From Legend to From Legend to HistoryHistory

(A.D. 449-1485)(A.D. 449-1485)

The Anglo-Saxons & the The Anglo-Saxons & the History of the English History of the English

Language and Its LiteratureLanguage and Its Literature

The Conquest of BritainThe Conquest of Britain

►Two groups of Celts from Southern Two groups of Celts from Southern Europe invades Britain between 800-Europe invades Britain between 800-600 B.C.600 B.C. The Britons settled on the island of BritainThe Britons settled on the island of Britain The Gaels settled on what is now IrelandThe Gaels settled on what is now Ireland

Both were farmers and hunters organizedBoth were farmers and hunters organized

into clans.into clans.

Priests called druids settled disputesPriests called druids settled disputes

Next Came the RomansNext Came the Romans

►Began invading in 55 B.C.Began invading in 55 B.C. Julius Caesar made some hasty invasionsJulius Caesar made some hasty invasions The true conquest took place 100 years The true conquest took place 100 years

laterlater Roman rule lasted for 300 yearsRoman rule lasted for 300 years Last Roman legions left to defend Rome in Last Roman legions left to defend Rome in

A.D. 407A.D. 407

The Beginning: The Anglo-The Beginning: The Anglo-SaxonsSaxons

►As Romans left, the Anglo-Saxons As Romans left, the Anglo-Saxons began invading from what is now began invading from what is now GermanyGermany

►They were deep sea fisherman and They were deep sea fisherman and farmersfarmers

The Coming of Christianity The Coming of Christianity

►By the 4By the 4thth century, the Romans had century, the Romans had accepted Christianity and had accepted Christianity and had introduced it to Britain.introduced it to Britain.

►A century later, when the Celts fled the A century later, when the Celts fled the Anglo-Saxons, they took their Christian Anglo-Saxons, they took their Christian faith with them.faith with them.

►Even after Rome fell in A.D. 476, the Even after Rome fell in A.D. 476, the Celtic Christian church continued to Celtic Christian church continued to thrive.thrive.

Coming of Christianity (contin.)Coming of Christianity (contin.)

►Monks gained converts in North and Monks gained converts in North and established monasteriesestablished monasteries

►St. Augustine established a monastery St. Augustine established a monastery at Canterbury and began converting at Canterbury and began converting rulersrulers

►Church provided counsel to quarreling Church provided counsel to quarreling rulers, promoted peace, and helped rulers, promoted peace, and helped unify the English peopleunify the English people

The Danish InvasionThe Danish Invasion

►Comprised of the Norse of Norway and Comprised of the Norse of Norway and the Danes of Denmark (collectively the Danes of Denmark (collectively known as Vikings)known as Vikings)

►Rising populations in these two Rising populations in these two countries led to them pirating and countries led to them pirating and settling in the British Islessettling in the British Isles

►They destroyed monasteries, entire They destroyed monasteries, entire villages, sacred relics, and manuscriptsvillages, sacred relics, and manuscripts

The Danish Invasion (contin.)The Danish Invasion (contin.)

► In 871, Alfred the Great ascended to In 871, Alfred the Great ascended to the Wessex throne. Stopped Danish the Wessex throne. Stopped Danish encroachment.encroachment.

►Negotiated a truce where he controlled Negotiated a truce where he controlled southern England and the Danes southern England and the Danes controlled the East and Northcontrolled the East and North

►Alfred preserved remnants of pre-Alfred preserved remnants of pre-Danish civilization and encouraged Danish civilization and encouraged rebirth of learning and educationrebirth of learning and education

The Vikings in EnglandThe Vikings in England

►Danes continued to push for control in Danes continued to push for control in England.England.

►1042, Edward the Confessor ascended 1042, Edward the Confessor ascended to the throne. His death in 1066 led to to the throne. His death in 1066 led to the end of the Anglo-Saxon period of the end of the Anglo-Saxon period of history.history.

The Danish and the FrenchThe Danish and the French

►These were descendants of the Vikings These were descendants of the Vikings who invaded the coast of France in the who invaded the coast of France in the 99thth century. century.

►William, Duke of Normandy, had family William, Duke of Normandy, had family ties to Edward the Confessor.ties to Edward the Confessor.

►When Edward died in 1066, Saxon When Edward died in 1066, Saxon council of Elders elected Harold II to be council of Elders elected Harold II to be kingking

The Danish and the French The Danish and the French (contin.)(contin.)

►William claimed that Edward had William claimed that Edward had promised him the throne.promised him the throne.

►He crossed the English Channel to He crossed the English Channel to assert his claim by forceassert his claim by force

►At Battle of Hastings, Harold II was At Battle of Hastings, Harold II was killed, and William emerged victoriouskilled, and William emerged victorious

►Over next five years he suppressed Over next five years he suppressed Anglo-Saxon nobility, and he Anglo-Saxon nobility, and he confiscated their landsconfiscated their lands

The Danish and the The Danish and the French(contin.) French(contin.)

