The Anglo-Saxon period
History of Anglo-Saxon England
Anglo-Saxon England was early medieval England, existing from the 5th to the 11th centuries from the end of Roman Britain until the Norman conquest in 1066. It consisted of various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms until 927 when it was united as the Kingdom of England by King Æthelstan. It became part of the short-lived North Sea Empire of Cnut the Great, a personal union between England, Denmark and Nor…
What is the difference between Anglo - Saxon and Celtic?
The truth be told there is not much difference between the English and “Celtic” people of Britain. The Anglo Saxons aswell as the Normans were a small group of people mainly the ruling class. The country now known as England was filled by “Celtic” tribes.
What is Anglo - Saxon mythology?
What is Anglo – Saxon mythology? Anglo-Saxon mythology refers to the Migration Period Germanic paganism practiced by the English peoples in 5th to 7th century England. Contents. Origins and history. The Anglo-Saxons, composed of tribes of the Angles, Saxons , Friesian and Jutes , arrived in Britain from southern Scandinavia, the Netherlands and northern Germany.
What are some Anglo Saxon words?
- c/o
- cade
- cadge
- cadger
- cakewalk
- calf
- call
- call girl
- caller
- callow
What are the values of the Anglo Saxon culture?
What were the nine Anglo Saxon values?
- Courage and selflessness.
- Truth.
- Honor.
- Fidelity.
- Discipline and Duty.
- Hospitality.
- Industriousness.
- Self-reliance.
Why was the Anglo-Saxon period important?
The Anglo-Saxon period includes the creation of an English nation, with many of the aspects that survive today, including regional government of shires and hundreds. During this period, Christianity was re-established and there was a flowering of literature and language. Charters and law were also instituted.
What event began the Anglo-Saxon period?
Early Anglo-Saxon history (410–660) The early Anglo-Saxon period covers the history of medieval Britain that starts from the end of Roman rule. It is a period widely known in European history as the Migration Period, also the Völkerwanderung ("migration of peoples" in German).
What did the Anglo-Saxon do?
The Anglo-Saxons were warrior-farmers and came from north-western Europe. They began to invade Britain while the Romans were still in control. The Anglo-Saxons were tall, fair-haired men, armed with swords and spears and round shields. They loved fighting and were very fierce.
How did the Anglo-Saxon period end?
Anglo-Saxon rule came to an end in 1066, soon after the death of Edward the Confessor, who had no heir. He had supposedly willed the kingdom to William of Normandy, but also seemed to favour Harold Godwinson as his successor.
What was life like during the Anglo-Saxon period?
Most Anglo-Saxons were farmers and lived off the land. They were able to make equipment such as ploughs and tools to help them in their work. They would grind wheat to make flour so they could make bread. Some Anglo-Saxons were skilled craftsmen who made decorative jewellery such as brooches and necklaces.
What was the Anglo-Saxon society like?
The Anglo-Saxon community in England was basically a rural one. Most people depended on the land for survival. At the top of the social system was the royal house. This consisted of the king and aethelings who claimed a common ancestry with the king.
What were the Saxons known for?
The two largest were the Angle and Saxon, which is how we've come to know them as the Anglo-Saxons today. They were fierce people, who fought many battles during their rule of Britain – often fighting each other! Each tribe was ruled by its own strong warrior who settled their people in different parts of the country.
Why is the Anglo-Saxon period called the Dark Ages?
The Anglo-Saxon period The period used to be known as the Dark Ages, mainly because written sources for the early years of Saxon invasion are scarce. However, most historians now prefer the terms 'early middle ages' or 'early medieval period'.
What is the biggest impact of Anglo-Saxons to our English today?
Modern English is the direct descendant of the Anglo-Saxon language. Without the Anglo-Saxons there wouldn't be an English language. The lasting impact is that in each time period of the English language there were words that the Anglo-Saxons used. The three time period of the English language are called Old English.
Who defeated the Anglo-Saxons?
Such raids were evolving into permanent Danish settlements; in 866, the Vikings seized York and established their own kingdom in the southern part of Northumbria. The Vikings overcame two other major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, East Anglia and Mercia, and their kings were either tortured to death or fled.
