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Raiders and Invaders:
The British Isles c.400 - c.1100
ISBN: 0 435 31124 7
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Who were the invaders?
In this chapter you will learn:
Who the invaders were
When the invasions began
Why they came to Britain
The difference in value between written and archaeological sources
Then and now: the invaders left behind much evidence which
archeologists and historians can evaluate.
Why do we need to know?
Where were the invaders from?
It is important to understand who the invaders
of Roman Britain were because these peoples
contributed to the break up of Roman Britain and
in turn created a series of kingdoms within Britain.
In the fifth century (the 400’s), these invaders
caused devastation and ruin in eastern and southern
England. By the early seventh century (the 600’s)
the invaders had brought with them new languages
and new cultures that would force the RomanoBritish and the Celtic elements of Britain back to the
borders of Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Cornwall. As
a result of these invasions, which were to become
migrations, Roman Britain would eventually
become Anglo-Saxon England.
There were three different tribes of settlers who
came to England before and after the Roman legions
departed in 410 AD, all of Germanic origin. These
were:
When did the invasions begin?
The invasions of Roman Britain were under way a
long time before the last Roman troops left Britain.
In 367 three invasions of Britain brought slaughter
and chaos. Anglo-Saxon invaders came across the
North Sea, attacking the Saxon shore forts built for
defence by the Romano-British. Picts from central
and northern Scotland attacked Hadrian’s Wall and
the Gaelic Dal Riata attacked from Ireland. Towns
and villas were cut off and London was surrounded
by looters. Roman Britain survived these invasions
but in 410 AD the Roman Emperor Honorius wrote
to the leading citizens of Britannia telling them that
from now on, they were on their own. Rome itself
had been sacked by the barbarian, Alaric the Goth.
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• The Jutes from Jutland in Denmark,
• The Angles from the district of Angeln in
Schleswig, south of Denmark, and
• The Saxons, the largest tribe, from northern
Germany.
Activity letter to Honorius
You are a Romano-British person living in Britain
in around 400 AD. Write a letter to the Emperor
Honorius asking for help, explaining what is happening
in your country and why you need help from the
invaders.
!
Key term Migrations
Migrations are the movements of people in large
numbers, including women and children, on foot or
by boat, usually in search of a better life somewhere
with fertile and available land. This was abundant in
Britain at this time.
Source A shows the origins of the Jutes, Angles
and Saxons.
Who were the invaders?
Northumbria
Mercia
East Anglia
Wessex
Key
Areas of Britain the
settlers occupied
Angles
Jutes
Saxons
Source A
Map of the invasions showing the origins of the
Angles, Jutes and Saxons
Source B
[The invaders] came from three very powerful nations of
the Germans, the Saxons, Angles and Jutes. The people of
Kent and the inhabitants of the Isle of Wight are of Jutish
origin…from the Saxon country…came the East Saxons, the
South Saxons and the West Saxons. Besides this, from the
country of the Angles…came the East Angles, the Middle
Angles, the Mercians, and all the Northumbrian race.
Bede: The Ecclesiastical History of the English People
!
What do we know about the
invaders?
What we know about these early raiders and settlers
is incomplete. The evidence falls into two categories:
written sources and archaeology. The problem with
the written evidence is that much of it was written
at least 50 years after the events, and some of it
almost 300 years later. Historians do not know what
evidence these writers were using – either records
that are now lost, or oral evidence handed down
over the generations. This evidence may have
become exaggerated or invented as time went by, in
order to glorify the actions of the early kings.
Key term Oral evidence
This means information handed down by word
of mouth from generation to generation, perhaps
in songs or stories told by the fire in front of large
crowds or in the family. At a time when very few
people could read or write, these stories were
important. They may not have been written down for
hundreds of years but were still valuable evidence.
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Why do we need both written and
archaeological sources?
There are two main sources of evidence for the Saxon
invasions: written and archaeological. Of the written
sources, only one (Gildas) was written near the time.
Written sources
Gildas, ‘The Ruin of Britain’(550)
A Briton called Gildas, who was writing mainly to
criticise the surviving British kings, wrote the only
story we have written at the time of the AngloSaxon invasions, in around the year 550. This work
was called ‘The Ruin of Britain’ and describes the
breakdown of Romano-British control to the Saxon
invaders. Gildas’ work lacks dates, is brief and
inaccurate at points but is useful for describing from
personal knowledge what was happening to British
society in the sixth century.
Bede, ‘Ecclesiastical History of the English
People (731)
Bede was a monk who finished his History in 731,
almost 300 years after the events it describes. He
used Gildas and other sources (now lost). As an
Anglo-Saxon monk of possible royal birth, he was
writing long after the Anglo-Saxons had conquered
the British peoples. Bede’s History is an extremely
valuable source and is the first authentic historical
record of Anglo-Saxon England.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles (890s onwards)
These chronicles were not begun until the late ninth
century and, although they serve as a very valuable
evidence for the later Anglo-Saxon period, they
were written 400 years after the Saxon invasions
and are principally interested in the story of the
West Saxons.
