THE MIDDLE AGES 449-1485

THE MIDDLE AGES The Anglo-Saxon Period The Medieval Period 449-1066 1066-1485

THE GERMANIC INVASIONS Britons Celtic People Early inhabitants of Britain Conquered by the Romans in the first century In 410, Roman army called back to Rome Britons raided and looted by neighbors on the Continent

THE GERMANIC INVASIONS The Jutes Peninsula of Jutland in Denmark First of many Germanic invaders Settled in what is now the county of Kent

THE GERMANIC INVASIONS The Angles and the Saxons Britons were no match for these invaders Brought with them a common language

THE GERMANIC INVASIONS The Angles & the Saxons Created the Anglo-Saxon England Lasted until 1066 The Normans, led by William, Duke of Normandy, conquered the country

THE GERMANIC INVASIONS Kingdoms of England Kent Northumbria Mercia Wessex

THE GERMANIC INVASIONS King Alfred of Wessex Known as Alfred the Great 871-899 Led the Anglo-Saxons against the Vikings

ANGLO-SAXON CIVILIZATION Commonalities High ranking people received with courtesy Rulers generous to loyal Fate Common Language Heroic ideal Admired men of outstanding courage

ANGLO-SAXON CIVILIZATION

ANGLO-SAXON CIVILIZATION Appreciation of beauty More artistic than their Norman conquerors Vigorous minds Venerable Bede Earliest English historian Earliest important prose writer

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRISTIANITY Missionaries from the continent helped to spread Christianity Saint Augustine Came in 597 Established a monastery at Canterbury Became the first Archbishop of Canterbury

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRISTIANITY Abbess Hilda Leader of a synod at Whitby Abbey in 664 This synod united the English church with Roman Christianity

ANGLO-SAXON LITERATURE Anglo-Saxon Literature was an oral art Poems were sung (harp) The poet was the memory and historian of the tribe Strong beat and alliteration

ANGLO-SAXON LITERATURE Heroic Tradition & Elegiac Tradition Two most important traditions Beowulf is the most important single poem “Seafarer” is a good example of an elegiac lyric Riddles were also common Written in Latin (occasionally in English)

VENERABLE BEDE 673-735 Greatest prose writer of the time Most learned and industrious writer of the entire period Author of A History of the English Church and People (731) Regarded as the father of English history

ALFRED THE GREAT 871-899 Most remarkable of all English kings Patron of scholars and educators Promoted the use of written English instead of Latin Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Founded the first English “public schools”