The Anglo-Saxons & Middle Ages ( 449-1066) History, Society, & Religion.
Introduction to the Anglo Saxons (449-1066 A.D.).
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Transcript of Introduction to the Anglo Saxons (449-1066 A.D.).
Introduction to the Anglo Saxons (449-1066 A.D.)
There were 7 groups of peoples who invaded and settled in Great
Britain throughout its history:• Iberians (Spain)• Celts (indigenous people
from British Isles)• Romans (Italy))• Angles (Germany)• Saxons ( northern
Germany & the Netherlands)
• Vikings (Norway, Sweden, and Denmark)
• Normans (northern France)
The Spirit of the Celts
• When Greek travelers visited modern Great Britain in the 4 B.C., the group of warriors they found there were called… – Celts– Brythons - Britons
The Spirit of the Celts• The Celts followed a
religion known as Animism or “spirit”
- They saw spirits in all natural things --ponds, trees,
fire, & thunder
• These spirits controlled all aspects of existence & had to be constantly
satisfied.
The Spirit of the Celts
• Celtic priests were called Druids– Intermediaries
between the gods & people
– Druids memorized the history of their people & the secrets of their faith
• Ritualistic dances and human sacrifices were also used.
The Spirit of the Celts
• Some think a strange, stone-like structure on the Salisbury Plain known as Stonehenge was used by the Druids for religious rites.
• Some say it is an ancient clock.
The Celtic Heroes and Heroines
• Celtic legends are full of strong women– Example: Queen Maeve of
Connacht Boadicea--Legends include fantastic animals,
incredible adventures, and magic.
• Sir Thomas Malory was greatly influenced by the legends of Celtic heroes– Example: Le Morte D’arthur –
based on a Celtic warrior named Arthur
Boadicea• Fierce female tribal warrior who rose up
against the invading Romans but was ultimately defeated.– Boudica was a striking looking woman.
- "She was very tall, the glance of her eye most fierce; her voice harsh. A great mass of the reddest hair fell down to her hips. Her appearance was terrifying." - Definitely a lady to be noticed!
– The Roman governor killed her husband and publicly flogged and her in addition to her daughters being raped by Roman slaves!
– Other Iceni chiefs suffered in a like manner and their families were treated like slaves.
– Not surprisingly these outrages provoked the Iceni, Trinobantes and other tribes to rebel against the Romans- Boadicea led that rebellion
Celtic Warriors
• Used a blue dye known as woad to give them such a terrifying appearance in battle.
• They were very tall and athletically built
• Fought naked• Carried long spears• Used a fierce battle cry to
intimidate their opponents• Fought to show how brave
they were, not to gain land or riches
The Romans: The Great Administrators
• Julius Caesar led the invasion of Briton in 55 B.C.
• Introduced two architectural additions to Briton– Roads– Defensive wall – Hadrian’s Wall
• Approximately 70 mile long wall was built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian to keep the 'barbarian' Picts from Scotland out of Roman Britain.
The Romans: The Great Administrators
• Christianity became a unifying force in Britain which caused the “old ways” of the Celts to vanish
• Romans evacuated Britain in 409 A.D., without leaving a central government there– Britain became a country
of separate clans or tribes– This made Britain so weak
after the Roman invasion that it was susceptible to pagan invasions.
The Anglo-Saxons Sweep Ashore
• In the middle of the 5th century Britain was attacked by
• Angles (Germany)• Saxons (northern
Germany & Netherlands)
• Jutes (Denmark)-Anglo-Saxon became the dominant
language after these invasions
• The new name of Britain after these invasions– Engla land or England
The Anglo-Saxons Sweep Ashore
• The Celts retreated to Wales as a result of the invasions from the north
• Arthur – a Welsh chieftain – developed in legend as Britain’s “once and future king”– Name of novel about
Arthur’s life by T.H. White
Unifying Forces: Alfred the Great and Christianity
• King Alfred of Wessex was the Anglo-Saxon king who led his people to victory against the invading Danes & established England as one nation.
Unifying Forces: Alfred the Great and Christianity
They used established pagan holidays to partner with Christian holidays to make the conversion easier.
• The Irish and continental missionaries were responsible for converting the Anglo-Saxon people to Christianity.
Unifying Forces: Alfred the Great and Christianity
• Three things Christianity provided for the Anglo-Saxon people:– A common faith– A common system of morality/
right conduct– A connection to England and
Europe
Unifying Forces: Alfred the Great and Christianity
• William, Duke of Normandy, defeated the Danes in Britain in 1066 – Battle of Hastings– Also known as William
the Conqueror
What Does Anglo-Saxon Mean?
• Anglo Saxon society developed from kinship groups led by a strong chief
• People farmed, maintained local government, and created fine crafts especially metalwork.
• Christianity eventually replaced old warrior religion, linking England & continental Europe.
• Monasteries were centers fro learning & preserved works from the older, oral tradition.
• English – not just the Church’s Latin- gained respect a as a written language.
Anglo-Saxon Life as Described by the findings at Sutton Hoo
• Warfare was a dominant influence on daily life
• Law and order was the responsibility of the leader of a group- family, clan, tribe, or kingdom.
• Fame and survival only came from loyalty to the leader (comitatus)
• Loyalty grew out of a need to protect the group from the enemy
Role of Women in Anglo-Saxon Culture
• They had rights– Could inherit & own property.– Christian women could join
religious communities (convents) & even became powerful abbesses.
Anglo-Saxon Religion: Gods for Warriors
• Warrior god• Dark• Fatalistic• Believed the greatest
honor was to die in battle and go to Valhalla – warrior heaven
• Important virtues- bravery, loyalty, generosity, & friendship
Anglo-Saxon Religion:Gods for Warriors
• Odin (pronounced Woden) was the most important Norse god
• He represented death, poetry, and magic
• Thor or Thunor was the god of thunder– His symbols- hammer and
swastika
Anglo-Saxon Religion:Gods for Warriors
• Dragon (firedrake)– Significant figure in Anglo-Saxon mythology personifies “death the devourer” – Guards the greave
mound of warriors’ ashes and treasure
The Bards: Singing of Gods and Heroes
• Scops or bards told stories of Anglo-Saxon history and heroes through
oral tradition – memorizing stories &
passing them along by word of mouth
• Scops were very important in Anglo-Saxon culture
• The only thing that could help an Anglo-Saxon’s memory live on after death was to have his story retold in poetry.
A Light from Ireland
• Patricus (Patrick) was the man responsible for converting all of Celtic Ireland to Christianity in 432 A.D.– Taught pagans the concept
of the Trinity using a shamrock (3-leaf clover)
• Three petals or leaves but one plant
– God, the Father– God, the Son– God, the Holy Spirit
• Known to us as Saint Patrick
A Light from Ireland
• Golden Age in Ireland- – Irish monks founded monasteries
that became sanctuaries for learning for refugees
– Monasteries served as centers for learning during the time period
The Christian Monasteries:The Ink Froze
• Scriptorium: A writing room used to copy manuscripts by hand
• Monks wrote in Latin, the language of the Catholic Church– as a result, it
became the language of serious study in England
The Rise of the English Language
• King Alfred had a c chronical written of England’s history from its earliest days until 1154 A.D.– Anglo Saxon Chronicle – As a result, English
began to gain respect as a language of culture
– Only then did the Old English stories & poetry preserved by the monks come to be recognized as great works of literature.