Anglo-Saxon England

L eft on its own, Britain became vulnerable to raids by Picts, Scots, and Germanic pirates. Vortigern, the ruler of southeastern Britain, is thought to have hired bands of Angles, Saxons, and Jutes to help protect his lands. Eventually, however, these mercenaries turned against the Britons, seizing towns and the areas that surrounded them. The invaders were soon joined by more bands of their fellow warriors.

Despite the Britons’ resistance, the Anglo-Saxons had taken over most of lowland Britain by 650, enslaving the Britons or driving them to the rugged western reaches of the island. The Anglo-Saxons soon carved up the land into many small tribal kingdoms. By the end of the 7^th c., however, the Anglo-Saxons had come to think of themselves as one people—the English. From this civilization grew the history, language, and literature of England.

Early Anglo-Saxon Life

F or early Anglo-Saxons, warfare was a way of life; their tribal organization, values, and beliefs—as well as their poetry—reflected that fact. Tribes consisted of warrior families and tenant farmers. They were led by noblemen who, in turn, served a chief or king. An Anglo-Saxon ruler was primarily a warlord who protected his people from attacks and led his noblemen on expeditions of plunder, conquest, or revenge. Thus, the qualities the Anglo-Saxons valued most were those of a warrior: courage, strength, generosity, and loyalty. Equally befitting such a society were the principal gods they worshipped: Woden, protector of heroes and rouser to battle; Tir, god of glory and honor; and Thunor, aid to warriors in battle.

Conversion to Christianity Following the Anglo-Saxon invasions, Christianity in Britain survived only in the far western regions, where many Britons had fled. In 596, however, the pope sent missionaries to re-establish Christianity in England. By the end of the seventh century, the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southeastern England had become Christian. Meanwhile, monks from Ireland had brought Christianity to other parts of England. In addition, missionaries and monks eventually brought literacy to England, using Latin as the literary and scholarly language.

Unification For centuries, the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms fought among themselves. Finally, in 829 King Egbert of Wessex won control of all the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Although he lost the kingdom of Mercia the following year, his leadership paved the way for the unification of Anglo-Saxon England. By the end of Egbert’s reign, however, Vikings from across the North Sea had captured much of Anglo-Saxon England. These Scandinavian seafarers were called Norse, probably in reference to the North Sea. Those who attacked the coasts of England were predominantly Danes. After many defeats by the Danes, Egbert’s grandson, King Alfred, soundly defeated the Danes at Edington in 879. He went on to recapture London, driving the Danes back to the northeastern third of England and uniting non-Danish England under his rule. During the next century, the kings of Wessex won back the rest of England.

N ew Rulers Toward the end of the 10^th c., the Vikings renewed their attacks. By 1016 the war-weary English offered the crown to the man they thought most capable of restoring order, the Danish prince Canute. Unlike his predecessors, Canute worked to reconcile the country’s English and Danish inhabitants. Continental Europe had also suffered from years of Viking attacks and conquests. Across the English Channel, the Vikings had taken much of northern France. In tribute to the Norse, this region became known as Normandy. Within a decade of King Canute’s death, the last of his descendants died; the English turned to Edward, a nobleman with both Anglo-Saxon and Norman roots, as their next king.

T he End of Anglo-Saxon Rule What followed drastically changed the course of English history. Some accounts relate that King Edward promised that upon his death the English throne would go to William, the duke of Normandy. However, when Edward died in 1066, Harold of Wessex claimed the throne. Within the year, William sailed across the English Channel with his Norman Army. William’s forces defeated and killed King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, and William became the first Norman king of England. Thus the Anglo-Saxon era came to an end.