Did you know facts about the Anglo-Saxons?
Top 10 Facts about The Anglo-SaxonsThe Anglo-Saxons settled in Britain around 450AD. ... The Anglo-Saxons came from Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands. ... Many of the Anglo-Saxons that came over were farmers. ... The Anglo-Saxons had a very varied diet. ... The Anglo-Saxons lived in wooden huts. ... The first Anglo-Saxons were Pagans.More items...•
Why did the Anglo-Saxons invade England?
They wanted to fight Lots of Anglo-Saxons were warriors who enjoyed fighting. They thought the people who lived in Britain were weak. They went to invade because they thought they would be easy to beat without the Romans around.
Why did the Anglo-Saxon invade Britain?
They wanted to fight Lots of Anglo-Saxons were warriors who enjoyed fighting. They thought the people who lived in Britain were weak. They went to invade because they thought they would be easy to beat without the Romans around.
How did Anglo-Saxons invade Britain?
Near the end of Roman rule, Britain was being attacked by the Picts and Scots from the north, and the Anglo-Saxons from the sea. The Romans built forts to defend the coast and Hadrian's wall defended the north. Saxon warriors were invited to Britain in around AD380 to help the Romans fight the Picts.
Did you know facts about the Anglo-Saxons?
Top 10 Facts about The Anglo-SaxonsThe Anglo-Saxons settled in Britain around 450AD. ... The Anglo-Saxons came from Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands. ... Many of the Anglo-Saxons that came over were farmers. ... The Anglo-Saxons had a very varied diet. ... The Anglo-Saxons lived in wooden huts. ... The first Anglo-Saxons were Pagans.More items...•
What language did Anglo-Saxon speak?
Old EnglishWhat language did the Anglo-Saxons speak? The Anglo-Saxons spoke the language we now know as Old English, an ancestor of modern-day English. Its closest cousins were other Germanic languages such as Old Friesian, Old Norse and Old High German.
Who were the Anglo-Saxons?
Anglo-Saxon is a term traditionally used to describe the people who, from the 5th-century CE to the time of the Norman Conquest (1066), inhabited a...
Where did the Anglo-Saxons come from?
Archaeological evidence suggests that the first migrants to Britain from the Germanic areas of mainland Europe antedated the Roman withdrawal from...
What was the language of the Anglo-Saxons?
The peoples of the various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms spoke distinctive dialects, which evolved over time and together became known as Old English.
Where did the term Anglo-Saxon come from?
The term Anglo-Saxon seems to have been first used by Continental writers in the late 8th century to distinguish the Saxons of Britain from those o...
What did the Anglo-Saxons represent?
Ethnically, the Anglo-Saxons actually represented an admixture of Germanic peoples with Britain’s preexisting Celtic inhabitants and subsequent Viking and Danish invaders. Read More on This Topic. United Kingdom: Anglo-Saxon England.
When did the Anglo-Saxons become unified?
During that period, though, the various peoples commonly grouped together as Anglo-Saxons were not politically unified until the 9th century, and their reign over England was interrupted by 26 years of Danish rule that began in 1016 with the accession of Canute.
What is the Anglo-Saxon name?
Bede the Venerable had called Antiqui Saxones (“Old Saxons”). The name formed part of a title, rex Angul-Saxonum (“king of the Anglo-Saxons”), which was sometimes used by King Alfred of Wessex (reigned 871–99) and some of his successors. By the time of the Norman Conquest, the kingdom that had developed from the realm of the Anglo-Saxon peoples had become known as England, and Anglo-Saxon as a collective term for the region’s people was eventually supplanted by “English.” For some time thereafter, Anglo-Saxon persisted as an informal synonym for English, but that use diminished as emigrants from Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and other areas beyond northern Europe further reshaped Britain’s ethnic composition.
What is the name of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom?
The name formed part of a title, rex Angul-Saxonum (“king of the Anglo-Saxons”), which was sometimes used by King Alfred of Wessex (reigned 871–99) and some of his successors. By the time of the Norman Conquest, the kingdom that had developed from the realm of the Anglo-Saxon peoples had become known as England, ...
When did the Germanic tribes arrive in England?
