The Anglo-Saxon Period449-1066

andThe Middle Ages

1066-1485

Theme: The Heroic and the Humble

Before the Anglo-Saxons• Roman emperor Claudius ordered

conquest of Britain in AD 43• Britain considered a province in the large

Roman Empire• Many parts of Britain were full of warring

tribes– Difficult to control such a large piece of land

• Roman soldiers and traders brought Christianity to Britain around AD 300

Roman Mosaic in Britain

Roman Gatehouse in Britain

The Beginning of English history• Believed to have begun in 449 with the

invasion of 3 Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes)– Destruction of Roman influence, including

Christianity

• “Angle-land” formed- small tribal kingdoms

- no written language- supported themselves through farming and

hunting

Anglo Saxon helmet

An Anglo-Saxon Hall

An Anglo-Saxon farmstead

Ruins of Jarrow Monastery

The Coming of Christianity

• In AD 596, attempt to convert Anglo-Saxons to Christianity

• By 650: most of England is Christian• Though many remained intense believers

in God, others still held on to their pagan beliefs and traditions

Anglo-Saxon cross

Thunor for Anglo-Saxons (also known as Thor)

Anglo-Saxon influence today?• Some examples - Days of the week:

– Tuesday: comes from the Anglo Saxon god of battle -Tiw or Tig and was originally Tiwesdaeg

– Wednesday: comes from the Anglo Saxon God of war - Woden and was originally Wodnesdaeg

– Thursday: comes from the Anglo Saxon god of thunder Thunor. This is very similar to the Norse Viking god, Thor, with his big hammer and was originally Dunresdaeg.

The Danish Invasions

• 8th & 9th Centuries: Danes and Norsemen attacked Britain

• Most of England had fallen to invaders until Alfred “the Great” led his warriors to victory over the Danes– Eventually won back all of England from the

Danes

Danish Viking Ship

Statue of Alfred the Great

The Middle Ages

• AD 1066 – Death of King Edward– Fight for the English Throne

• Harold II selected by elders as king• Duke of Normandy laid claim to throne

– Fought and defeated Anglo-Saxons (Battle of Hastings) and became King William I (also known as William the conqueror)

Feudalism and Chivalry

• Feudalism– Land parceled out to lords who supported the

Norman king• Lords then granted land to vassals in exchange for

loyalty/oath of military duty

• Chivalry– Special “honor code” for knights– Knights strove to be honorable, generous,

brave, skillful in battle, respectful to women, and helpful to the weak

Note: though the peasants were the largest group in society, they had the least power

Feudalism

Chivalry

14th Century

• Dark time in English History– Edward III warned against France– Black Death killed nearly a third of the English

people– Rival Popes caused a decline in respect for

the Church

Literature of Anglo-Saxon Times

• 2 major influences1) Germanic Traditions of the Anglo-Saxons2) Christian Traditions of the Roman Church

1) Germanic Traditions of the Anglo-Saxons

• Germanic language– Mixture of various Germanic dialects + Old

English– Old English (often looks like a foreign

language)

1) Germanic Traditions of the Anglo-Saxons, cont.

• Warrior culture– Poems and stories depict a society like the Anglo-

Saxons• Military and tribal loyalties• Bravery of warriors• Generosity of rulers

• Oral literary tradition– Songs and stories often sung and told about the valiant

struggles of heroic warriors• More than just entertainment – provided a model for living and

a form of immortality they could aspire to

Note: all of these provided the foundation for early written literature in Old English

2) Christian Teachings

• Religion– Spread of Christianity throughout Anglo-

Saxon England• Christian monks established libraries and schools

within their monasteries– Emphasis on written word

» Especially the bible– Work of the monks resulted in the preservation of much

of the Old English literature that survives today

Questions?

• Review pages 34-45 in literature book for more information on Anglo-Saxon and Medieval England