The AngloSaxons

1
The Anglo-Saxons

• 449-1066 C.E.

2
Before they were Britishtheir identity was
formed by others

• Great Britain has been invaded many times
  throughout its history initially by Iberians,
  then by Celts (kelts), followed by the Romans,
  the Angles and Saxons, the Vikings, and finally
  the Normans
• What we today consider British owes something
  to each of these invaders

3
Before They Were British
1066 C.E. Norman Invasion
300s B.C.E. Celts in Britain
449 C.E. Anglo-Saxon Invasion
55 B.C.E.409 C.E. Roman Occupation
878 C.E. King Alfred against the Danes
300 C.E.
1 C.E.
900 C.E.
1200 C.E.
600 C.E.
300 B.C.E.
400699 C.E. Spread of Christianity
4
Before they were Britishthey were Celtic

• Celts had settled throughout British Isles by 4th
  century B.C.E.
• Celts were described as tall, blond warriors, and
  one group of Celts called themselves Brythons
  (later adopted as Britain)
• Religion was animism, the belief that spirits, or
  gods, were everywhere (rocks, trees, rivers,
  fire, thunder, etc.), controlled everything, and
  needed to be continuously satisfied through
  ritual dances and/or sacrifices
• Druids were Celtic priests
• Some believe Stonehenge (at right) was used by
  Druids for religious rites using the solar and/or
  lunar calendar

5
Before they were Britishthey were Celtic

• Celts introduced the use of iron to the rest of
  Europe ca. 700 B.C.E.
• Celtic language was dominant in Britain until 5th
  century C.E., and Welsh, Scots Gaelic, and Irish
  are descended from Celtic language
• Celtic mythology is still well-known today Le
  Morte dArthur (today known as the tales of
  Camelot and featuring the heroic King Arthur)
  were written by Sir Thomas Malory in the 15th
  century about the legendary Celtic warrior Arthur
• Unlike the Anglo-Saxon tales which focused on men
  and their deeds, Celtic stories are also full of
  powerful women
• Although violent, many Celtic tales end
  optimistically and feature magic and imagination,
  unlike the Anglo-Saxon stories

6
Before they were Britishthey were Roman subjects

• Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire arrived and
  remained in the British Isles from 55 B.C.E.
  until 409 C.E.
• Roman Empire built roads and fortifications
  around Britain which still exist
• Christianity was introduced by European
  missionaries
• When Romans left, isles were left without
  protection were vulnerable to invasion
• Right Hadrians Wall (ca. 122 C.E.) runs for 73
  miles in Northern England and was used for
  fortification.

7
Before They Were BritishThey Were Invaded By
More Foreigners
Jutes
Angles
Saxons
Celts
449 C.E. The Anglo-Saxons push the Celts into the
far west of the country.
8
Before they were Britishthey became Anglo-Saxon

• Angles Saxons came from Germany Jutes came
  from Denmark
• Drove natives to the western part of island (into
  Wales) and conquered the rest
• Anglo-Saxons brought new language with them this
  became English
• Name England comes directly from this invasion
  from Angles came Engla Land, which became
  England

9
They became one country

• England was originally split into smaller
  principalities, each ruled by its own king, until
  King Alfred of Wessex (871-899), or Alfred the
  Great, led Anglo-Saxons against invading Danes
  and unified the country
• Emergence of Christianity helped to unify the
  country since all the people and their Kings
  began to share a common religion
• Spread of Christianity also helped to link
  England to mainland Europe
• Left Celtic cross

10
What about the Vikings?

• Danes were Viking people who eventually settled
  parts of central and northeast England
• Warring between Danes and Anglo-Saxons continued
  until the Norman invasion in 1066
• Viking culture and art was part of both the Danes
  and Anglo-Saxon culture
• Sutton Hoo, unearthed in 1939, sheds some light
  on culture and art at the time of Beowulf
• Right Exhumed Viking ship

