Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Periods (449 - 1485) Lecture One PDF

The Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Periods 449 - 1485 Prepared by: Dr. Fatma Yassin The Middle Ages The beginning…Early Middle Ages  Decline of Roman Empire  Rise of Northern Europe  New forms of government  Changes at (religion, language, laws, architecture,...

The Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Periods 449 - 1485 Prepared by: Dr. Fatma Yassin The Middle Ages The beginning…Early Middle Ages  Decline of Roman Empire  Rise of Northern Europe  New forms of government  Changes at (religion, language, laws, architecture, government)  "medieval" refers to whatever was made, written, or thought during the Middle Ages.  Introduction  In the 4th Century B.C., the Celts were the first settlers of what is now Great Britain. A.  The religion of the Celts was a form of Animism (the belief that all natural things, such as plants, animals, rocks, and thunder, have spirits and can influence human events) – they saw spirits everywhere. 1. These spirits controlled all aspects of existence.  In 55 B.C., Julius Caesar sailed from what is now France to Britain to assert Rome’s authority over it.  A century after his visit in 43 B.C, the Roman armies conquered the Britons and Britain became part of the great Roman Empire.  The Romans introduced cities, written scholarship, and eventually Christianity. The Romans remained in this area for about 300 years. Romans provided armies and organization that prevented further serious invasion for some time:  1. Built a network of roads  2. Built a great defensive wall 73 miles long.  3. Christianity gradually took hold.  Early in the 5th century, Roman armies abandoned Britain to defend the city of Rome. It was not long before Britain too was invaded.  When the Roman Empire lost strength during the 5th century, Germanic peoples migrated into Great Britain and Western Europe, and their settlements became fixed territories.  Roman Emperors had granted the Angles and Saxons soldiers land with the Roman Empire in return for military service.   They left their northern European homelands and began settling on Britain’s eastern and southern shores and it was these barbarians who eventually became the new rulers  The area of Germanic settlement became known as Angle- land, or England, and its people came to be called English.  In 449 the Angles and Saxons (from Germany) and Jutes (from Denmark) attacked from the north. The Roman Empire fell in 476 A.D. A.  The Anglo-Saxon Period (449 – 1066)  The begging of the Middle Ages  The Middle Ages are so called as the middle period in the European history, between the decline of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. The early Middle Ages are often referred to as the Dark Ages. The Middle Ages are also referred to as the Medieval related to the Middle Ages) (a period of time that is marked by particular events from 600-1500). Early Middle Ages  Dark Ages (500 CE- 1000 CE)-  Scholars named this as a time when the forces of darkness (barbarians) overwhelmed the forces of light (Romans)  Anglo-Saxon” Religion  Despite the growth of Christianity, the Anglo-Saxon religion remained strong.  A. The Anglo-Saxon religion was concerned with ethics and earthly virtues such as bravery.  B. Important religious figure for the Anglo- Saxons is Woden who helped humans communicate with spirits.  Anglo-Saxon Military  Anglo-Saxon were Germanic people fierce in battle, creating a strong military. Their love of battle was linked to their religious practices and two of their most important gods, Wodan and his son, Thor, both believed to be gods of war.  The Germanic warriors were strong in battle and had great fighting abilities, making the tribes almost unbeatable. Men began battle training at a young age and were given a shield and a spear. The loss of the shield or spear meant a loss of honor. The Germanic warrior’s intense devotion to his tribe and his chieftain led to many important military victories. Anglo-Saxon Society  Anglo-Saxon life was dominated by the need to protect the clan and home against enemies.  A. Anglo-Saxons were not barbarians but they were a warring people.  B. The leader was responsible for law and order. He protected his people.  C. In return the people must be loyal to the leader. (This is the only way fame, success, and even survival could be gained.) Anglo-Saxon literature  Anglo-Saxon poets held an honored position in society because they preserved heroic deeds in their works.  Poetry was as important as fighting, hunting, farming, or loving.  C. Communal halls were used for shelter, meetings, and entertainment.  The principal works of learning were written in Latin. Latin remained the language of “serious” study until the time of King Alfred.  King Alfred started the “Anglo-Saxon Chronicle” which was a running history of England until 1154. The “Chronicle” was written in English, not Latin, (Old English).  Who were the Vikings?  The Viking age in European history was from about AD700 to 1100. The first Viking attack recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was around AD787. It was the start of a fierce struggle between the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings.  When the people of Britain first saw the Viking longboats they came down to the shore to welcome them. However, the Vikings fought the local people, stealing from churches and burning buildings to the ground.  The people of Britain called the invaders 'Danes', but they came from Norway and Sweden as well as Denmark.  In AD865 an army of Vikings sailed across the North Sea. This time they wanted to conquer land rather than just attack it.  By AD874, almost all the kingdoms had fallen to the Vikings. All except for Wessex, which was ruled by Alfred the Great. King Alfred beat the Viking army in battle but wasn't able to drive the Vikings out of Britain.  After years of fighting the Vikings and Alfred made a peace agreement. The Anglo-Saxon lands were to the west and the Viking lands were to the east.  The Vikings were pagans, not Christians like most people living in Britain at the time. Christian monasteries in Britain were easy targets for the Vikings. The monks had no weapons and the buildings were filled with valuable treasures, like gold, jewels and books.  There was food, drink, cattle, clothes and tools too – all very tempting to a Viking.  However; Some came to fight, but others came peacefully, to settle. They were farmers, and kept animals and grew crops. They were skilful at crafting, and made beautiful metalwork and wooden carvings.  