invaders of britain

Invaders of Britain

Reasons for invasions

1. Money,2. Power,3. Raw materials.

Throughout timecountries/lands have

been invaded byleaders of other

countries, for differentreasons.

In the past, invaders were also looking for slaves.

Some of the reasons were:

NOTE: Much of the information I have researched has been contradictorywith regards to exact dates etc.

However the main invaders recorded are detailed on the following pages.

I suggest you do your own research and read the references I have notedon each page, and other info that you may find yourself.

Then you need to decide …...

Invaders of Britain

Romans• Since AD 43• Emperor Claudius• Failed attempts by Julius Caesar since AD55

Saxons• from 5th century• Notably King Alfred (AD 849) - North Germany

Vikings• AD835• From Scandinavia (Nordic)

Normans• AD1066• William the Conqueror - France

Source: Letts World of History Revision

Before the Romans

• Who lived in Britain before the Romansinvaded?

• There is so much controversy on this, as wellas different theories.

• Here is some info….

Celts• Before the Romans invaded, Celts lived in Britain.

• Before the Celts …………. there are many theoriesbut few agree with each other.

• Pre-Celtic Britain is difficult to recognize as theRomans, in their 4 centuries of rule, obliterated anyremains of former peoples.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/invasion/ http://www.uni-due.de/SHE/HE_CelticLanguages.htm http://www.britannia.com/history/time1.html

5000BC - Neolithic (new stone age) Period begins; first evidence of farming appears; stone axes, antlercombs, pottery in common use – who were these people?

Indigenous peoples of Britain?• Those who study history and ages past, record the stone age,

the bronze age, hunter gathers - though who the peoplewere, where they came from and what they calledthemselves seems to be hidden in the mists of time.

• Some say that Britain always has a flow of people comingand going and they say that there were NO indigenouspeople.

• BUT there must have been.

• In Northern and Western Scotland the Picts are spoken of asindigenous people but little remains of them except a list ofkings and carved stones in the areas where they lived.

RomansThere are many events that occurred.

These are just a few of them (check the linkbelow).

• Julius Caesar first attempted to invadeBritain in 55BC. It was unsuccessful butinvasions continued.

• By 60 - 61AD Boudicca leads revolt againstthe Romans

• Then from 75 - 77AD Roman Conquests ofBritain completed - The Romans defeatedthe last of the resistant tribes in the Northmaking all of Britain Roman.

• 122AD - Hadrian's Wall built - The EmperorHadrian visited Britain and ordered that awall be built between England and Scotlandto keep the rebellious Scottish tribes out.Construction of the wall began in 122 andwas completed by 139.

http://www.britainexpress.com/History/roman-britain-map.htm http://www.historyonthenet.com/Chronology/timelineroman.htm

Romans go home…• 360AD Attacks from Picts, Scots, Franks, Saxons - Roman

Britain was attacked by tribal groups of Picts, Scots, Franksand Saxons. Reinforcements were sent to Britain and theattacks were repelled.

• 388 – 400AD - Romans begin to leave Britain - The RomanEmpire was being attacked by many different barbariantribes. Soldiers stationed in Britain were recalled to Rome.

• 410 - Last Romans leave Britain - All Romans had beenrecalled to Rome and the Emperor Honorious told the peopleof Britain that they no longer had a connection to Rome andthat they should defend themselves.

What did the Romans do for Britain?

• Architecture• Art• Literature• Language (Latin)• Sanitation (sewage)• Aqueducts• Education• Irrigation (water supply)• The calendar• Coins• Cement and bricks• Public heated baths• Turnips and carrots• Paved streets and pavements• Apples, pears and grapes• Benefits (free food) for poor

citizens

• Roads• Wine• Cats• Stinging nettles• Towns• Glass• Street Cleaners• Shops• Laws• Tenements• Blocks• Public• Order• Firemen and Police• Parks• Cabbages & peas• Public libraries• Public notices and advertisements

Some examples of things that Romans introduced to Britain that are still in use today:

Source: http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk//year7links/doneforuse.shtml

Roman Language - Latin• English is a mixture of many different

languages, but it contains very manyreferences to Latin.

• Some Latin words are used directly, whereasothers have been adapted - but the influenceof the Romans on English can easily be seen.


Other influences of RomansLiteratureRoman authors followed the famous Greek authors, often developing and buildingupon Greek writing. Most surviving literature is written for or by the rich. Writers weresupported by the rich. Many writers have been influenced by the Romans includingShakespeare (Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra), Robert Graves (I Claudius),Milton (Paradise Lost), Dante (Inferno) and James Joyce (Ulysses).

ArchitectureMany Roman buildings still stand - just this is evidence of how good Romanarchitecture was. Roman architecture has many connections with Greek architecturethrough the use of pillars and arches. Since the Renaissance, this style has beenpopular around the world.

ArtRoman art has influenced many people. Just as with architecture, the Renaissancesaw a rebirth in interest in classical art. The use of pictures of Emperors on coins andsculptures introduced powerful images to society.


Angles• The Angles is a modern English term

for a Germanic people who took theirname from the ancestral culturalregion of Angeln, a district currentlyknown as Schleswig-Holstein, inGermany.

