Introduction
Anglo-Saxons is a term that is basically used in reference to a group of individuals who inhabited Great Britain in the early fifth century. This group of people invaded the south and east of the country and created an English nation, remaining in power until the Norman Conquest in the year 1066[1]. These people spoke Germanic languages and included the Frisians, Jutes, Saxons, and Angles. They started their power in the region after the destruction of the Roman Empire up to the time of Norman Conquest. The official Roman reign ended in AD 410, and left the region without a defense force. Germanic soldiers were deployed by Great Britain for defense in exchange for land-grants. Throughout the next ten decades, there were successive waves of settlers entering England. As a result, there was establishment of tribal groups that came together as kingdoms. The kingdoms were ruled by warrior-kings who led their people into wars in pursuit for wealth and power[2]. The group was identified by The Benedictine monk, Bede, as having descended from three Germanic tribes. The first tribe was the Angles. This group might have originated from Angeln in contemporary German. The writer claims that their entire nation moved to the Great Britain, leaving behind their land unoccupied. The second tribe is the Saxons which was from Old Saxony in modern Germany. The last tribe was the Jutes who emanated from Jutland in the modern Denmark[3].
The term
With the increase of the Germanic people into the region, their cultures started to come up as time went by. Some of the historians argue that the real rise of the Anglo-Saxons started with Alfred the Great, who in most cases utilized the title Rex Anglorum Saxonum or Rex Angul-Saxonum. This title is translated to “king of the English Saxons”[4]. The presence of the group in the region became prominent in the tenth century. The term ‘Anglo-Saxons’ can be clearly found in the literature of this period. The term emanates from the word “Angles” referring to a faction of people that were inhabitants of the northern part of the country. The second part of the term, Saxon is used in describing the people who originated from Old Saxony. Most writers of the period did not clearly distinguish the two factions. It is important to note that the term was also a component of Old English, which borrowed from four major languages: West Saxon, Mercian, Northumbrian and Kentish[5]. This language was evident in Britain prior to the coming of the Normans, a group of individuals who used French. However, most of the historians are convinced that the contemporary traditions and culture in England is influenced by the Anglo-Saxons instead of the Normans. It is also likely that the two groups were consumed in the same culture, with the culture of Anglo-Saxons becoming the dominant one. When the Old English use of the term was indicated, it seemed to have lost its meaning of reference to the Angles because it left out the Saxons. In the original written sense of the term Anglo-Saxons, it refers to a faction of Germanic individuals who entered and inhabited England in and after the fifth century[6].
The history
The history of Anglo-Saxon dates from the collapsing of the Roman Empire in the fifth century and the creation of their kingdoms up until the Norman Conquest in 1066. From Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum by Benedictine monk, Bede, the tribes of Germanic people migrated to Britain between 400 and 600[7]. Despite the fact that most people since the Roman rule were Christians, the Anglo-Saxons were pagan. Christianization of Anglo-Saxons started with the coming of a Christian Mission from Rome towards the end of the sixth century. The process proceeded from 597 and was supposedly over in 686[8]. All through the seventh and the eighth centuries, power changed between the major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. According to Bede (1990), Aethelbert of Kent was the prominent king towards the end of the sixth century, but authority seems to have moved towards the north to Mercia and Northumbria kingdoms. During the time Aethelbert of Kent and some of the kings who followed were known to their fellow rulers as Bretwalda. This term is translated to ‘ruler of Britain.’ Despite the fact that it was not steady, the “Mercian Supremacy” was dominant in the eighth century. The most influential rulers of the time, Aethelbald and Offa, gained high standing in the country[9]. The period from 600-800, came to be known as Heptarchy, despite the fact that the term is no longer in use for academic purposes. The term was used in reference to seven kingdoms that stayed powerful in the country. The seven kingdoms were “Northumbria, Mercia, Kent, East Anglia, Essex, Sussex and Wessex” (Oppenheimer, 2006: 24). The current literature on the history of Anglo-Saxon have provided the evidence that the term heptarchy was not based on reliable evidence and that power might have shifted among other kingdoms. Other notable kingdoms of this time included “Hwicce, Magonsaete, Kingdom of Lindsey and Middle Anglia” (Oppenheimer, 2006: 26).
The Viking age starts from 800 to 1066. The Viking challenge became so much in the ninth century. There was a period of sporadic peace in 878. This was after Alfred the Great triumphed at Edington, Wiltshire[10]. However, due to the fact that they possessed Jorvik the Danes acquired a strong footing in England. One of the key developments during this period was the rise of the Wessex kingdom. By the time that Alfred the Great completed his reign he was described as overlord by most of the kings in the south. There was fresh interest in England by Scandinavia towards the end of the tenth century. This was following the invasions of Sweyn of Denmark and Cnut thee Great, his son. By the year 1066, there were three rulers who were all eying the throne of England. This pursuit led to two attacks and battles of Stamford Bridge and Hastings. This was what led to the establishment of the Anglo-Norman reign in England[11].
Architectural styles
The original buildings of the Anglo-Saxons in England were very simple. They were built by use of timber and thatch for the roof. Due to the fact that this group did not to inhabit the cities developed by the Romans, they established their settlements towns close to their farming regions. In every town that they established there was a main hall in the middle. There are only a few buildings left as evident of Anglo-Saxon architecture. There are some churches that are still there today that were built by the Anglo-Saxons. All the remaining church buildings, apart from one built in timber, are constructed from brick or stone. Despite the fact that the buildings were built by the Anglo-Saxons, there is prove of re-employment of roman architecture. The architectural characteristics of Anglo-Saxon church constructions were influenced by designs of various people. There were some aspects of Celtic influenced architectural designs in the beginning. There were also basilica Romanesque architectural designs. Towards the late Anglo-Saxon era, there were designs characterized by pilaster-strips, plain arcading, baluster beams and triangular headed apertures[12].