Source C
Anglo-Saxon
graves in
Hertfordshire
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Who were the invaders?
Archaeological sources
Given the lack of written material for this period,
the use of archaeological evidence to back these
sources up is crucial.
The main archaeological evidence is graves. Graves
such as those in the photo (Source C) tell us who
lived in an area, when and also a bit about how
they lived.
The problem with archaeological evidence is that
so much evidence has been lost, destroyed or will
never be found. But used with the written sources,
it can provide a great deal of extra information.
So why did the Saxons invade?
Evidence from burial sites from the early Saxon
invaders show that the Saxons came before the
Romans officially left in 410 and were still settling
in the early sixth century.
Judging by the Roman military equipment found
in some burials, Romano-British chiefs probably
employed some of the early Saxons as soldiers.
Other Saxons were raiders and some were humble
‘boat people’, were in search of a better life.
In conclusion
The invaders were from the Germanic tribes:
the Saxons, Angles and Jutes.
Activity Classroom debate
Land use dispute
A property developer in your area wants to build
houses over important Saxon grave sites. A local
archaeological group claim that the graves prove that
Saxon invaders were in this area and want to earmark
the land as a protected historical site. The property
developer argues that there isn’t enough evidence to
support this. The archaeological group has to prove
that there is.
Divide the class into two groups. Each group needs to
present their case to the local council.
Questions
What two categories does the evidence fall into?
What is ‘oral history?’
What are the problems with Gildas’ writing as
historical evidence?
Why is Gildas still useful?
Look at Source B. Should we treat Bede’s history
as a useful source?
What are the uses for archaeology in helping us
discover this period?
Which do you think is more useful: the historical
sources or archaeology? Explain why.
The invasions began a bit before the Romans
left in 410 AD.
They came to Britain as paid soldiers, as raiders
and as settlers.
We need both written and archaeological
evidence to get the full picture.
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Saxons: Exam Practice
‘The early Anglo-Saxons brought nothing new to Britain
and destroyed what they found.’
How far do the sources you have researched convince you that this
statement is correct?
Hints and tips
Plan your time. Allow
yourself about three hours
to research the topic and
one hour to write up your
answer.
How to tackle the task
Think about what you know already
How could you decide whether the Anglo-Saxons brought anything new to
Britain and whether or not they destroyed what they found? What would you
look for? Draw up a checklist.
Begin your research
• The task asks you to research sources. You will need to use evidence
from a wide range of sources to back up what you are going to say. You
could be looking for archaeological evidence, for reconstructions, for what
people at the time believed and for what historians think.
Impressions
…this term asks you to
judge what the sources
tell you. How accurate
are they? What is the
context of the source and
how does that add to the
impressions it gives?
• Look at the sources you have studied in this unit, and sources A and B
here. What does the evidence suggest so far about the behaviour of the
Anglo-Saxons?
• Remember to think about the reliability and usefulness of these sources.
Wider research
• You can use any resources normally available to you, for example the
internet, the library, your class notes and textbook.
• Look for a range of sources that will help you decide how the AngloSaxons behaved.
• Keep a note of all the sources you use.
• Look for different opinions about how the Anglo-Saxons behaved. Are
these different opinions supported by the evidence you have found?
Write up your findings
Hints and tips
In the real exam, you
won’t be given sources
to analyse. But we have
included some here to
help you learn to make
good use of sources in
your answer.
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• Make sure you explain how far you agree with the statement given in the
task. Don’t just write down everything you know about the Anglo-Saxons
and the Romano-British.
• Try to compare both sides of the argument. If you think the Anglo-Saxons
brought lots of new things to Britain explain why.
• Back up what you say by referring to the sources you have researched.
• Do your best to communicate your findings clearly, and use correct
grammar and spelling.
Who were the invaders?
How to write an essay plan
Always write a quick essay plan dividing the words in the question up into
chunks. For example this question can be divided into two main parts:
• Introduction (150 words)
1. ‘The early Anglo-Saxons brought nothing new to Britain.’ Agree / disgree?
List of evidence and sources to back it up. (600 words)
2. ‘The early Anglo-Saxons destroyed what they found.’ Agree / disgree? List
of evidence and sources to back it up. (600 words)
• Conclusion (150 words)
Now you have your plan, go with what you know first. Then do your
research and add to the original plan. With any luck you won’t have much
left to think about whilst you’re writing.
Source A From The Ruin of Britain by Gildas, a fifth-century
Romano-British monk
To Aetius, thrice consul, the groans of the Briton…The
barbarians push us to the sea; the sea pushes us back on the
barbarians. Between these two kinds of death, we are either
drowned or slaughtered.
Source B Purse lid from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, c.624
Hints and tips
Check how long your
answer should be.
There’s no use writing a
lot more than required.
Essays for this Unit should
be between 1000–1500
words, not including
diagrams, drawings and
photographs. Anything over
1500 words may not be
marked. Try to use your
essay plan to help you
assign numbers of words to
different parts.
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