The Anglo-Saxon Period 449-1066

1. The Anglo-Saxon Period449-1066 Stonehenge (c. 2000 BC)

2. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • Rulers of Britain before Anglo-Saxons • Two groups of Celts (pronounced Kelts) moved into the British Isles • The Britons settled in Britain • The Gaels settled in Ireland • The Celts were: • Shepherds, farmers, and hunters • Fierce fighters • Artistic, imaginative, and loved beauty • Skilled with tin and iron (introduced iron to Europe) • Organized into tightly knit clans • Highly developed religion (animism), mythology, and legal system that specified individual rights

3. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • The Roman Conquest • Julius Caesar made hasty invasion in 55 BC and 56 BC • Caesar described the Celts as: • Light-skinned, fair-haired, and blue-eyed • The true conquest occurred under the Roman Emperor Claudius in 43 AD • The Romans rule of Britain lasted for nearly 400 years, ending only when Rome was threatened in Italy, and Romans abandoned Britain to return home

4. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • Roman Influence on Britain • Constructed a system of well-paved roads and founded cities • Built Hadrian’s Wall • 73 mile wall that separated England from Scotland • Brought skills in the art of warfare • Introduced Christianity (597 AD) • St. Augustine converted King Ethelbert (king of England) • Established a monastery in Canterbury • Church promoted peace and unification among the warring clans

5. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • In 449 AD, three groups coming from Denmark, Holland, Germany, and Scandinavia, invaded Britain. They were: • Angles • Saxons • Jutes • They drove the native Britons from the eastern, central, and southern areas • Became known as “Angles Land” or England • Their Germanic language developed into “Angle-ish” or English

6. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • Originally started out with several tribal units, each organized by a king • Witan: council of elders who would choose the king for each tribal unit • Thanes: the upper class, earls, or free warriors • Thralls: slaves who did the farming and domestic work • Freemen: small group who earned possessions and special favors

7. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • The Anglo-Saxons farmed, maintained local governments, and created fine crafts, especially metalwork • Eventually, the many small kingdoms converged into 7 main kingdoms. This development produced a new language: Old English

9. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • Characteristics of the Anglo-Saxons • Hard fighters and bold sea warriors • Boastful, reckless, cruel, and bloodthirsty • Enjoyed conflict, swimming matches, horse races, banqueting, drinking mead, singing songs, and storytelling • Also, flyting, a conflict of wits between two warriors, where each praises his own deeds and belittles the other’s

10. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • Anglo-Saxon Ideals • Loyal to their lord or king • Admired physical strength, bravery, loyalty, fairness, and honesty • Great love of personal freedom • Respect for women • Love of glory • Honored the truth

11. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • Mead Hall • All social events began and ended at the Mead Hall • Mead: fermented beverage made from honey (think of beer made from honey) • The hall was built by the local lord or king for the entertainment of the Thanes • Used as a feasting hall, the great hall of the King • Safest place in the kingdom

12. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • Beliefs • Pagan (polytheistic) • Pessimistic view of life • Human life in the hands of fate (wyrd)* • Did not believe in the afterlife • Immortality only earned through heroic actions

13. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • St. Augustine brought Christianity to England when he converted King Ethelbert and established a monastery in Canterbury • By 650 AD, most of England was Christian in name, if not in fact. • The church brought education and written literature to England. • Monks established churches, monasteries, and libraries. • Oral literature was transcribed into written form • Monks preserved not only Latin and Greek classics, but also popular literature (Beowulf).

14. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • We have a very clear account of the Anglo-Saxon time period because of a monk named Bede. He was known as The Venerable Bede • He wrote A History of the English Church and People. • He is considered the “father of English history”

15. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • The Danish Invasion • Due to rising population and limited farmland, many Scandinavians (Norse and Danish) took to the seas…Vikings! • In 800 AD, Danish raiders attacked Britain • The Norse settled in Northumbria, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland • The Danes targeted eastern and southern England

16. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • They sacked and plundered monasteries • Stole sacred religious objects • Burned entire communities • Murdered villagers • Halted the growth of learning By the middle of the 9th century, most of England had fallen. The Vikings called their territory Danelaw.*

17. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • Only the Saxon kingdom of Wessex managed to stop the Danes • In 871 AD, Alfred the Great took the throne of Wessex and resisted any further Danish threat • A 886 truce formally divided England and Danelaw: The Danes ruled the east and north; the Saxons ruled the south • Alfred translated Bede’s History and other works into English to make them more accessible, and instituted the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a history of England from the earliest days through 1154

18. Anglo-Saxon Historical Background • The Norman Conquest • Near the end of 10th century, Danes tried to expand Danelaw, and witans forced to select Danish kings • 1042, throne returned to a descendant of Alfred the Great, Edward the Confessor, who was friendly with the Normans • Harold succeeded to the throne upon Edward’s death in 1066 • William of Normandy challenged Harold’s right to the throne and defeated Harold in the Battle of Hastings • William was crowned King on Dec. 25, 1066