Early Anglo-Saxon history (410–660) Anglo-Saxons

1 anglo-saxon history (410–660)

1.1 migration (c.410–c.560)
1.2 development of anglo-saxon society (560–610)
1.3 conversion christianity (590–660)

early anglo-saxon history (410–660)

the anglo-saxon period covers history of medieval britain starts end of roman rule. period known in european history migration period, völkerwanderung ( migration of peoples in german). period of intensified human migration in europe 400 800. migrants germanic tribes such goths, vandals, angles, saxons, lombards, suebi, frisii , franks; later pushed westwards huns, avars, slavs, bulgars , alans.

by year 400, southern britain – britain below hadrian s wall – peripheral part of western roman empire, lost rebellion or invasion, until recovered. around 410, britain slipped beyond direct imperial control phase has been termed sub-roman .

migration (c.410–c.560)


the migrations according bede, wrote 300 years after event; there archeological evidence settlers in england came many of these continental locations

the traditional narrative of period 1 of decline , fall, invasion , migration; however, archaeologist heinrich härke stated in 2011:

it accepted anglo-saxons not transplanted germanic invaders , settlers continent, outcome of insular interactions , changes.

writing c. 540 gildas mentions that, sometime in 5th century, council of leaders in britain agreed land in east of southern britain given saxons on basis of treaty, foedus, saxons defend britons against attacks picts , scoti in exchange food supplies. contemporaneous textual evidence chronica gallica of 452 records year 441: british provinces, time had suffered various defeats , misfortunes, reduced saxon rule. earlier date of 451 coming of saxons used bede in historia ecclesiastica gentis anglorum, written around 731. has been argued bede misinterpreted (scanty) sources, , chronological references in historia britonnum yield plausible date of around 428.

gildas recounts how war broke out between saxons , local population – higham calls war of saxon federates – ended shortly after siege @ mons badonicus . saxons go eastern home . gildas calls peace grievous divorce barbarians . price of peace, nick higham argues, better treaty saxons, giving them ability receive tribute people across lowlands of britain. archaeological evidence agrees earlier timescale. in particular, work of catherine hills , sam lucy on evidence of spong hill has moved chronology settlement earlier 450, significant number of items in phases before bede s date.

this vision of anglo-saxons exercising extensive political , military power @ date remains contested. developed vision of continuation in sub-roman britain, control on own political , military destiny on century, of kenneth dark, suggests sub-roman elite survived in culture, politics , military power c. 570. however, nick higham seems agree bede, identified 3 phases of settlement: exploration phase, when mercenaries came protect resident population; migration phase, substantial implied statement anglus deserted; , establishment phase, in anglo-saxons started control areas, implied in bede s statement origins of tribes.

scholars have not reached consensus on number of migrants entered britain in period. heinrich härke suggests figure around 100,000, based on molecular evidence. but, archaeologists such christine hills , richard hodges suggest number nearer 20,000. around 500 anglo-saxon migrants established in southern , eastern britain.

what happened indigenous brittonic people subject question. heinrich härke , richard coates point out invisible archaeologically , linguistically. based on high anglo-saxon figure (200,000) , low brythonic 1 (800,000), brythonic people have outnumbered anglo-saxons @ least 4 one. interpretation of such figures while culturally, later anglo-saxons , english did emerge remarkably un-british, . . . genetic, biological make-up none less have been substantially, indeed predominantly, british . development of anglo-saxon culture described 2 processes. 1 similar culture changes observed in russia, north africa , parts of islamic world, powerful minority culture becomes, on rather short period, adopted settled majority.

the second process explained through incentives. nick higham summarized in way:

as bede later implied, language key indicator of ethnicity in england. in circumstances freedom @ law, acceptance kindred, access patronage, , use , possession of weapons exclusive claim germanic descent, speaking old english without latin or brittonic inflection had considerable value.

the tribal hidage, edition of henry spelman s glossarium archaiologicum

by middle of 6th century, brythonic people in lowlands of britain had moved across sea form brittany, , had moved west, majority abandoning past language , culture , adopting new culture of anglo-saxons. adopted language , culture, barriers began dissolve between peoples, had earlier lived parallel lives. archaeological evidence shows considerable continuity in system of landscape , local governance, inherited indigenous community. there evidence fusion of culture in period. brythonic names appear in lists of anglo-saxon elite. wessex royal line traditionally founded man named cerdic, undoubtedly celtic name derived caratacus. may indicate cerdic native briton, , dynasty became anglicised on time. number of cerdic s alleged descendants possessed celtic names, including bretwalda ceawlin. last man in dynasty have brythonic name king caedwalla, died late 689.

