The Dark AgesThe Dark Ages

The Middle Ages~ 449-1485 ~

Anglo Saxon or Old English Period(449-1066)

England has had many invaders, each

leaving their stamp on what we think of as “England” today. The Celts The Romans The Anglo-Saxons

The Celtic Heroes: A Magical World

The Celtic Heroes: A Magical World& (around 300 BC) theisland of Britain wasinhabited by tall blondwarriors who calledthemselves Celts& a group of thesewarriors, calledBrythons, left theirpermanent stamp onBritain

The Romans: The Great Administrators

Beginning with an invasion led by Julius Caesarin 55 BC and culminating in one organized bythe Emperor Claudius about a hundred yearslater, the Britons (the Celts) were finallyconquered by the legions of Rome.& Rome brought organization to Britain –

armiesthat prevented further invasions, networks ofroads, and a great defensive wall seventy-threemiles long.

Religion of the Romans

Rome brought Christianity, and soon the old Celtic religion began to vanish.

Christianity became a unifying force.

Roman BritainRoman Britain

•In 449 the tribes of Jutes, Angles and Saxons from Denmark and Northern Germany started to invade Britain defeating original Celtic people who escaped to Cornwall, Wales and Scotland.

The Anglo-Saxons

The Anglo-Saxons Sweep Ashore

In the middle of the fifth century (~450 AD), the attack came from the north, from the Angles and Saxons from Germany and Jutes from

Denmark.

The Anglo-Saxon language became the dominant language in this land, thus a new name

Engla Land, or England. The Celts did put up a brave fight but finally retreated into Wales in the far west of the country.

Anglo-Saxon InvasionAnglo-Saxon Invasion

The Spread of ChristianityThe Spread of Christianity

BEOWULF BEOWULF

    Beowulf , written in Old English Beowulf , written in Old English sometime before the tenth century sometime before the tenth century A.D., describes the adventures of a A.D., describes the adventures of a

great Scandinavian warrior of the sixth great Scandinavian warrior of the sixth century.century.

A rich fabric of fact and fancy, A rich fabric of fact and fancy, BeowulfBeowulf is the oldest surviving epic in British is the oldest surviving epic in British

literature.literature.

Beowulf exists in only one manuscript. Beowulf exists in only one manuscript. This copy survived both the wholesale This copy survived both the wholesale

destruction of religious artifacts during destruction of religious artifacts during the dissolution of the monasteries by the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII and a disastrous fire which Henry VIII and a disastrous fire which

destroyed the library of Sir Robert destroyed the library of Sir Robert Bruce Cotton (1571-1631).Bruce Cotton (1571-1631).

The poem still bears the scars of the The poem still bears the scars of the fire, visible at the upper left corner of fire, visible at the upper left corner of

the photograph. The the photograph. The BeowulfBeowulf manuscript is now housed in the British manuscript is now housed in the British

Library, London.Library, London.

The first page of the Beowulf manuscript.