High-reeve facts for kids
A High-reeve was an important leader or official in Anglo-Saxon England during the 900s and 1000s. The word high-reeve comes from the Old English term hēahgerēfa. These officials were especially well-known in the area of Bamburgh, a significant place at the time. However, the title was also used in other parts of England, like by Ordulf, who was a "High-Reeve of Dumnonia."
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High-Reeve: An Important Anglo-Saxon Job
The first time we might see a mention of a high-reeve is in a set of laws from Edmund I of England, who was king in the 900s. In these laws, an official called a summus praepositus is mentioned, which might be an early form of the high-reeve title.
Some historians, like Alfred Smyth, think the idea of a heah-gerefa might have been influenced by a Scottish title called mormaer. A mormaer was thought to mean "great steward," which is similar to the role a high-reeve played.
The Value of a High-Reeve
In an old Anglo-Saxon law document called the North People's Law, a high-reeve's life had a specific value. This value was called a wergild, which was the amount of money paid to a family if someone was killed. A high-reeve's wergild was set at four thousand thrymsas. A thrymsa was a type of coin or unit of value.
This amount was the same as the wergild for a "hold", another important official. However, it was half the wergild of an "ealdorman", who was an even higher-ranking leader, often in charge of a large area.
What Did a High-Reeve Do?
Historian Ann Williams believes that the High-Reeve originally worked in towns. Their main job was to help or stand in for an ealdorman. But unlike other officials who helped ealdormen, high-reeves could also lead armies in their local areas. This made them very powerful figures in Anglo-Saxon society.
Hogrefe: A Similar Title in Germany
The word Hogrefe (from Low Saxon hoghe greve) was a title used by judges in parts of Northern Germany. You might also see it as a surname today, like Hogrebe or Hogrewe. These judges were in charge of local courts called Gogerichts. These courts were mainly found in areas that were once part of the Duchy of Saxony, especially in regions like Westphalia and Lower Saxony.
The first mention of a Hogrefe-like figure appeared in a document from Medebach in 1164. The title continued to be used until the 1600s, especially in areas that later became part of Electoral Hanover, which is now the German state of Lower Saxony.
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