►He saw to it that Normans controlled He saw to it that Normans controlled the government and that business was the government and that business was conducted in Norman French or Latinconducted in Norman French or Latin

►Remade England by implementing the Remade England by implementing the Feudal SystemFeudal System

The Feudal SystemThe Feudal System

► Involved the exchange of property for Involved the exchange of property for personal service – no slavery involvedpersonal service – no slavery involved

►TheoryTheory King owned all landKing owned all land He parceled it out to his powerful supportersHe parceled it out to his powerful supporters He gave these supporters titles of He gave these supporters titles of ““BaronBaron”” They in turn paid taxes and supplied a They in turn paid taxes and supplied a

certain number of Knights should the king certain number of Knights should the king need themneed them

The Feudal System (contin.)The Feudal System (contin.)

Knights received Knights received smaller parcels of smaller parcels of land for their servicesland for their services

These parcels were These parcels were called manorscalled manors

The peasants who The peasants who worked on these worked on these manors were called manors were called serfsserfs

Serfs were the lowest Serfs were the lowest class in the feudal class in the feudal system system

Ruling Families: The Ruling Families: The PlantagenetsPlantagenets

►Norman rule ended in 1154, when Norman rule ended in 1154, when Henry Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, Henry Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, came to the throne as Henry II.came to the throne as Henry II.

►His concern with legal matters led him His concern with legal matters led him into a conflict with the churchinto a conflict with the church

►When the archbishop of Canterbury When the archbishop of Canterbury died, Henry appointed his friend, died, Henry appointed his friend, Thomas Becket to the position. He Thomas Becket to the position. He thought Becket would go along with thought Becket would go along with royal policy royal policy

The Plantagenets (contin.)The Plantagenets (contin.)

► Instead, Becket defied the king and Instead, Becket defied the king and appealed to the Pope. This angered appealed to the Pope. This angered HenryHenry

► In 1170, thinking they were doing the In 1170, thinking they were doing the king a favor, four of Henryking a favor, four of Henry’’s knights s knights murdered Becket in his cathedralmurdered Becket in his cathedral

►Henry quickly condemned the action Henry quickly condemned the action and tried to atone for it by making a and tried to atone for it by making a pilgrimage to Becketpilgrimage to Becket’’s tombs tomb

Religious Devotion and the Religious Devotion and the PilgrimagePilgrimage

►Since then, a pilgrimage to BecketSince then, a pilgrimage to Becket’’s s shrine at Canterbury became a shrine at Canterbury became a common English means of showing common English means of showing religious devotionreligious devotion

The Magna CartaThe Magna Carta

►The next king after Henry II was Richard IThe next king after Henry II was Richard I►Richard spent most of his reign doing Richard spent most of his reign doing

overseas military expeditionsoverseas military expeditionsThis proved to be quite costly This proved to be quite costly King John ended up inheriting these debtsKing John ended up inheriting these debtsJohn tried to pay these debts by raising taxesJohn tried to pay these debts by raising taxes The barons resisted these measures and The barons resisted these measures and

forced King John to sign the Magna Cartaforced King John to sign the Magna Carta

The Magna Carta and TaxesThe Magna Carta and Taxes

►The Magna Carta was a document The Magna Carta was a document where the king stated he couldnwhere the king stated he couldn’’t raise t raise taxes without first meeting with the taxes without first meeting with the barons.barons.

►This restriction on the KingThis restriction on the King’’s power s power was the first step towards a was the first step towards a constitutional government in Englandconstitutional government in England

Lancasters, Yorks, and Lancasters, Yorks, and TudorsTudors

► In 1399, the House of Lancaster In 1399, the House of Lancaster replaced the Plantagenets on the replaced the Plantagenets on the throne.throne.

►These kings included Henry IV, V, VI all These kings included Henry IV, V, VI all of whom were central characters in of whom were central characters in Shakespearean historical dramasShakespearean historical dramas

►Through the 15Through the 15thth century, York and century, York and Lancaster competed for the throneLancaster competed for the throne

►This led to the war of the Roses (1455-This led to the war of the Roses (1455-1485)1485)

The Royal’s Struggle for The Royal’s Struggle for Power: The War of the RosesPower: The War of the Roses

►Henry Tudor, distant cousin and Henry Tudor, distant cousin and supporter of Lancaster, led a rebellion supporter of Lancaster, led a rebellion against the unpopular York king-against the unpopular York king-Richard III- and killed Richard in battle Richard III- and killed Richard in battle

►Henry Tudor was crowned Henry VII Henry Tudor was crowned Henry VII and married Richardand married Richard’’s nieces niece

►This united the house of Lancaster w/ This united the house of Lancaster w/ York, thus ending the War of the RosesYork, thus ending the War of the Roses

Decline of the Feudal SystemDecline of the Feudal System

►After the Plague swept across England After the Plague swept across England in 1348 & 1349, massive labor in 1348 & 1349, massive labor shortages increased the value of shortages increased the value of peasant work.peasant work.

►Peasants began to get paid and Peasants began to get paid and experience more freedomexperience more freedom

►The peasants staged a revolt that was The peasants staged a revolt that was crushed, but the seeds were planted for crushed, but the seeds were planted for a more liberal futurea more liberal future