Art
The art of the Anglo-Saxons also borrowed from different styles. Before the rule of Alfred the Great, the art was basically in assortments of the Hiberno-Saxon style. This was a combination of Anglo-Saxon and Celtic methods and patterns. One of the remaining examples of Anglo-Saxon art is the Sutton Hoo treasure. This treasure was obtained from a grave of the beginning of the seventh century. During the time between the rule of Alfred the Great and the Norman Conquest, there was a unique Anglo-Saxon technique in art. However, due to the revival of the economy and cultural traditions of England following the raids by the Vikings, the art had a touch of the developments in the country[13]. The artistic style is evident today through illuminated manuscripts. The manuscripts were not exactly like the original styles, but they are the ones that have survived in large amounts than anything else that would reveal the culture of the Anglo-Saxons. Modern scholars in Europe consider the goldsmithing and embroidery skills of the Anglo-Saxons as being particularly fine. It is likely that the best acknowledged art is the Bayeux Tapestry. This is an Anglo-Saxon art that was ordered by a Norman from people in England who were using the Anglo-Saxon for their work. There are coins that exist as example of the art. The artists of the time also employed their skills in fresco, ivory, metalwork, carving and enamel. However, very few examples are available today[14].
Language
The language that was used under the reign of Alfred was Old English, at times referred to as Anglo-Saxon. The use of the language went on until the year 1066, following the Norman Conquest. After the conquest, the language moved from the Old English to the Middle English, probably between 1150 and 1500[15]. This took place under the influence of the Anglo-Norman dialect that was used by Norman ruling faction. Old English is to great extent closer to Germanic compared to the Middle English. The language has less of the Latin influence and keeps many morphological characteristics that were lost during the twelfth to fourteenth centuries. Currently, the dialects that are close to the language are the Frisian languages. The languages are used by few people in the north of Germany and Netherlands. There are Old English literary works that include heroic poetry, hagiography, religious messages, Bible conversions, laws, records, and enigmas among others. There are a lot of surviving manuscripts of the period of the reign of the Anglo-Saxons[16].
Religion
Before they were Christianized, the Anglo-Saxons were pagan. Their belief system was a kind of Germanic paganism. This belief system was directly related to the Old Norse religious belief. Around the seventh and the eighth centuries, Roman Christianity replaced this religious system. As the new beliefs were rigorously preached, the old religions disappeared without getting properly recorded. Recorded Christian proscriptions on the beliefs of paganism are the key source of information on these beliefs. In spite of the proscriptions some aspects of the pre-Christian beliefs survived past the Christianization period. An example of the aspects that survived is the English naming for the days of the week[17].
Conclusion
Anglo-Saxon has a great influence in the history of England. The term is still in use in linguistics in reference to the early West Germanic element of the contemporary English language. The history of England is incomplete without proper understanding of this group. Apart from the influence of this group on politics and culture of England, 410 to 1066 a considerably long time to have ruled over the country.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, trans. L. Sherly-Price, London: Penguin,
1990
Harrison, Mark. Anglo-Saxon Thegn, AD 449-1066 (Warrior) Westminster
MD: Osprey Publishing. 1993
Oppenheimer, Stephen. The Origins of the British, London: Constable and Robinson, 2006.
Palmer, Stephen. Anglo-Saxon (410-1066 AD) 2008. Viewed on July 14, 2010 from
http://www.family-ancestry.co.uk/history/saxons/
Stenton, Frank. Anglo-Saxon England, 3rd edition, Oxford: University Press, 1971.
[1] Stephen, Oppenheimer. The Origins of the British, London: Constable and Robinson, 2006.
[2] Frank, Stenton. Anglo-Saxon England, 3rd edition, Oxford: University Press, 1971
[3] Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, trans. L. Sherly-Price, London: Penguin, 1990.
[4] Mark, Harrison. Anglo-Saxon Thegn, AD 449-1066 (Warrior) Westminster MD: Osprey Publishing. 1993.
[5] Stephen, Palmer. Anglo-Saxon (410-1066 AD), 2008. Viewed on July 14, 2010 from http://www.family-ancestry.co.uk/history/saxons/
[6] Mark, Harrison. Anglo-Saxon Thegn, AD 449-1066 (Warrior) Westminster MD: Osprey Publishing. 1993.
[7] Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, trans. L. Sherly-Price, London: Penguin, 1990
[8] Stephen, Oppenheimer. The Origins of the British, London: Constable and Robinson, 2006.
[9] Frank, Stenton. Anglo-Saxon England, 3rd edition, Oxford: University Press, 1971
[10] Mark, Harrison. Anglo-Saxon Thegn, AD 449-1066 (Warrior) Westminster MD: Osprey Publishing. 1993.
[11] Stephen, Palmer. Anglo-Saxon (410-1066 AD), 2008. Viewed on July 14, 2010 from
http://www.family-ancestry.co.uk/history/saxons/
[12] Stephen, Oppenheimer. The Origins of the British, London: Constable and Robinson, 2006.
[13] Mark, Harrison. Anglo-Saxon Thegn, AD 449-1066 (Warrior) Westminster MD: Osprey Publishing. 1993.
[14] Stephen, Oppenheimer. The Origins of the British, London: Constable and Robinson, 2006.
[15] Frank, Stenton. Anglo-Saxon England, 3rd edition, Oxford: University Press, 1971
[16] Stephen, Palmer. Anglo-Saxon (410-1066 AD), 2008. Viewed on July 14, 2010 from
http://www.family-ancestry.co.uk/history/saxons/
[17] Stephen, Oppenheimer. The Origins of the British, London: Constable and Robinson, 2006.
