The Anglo-Saxons.

Religion, Language, Society.

Anglo-Saxons:
Describe the historical period from the V century to 1066.
Name the group of Germanic peoples who arrived/invaded England
Distinguish the Saxons of Britain from those of the European continent (Old Saxons)
Language
The people of the different Anglo-Saxons kingdoms spoke distinctive dialects, a branch of IndoEuropean family of languages.
It evolved and turned in what is known as OLD ENGLISH.
It began to appear in writing in the early 8th century.
A vernacular literature emerged such as the epic poem BEOWULF.
Religion
The Anglo Saxons were pagans and polytheist. (gods: days of the week)
In 597 the Pope sent a monk called Augustine to persuade the King to become Christian.
During the following years, many Anglo Saxons turned to Christianity.
This was encouraged by Christian missionaries sent by the Pope Gregory.
Monasteries and churches were built throughout England, becoming the former centres of learning and
culture.
The Kings helped the church and the church enchanced the status of the kings.
Society
The main division in Anglo-Saxon society was between slave and free with several classes of freemen and
many types of slaves. The main important ranks within free society were the king, the nobleman, and the
ordinary freeman. They were differentiated by their value of their wergild or man price, which was the
amount of money fixed as compensation for the murder or disablement of a person. Slaves had no wergild;
they were taken to be offences against their owners.
Some slaves may have been members of the native British population conquered by the Anglo-Saxons when
they arrived from the continent; others may have been captured in wars between the early kingdoms. Slaves
who had gained their freedom would become part of an underclass of freedmen.
Women and children
Anglo-Saxon women have enjoyed considerable independence. They could act as principals in legal
transactions, were entitled to the same wergild as men of the same class, and were considered oath-worthy,
with the right to defend themselves on oath against false accusations or claims. Sexual and other offences
against them were penalized heavily.
Marriage comprised a contract between the womans family and the future husband, who was required to pay
a bride-price in advance of the wedding and a morning gift following its consummation. The latter became
the womans personal property.
Enemies:
For almost 100 years (787-878) the Vikings attacked the shores of England.
Guthrum was the most successful warrior.

Main Kings (Alfred The Great, Canute, Edward I & II)

o Alfred the great: Anglo-Saxon king 871899 who defended England against Danish invasion and
founded the first English navy. He succeeded his brotherto the throne of Wessex in 871, and a new
legal code came into force during his reign. He encouraged the translation of scholarly works from
Latin (some he translated himself), and promoted the development of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
o Canute: King of England, Denmark, and Norwaym. Having invaded England in 1013, he was
acclaimed king on his fathers death in 1014 by his Viking army. Canute defeated Edmund in 1016,
and became king of all England on Edmund's death. He succeeded his brother Harold as king of
Denmark in 1018, and he conquered Norway in 1028. He was succeeded by his illegitimate son. Under
Canute's rule English trade improved, and he gained favour by sending soldiers back to Denmark.
Edward I: King of England from 1272. He established English rule over all of Wales in 128284.. He
was succeeded by his son Edward II. Edward was a noted castle builder; he was also responsible for
building bastides to defend the English position in France.
o Edward II: King of England from 1307, son of Edward I. He was created the first Prince of Wales.
Incompetent and frivolous. His invasion of Scotland in 1314 to suppress revolt resulted in defeat at
Bannockburn. When he fell,, he was deposed in 1327 by his wife Isabella and her lover and murdered
in Berkeley Castle. He was succeeded by his son, Edward III.

Causes of their invasion and characteristics

Where did they come from?

The Anglo-Saxons were the descendants of three different Germanic peoplesthe Angles, Saxons and Jutes.
Those peoples originally migrated from northern Germany to the island of Britain in the 5th century at the
invitation of a ruler of Britons to help defend his kingdom against invasions by the Picts and Scotti, who
occupied what is now Scotland. Another reason for coming may have been because their land often flooded and
it was difficult to grow crops, so they were looking for new places to settle down and farm.