Who were the Housecarls?

• A. Highly-trained troops who stayed with their lord as a bodyguard
• B. The tax collectors
• C. The townsfolk
• D. The king's scribes

Answer: (A)

Housecarls were the king’s or a lord’s personal, professional soldiers—elite bodyguards who stayed with their lord as part of his household. They were highly trained and well equipped, sworn to protect the lord in war and peace, and they formed a trusted core of his military retinue. Unlike the fyrd, which was a part-time levy of free men called up in wartime, housecarls were a standing, permanent force. They lived in the lord’s hall and served as his dedicated fighters, not tax collectors, townsfolk, or scribes, who had very different roles in administration and society. The term itself reflects their role as household protectors and professional soldiers.