witan
/ˈwɪtən
/noun
Another term for witenagemot.In a general sense, Parliament may be traced back to the Saxon witan and the Norman Council, each of which included the chief men of the realm, lay and clerical....
- Succession to the throne was not guaranteed as the witan, or council of leaders, had the right to choose the best successor from the members of the royal house.
- Administrative institutions such as kin, hundred, borough, and witan figure prominently, as do feast, fast day, religiosity, and language.
Origin
Representing the Old English plural of wita 'wise man'.