fyrd

[ furd ]

noun

1. the militia in Anglo-Saxon England.
2. the duty to serve in this militia.

fyrd

/ faɪəd; fɪəd /

noun

1. history the local militia of an Anglo-Saxon shire, in which all freemen had to serve

Word History and Origins

Origin of fyrd¹

< Old English fyrd, fierd, akin to faran to go, fare

Example Sentences

But the contemporary writer of the Chronicle speaks of Eadric's forces as the "fyrd," a term which is always used for the native levy, "here" being the term used for alien troops.

From Project Gutenberg

Frigg, old Northern goddess, 308 Fulbert, Bishop, 227 Funen, Danish Island, 190, 287 "Fyrd," the, 77 n.

From Project Gutenberg

Her old Fyrd, the Anglo-Saxon militia system, was reorganized by Henry II. and again by Edward I. By the latter’s “Statute of Winchester” every able-bodied man was bound not only to possess arms on a scale proportionate to his wealth, but also to learn their use.

From Project Gutenberg

The fyrd was gradually superseded by the gathering of the thegns and their retainers, but it was occasionally called out for defensive purposes even after the Norman Conquest.

From Project Gutenberg

The ealdorman, or sheriff, of the shire was probably charged with the duty of calling out and leading the fyrd, which appears always to have retained a local character, as during the time of the Danish invasions we read of the fyrd of Kent, of Somerset and of Devon.

From Project Gutenberg