They were
also chief magistrates of large jurisdictional areas of land. The
witan included officers of the king's household and perhaps other
of his retinue. There was little distinction then between his
gesith, fighting men, guards, household companions, dependents,
and servants. The king was sometimes accompanied by his wife and
sons at the witanagemot. A king was selected by the witan
according to his worthiness, usually from among the royal family,
and could be deposed by it. The witan and king decided on laws,
taxes, and transfers of land. They made determinations of war and
peace and directed the army and the fleet. The king wore a crown
or royal helmet. He extended certain protections by the king's
peace. He could erect castles and bridges and could provide a
special protection to strangers.
A king had not only a wergeld to be paid to his family if he were
killed, but a "cynebot" of equal amount that would be paid to his
kingdom's people. A king's household had a chamberlain for the
royal bedchamber, a marshall to oversee the horses and military
equipment, a steward as head of household, and a cupbearer. The
king had income from fines for breach of his peace; fines and
forfeitures from courts dealing with criminal and civil cases;
salvage from ship wrecks; treasure trove [assets hidden or buried
in times of war]; treasures of the earht such as gold and silver;
mines; saltworks; tolls and other dues of markets, ports, and the
routes by land and by river generally; heriot from heirs of his
special dependents for possession of land (usually in kind,
principally in horses and weapons).
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