Anglo-Saxon Britain: 5th to 11th Century History
Unit 2: Anglo-Saxon Britain
Anglo-Saxon England refers to the period of history of the part of Britain that became known as England, lasting from the end of Roman occupation and the establishment of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the 5th century until the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 by William the Conqueror. Anglo-Saxon is referring to the Germanic peoples who came to Britain during the 5th and 6th centuries. Until the 9th century, Anglo-Saxon England was dominated by the Heptarchy: the kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex, and Wessex.
In terms of religion, the kingdoms followed Anglo-Saxon paganism during the early period but converted to Christianity during the 7th century.
Facing the threat of Viking invasions, the House of Wessex became dominant during the 9th century under the rule of Alfred the Great. The Viking kingdoms established from the 9th century in the north and east of England. The last Anglo-Saxon king, Harold Godwinson, was killed in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings.
Migration Period
General movement of Germanic peoples around Europe between the 4th and 6th centuries, known as the Migration Period.
The Anglo-Saxons took control of Sussex, Kent, East Anglia, and part of Yorkshire. In the intervening years, the Britons exhausted themselves with civil war, internal disputes, and general unrest.
The next major campaign against the Britons was in 577 (Battle of Dyrham), led by Cealin, king of Wessex, whose campaigns succeeded in taking Cirencester, Gloucester, and Bath. This expansion of Wessex ended when the Anglo-Saxons started fighting among themselves.
Anglo-Saxon Archaeology
- Pay cult
- Warrior society
- Oral poetry
- Strongest social bonds
- Claims of kinship and lordship: loyalty, honor, and homage
Sutton Hoo in Suffolk
Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge, in the English county of Suffolk in the 7th century. A ship burial was found.
Staffordshire Hoard
The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork found. On September 2009 (Mercia).
Christianization of Great Britain
There had been attempts to evangelize the Irish by Pope Celestine in 431. However, it was Saint Patrick who is credited with converting the Irish en masse. A Christian Ireland then set about evangelizing the rest of the British Isles.
Pope Gregory sent Augustine in 597 to convert the Anglo-Saxons. On arrival in the southeast of England in 597, Augustine built the church and founded the See at Canterbury. Most of the north and east had already been evangelized by the Irish Church.
Even after Christianity had been set up in all of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, there was friction between the Roman rites and the Irish rites. In 664, a conference was held at Whitby Abbey to decide the matter; the Roman rites were adopted by the English church.
Viking Invasions
- 787: First invasion and attacks on Northumbrian pagans
- 793: Attack on Lindisfarne monastery
- 794: Attack on Jarrow
- 815: London and Canterbury
- 840: Southampton and Portland
- 842: London and Rochester
- 865: Great-scale invasion
- 878: Battle of Edington between Alfred the Great and Guthrum. The battle soon resulted in the Treaty of Wedmore
Cnut and Harthacnut
Cnut became king of all England in 1016. Cnut divided England into earldoms: most of these were allocated to nobles of Danish descent. In 1017, Cnut sent for Æthelred’s widow, Emma, with the intention of marrying her, and Emma agreed. His son with Emma was called Harthacnut.
Cnut was king of Denmark, Norway, and parts of Sweden in 1027.
One of the outcomes of Cnut’s marriage to Emma was to precipitate a succession crisis after his death in 1035. The throne was disputed between Harald Harefoot, Edward, and Harthacnut. Emma fled to Bruges when Harald Harefoot became king of England, but when he died in 1040, Harthacnut was able to take over as king until 1042.
Edward the Confessor and the End of Anglo-Saxon Rule
Son of Æthelred II and Emma, Edward became king in 1042 until 1066.
Edward was supported by Earl Godwin of Wessex. However, this arrangement was seen as expedient, as Godwin had been implicated in the murder of Alfred, the king’s brother. The Godwins fled rather than face trial. It is thought that at this time, Edward offered the succession to his cousin, William, Duke of Normandy; William became the king of England. On Godwin’s death in 1053, his son Harold succeeded to the earldom of Wessex.
On January 5, 1066, Edward the Confessor died, and Harold was declared king. Although Harold Godwinson had grabbed the crown of England, there were others who laid claim, primarily William, Duke of Normandy. Harold swore a solemn oath of loyalty to William.
Harald Hardrada of Norway also had a claim on England through Cnut and his successors. He had a further claim based on a pact between Hathacnut, King of Denmark, and Magnus, King of Norway.
Tostig became Hadrada’s vassal. They marched towards York, where they were confronted at Fulford Gate. The English forces were routed. The victors entered the city of York. Hearing the news, Harold Godwinson force-marched a second English army. Harold achieved a total victory over the Scandinavian horde after a two-day-long Battle of Stamford Bridge.
Harold marched his army back down to the south coast, where he met William’s army at a place outside Hastings. Harold was killed when he fought and lost the Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066.