The history of English Ms. Jacobsen

499 – 1485 AD Britian: populated by Germanic tribes Invasions Jutes, Angles, Frisians, and Saxons Became known as the Anglo-Saxons Spoke Old English (aka Anglo-Saxon) Had dialects Invasions Romans: 400s and 600s Result: Christianity was brought to England but wasn’t accepted by all & language shift Vikings (aka Norse): 800s Result: introduction of borrowings and pronunciation

King Alfred the great 1st Danish king Only one with the title “great” added to his name Danelaw Divided England into two parts East and North: ruled by the Danes South: ruled by the Saxons Two kings ruled the country Responsible for Old English manuscripts

Norman conquest of 1066 Caused by the death of the English king, Edward the Confessor Throne was to go to Harold II William the Duke of Normandy (from Norman, France) claimed the throne was promised to him by Edward Edward was his relative William, with his troops, travelled to England to take the throne by force Battle of Hastings Success! Harold dies and William becomes king

The effects of the norman conquest The new king decreed: Only Normans in court and part of the aristocracy Only Normans controlled the government Only Norman French was spoken in the courts and official documents Supporters received titles and lands –stolen from the Anglo-Saxons Knights even received land for their service: manors Anglo-Saxons were the peasantry class and only speakers of Old English / Anglo-Saxon The Black Plague Most of the aristocracy died Those left had to learn Old English to survive and communicate

King Henry II appointed his friend Henry Becket as archbishop of the church Becket defied his friend and appealed to the Pope Pope sided with Becket Henry’s knights slaughtered Becket in the cathedral On his orders? Misunderstanding? Atoned for his, and his followers’ actions, by a pilgrimage to Becket’s shrine at Canterbury Became a way to show religious devotion Many did this –as seen in Canterbury Tales by Chaucer

War of the roses Conflict between two Houses: York and Lancaster Lancaster: King Henry IV, V, and VI York: King Richard II, III 1455-1485 Until Henry VII killed Richard III in battle Tudors crowned him and married Richard’s niece Unified the houses and ended the conflict