development of anglo-saxon society (560–610)

in last half of 6th century, 4 structures contributed development of society; position , freedoms of ceorl, smaller tribal areas coalescing larger kingdoms, elite developing warriors kings, , irish monasticism developing under finnian (who had consulted gildas) , pupil columba.

the anglo-saxon farms of period falsely supposed peasant farms . however, ceorl, lowest ranking freeman in anglo-saxon society, not peasant arms-owning male support of kindred, access law , wergild; situated @ apex of extended household working @ least 1 hide of land. farmer had freedom , rights on lands, provision of rent or duty overlord provided slight lordly input. of land common outfield arable land (of outfield-infield system) provided individuals means build basis of kinship , group cultural ties.

the tribal hidage lists thirty-five peoples, or tribes, assessments in hides, may have been defined area of land sufficient maintain 1 family. assessments in hidage reflect relative size of provinces. although varying in size, thirty-five peoples of tribal hidage of same status, in areas ruled own elite family (or royal houses), , assessed independently payment of tribute. end of sixth century, larger kingdoms had become established on south or east coasts. include provinces of jutes of hampshire , wight, south saxons, kent, east saxons, east angles, lindsey , (north of humber) deira , bernicia. several of these kingdoms may have had initial focus territory based on former roman civitas.

by end of sixth century, leaders of these communities styling kings, though should not assumed of them germanic in origin. bretwalda concept taken evidence of number of anglo-saxon elite families. bede seems imply in bretwalda ability of leaders extract tribute, overawe and/or protect small regions, may have been relatively short-lived in 1 instance. ostensibly anglo-saxon dynasties variously replaced 1 in role in discontinuous influential , potent roll call of warrior elites. importantly, whatever origin or whenever flourished, these dynasties established claim lordship through links extended kin ties. helen peake jokingly points out, happened related woden .

the process warrior cyning – old english king – described in beowulf:

conversion christianity (590–660)

Æthelstan presenting gospel book (the long-dead) st cuthbert (934); corpus christi college cambridge ms 183, fol. 1v

in 565, columba, monk ireland studied @ monastic school of moville under st. finnian, reached iona self-imposed exile. influence of monastery of iona grow peter brown has described unusually extensive spiritual empire, stretched western scotland deep southwest heart of ireland and, southeast, reached down throughout northern britain, through influence of sister monastery lindisfarne.

in june 597 columba died. @ time, augustine landed on isle of thanet , proceeded king Æthelberht s main town of canterbury. had been prior of monastery in rome when pope gregory great chose him in 595 lead gregorian mission britain christianise kingdom of kent native anglo-saxon paganism. kent chosen because Æthelberht had married christian princess, bertha, daughter of charibert king of paris, expected exert influence on husband. Æthelberht converted christianity, churches established, , wider-scale conversion christianity began in kingdom. Æthelberht s law kent, earliest written code in germanic language, instituted complex system of fines. kent rich, strong trade ties continent, , Æthelberht may have instituted royal control on trade. first time following anglo-saxon invasion, coins began circulating in kent during reign.

in 635 aidan, irish monk iona chose isle of lindisfarne establish monastery , close king oswald s main fortress of bamburgh. had been @ monastery in iona when oswald asked sent mission christianise kingdom of northumbria native anglo-saxon paganism. oswald had chosen iona because after father had been killed had fled south-west scotland , had encountered christianity, , had returned determined make northumbria christian. aidan achieved great success in spreading christian faith, , since aidan not speak english , oswald had learned irish during exile, oswald acted aidan s interpreter when latter preaching. later, northumberland s patron saint, saint cuthbert, abbot of monastery, , bishop of lindisfarne. anonymous life of cuthbert written @ lindisfarne oldest extant piece of english historical writing. , in memory gospel (known st cuthbert gospel) placed in coffin. decorated leather bookbinding oldest intact european binding.

in 664, synod of whitby convened , established roman practice (in style of tonsure , dates of easter) norm in northumbria, , brought northumbrian church mainstream of roman culture. episcopal seat of northumbria transferred lindisfarne york. wilfrid, chief advocate roman position, later became bishop of northumbria, while colmán , ionan supporters, did not change practices, withdrew iona.

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