1. The Anglo-Saxons

2. An Invaded Island
Great Britain has been invaded and settled many times, and each invading group has helped shape the nation today:
Iberians
Celts
Romans
Angles and Saxons
Vikings
Normans

3. The Celtic Legacy
Their religion seemed to be a form of animism, which emphasizes a belief in spirits – in rivers, trees, stones, ponds, fire, and thunder.
These gods controlled everything and therefore had to be pleased at all times.
Celtic stories differ from that of Anglo- Saxon tales – they are more mystical and oftentimes focus on strong women.
Stories of fantastic animals, passionate love affairs, and adventures

4. A Roman Administration
The Britons (Celts) were conquered by legions of Rome (starting with Julius Caesar in 55 B.C.)
Romans provided armies and organization that prevented further serious invasions of Britain for hundreds of years
Built a network of roads and a seventy-three-mile-long protective wall
Celtic religion began to vanish in favor of Christianity

5. Life after the Romans
Romans started having troubles back home (around A.D. 409), so they left Britain
Left behind the roads, walls, villas, and public baths, but no central government
Britain became overran by separate clans rather than a centralized government
Left Britain ripe for invasion by non- Christian peoples from continental Europe

6. The Arrival of the Anglo-Saxons
Middle of the 5th century – Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invade and drive out the old Britons
Language of the Anglo-Saxons became dominant
Celts put up a fight before finally retreating to Wales, where traces of their culture can still be found
Anglo-Saxon England was divided into several independent principalities, until King Alfred of Wessex (Alfred the Great) united the Anglo-Saxons against the invading Danes
Danes (Vikings) eventually took over and settled in parts of England

7. The Warm Hall vs. the Cold World
Warfare was the way of life
Law and order were the responsibility of the leader of any clan
Fame and success were gained through loyalty to the leader, especially in times of war
Success was measured in gifts from the leader
Led to a pattern of loyal dependency
Led to community discussion and rule by consensus

8. Gods for Warriors
One of the most important [Norse] gods was Odin, the god of death, poetry, and magic
Anglo-Saxon name for Odin was Woden
This god of both poetry and death helped contribute to a people who produced great poetry but also maintained a somber outlook on life
Thunor (or Thor) was the god of thunder and lightning
The dragon = protector of treasure
Religion of Anglo-Saxons was more about ethics (bravery, loyalty, generosity, and friendship) than mysticism

9. The Life of a Bard
Communal halls offered shelter and a meeting place, but also a space for storytellers
Sang of gods and heroes
Bards (or scops) were not viewed as inferior to warriors – creating poetry was equal to fighting, hunting, farming, or loving
Since Anglo-Saxon religion offered no hope of an afterlife, fame could only be found through the bards’ ability to preserve a collective memory

10. Alfred the Great fends off the Vikings
Scandinavian Vikings started invading and conquering much of England during the 8th and 9th centuries
Tide turned in 878 in the Battle of Edington - won by Alfred, the Saxon king of Wessex - led to a century of peace in England

11. A Warrior Society Warfare = way of life for early Anglo-Saxons
Each family or tribe had a warrior chief, who served a noble or royal warlord
Warlord / followers formed a close group (comitatus)
Warlords rewarded the bravest followers with treasure
Warriors responded with absolute loyalty
“…to leave a battle alive after their chief has fallen means life-long infamy and shame.”

12. Oral Literature
Anglo-Saxon storytellers created heroic songs about their warriors’ great deeds
Celebrated strength, courage, and loyalty
Minstrels performed these songs in mead- halls
Songs served as literary entertainment
Songs provided models for warriors to emulate and a goal to pursue

13. Germanic and Christian Traditions
Germanic traditions and Christian religion were huge influences on Anglo-Saxon literature
Based on dark, heroic tales of Germanic mythology
Beliefs held no promise of an afterlife
Therefore, warriors’ primary goal was to achieve fame in this life
Christianity came with a belief in an omnipotent God and eternal life
Germanic and Christian elements coexist (as in Beowulf)

14. Importance of Wyrd
Life in early Anglo-Saxon times was brief and full of hardship
A belief develops that fate, which they called wyrd, controlled human destiny
Everyone’s inescapable fate was to die
The hero’s only appropriate response was to face destiny with courage

15. Christianizing England
596 – Pope Gregory I sent missionaries to convert Anglo-Saxons to Christianity
Most of England was Christian in name by 650
Celtic monks from Ireland brought Christianity to other parts of England and established England’s first monastery
Christianity brought the beginnings of education and culture

16. Monasteries
As Christianity spread, some chose to dedicate their lives to work and prayer
Monks and nuns joined religious orders
Many demanded poverty, fasting, absolute obedience, and manual labor
Monks established libraries and schools, establishing the importance of written word
Earliest work of this kind was the Venerable Bede’s Ecclesiastic History of the English People

17. Feudal England
After Alfred the Great defeated the invading Vikings at the Battle of Edington in 878, peace persisted and England was largely unified until 1066, when King Edward died.
William, duke of Normandy, claimed the English throne and defeated the Anglo-Saxons in the Battle of Hastings, thus ending the era of the Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxons were now subjects of the Normans
William, duke of Normandy, became first Norman king of England
Normans introduced social, economic, and political system called feudalism, under which land (wealth) was divided among noble overlords, or barons
Lesser lords (knights) served the overlords in exchange for use of the land
Serfs (peasants) were at low end of social scale
Magna Carta dictates that King John could not raise taxes without the consent of the barons - beginnings of constitutional government in England

18. War and Plague
Beginning in English and French fought for control of lands in France
Known as the Hundred Years' War - drained England financially
During Hundred Years' War, the Black Death swept through Europe
Killed almost a third of England's people
Loss of life eroded the feudal system and shifted power to the urban middle class - led to the Renaissance