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Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Period (BRIEF)

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Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Period (BRIEF)
1. ANGLO-SAXON (OLD ENGLISH) PERIOD

Anglo-Saxon period lasted from about mid-5th century until the Norman Conquest in 1066. This period is also known as the Dark Ages.

Anglo-Saxons were Germanic tribes and they came to Britain around 449 AD, after the fall of the Roman Empire. They came in search of a new land to live in and a better life. Anglo-Saxons came along with Jutes, Franks and other tribes.

The Angles controlled the North and Midlands, the Saxons the South and West, and Jutes controlled Kent and the Isle of Wight.

Anglo-Saxons brought their society (kings, thanes, ceorls, slaves), religion, legends, stories. They also brought their outlook on life (loyalty, feuds, exile) and their language.

The first settlers formed tribes, which later divided into kingdoms (there were about 40-50 kingdoms at that time). In the 9th century, the country was divided into 4 kingdoms: East Anglia, Mercia, Northumbria and Wessex.

In 597 AD St Augustine came to Britain = arrival of Christianity.

In 793 AD England was attacked by Vikings and that was the start of the Viking Era. The Vikings were defeated by King Alfred the Great (King of Wessex) at the Battle of Edington in 878 AD.

Anglo-Saxons lost control and fall to Cnut in 1016, but regained control with Edward the Confessor and ruled until 1066 when Harold, who was crowned king after Edward’s death, failed to defend his crown and was defeated at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 by Normans lead by William the Conqueror.

Most of the information about Anglo-Saxons is written in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which is an account of all the major events of that time.

Old English is a term used to refer to the language and literature spoken and written in England during the rule of the Anglo Saxons.

It is a Germanic language. At first, it was an oral culture with runic inscriptions (using the runic alphabet – Futhorc). Later, especially after the arrival of Christianity in 597 AD, it became more

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