The laws of the kingdom were set out in the king’s law book (domboc), which was published in 893. This domboc compiled the laws of his predecessors into one document. In addition to this Alfred attached the domboc composed under King Ine, King of Wessex from 688 to 726. According to Patrick Wormald, an eminent historian on Alfred, such a document was not intended to actual set out the definitive laws of the land, but rather show the ideas that were held by Alfred and what he hoped for. There are six manuscripts of the code still in existence dating from 925-950.

Within the Alfredian legal system cases were decided by local assemblies with disputed cases being referred to the king for judgement. According to Asser Alfred went above and beyond this role, reviewing many of the judgements passed where he had not presided to see whether or not he agreed with their outcome.

Being able to read English became an important requirement for ealdormen, reeves and thegns, given that Asser claims Alfred demanded his judges were literate, and those that were not were to lose their office.




A page of the Peterborough Chroncile that holds the earliest surviving copy of Ine's law code
Public domain