A Brief History of Britain from 2000 BCE – 1066 CE

1. A Brief History of Britain from 2000 BCE – 1066 CE By: Mr. Fallon

2. Some Advice About Notetaking • Summarize with key words, important bits of information, and headings. Do not copy verbatim (word for word). • Write any questions you have with the related content in your notes, and mark your question with a “Q”. • For example, “Q: How long is this powerpoint?” • Write the answer beneath the question when you receive it. • Write any connections you make with the related content and mark your connection with a “C”. • For example, “C: These are like the notes I wrote in history; they use same outline and layout.” • Bonus: If you write at least five questions, and ask at least one of those questions personally, you will receive bonus points. If you write at least five connections, you will receive bonus points.

3. Brief Overview of Historic Epochs as they pertain to Britain • Neolithic Period: c. 5000-2000 BCE • Agriculture, farms, circular huts. • Mound tombs, Stonehenge (2800-2000 BCE) • Bronze Age: 2000 – 500 BCE • Indo-European Language • Burial with cups, flint, metal • “Celtic” inhabitants arrive 750 BCE, hill forts • Iron Age: 600-55 BCE – • Tribes develop (Britons and Celtic Tribes such as Atrebates, Belgae, Brigantes, Dumnonii, etc); • Languages: Gaelic, Brythannic (Britannic); • Coins, Potter’s Wheel (used for making clay pots), • Cremation, c 100 BCE • More Migrations from Gaul.

4. Stonehenge

5. Pre-Roman Culture • Pre-Roman Britannia was probably influenced by: • Gallic cultures • Norse cultures • Druids. • People here are typically referred to as “Celtic” but this is a term that is ill-defined, and historically fictional.

6. Early Roman Invasions of Britain • During his Gallic Wars, Julius Caesar invaded Britain twice, in 55 BCE and 54 BCE. • Roman Emperor Claudius (41-54 CE): In CE 43, Claudius sent four legions to Britain • Britain was an attractive target for Rome: • Material wealth • Safe haven for Gallic rebels.

7. Map of Caesar’s Gallic Wars; Britain Invasion of 54 BCE circled.

8. Caesar and the Druids (excerpt) • “Throughout all Gaul there are two orders of those men who are of any rank and dignity… one is that of the Druids, the other that of the knights. The former are engaged in things sacred, conduct the public and the private sacrifices, and interpret all matters of religion…. To these a large number of the young men resort for the purpose of instruction, and they [the Druids] are in great honor among them…. This institution is supposed to have been devised in Britain, and to have been brought over from it into Gaul; and now those who desire to gain a more accurate knowledge of that system generally proceed thither for the purpose of studying it. • They are said there to learn by heart a great number of verses; accordingly some remain in the course of training twenty years. Nor do they regard it lawful to commit these to writing, though in almost all other matters, in their public and private transactions, they use Greek characters. That practice they seem to me to have adopted for two reasons; because they neither desire their doctrines to be divulged among the mass of the people, nor those who learn, to devote themselves the less to the efforts of memory, relying on writing; since it generally occurs to most men, that, in their dependence on writing, they relax their diligence in learning thoroughly, and their employment of the memory. They wish to inculcate this as one of their leading tenets, that souls do not become extinct, but pass after death from one body to another, and they think that men by this tenet are in a great degree excited to valor, the fear of death being disregarded. They likewise discuss and impart to the youth many things respecting the stars and their motion, respecting the extent of the world and of our earth, respecting the nature of things, respecting the power and the majesty of the immortal gods.” -- De Bello Gallico, Book 6, Chapters 13-14, J. Caesar. Link to Caesar's De Bello Gallico

9. Tacitus – Roman historian and senator (ca. 56 – ca. 117) • Chapter 30. [The Druids at Mona Island – between Britannia and Ireland] “On the opposite shore stood the Britons, close embodied, and prepared for action. Women were seen running through the ranks in wild disorder; their apparel funeral; their hair loose to the wind, in their hands flaming torches, and their whole appearance resembling the frantic rage of the Furies. The Druids were ranged in order, with hands uplifted, invoking the gods, and pouring forth horrible imprecations. The novelty of the fight struck the Romans with awe and terror. They stood in stupid amazement, as if their limbs were benumbed, riveted to one spot, a mark for the enemy. The exhortations of the general diffused new vigour through the ranks, and the men, by mutual reproaches, inflamed each other to deeds of valour. They felt the disgrace of yielding to a troop of women, and a band of fanatic priests; they advanced their standards, and rushed on to the attack with impetuous fury.” Annals, Book XIV • Link to Tacitus's Writings