11
Sutton Hoo? Sutton What?

• Sutton Hoo was found in Suffolk, England and was
  likely buried ca. 1600
• Sutton Hoo was a ship grave, a common honor for
  great warriors or kings
• Burial contained great treasures, including
  sword, face mask, armor, coins, musical
  instruments, and lots of ornaments made of
  silver, gold, and bronze
• Anglo-Saxons were not barbarians, but they placed
  great emphasis on warfare, respect, and order
• Beowulf would have likely had a burial much like
  that unearthed at Sutton Hoo
• Below Helmet from SH
• Top Right Burial mound at SH
• Bottom Right Excavation of ship burial at SH

12
Anglo-Saxon Life

• Loyalty was essential to the Anglo-Saxons
• Fear of invasion and unfamiliar wilderness led to
  living in close proximity to others and their
  animals
• Most lived in single-family wooden homes that
  surrounded a shared court or a chieftains hall
  the entire cluster was protected by a stockade
  fence
• Living arrangements provided security and a close
  relationship between leaders and followers
• Anglo-Saxons were ruled by community discussion
  and consensus
• Women enjoyed rights in Anglo-Saxon life, such as
  inheriting and owning property and controlling
  their own money, even after marriage
• Top Typical village with shared court in middle
• Bottom Modern recreation of Anglo-Saxon village
  in Suffolk, England

13
Anglo-Saxon Life The Hall

• Chieftains Hall the most important building in
  each village
• Hall provided warmth, fire, and installed loyalty
• Chiefs and their followers were bound to each
  other until death
• If a chief was killed, his warriors had to die
  alongside him or avenge his death
• Great feasts and celebratory events held in Hall
• Chieftains Hall also referred to as Lords
  Hall, Mead Hall, or Feasting Hall

14
The Singing Scops

• Hall also home to scops (a.k.a. storytellers or
  bards) who sang of gods and great heroes
• Scops considered equal in status to warriors
  held honored positions
• Creating poetry (which the scops sang) was as
  important as any other function in the village
• Many of these stories recalled wonderful feats,
  but just as many were mournful or stressed the
  fact that life was hard and always ended in death
• Right Reproduction of harp found with Sutton Hoo

15
Anglo-Saxon Religion

• Anglo-Saxon religion, with its belief in various
  warrior gods, existed alongside new religion
  Christianity
• Anglo-Saxon religion had much in common with
  Norse/Scandinavian mythology
• Myth Odin, god of death, poetry, magic
  Religion Woden, god of death (Wednesday)
• Myth Thor, god of thunder lightning Religion
  Thunor, god of thunder lightning (Thursday)
• Myth Dragon, personification of death and
  guardian of grave mounds, the warriors ashes,
  their treasure Religion, looked over dead
• Religion more concerned with ethicsbravery,
  loyalty, generosity, friendshipthan with
  mystic spiritual beliefs

16
Meanwhile, the Irish

• Unlike England, Ireland was not invaded by the
  Germanic (Angles, Jutes, and Saxons) tribes
• 432- Ireland converted to Christianity by the
  efforts of Patricius (St. Patrick)
• 432750 is considered Irelands Golden Age
  whereas Europe England fought near-constant
  wars
• During Golden Age, Ireland became a refuge for
  scholars throughout Europe and England

17
The Role of Monasteries

• During Anglo-Saxon times, stories were told by
  the scops through song and by the Christian monks
  through manuscripts
• Monasteries served as centers of learning
• Monks preserved Greek, Latin, and popular
  (current) stories, including the Anglo-Saxon
  Beowulf
• Monks were responsible for copying manuscripts by
  hand
• Left The Chi Rho page of the Book of Kells (ca.
  800), the most famous illuminated manuscript in
  the world. Chi Rho refers to the famous
  abbreviation for Christ, or X (chi) and P
  (rho).

18
English gained popularity

• Latin was the language of the Church serious
  scholars in England until King Alfred
• Alfred began Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, running
  history of England that covered from the earliest
  times until 1154 C.E.
• Due to the Chronicle, English gained respect as a
  language of culture, leading more to become
  familiar with Anglo-Saxon tales recorded by
  monksincluding Beowulf