Vikings sailed the seas trading goods to buy silver, silks, spices, wine, jewellery, glass and pottery to bring back to their home End of the Age The war between the Anglo- Saxons and the Danes (Viking) continued until 1066 when both were defeated by William, Duke of Normandy (France). The Norman Conquest 1066  Edward the Conqueror, an Anglo-Saxon king, dies childless. Two men both claimed the throne: Harold of England and William of Normandy.  William of Normandy defeats Harold at the Battle of Hastings in October of 1066 earning him the name of William the Conqueror. . The Anglo-Saxon age is replaced by a ruling government of Normans.  The Norman Conquest of England created a powerful Anglo-Norman entity and brought England into the mainstream of European civilization.  An efficient and ruthless soldier, William did not want to eliminate the Anglo-Saxons, he wanted to rule them.  As Normans come from an area in Northern France and speak French, So, when William the Conqueror became the ruler of England the aristocracy also began to speak French. However England kept their own language.  1-Why was the time immediately following the fall of Rome called the Dark Ages?  Emperors kept tight control of the people.  There was little formal education for the masses.  Artwork from Greece, not Rome, survived.  There was no building being done.  2- The medieval Church was a unifying force in Europe after the fall of Rome because it offered:  indulgences for sinners  stability and security  redistribution of wealth  multiple sets of beliefs  3.Which of the following is the MOST accurate comparison of the early medieval period in Europe compared to the preceding period?  Early medieval Europe was characterized by less local autonomy and cultural divers ity.  Early medieval Europe was characterized by greater emphasis on the arts.  Early medieval Europe was characterized by greater scientific achievement.  Early medieval Europe was characterized by less stability and progress.  4All of the following are factors in the decline of the Roman Empire EX CEPT—  loss of morals and values  corrupt governments  population growth  hostile invasions  5.Which of the following groups had the MOST political power?  vassals  serfs  lords  Knights  6-2. Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox were the two main factions of Christianity. How do the two differ?  Orthodox is monotheistic while Catholic is polytheistic  Catholic is headed by a Patriarch while Orthodox is controlled by the Pope  Orthodox has priests while Catholic has shaman  Orthodox is headed by a Patriarch while Catholic is controlled by the Pope  7-How did the emergence of medieval feudalism in Europe influence the Christian Church?  The Church encouraged voyages of exploration.  The Church published the Bible in the vernacular.  The Church adopted Latin as the official language.  The Church served as the unifying power in society.  8-Which is the most valid generalization about the impact of the Crusades?  They strengthened the power of the serfs in Europe  They increased trade between Europe and Asia  They brought European influence to Asia  They promoted the idea of religious freedom  9-Which group of people can be classified as fierce warriors that are known for their ship building and navigation?  the Moors  the Vikings  Muslims  Anglo/Saxons  10- Which practice contributed to the spread of the Black Death in Europe?  warfare, as knights carried the disease to Valencia  religion, as pilgrims contracted the disease in Liege  industry, as laborers spread the disease by the North Sea  trade, as merchants brought the disease to the Mediterranean Sea  These 2 Germanic groups settled in England...  Angles and Saxons  Franks and Visogoths  Angles and Franks  Magyars and Vikings  William the Conqueror defeated the British King in the Battle of...  Hastings  Normandy  Spain  France  11. After what event did the "Dark Ages" start? Fall of Western Rome  The Great Schism  Battle of Tours  Christianity starts  When Rome fell in AD 476, life in Europe changed. How did life in the early Middle Ages differ from Roman times?  trade increases  people moved from rural areas to citiies  education and literacy declined  the population increases  Which of these is not another way of saying Middle Ages?  Medieval  Dark Ages  Renaissance  As the Roman empire was weakened a new time in history was forming. What was its name?  Renaissance  Elizabethan  Middle Ages  Bronze Age  Today, the word "barbarian" means...  uncivilized  intelligent  strong  people who don't speak Greek  A peasant who lived on a manor and served the lord.  vassal  serf  servant  Lord  William the Conqueror became King of England after the Battle of Hastings  True  False .The primary form of social organization throughout much of Medieval European history is called  matriarchy  patriarchy  feudalism  government  Who is at the top of the Feudal social system?  kings  kings and queens  serf  Lord  Name of the King of England who dies, leaving the English crown to be claimed.  Edward the Confessor  Edward the Peaceful  Edward the Brave  Edward the Forgiver  What structures did William build in order to help him control the population of England?  Houses  Castles  Bridges  Schools  HIDE ANSWER  he Norman Conquest resulted in massive changes to the English language, with over ______________ French words added to the English vocabulary.  300  3,000  30,000  3.000,000  HIDE ANSWER  Chivalry was seen as a code of conduct that would encourage the _____________ class to behave in a way that would benefit society, by channeling their violent impulses productively. .priestly  peasant  warrior  Manufacturing  what language was used for Christian services in the Western Roman Empire?  Greek  German  Persian  Latin  1-What is the religion of the Celts called ?  2- what does the word “ Animism” mean?  3- when did Romans actually conquer Britain in ?.  4- Who was the first Roman emperor who tried to invade Britain?  5-How long have The Romans remained in Britain ?  6-Romans provided armies and organization that prevented further serious invasion for some time; give examples.  7-Mention 2 other names of the middle Ages.  8-name an important religious figure for the Anglo- Saxons.  9- What does the loss of the shield or spear mean to the Anglo- Saxon warrior?  10-who started the “Anglo-Saxon Chronicle” and in which language it was written? Enough already! I thought this was an English class!