10. A Tale of Two Walls • Emperor Hadrian (117-138): Builds “Hadrian’s Wall” in Britain: 73 miles long, built in 121-127 and served as a defensive fortification from the Picts and Scots of northern Britannia. • Emperor Antonius Pius (138-161): Tries to follow in Hadrian’s footsteps and builds his own Wall (started 142 CE) north of Hadrian’s, but due to constant skirmishes with native peoples, the wall is never finished.

11. Hadrian’s Wall

12. Modern Photo: Hadrian’s Wall

13. Antonine Wall

14. Map of the Roman Empire (at peak) under Marcus Aurelius (161-180)

15. Split of the Empire • In 285, Diocletian splits the Empire into Eastern and Western halves. • The Western Roman Empire would collapse 200 years later, but the Eastern Roman Empire would become the “Byzantine Empire” centered at Constantinople, which would survive for another 1,000 years. • Constantine I (324-337): Known as the first “Christian Emperor” (adopts it himself on his deathbed) and for setting up what would become Eastern Orthodox Church. Christianity is accepted as the official religion of the Empire.

16. Constantine: King of the Britons? A search for Historical Connection • Geoffrey of Monmouth (11th Century): Historia Regum Britanniae: Because of his fame and his being proclaimed Emperor on the territory of Great Britain, Constantine was later also considered a British King. This “historical record” narrates the supposed history of the Britons and their kings from the Trojan War to King Arthur and the Anglo-Saxon conquest and connects Constantine to the mythical King Cole.

17. Roman Britain at a Glance • The Romans introduced the following things in Roman Britannia: • City planning and roads • Written Scholarship (with the Druids, everything was oral) • Christianity towards the twilight of the Empire

18. Invaders of Roman Britain • Western Roman Empire collapses due to political and economic corruption in 395-476. Legions pulled back. • As a result, Germanic tribes invade Roman Britain: • Angles • Saxons • Jutes • The Legend of King Arthur, if it has historical basis, probably comes from a Roman Briton general left behind with remaining forces to defend Britannia; the final stand at Mt Badon. • Gildas, De Excidio Britanniae (The Fall of Britain) (c. C.E. 540) , a Latin work describing and lamenting the fall of Britain to the Anglo-Saxons.

19. Migrations Throughout Empire

20. The Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy • The Germanic tribes quickly cut out territories for themselves in Roman Britannia, eventually settling on a loose collection of generally “seven kingdoms” (though other tribes existed): • Kent, Sussex, Wessex, Essex, East Anglia, Northumbria, and Mercia. • “Angle-land” ==>> “England”

22. Life as an “Anglo-Saxon” • Early invaders were seafaring wanderers who lived a life of pillage and plunder. Though the Angles, Saxons and others eventually settled down, Britain was beset by this type of invader in the form of Vikings and Norsemen later on in the 8th-10th centuries. • Their lives were bleak, violent, and short. • Brought pagan religion (influenced by Norse and Druidic cultures) and a belief in Wyrd; Wyrd was a warrior concept of “fate” – if it was with you, you would prevail in battle.

23. Spread of Christianity • Christianity spreads throughout the extent of the collapsed Roman Empire through missionaries such as St. Patrick (378-493). Patrick himself brings it to Ireland’s Gaels, Scots, and Dal Riata, who bring it to the Picts in the north (Scotland). • Meanwhile, from the south, in Kent, Roman Catholic Missionary Augustine ministers to people in Kent in 597. • By 690, all of Britain was at least nominally “Christian”.