• The Angles were one of the maingroups that invaded and settledin Britain in the post-Roman period,founding several of the kingdomsof Anglo-Saxon England, and theirname is the root of the name"England".

• There are connections tothe Jutland peninsula (Denmark)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angleshttp://www.worldology.com/Europe/Europe_Nations/United_Kingdom/index.htm

AnglesAccording to sources such as the History ofBede, after the invasion of Great Britain, theAngles split up and founded the kingdoms ofthe Nord Angelnen (Northumbria),OstAngelnen (East Anglia), and theMittlereAngelnen (Mercia).

As a result of influence from the WestSaxons, the tribes were collectivelycalled Anglo-Saxons by the Normans.

The regions of East Anglia and Northumbriaare still known by their original titles to thisday. Northumbria once stretched as far northas what is now southeast Scotland,including Edinburgh, and as far south asthe Humber Estuary.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angles http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/articles/kingdom_of_the_angles/Image http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSl8xfbMPMWVpS35opykFgOmRbDsVsJnsSGw7EsrZQl8MFRFwPf

Saxons• In England, the Germanic invaders, the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes from

Northern Germany and Denmark, drove most of the original Celtic inhabitants toCornwall , Wales , and Scotland in the far western regions of the British Isles .

• The invaders, whom for convenience are called the Anglo-Saxons, ignored mostof the Roman achievements they found.

• They disliked the land already being farmed, which was mostly light chalky soil onthe hilltops, and preferred the clay lands of the river valleys.

• They paid no attention to Roman law, but introduced a wholly Germanic tribalsystem of government.

• They arrived as pagans, but were converted only at the end of the sixth centuryby St. Augustine 's mission sent directly from Rome .

Source: http://history-world.org/germanic_tribes.htm

Vikings• The Northmen or Vikings came from

Scandinavia.

• Like the Saxons before them, the Vikingonslaught first started with a few bloodyraids.

• Early recorded raids include the sacking ofmonasteries at Lindifarne, Jarrow, and Iona.

• AMicel Here (Great Army) of Heathen Daneslanded in East Anglia in AD865.

• Within nine years the Vikings had attackedand established their rule Danelaw, over thekingdoms of Northumbria and East Anglia,their former Anglo-Saxon kings having beenput to the sword.

• The Vikings also ravaged the once mightyEast Mercia, driving King Burgred overseas.

Source: http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/England-History/Invaders.htmImage source http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSFtARR09kK1iRiUFIKwqMWe3JwCt4uHIGtW5D0i86PGSFpd45L

From AD793 a new prayercould be heard acrossEngland,

"Save us, Lord, from the fury ofthe Northmen!"

Normans • Early 10th century, Charles the Simple, the FrenchKing,, gave some land in Northern France to a Vikingchief named Rollo. He hoped that by giving the Vikingstheir own land in France they would stop attackingFrance.

• 1st known as Northmannia, the land of the Northmen -later known as Normandy.

• These Vikings intermarried with the French and by theyear 1000, they were now French speaking Christians.

• Between 1030 - 1099 a group of Normans took overmost of Southern Italy.

• The Normans lived in wattle and daub huts withthatched straw roofs. After conquering England,Normans built many castles to defend their new land.

• Normans also established many schools, monasteries,cathedrals and churches in both Italy and England.

Source: http://www.historyonthenet.com/Normans/whowere.htm http://www.essentialnormanconquest.com/

The Normans that invadedEngland in 1066 came from

Normandy in NorthernFrance….

BUT apparently they wereoriginally Vikings from

Scandinavia.

Norman Invasion – 1066(Battle of Hastings)

The Norman Invasion started when William, Duke of Normandy's 7,000soldiers landed at Pevensey on the morning of the 28th Sept 1066.

Their Leader William was born in 1027. He became Duke of Normandywhen he was only seven years old. (illegitimate son of Robert, Duke ofNormandy and Herleva of Falaise )

William invaded England to become King and claim the English thronefrom King Harold after Edward the Confessor died.

William was a distant cousin of Edward and apparently Edward hadpromised him the throne when visiting France in 1051.

William insisted that claim had been accepted by Harold of Wessex(Godwinson) in 1064, when Harold had been blown onto the Normanshore by a storm.

Then when Edward died, Harold said that Endward had chosen him.The Witan had to decide between 4 people and chose Harold. Howeverin the end, William invaded and conquered and ruled as King.

Source: http://www.historyonthenet.com/Normans/whowere.htm http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MEDwilliam1.htmImage Source: http://hhh.gavilan.edu/mturetzky/PoliticsinGreatBritainHistoryandPoliticalInstitutions.htm

Other image and info sourcesFirst page :

• http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTkcIgJkkEUTjMoptBz79SHCqsLTItbNTsOzxH76CZ7UI0jCTbmgA Viking

• http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRnrnsBeHcgljWztnJhjwikDoGNtwQW4RBQm-RlyI3e3d-bU8fc Viking boat

• http://www.fashion-era.com/ancient_costume/clothing-saxon-frankish-anglo.htm#A_Saxon_Chief_&_a_Saxon_Lady anglo saxon warrior

• http://www.historyonthenet.com/Normans/normansmain.htm Normans

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