In Anglo-Saxon social mobility, which status could a peasant who prospered and owned five hides of land become?

• A. Theyne
• B. King
• C. Slave
• D. Ceorl

Answer: (A)

In Anglo-Saxon England, social mobility for free men depended on land ownership and service to a lord. A ceorl (free peasant) who amasses enough land and resources can be elevated to thegn (also spelled thane or theyne), a free noble retainer who held land and owed military service. Owning five hides signals substantial landholding and the means to sustain a household, which aligns with the status of a thegn rather than remaining a ceorl. Thegns were part of the king’s or a lord’s retinue, enjoying prestige and responsibilities that place them above ordinary free peasants but below the king. So the most fitting status for a prosperous peasant with five hides is Theyne.