... or ealdorman would head a band of warriors the strength of which would determine his political power. The constitution of such warbands is uncertain but would most likely have consisted of the lord's immediate kinsmen and the best warriors in the area. The success that a particular warband achieved would then ... that the members of the warband were not mercenaries, the relationship between a lord and his warband was a long term affair and held in high esteem by both parties. These men would develop close bonds based on shared dangers in battle. The reciprocal nature of the relationshi...

• Word Count: 4216
• Approx Pages: 17
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate