1. The Anglo-Saxon Period 449-1066
Stonehenge (c 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