Anglo-Saxons
410 A.D. – 1066 A.D.
600 years
Who were the Angl-Saxons
• When the Roman soldiers left Britain around
410 A.D. Britain was left with no protection
• This was a perfect moment for people from
Germany, Denmark and Northern Holland
(Anglo-Saxons) to invade or imigrate to West
Britain.
• They crossed the North Sea from their
countries in ships and settled in some parts of
Britain.
Why did the Angl-Saxons come to
Britain?
• They knew that Britain was a rich country so
they came to find land to farm. Their own
farms in Germany, Holland and Denmark often
flooded so they couldn’t grow enough food for
themselves.
• Some came peacefully as imigrants and others
came to fight for land.
What did they bring?
• The Anglo-Saxons brought food, clothes, some
weapons and their families to Britain on small
boats.
• They also brough different languages, religion
and culture
• The Anglo-Saxon inhabitants lived in small
timber huts and they did very little to preserve
the Roman culture
• Some of these houses were built inside
Roman towns because the walls of the city
protected them
• Angl-Saxons all lived together as a family
• Each house had one room, a fireplace for
cooking light and heating
• a metal pot hung above the fireplace
Clothing
• People wore a tunic made from woolen cloth
or animal skin with leggings and sandals
• Clothing varied from region to region
What jobs did they perform
• Men, women and children all worked on farms
• Men cut down trees to clear land
• Farmers used oxen to pull ploughs up and
down long strip-fields
• Children with dogs herded cattle and sheep.
• Some people had special skills
• the smiths made iron tools, knives and swords
• Woodworkers made wooden bowls,
furniture, carts and wheels
• Potters made pottery from clay
• Shoemakers made leather shoes
• Jewellers made metal brooches, beads and
gold ornaments for rich people
Past time
• Anglo-Saxons liked to gather in the lord's great
hall, to eat and drink, and to listen to songs
and stories. They loved tales about brave
warriors and their adventures. A favourite
story told how Beowulf
• Men enjoyed rough sports such as wrestling,
weight-lifting (using heavy rocks) and horseracing. These sports kept them fit, for work
and war. They also played ball games. One
game seems to have been a bit like hockey,
and another like baseball or cricket.
Beliefs
• The Anglo-Saxons were pagans (they believed
in many gods)
• Anglo-Saxons were superstitious. They
believed in lucky charms. They thought 'magic'
rhymes, potions, stones or jewels would
protect them from evil spirits or sickness.
• Saint Augustine (Irish monk) in 597 A.D.
converted most of the country to Christianity.
How did they settle
• When the Anglo-Saxons came to Britain there
was no leader so there was a big battle
between the Anglo-Saxons and the Britons
• Britain was divided into kingdoms with it’s
own rulers.
• Irish settled in the North
• As the years passed the country was being
divided into kingdoms known as the
“Heptarchy” they included: East Anglia, Essex,
Kent, Mercia, Northumbria, Sussex and
Wessex
• Each kingdom had it’s own king or ruler.
• Offa is one of the best known king’s of Mercia
he was the first ruler to be called ‘the king of
England”
• Offa wanted to form alliances with all kingdoms
in Britain so he married his daughters to the
son’s of kings of the other kingdoms
• King Offa was the first to introduce “the penny”
the forerunner of modern English coins.
• Created Kingship of the English
How did the society function with
many rulers?
• Early Anglo-Saxon kings were military leaders
who were assisted by their lords (thanes).
• The villagers were dependant on their lord for
food and labour.
• The kings were advised by wise men (Witan) who
formed an assembly to advise on administration
(taxes, army, land) and judicial matters. The wise
men included bishops and church officials,
friends or relatives of the king and local
chieftains
• Many people spoke different languages which
were all very close to english. This is how
eventually everyone spoke what is now known
as Old English
• The Lord's Prayer in Old
English
Matthew 6:9-13
Fćder ure ţu ţe eart on
heofonum
•
Si ţin nama gehalgod
to becume ţin rice
gewurţe đin willa
on eorđan swa swa on
heofonum.
urne gedćghwamlican hlaf syle
us todćg
and forgyf us ure gyltas
swa swa we forgyfađ urum
gyltendum
and ne gelćd ţu us on
costnunge
ac alys us of yfele soţlice
Father our thou art in heavens
hallowed be thy name
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heavens
Give us this day out daily
bread and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who have
sinned against us
and don’t lead us into
temptation
but deliver us from evil truly
Army
• The army was constructed in a simple way.
The main weapon the Anglo-Saxons fought
with was the spear shield, simple armor,axes,
bows and arrows .
• The leaders of soldiers were known for their
generosity and bravery. Great leaders were
called ring-givers as they would give their ring
to the following leader of the army.
• Part-time soldiers (fyrd)
• Most of the information we have about the
Anglo-Saxons comes from the chronicle an
English monk named St. Bede wrote:
Ecclesiastical History of the English People
• documented major events of that time
Why was Alfred so Great?
• Alfred was born in AD849 and died in AD899. His
father was king of Wessex, but Alfred became
king of all England
• Alfred went on fighting the Vikings when all
seemed hopeless. Finally, he won an important
battle at Edington.After that, some Vikings
agreed to live in peace.
• Alfred made good laws. He had books translated
from Latin into English, and translated some
himself. He told monks to begin writing the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
• He built warships to guard the coast from
Viking raiders.
• He built forts and walled towns known as
burhs.
• He split the fyrd (the part-time army) into two
parts. While half the men were at home on
their farms, the rest were ready to fight
Vikings.
What did the Saxons give us?
• Names of the days of the week eg:
Ti g (Tu esday), Wodin
(Wednesday), Thor (Thursday), Frei (Friday
• a number of kingdoms, some of which still
exist today: Essex (East Saxons),
Sussex (South Saxons), Wessex (West Saxons)