Keep Questioning… You each have a 5 post-its – can you compose at least one question at the start or end of each lesson? What …? Who ...? Why …? How …? When …? To what extent …? What happened …? How significant …? What effects …?

Were the Dark Ages really so dark?

How would you describe the Anglo-Saxons? Use your knowledge from Year 7 and the (wattle and daub) word wall below to help you… backward superstitious agricultural lawless well- organised complex primitive poverty-stricken ignorant simple crude violent low-technology efficient disorganised small large advanced sophisticated centralised hard religious hierarchical war-like wealthy diverse powerful localised listened to advice delegated law-abiding

Between the Romans leaving Britain in 410 AD and the Norman Conquest in 1066 are over 600 years. Historians refer to this period as the Dark Ages…. but were the Dark Ages really so dark? In this lesson we will identify the key characteristics of the people and the cultures gain an understanding of the chronology of the period and make a judgement on whether the ‘Dark Ages’ is a fair title for this period of time

Imagine you were part of the team who uncovered this hoard of treasure in Yorkshire in 2012. What might you be able to work out about the people who buried it?

With a partner discuss 1. What you can see? 2. What can you work out about the person who might have owned this? (Think about status, nationality, religion) 3. What could have forced someone to bury this?

What did you come up with? You might have written down: They were rich as they used gold and silver They were skilled craftsmen They were high status objects for important people They traded using ingots rather than coin They had decorated swords – showing they valued being a warrior They may have been Christian They are influenced by Russian and Irish cultures showing widespread travel Vikings were living in this part of Yorkshire They buried their treasure for some reason

Want to change your mind?

First of all we have worked out that these people were Vikings. But what were they doing in Britain and where were the Anglo-Saxons? Look at the timeline being given out by your teacher. Study the ‘Dark Ages’ What is familiar from your study of History? What have you never heard of before? What surprises you about this timeline? What feels familiar?

Write an account of some of the key features of Anglo-Saxon society Language Social system Structure of society

Timeline of rulers in the 10th and 11th century 1002: King Ethelred II of England married Emma, the sister of the Duke of Normandy. 1015: Vikings, led by King Swein of Denmark and his son Cnut, invade England. Emma sent her son Edward to Normandy to keep him safe. 1016: King Ethelred of England and his son, Edmund Ironside, died. Cnut of Denmark became King of England. He was married to an English noblewoman called Aelgifu and they had a son known as Harold Hare-foot. 1017 King Cnut married Emma (the widow of King Ethelred) although Aelgifu remained Cnut’s lover. Cnut and Emma had a son called Harthacnut 1035 King Cnut died. He was succeeded by his son Harold who was half-English, half-Danish 1040 King Harold Hare-foot died. He was succeeded by Harthacnut who was half-Danish, half- Norman 1042 King Harthacnut died. He had no children, so his half-brother Edward (the Confessor) was crowned King of England. Edward was the son of King Ethelred (English) and Emma (Norman) Note to self add in some Viking raids etc here then detail in the 10th to get across concept of northern European rulers rather than English….

Who rules for the longest time? Who is the first King of England (be careful here) Mark on the timeline where it appears that the succession of Kings is unsettled What surprises you about this timeline.

Oral culture Listen to Dr Janina Ramirez talk about the Anglo-Saxons (3.38-7.33) Explain why the Anglo- Saxons are labelled as part of the Dark Ages Do you think they deserve this title? The Norman style of Art and Architecture was very different. Do you think they valued Anglo- Saxon culture?

King Cnut: Highlight in different colours for :Evidence of Cnut being part of a European ruling family Evidence of Cnut continuing Anglo-Saxon systems of government Evidence of Canute being heavily influenced by Scandinavia King Edmund died in November 1016, however, leaving Canute in undisputed control of England. For the first time in seven years, peace returned to the country, and at the Christmas celebration in London all of England's nobles recognized Canute as England's king. Not wishing to destroy the existing social order, Canute made England the centre of a growing empire, governing the kingdom with the advice of English as well as Danish nobles. The new king would need strong English support for a stable rule, yet he brought with him from Scandinavia the custom of allowing considerable freedom to nobles. Indebted to his Danish and Norwegian nobles who had shown him strong support, he raised several Scandinavians to high court positions, while depending most heavily upon Earl Eric of Norway and his foster father Thorkil. To compensate for the loss of Norway in 1016, he made Eric the Earl of Northumbria. Thorkil became Earl of East Anglia and Canute's regent in Denmark in the King's absence. Canute also utilized the Mercian Eadric, despite Eadric's history of shifting allegiances; the Archbishop of York, Wulfstan II; and the newly made Earl Godwin of Devon. The use of such English councillors clearly indicated Canute's desire to rule the kingdom in the manner of his Anglo-Saxon predecessors. Confirming the existing system, Canute's first act as king was to divide the kingdom into four great earldoms. While Eric, Eadric, and Thorkil held the above-mentioned positions, Canute held Wessex for himself, developing a division of power and land that would later provide a base for resistance by other such nobles against future kings. In addition to this system, Canute established a series of lesser earldoms along the Scottish, Welsh, and Cornish marches to protect those regions from raiders. In July 1017, Canute married Emma, the widow of Ethelred. He had as well a consort in Denmark, Aelfgifu of Aelfhelm, with whom he had initiated a relationship in 1013 while holding charge of the fleet at Gainsborough. His marriage to Aelfgifu was after the Danish custom and not one sanctioned within the Christian church; together they had two sons, Harald Harefoot and Sweyn. When Canute then married Emma, a precondition was that the sons of their marriage would stand in line for the English throne before Canute's older sons or Emma's sons by Ethelred. The royal couple would eventually have two children, a boy, Harthacanute, and a girl, Gunhild, who later married Prince Henry of Germany.

How convincing is this interpretation of the Dark Ages? A children’s book shows how King Cnut tries to demonstrate to his advisers that although he is King he has not got power over the waves. The interpretation shows King Cnut ( describe what you can see) His advisers are shown wearing ……..(look for those Viking horns!) From my knowledge of the period I know that……(who was Cnut? Was he a backward King? What did he achieve..) The Dark Ages are often to be shown as a backward age but this interpretation shows that…

What surprises you about this? ROYAL NATIONALITIES Edward the Confessor King of England 1042–1066 Edward’s father was English – King Ethelred Edward’s mother was Emma of Normandy. Duke William was her great-nephew Harold Godwinson King of England in 1066 Harold’s father was English – Earl Godwin Harold’s mother was Princess Gytha of Denmark

Words to learn for next time… chronicler consequences tanner probably Duchy earls nobles possibly bishops Flanders strategist absolute power Witan succession crisis kingship turning points Latin trade may have been