Although Germanic foederati, allies of Roman and post-Roman authorities, had settled in England in the 4th century ce, tribal migrations into Britain began about the middle of the 5th century. The first arrivals, according to the 6th-century…
When did the Germanic foederati settle in England?
Although Germanic foederati, allies of Roman and post-Roman authorities, had settled in England in the 4th century ce , tribal...
Why were the Saxons invited to the Roman invasion?
There is even some evidence to suggest that, initially, some Saxons were invited to help protect the country from invasion. When the Roman legions left Britain, the Germanic-speaking Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians began to arrive – at first in small invading parties, but soon in increasing numbers.
What are some of the best insights into the Anglo-Saxons?
Poetry. Three poems give excellent insights into the Anglo-Saxons: The Ruin , an anonymous poem written about the ruin and decay of a Roman town (see lesson plan and resources on The end of Roman Britain - the poem text is available via the 'resources' attachment)
Why was Alfred called the Great?
King Alfred, called ‘the Great' because he: defeated the Vikings in the Battle of Edington in 878, then converted their leader Guthrum to Christianity; recaptured London from the Vikings and established a boundary between the Saxons and the Vikings - the area ruled by the Vikings was known as the Danelaw;
What was the Battle of Maldon about?
The Battle of Maldon, about the Saxons' heroic defence against a force of raiding Vikings in Essex.
Why is the Dark Ages called the Dark Ages?
The period used to be known as the Dark Ages, mainly because written sources for the early years of Saxon invasion are scarce. However, most historians now prefer the terms 'early middle ages' or 'early medieval period'. It was a time of war, of the breaking up of Roman Britannia into several separate kingdoms, of religious conversion and, ...
What happened after 793?
After 793, when the Vikings raided Lindisfarne Monastery, the history of the Anglo-Saxons becomes entangled with that of the Vikings. In many ways they were similar: in language, religion and Northern European origins, yet they are not the same.
Which kingdom stretched over the Midlands?
Mercia, whose best-known ruler, Offa, built Offa's Dyke along the border between Wales and England. This large kingdom stretched over the Midlands. 3. Northumbria, where the monk Bede (c. 670-735) lived and wrote his Ecclesiastical History of Britain. 4.
Where did Hengist and Horsa land?
c 449 Hengist and Horsa land in Kent with three shiploads of Saxon warriors. c 518 Lead by King Arthur, the British defeat the Saxons at Mount Badon. 597 St. Augustine lands in Kent, founds a Benedictine monastery at Canterbury, and begins his missionary work. c 563 Columba founds the monastery at Iona.
Who was the first king of England?
924-39 Reign of Athelstan, generally acknowledged first King of England. 1065 Westminster Abbey is consecrated. 1016 Cnut becomes King of England and, in 1018, also of Denmark. 1066 Harold II , King of England, defeats the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada and Tostig at Stamford Bridge.
What happened at the end of the 8th century?
Around the end of the 8th century, Anglo-Saxon history tells of many Viking raids. These marked the start of a long struggle between the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings for control of Britain. In the 9th century, the English king Alfred the Great stopped the Vikings taking over all of England. He agreed to peace with them and some Vikings settled down ...
What happened when the Normans came?
When Edward died in 1066, the English Witan chose Harold (son of Godwin, the Earl of Wessex) as the next king.
How did Ethelred try to stop the Vikings from invading?
Ethelred tried to stop the Vikings from invading by giving them gold and land. This money was called Danegeld. But it didn’t work – the Vikings took the gold and attacked anyway. In 1002, Ethelred's soldiers killed many Viking families in the Danelaw. This made King Sweyn of Denmark angry.
What was the name of the king who commanded the sea to turn back?
He ruled well, but left much of the government in England to noblemen, now called earls (from the Danish word "jarl"). One story tells how King Cnut stood on the shore and commanded the sea to turn back.
Where did the Vikings live?
He agreed to peace with them and some Vikings settled down to live in their own area of eastern England, called theDanelaw. The Anglo-Saxons and Vikings became neighbours in Britain, but they didn’t always get along peacefully.
Who was Jorvik's last king?
Anglo-Saxon England reached its peak during Edgar's reign. Eric Bloodaxe was Jorvik's last king. He ruled the Viking Kingdom of Northumbria.