24. Early Anglo-Saxon works of Literature Early Anglo-Saxon works of Literature • Most Anglo Saxon works were Historical, Epic, and/or Religious in content. Some were in Latin, some in Old English: • Caedmon, (scop/poet) oldest poetic vernacular work ("Hymn of Creation", c. 670), monastery at Whitby • Widsith(c. 650-700), a poem in which a poet named Widsith recounts his own experiences as a wandering minstrel • Lindisfarne Gospels, 698, Latin Vulgate text with interlined Old English paraphrase • Venerable Bede (673-735),Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum (Ecclesiastical History of the English People) (731), Latin work. • Ruthwell Cross (c.650), The Dream of the Rood (Old English poem): 18-foot-tall, free-standing stone carving that depicts scenes from the bible, decorative vine work, and 18 verses from the Old English poem • Book of Kells: Irish illuminated manuscript of four gospels in Latin. (c. 800) • Link to Old English works

25. VIKINGS!!! • Between the 8th and 9th Centuries (700’s-800’s), Norsemen, Danes, and Vikings invade the British Isles. They actually land in modern-day Scotland, and Ireland before they invade lower England (see map). There are still remnants of roundhouses (called brochs) in Scotland, as well as hill forts, constructed between 0-600 CE as well as grain mills which show Norse influence. • First Viking attacks 787, sack of Lindisfarne Priory 793 (according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle)

27. Broch and Mill

28. Dark Age Scottish Blackhouse

29. Saxons Fight Back! • King Alfred (849-899), king of Wessex (r. 871-899): victories over Vikings at Ashdown 871, Edington 878, Treaty of Wedmore 878 • Danish king Guthrum forced to accept Christianity and retreat to Danelaw; 886 Alfred captures London and is recognized as king of all England (except for Danish parts) • King Alfred's employment of Mercian scholars (Plegmund, Waerferth, Aethelstan, and Werwulf) in educational and literary endeavors (885) leads to revival of learning, beginnings of Anglo Saxon Chronicle. • Other Literature during this time: Exeter Book(c. 980): “A large English book containing poetic works” including The Wanderer and The Seafarer, Widsith, The Wife's Lament, Guthlac, Juliana, Christ, The Ruin, and many others.

30. Vikings Resume Attacks and conquer England! • Danish King Canute (Cnut), becomes king of England (r. 1016-1035) after a series of campaigns which resulted in defeat of Aethelred II (Unraed) and taking of his wife, Emma, and having a son with her. • Edward the Confessor (last Anglo-Saxon king) (r. 1042-1066),anotherson of Aethelred II and Emma; lived in exile in Normandy for around thirty years, during Danish rule of England, until 1041; conflicts and power sharing with Godwin (half-brother) earl of Wessex under Canute, and Godwin’s son Harold.

31. England becomes one kingdom and what a mess it is. Upon the death of the childless Edward the Confessor, the English throne was fiercely disputed by three claimants—William; Harold Godwinson, the powerful Earl of Wessex; and the Viking King Harald III of Norway, known as Harald Hardrada. Basically it was like this: Harold Godwinson had Edward’s last will and political vote to become King of England. Harald III of Norway basically wanted to invade and conquer England for himself. William felt that by distant blood relation and a number of other circumstances, that he had a legitimate right to the throne of England and decided to invade.

32. Norman invasion in 1066! (Normans (from “Northmen”) come from Normandy, which is actually northern France, conquered previously by the Vikings who then adopt the French culture as their own in exchange for peace.) William had a tenuous blood claim through his great aunt Emma (wife of Ethelred and mother of Edward). William also contended that Edward, who had spent much of his life in exile in Normandy during the Danish occupation of England, had promised him the throne when he visited Edward in London in 1052. Further, William claimed that Harold had pledged allegiance to him in 1064: William had rescued the shipwrecked Harold from the count of Ponthieu, and together they had defeated Conan II, Count of Brittany. On that occasion, William had knighted Harold; he had also, however, deceived Harold by having him swear loyalty to William himself over the concealed bones of a saint. In January 1066, however, in accordance with Edward's last will and by vote of the Witenagemot, Harold Godwinson was crowned King by Archbishop Aldred. Norman invasion by William the Conqueror, Battle of Hastings, 1066, end of Anglo-Saxon Period. William claims the throne of England upon achieving victory. (see Bayeux Tapestry)

34. Beowulf and Old English • Beowulf , written in Old English sometime before the tenth century A.D., describes the adventures of a great Scandinavian warrior of the sixth century. A rich fabric of fact and fancy, Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic in British literature. • Beowulf exists in only one manuscript. This copy survived both the wholesale destruction of religious artifacts during the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII and a disastrous fire which destroyed the library of Sir Robert Bruce Cotton (1571-1631).The poem still bears the scars of the fire, visible at the upper left corner of the photograph. The Beowulf manuscript is now housed in the British Library, London.

35. Beowulf First Page and Old English