Anglo saxon period

Important Events during the Anglo Saxon Period

1. ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD 449-1066 BC BY: TUMANA, WJ

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms Seven Kingdoms Kent Essex Sussex East Anglia Northumbria Mercia Wessex

8. Viking Invasions (787-1066) Were sea-faring (explorers, traders, warriors) Led to many cultural changes ... Viking Ship, dates 825 AD.

9. 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

10. 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

11. Anglo Saxon King and Warrior

12. Anglo-Saxon Hall

13. Anglo-Saxon Farmstead

14. 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

15. Constant Conflict 9 th Century: Norway invaded Northumbria , Scotland , Wales, and Ireland. The Danes of Denmark targeted eastern and southern England

16. Alfred the Great King 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 10 th 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 .

17. 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 literature heroic tradition – celebrates heroes elegiac tradition – passing of earlier better times

18. 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.