Who led the Norwegian army in the Battle of Hastings?
First, a Norwegian army led by Harald Hardrada landed in the north. Harold killed Hardrada in a battle at Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire. Three days later William's Norman army landed in Sussex. Harold hurried south and the two armies fought at the Battle of Hastings (14 October 1066).
Where did the Saxons settle?
They probably arrive via the Thames just east of London and they settle in the land from the Thames to St Albans. Essex , the land of the East Saxons. The rule of Æthelberht was King of Kent from about 558 or 560 until his death. Bede lists Aethelberht as the third king to hold authority over other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
Who were the Vikings and the Anglo Saxons?
The Vikings and the Anglo Saxons. All the time the Romans were in occupation, Britain had been protected from the threat of raids and invasions from the north but now, the men of the north sallied forth and brought terror to these islands.
What was the South of England like in the 5th century?
During the 5th and 6th century, the province of Britain was under pressure from attacks from the north, east and west. The Picts in Scotland did not really attempt to drive further south but the Scotti who lived in Ireland pushed into Wales and what is now Scotland. At the same time Germanic tribes were settling in the east. The south of the island was being settled by tribes from the Angeln, an area with Jutland in the north and lower Saxony to the south. From this the south acquired it's new name England. The south was divided, with the Anglo Saxons to the east and the Welsh speaking west which included Cornwall, Devon and Cumbria. There is a very interesting discussion to be had about the emergence of Anglo Saxon language at this point, which was complex and rapidly changing.
Why were missionaries sent to Britain?
Missionaries were sent to Britain at the end of the 6th Century to convert the Anglo Saxon heathens. Early Christian churches started to be built. Monks started to learn to read and write and chronicles began to emerge. They then sent to the Angles, and desired them to send more assistance.
What tribes settled the south of the island?
The south of the island was being settled by tribes from the Angeln, an area with Jutland in the north and lower Saxony to the south. From this the south acquired it's new name England. The south was divided, with the Anglo Saxons to the east and the Welsh speaking west which included Cornwall, Devon and Cumbria.
What was the English migration period?
The English Migration period starts. 40 years after the Romans have left, Vortigen a local ruler in Kent, invites Jutes from Jutland Denmark, as mercenaries to fight against the invading Picts and Scots. Having beaten the Picts and Scots the Jutes take over from the local rulers and form the Kingdom of Kent.
What is the meaning of the name "Finglesham"?
700, and was almost certainly founded by the aristocracy. Finglesham is derived from the old english, Pengels-ham, which translates to Prince's Home or Prince's Manor. The large barrow of the cemetery has been numbered 204, and from the sheer size of the mound it is obvious that he was quite wealthy.
The Anglo-Saxon Period
A Short History of The Anglo-Saxons in Britain
- Anglo-Saxon mercenaries had for many years fought in the Roman army in Britain, so they were not total strangers to the island. Their invasions were slow and piecemeal, and began even before the Roman legions departed. There is even some evidence to suggest that, initially, some Saxons were invited to help protect the country from invasion. When th...
Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms, C. 650-800Ad
- 1.Kent, settled by the Jutes. Ethelbert of Kent was the first Anglo-Saxon king to be converted to Christianity, by St Augustine around 595 AD. 2.Mercia, whose best-known ruler, Offa, built Offa's Dyke along the border between Wales and England. This large kingdom stretched over the Midlands. 3.Northumbria, where the monk Bede (c. 670-735) lived and wrote his Ecclesiastical H…
Areas Worth Examining
- Poetry
Three poems give excellent insights into the Anglo-Saxons: 1. The Ruin, an anonymous poem written about the ruin and decay of a Roman town (see lesson plan and resources on The end of Roman Britain- the poem text is available via the 'resources' attachment) 2. Beowulf, about the gr… - Sutton Hoo ship burial
This burial of an East Anglian king provides a rich case study from which we can draw inferences about kingship, religion, warfare, trade, craftsmanship. See the Saxon Ship Burial and Sutton Hoo lessons, and the Sutton Hoo objects exemplar.
Key Concepts
- Invasion
- Settlement
- Heathens
- Christianity