or See also:militia, during the Anglo-Saxon See also:period (see ARMY, 6o). It is first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon See also:Chronicle under the date 6o5.The ealdorman, or See also:sheriff, of the See also:shire was probably charged with the See also:duty of calling out and leading the fyrd, which appears always to have retained a See also:local See also:character, as during the See also:time of the Danish invasions we read of the fyrd of See also:Kent, of See also:Somerset and of See also:Devon. As attendance at the fyrd was included in the trinoda See also:necessitas it was compulsory on all holders of See also:land; but that it was not confined to them is shown by the following See also:extract from the See also:laws of See also:Ine, See also:king of the See also:West See also:Saxons, dated about 69o, which prescribes the See also:penalty for the serious offence of neglecting the fyrd: " If a gesithcund See also:man owning land neglect the fyrd, let him pay 120 shillings, and forfeit his land; one not owning land 6o shillings; a ceorlish man 30 shillings as fyrdwite." The fyrd was gradually superseded by the gathering of the thegns and their retainers, but it was occasionally called out for defensive purposes even after the See also:Norman See also:Conquest.

End of Article: FYRD

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