The activity surrounding burhs undercuts the label Dark Ages as a picture of an inactive society. Anglo-Saxon defense expected a larger share of the population to bear arms, but those fighters did not make war their main profession. Household troops already pointed toward a more professional model before 1066, and Norman feudalism carried that change further. The feudal system can be read as a method for assigning land and labor to support trained warriors with better equipment. The cost of armed forces that also preserved order and stability remained central to government for centuries.
Notable Point · 2:29:30-2:31:32
Burhs and feudalism answer different manpower problems
Anglo-Saxon fortified towns supported broad part-time military participation, while the developing feudal order financed smaller bodies of professional soldiers.