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The Anglo-Saxons and
the Island of Britain:
Conquest a go-go
449 – 1066 AD
HONORS*Ms. FB * aligned with CC
Who were the Celts ?until .
• Britain home to several
Celtic tribes
• Called “Britons”
• Settled in British Isles
AD 43- Enter the Romans
• Romans force Celts to move
north or become slaves
• Romans build walls, villas,
baths, roads
• Introduce Christianity
AD 409
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Romans evacuate
troops
Britain left vulnerable
to attack
Central government
breaks down
So, what happens when someone is
vulnerable?

Do they get some
help?
The Anglo-Saxon Invasion
Jutes
Angles
Celts/Romans
Saxons
A.D. 449 The Anglo-Saxons push the Celts
into the far west of the country
England= “land of the Angles”
Anglo-Saxon life
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Small tribal kingdoms
No written language
Farming/hunting
polytheistic
Warfare is a way of life.

Values:

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Strength
Generosity
Loyalty
Anglo-Saxon Society
• Comitatus – the principle that
banded Anglo-Saxon society together
• “playground bully”
More comitatus commentary
•
Thanes
•
Wergild
•
Loyalty, valor and bravery=
trust and treasure
Wyrd to your mother!
• Que sera, sera?
• YOLO?
• Only the good die young?
For Anglo-Saxons, Immortality
was…
achieved through deeds

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bravest
strongest
kindest
most intelligent
The Anglo-Saxon bards: Immortality
through song
• Scops
What was important:
• bravery
• loyalty
• generosity
• friendship
Around A.D. 400: Christianity comes to town
• Christian monks
settle in Britain
• Christianity and
Anglo-Saxon
culture co-exist
By A.D. 699
• British pagan
religions replaced by
Christianity
English takes shape

It’s around this time that
English as a language is
written down for the first time

Known as Old English, a
combination of:

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Celtic
Latin
Angle
Saxon
Times passes; more butts get kicked: 8th–9th
centuries
• 871 Danish Vikings invade
Britain
• Alfred, ruler of Wessex,
manages to unite the rest of the
English kingdoms against the
invaders
• The Brits actually win!
• England is united as a single,
Old English speaking country for
the first time!
1066- Battle of Hastings
End of Anglo-Saxon period in literature 