Roman Invasion and Anglo-Saxon Arrival

Roman Invasion and Anglo-Saxon Arrival

• Romans invaded Britain in 43 AD but did not assimilate
• Britons were the inhabitants of Britain before the Anglo-Saxons
• Anglo-Saxons, descendants of Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, Jutes), migrated to Britain in the 5th century from northern Germany
• Anglo-Saxon migration was possibly prompted by an invitation from Vortigern, a British ruler, to fight threats
• The Saxons were initially hired as mercenaries, but eventually conquered territory
• Anglo-Saxons' language, Old English, is the ancestor of modern English and related to other Germanic languages
• The term "Anglo-Saxon" emerged in the 8th century and refers to a period of British history from the late Roman period to 1066

Viking Invasion

• Vikings originated from Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden)
• "Viking" in Old Norse means "bay" or "creek", referring to their seafaring lifestyle
• Vikings were explorers, traders, and warriors; largely rural society with minor towns
• Increased shipbuilding and overpopulation contributed to Viking migration
• Raids started in the late 8th century
• Viking ships, longships, were advanced and could carry large numbers
• Vikings primarily targeted Christian monasteries in Britain and raided for treasure
• Vikings settled in Danelaw (north and east England)
• Viking trade included furs, amber, timber, slaves, and other goods
• Vikings played significant roles in trade across Europe, the far east, and Central Asia, exchanging goods and acquiring slaves
• Scandinavian thralls or slaves were about 10 percent of the population
• By the 10th century, descendants of Alfred of Wessex reconquered Scandinavian areas of England, and Erik Bloodaxe was the last Scandinavian king in England
• England, during the Anglo-Saxon period, was one of the wealthiest kingdoms in Europe, with considerable trade and land use.

Anglo-Saxon Society and Structure

• Wessex royal family was recognised as the English royal family by the mid-9th century, though succession wasn't guaranteed
• The Witan (council of leaders) chose the best successor from the royal family
• Earls were the ruling nobility, appointed by the king to govern shires
• Thegns were a lower nobility, who served in the army and could rise to become earls through service
• Freemen were commoners who owned land, part of local courts
• Serfs were enslaved persons with no civil rights
• Anglo-Saxons had a system of courts with hierarchies: individual, local (hundred) courts up to shires
• Anglo-Saxon justice relied on fines, execution, outlaws
• Gild system was in place to settle disputes, such as botgeld (injury) and weregild (murder)
• Anglo-Saxon homes were usually made of timber, leather, textile, with larger churches in stone
• Villages were built near natural resources, protected by fences

The Norman Conquest

• King Edward the Confessor's death in 1066 led to succession disputes
• Four contenders: Edgar the Aetheling, Harald Hardrada, Harold Godwinson, William, Duke of Normandy.
• Harold Godwinson was crowned king and defeated Harald Hardrada in 1066
• William defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066
• William became known as William the Conqueror, establishing Norman rule
• Anglo-Saxon nobility either were exiled or became a part of the peasant class
• The Norman Conquest resulted in significant land redistribution and a shift in power dynamics
• The new rulers established a new feudal system

Domesday Book

• William commissioned a detailed survey of land ownership in England called the Domesday Book in 1086.
• The survey listed land ownership details and estimated values to aid taxation, and understanding population numbers
• The results indicated large-scale land control by William and the Normans, reduced Anglo-Saxon control to around 5 percent
• The Domesday Book is a useful primary source of information on medieval England and the Norman Conquest (for Example: 45 vineyards).

Castles

• Motte-and-bailey castles were built of wood; stone keep castles built on top of the motte providing protection, often replacing motte-and-bailey castles.
• Concentric castles had multiple walls, providing further defense
• William built castles as a way to suppress any opposition to his rule.

Repression and the Harrying of the North

• William implemented the "Harrying of the North" (1069-1070) to subdue resistance.
• Villages were burned, farm animals were slaughtered, crops were destroyed
• This was a brutal tactic to crush rebellion and assert control

Viking and Anglo Saxon Living Standards

• Viking houses were wooden or stone structures, with space often shared by families and animals
• Cesspits were used as toilets, with communal decision making through assemblies known as "Things"
• Laws were passed by word of mouth and enforced through fines or by "holmgang", a type of duel
• Vikings practiced "Glima". Viking women often played respected roles.
• Anglo Saxon homes were relatively short-lived given material use (timber, leather, and textiles), with churches being the only buildings made of stone.
• Anglo-Saxon villages were small, fewer than 100 inhabitants in size.