The Anglo Saxons ruled in Britain for over 600 years- right from when the Romans left in 410AD until William the Conqueror was victorious in 1066AD after the Battle of Hastings. You could say that they were the the first British civilisation to be referred to as 'English'. Their name reflects this- they gave their name to England- the land of the Angles. But what fascinating facts do we know about them? Read on to find out more...
1. The Anglo Saxons were made up from lots of different tribes.
The main three tribes were the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes who are thought to have come to Britain from modern day Denmark and Germany.
2. They were hired to defend Britain after the Romans left
Many of the Anglo Saxons were hired by Britain as a buffer once the Romans had fled from Britain. However, in a turn for the worst, some of these Anglo Saxons took control by killing the very people who had paid to hire them! That's gratitude for you!
3. England was NOT one country
During most of the Anglo Saxon period, England was not unified as one nation as it is today. Instead it was made up of several regions named Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, East Anglia, Essex, Kent and Sussex. Many of these names make up some of our modern county names.
4. The Anglo Saxons did NOT like Roman design
The Anglo Saxons did not like the Roman house building method of using stone. Instead the Anglo Saxons preferred to use natural resources such as wood- something that could be found in Britain's numerous forests. Each village would have a high fence to keep out predators such as wolves and it would serve as a deterrent for their enemies.
5. The Anglo Saxons loved a party!
They would hold huge feasts in the chief's hall- sometimes known as the Mead Hall. They ate vegetables such as carrots and parsnips along with fruit like apples. They also grew wheat, barley and oats for making bread and porridge. They were known also to drink beer and sing long into the night! Some things don't change...
6. They loved wool.
The Anglo Saxons loved making clothing from wool and linen- they had plenty to go around as they had lots of sheep. Wool was a great material for the Anglo Saxons as it kept people warm in the cold winter months.
7. They believed in many gods.
It seems strange to us now to believe in more than one god. However, in a time where people had little knowledge of science, to me it would make sense that a people would celebrate a sun 'god' or a rain 'god' because in their eyes, these gods made the food grow for them. It seems natural to be a pagan society. It was only when the Pope in Rome sent Augustine- a Christian missionary- to Britain that they changed from paganism to Christianity in 597AD.
8. They loved legends!
Again- some things don't change- who doesn't like a legend!? They firmly believed the land was filled with dragons, elves, fairies and a range of other magical beings!
9. A first 'King' of England?
You could argue that Offa- who was the King of Mercia- was the first King of England when he declared himself to be the King of all of England in 757AD. He then ruled until 796AD. Another famous Anglo Saxon King was Alfred the Great, who defended his Kingdom of Wessex against the might of the Vikings. He was a keen believer in education, changed the law and translated texts from Latin into English. He lived from 849-899AD.
Books to read relating to the Anglo Saxons
Comments
Post a Comment