The Anglo-Saxon Period in Britain PDF

THE SAXON INVASION Government and Society, Christianity (church and state), the Vikings (McDowall, 1989˃˃ p. 11-17) Winter Term  THE SAXONS  warlike and illiterate 730˃ English monk Bede˃ Ecclesiastical Hi...

THE SAXON INVASION Government and Society, Christianity (church and state), the Vikings (McDowall, 1989˃˃ p. 11-17) Winter Term  THE SAXONS  warlike and illiterate 730˃ English monk Bede˃ Ecclesiastical History of the English People =˃ the very first history of English people 449 ˃ the invaders˃ 3 Germanic tribes=˃ Angles, Saxons and Jutes˃˃mountains˃ “the land of the“the Wales=˃ Angles“ land of the foreigners“ lowlands =˃ Scotland British Celtsslaves of the Saxons  names of some rivers (Thames, Mersey, Severn, Avon)+ two large cities (London, Leeds)=˃ Celtic origin  ANGLO-SAXONS  days of the week after Germanic gods  -ing ending=˃ folk or family place-name˃ Birmingham; Nottingham; Southampton; Kingston (ham = farm / ton = settlement)  a number of kingdoms˃ Essex; Sussex; Wessex; Middlesex; East Anglia 3 largest kingdoms˃ Northumbria; Mercia and Wessex  “kingship of the English“  the Celts believed ˃ the first duty= family BUT according to Saxon kings= lord and king  GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY  King´s Council= the Witan˃ from informal groups.... formal institution˃˃ right to choose kings-- important part of the king´s method of government  Privy Council˃ a group of advisers on the affairs of state  shires or counties˃ new administrative areas  over each shire˃ a shire reeve˃ the king´s administrator˃˃ “sheriff”  changes in land ownership and organisation˃ 3 large fields:  spring crops  autumn crops  left to rest for a year˃ after harvest˃ land for animals  the basis of English agriculture until the 18 th century  GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY 2  manor˃ a simple building ˃ local villagers ˃ pay taxes + men˃ join the Anglo-Saxon army  this manorial system˃ developed fully under the Normans  in the past and today as well: aldermen=˃ elected officers in local government earls=˃ high ranking nobles  beginning of class system˃˃ king lords soldiers workers (peasants)  the men of learning˃ Christian church  CHRISTIANITY: THE PARTNERSHIP OF CHURCH AND STATE  thanks to Roman government˃ Christianity established across Britain  the Anglo-Saxons˃ old Germanic religion + spread of CH˟... paganism  Wales˃ place-names -llan˃ the site of a small Celtic monastery  597˃ pope Gregory the Great˃˃ a monk Augustine˃ to Canterbury˃ to re-establish CH in England  Augustine= 1. archbishop of Canterbury the courts of the kings˃ centres of Church power across England Celtic vs Roman Church ordinary people + Christian authority + organisation Celtic bishops teaching CH ˟ CH= Christianity  CHRISTIANITY: THE PARTNERSHIP OF CHURCH AND STATE 2  Saxon kings helped the Church to grow and the Church increased the power of kings of English state  kings˃ support of bishops˃˃ kings had “God´s approval” >> Saxon kings chosen not only by people but also by God  church established monasteries˃ “minsters”˃ Westminster= places of learning and education  trained men= read and write˃ growth of royal and Church authority˃˃ class division increased  871˃ king Alfred˃ producing translation of Latin works into English  literacy  increasing of local trade (export of different kinds of good) + use of Latin  THE VIKINGS (“pirates”)  the end of the 8th century, Norway and Denmark  burnt churches and monasteries  quickly accepted CH King Alfred fought aganist them (He won a decisive battle in 878)  Danelaw˃ east and north of England, the rest of the country- king Alfred  building of settlements˃˃ prosperous market towns˃˃ “borough”˃ an area inside a large town that has some form of local  WHO SHOULD BE KING?  the Witan˃ Edward “the Confessor”˃ more interested in Church than in kingship˃ he died˃ heir ?  who should follow him as king is one of the most important ? in English history  the Normans˃ people from the North˃ soon became French in their language and Christians fighting skills ✓ , better armed and organised  2 dangers- Danes= north + William the Conqueror= south  WHO SHOULD BE KING? Edward the Confessor (chosen by Witan) he died Harold II. (no royal blood) he died (wait for Anglo-Saxon army; he fought against the invading army of William the Conqueror) Battle of Hastings˃ 1066 William the Conqueror˃ crown for a king on 25th December in Edward´s new church Westminster  BEOWULF (1000)  old English epic poem; author is anonymous  written in West Saxon dialect of Old English  the longest and oldest surviving poem of the Anglo-Saxon period  the story takes place in Sweden, Denmark˃ 5th and 6th century (Great Britain)  Plot of the story:  Beowulf (B)= national hero of Geats˃ he killed a monster Grendel and its mother˃ became a king of Geats  B met with a dragon˃ he wanted to attack it but unsuccessfully˃ 3 battles follow the dragon to its lair˃ he killed it but B himself is wounded as well˃ he died  strength; supernatural forces; loyalty to the lord ✓  “in medias res”˃ B´s arrival... monster Grendel´s attacks  BIBLIOGRAPHY McDowall, D. 1989. An Illustrated History of Britain. Pearson Education Limited, Harlow: Longman. 1989. 188 p. ISBN 0-582-74914-X  ACTIVITIES mini quiz THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !