British and Irish History

The Oxford Companion to British History A Dictionary of British History Further reading

housecarls

The Oxford Companion to British History | 2002 | | Copyright

housecarls were the immediate bodyguard of Danish and late Saxon kings, the nucleus of the army. They were introduced by Cnut and were similar to Saxon thegns. They were men of some rank, with a strong code of honour and service. Though by 1066 they did not necessarily reside at court, they were ready at short notice. Harold's housecarls at Hastings are said to have died in heaps around their fallen king. Modern scholarship has questioned the extent to which the housecarls formed an élite corps.

J. A. Cannon

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JOHN CANNON. "housecarls." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-housecarls.html

JOHN CANNON. "housecarls." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-housecarls.html

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housecarls

A Dictionary of British History | 2004 | | Copyright

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

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JOHN CANNON. "housecarls." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN CANNON. "housecarls." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-housecarls.html

JOHN CANNON. "housecarls." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-housecarls.html

Learn more about citation styles