What was the Witan?

• A. A council that advised the king on governing.
• B. A royal treasure department.
• C. A religious court.
• D. A foreign diplomatic corps.

Answer: (A)

The Witan was the Anglo-Saxon king’s council, a gathering of leading nobles and churchmen who advised the king on governing. It brought together earls, bishops, and other important figures to discuss and shape big decisions—laws, taxation to fund wars, appointments, and royal succession. Because the king’s authority depended on the counsel and consent of these powerful figures, the Witan acted as a key source of guidance and legitimacy for policy, even if the king could still decide in practice. It isn’t a royal treasury, a religious court, or a foreign diplomatic corps; those roles belonged to other institutions. Nor was it a fixed, formal parliament with constant procedures—its membership and influence varied over time, but its input was central to governance in the period.