ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD 449-1066 BC BY: TUMANA, WJ
ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD
449-1066 BCBY: TUMANA, WJ
Anglo-Saxons brief History
This period is traditionally known as the Dark Ages. It is a time of war, of the breaking up of Roman
Britannia into several separate kingdoms, of religious conversion.
“Anglo-Saxon England was born of warfare, remained forever a military society, and came to its end in battle.” - J. R. Lander
Pre-Historical/Pre-Roman The island we know as England -
occupied by a race of people called the Celts. Between 800 and 600 B.C., two groups of Celts from southern Europe invaded the British Isles.
One of the tribes was called Brythons or Britons. They actually settled on the largerst island, Britain.
Gaels, settled on the second largest island known to us as Ireland.
Celts were pagans -
believed in “animism,” from the Latin word spirits farmers and hunters organized themselves into
clans clans had fearsome loyalty to
chieftains Druids were their priests
Role: Go between the gods and the people
Results from Roman Occupation Military - Strong armed forces
Pushed the Celts into Wales and Ireland Prevented the Vikings from raiding for several hundred years
Infrastructure - Government fell apart when they left Language and Writing - Latin official language Religion - Mainly Christianity
Important Events in the First Anglo-Saxon Period 410-450 – Angles, Saxons, and
Jutes (Germanic tribes) invade from Baltic shores of Germany
Anglo-Saxon kingdoms eventually became the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy.
New land: “Angle-land”- small tribal kingdoms- no written language- supported themselves through farming and hunting
Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms
Seven Kingdoms
Kent Essex Sussex East Anglia Northumbria Mercia Wessex
Viking Invasions (787-1066) Were sea-faring
(explorers, traders, warriors)
Led to many cultural changes...
Viking Ship, dates 825 AD.
Results from Vikings Politically/Culturally - still unstable - no central government or
church Linguistically -
The English language is “born” and is known as Old English Lots of dialects of the language due to the seven kingdoms
Norman Invasion (1066) Battle of Hastings - the Normans
(powerful Norman Frenchmen) defeated the English and started a conquest of England
Two most important effects: French becomes official
language of politics and power; thus, enormous influence on Old English
England begins unifying under a French political system, much of which is still with us today
Anglo Saxon King and Warrior
Anglo-Saxon Hall
Anglo-Saxon Farmstead
Sutton Hoo Burial site discovered in 1939 Important links to Anglo-Saxon
world and Beowulf Remains of a boat were
discovered and large burial chamber containing numerous artifacts
Artifacts suggest a distinctly Christian element intermingled with pagan ritual
Constant Conflict
9th Century: Norway invaded Northumbria, Scotland,
Wales, and Ireland.The Danes of Denmark targeted eastern and
southern England
Alfred the GreatKing of Wessex 871-899
866—resisted Danish intrusion and earned “the great” title Saxons acknowledged Danish rule in East and North Danes respected Saxon rule in South
End of 10th Century—Danes want to widen Danelaw Forced Saxons to select Danish Kings
1042—Kingship returned to Alfred the Great’s descendent Edward
Edward the Confessor died in 1066. His death led to the end of the Anglo-Saxon Period.
Anglo-Saxon Literature Oral Tradition – poems and songs
committed to memory and performed by scops, bards, gleemen, or minstrels.
Written literature began to evolve. Two important traditions in
literatureheroic tradition – celebrates
heroeselegiac tradition – passing of
earlier better times
Anglo-Saxon Literature Beowulf Priests and monks were the only
ones who could write; stories survival depended upon them. The church was not too eager to preserve literature that was pagan in nature, so historians believe they either ignored it or changed it.