Anglo-Saxons facts for kids
The Anglo-Saxons were a group of people who lived in England for a long time, from the mid-5th century AD until the Norman Conquest in 1066. They spoke languages related to German. A famous historian named Bede said they came from three main groups: the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes.
Their language, called Anglo-Saxon or Old English, was a type of West Germanic language. Over time, it changed into Middle English around the 11th century. Old English had four main forms: West Saxon, Mercian, Northumbrian, and Kentish.
The Anglo-Saxons partly replaced the Celtic tribes who lived in the British Isles before they arrived. They never fully conquered Wales, but Anglo-Saxon kings sometimes claimed power over it. Some Anglo-Saxons came to Britain as warriors, while others came peacefully to become farmers or to start families.
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Anglo-Saxon Arrival in Britain
It's not fully known how many Anglo-Saxons came to Britain between the 400s and 600s AD. Many old writings suggest large numbers of Anglo-Saxon settlers arrived. Because of this, some of the native Britons moved west, towards Wales and Cornwall. Others went to a place called Armorica (modern-day France) and became the Bretons.
The language of the Anglo-Saxons, Old English, became the main language in southern Britain. Only a few words from Celtic and Latin were borrowed into Old English. In areas like Kent, Sussex, Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, many native Britons might have been driven out. In other places, some Britons likely stayed and became part of Anglo-Saxon society.
Angles, Saxons, and Jutes
It was the historian Bede who first said the invaders were Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. However, he sometimes used the names Angli and Saxones for the same people in different parts of his writings. In one book, he wrote that "Angles or Saxons" came to Britain in three longships after being invited by King Vortigern.
Today, experts agree that Angles, Saxons, Frisians, and some Jutes did come to England during this migration time. The differences between these groups were not very big. Kent was a bit different in culture from other parts of England, mainly because it had close connections with parts of Europe like Gaul (modern-day France).
Archaeologists can tell the difference between Anglian, Saxon, and Jutish areas in Northern Europe by looking at certain styles of jewellery. It's not completely clear why the country became known as England and the language as English. In Old English, the people called themselves Engle, and in Latin, they were called Angli. But there's no strong proof that the Angles were the largest group of Germanic peoples in Britain. The name Englaland, which later became 'England', was commonly used by the 11th century.
How Celts Described Anglo-Saxons
The native British people, who wrote in both Latin and Welsh (a Celtic language), called these invaders Saxones or Saeson. This name is still used today in the Welsh word for English people, Saeson. The Welsh word for the English language is Saesneg, and things related to England are called Seisnig. In Scottish Gaelic language, an English person is called sasannach, and in Irish, the word is sasanach.
Anglo-Saxon Art
Anglo-Saxon art before the time of King Alfred (who ruled from 871–899) was a mix of Anglo-Saxon and Celtic styles. The amazing Sutton Hoo treasure is a great example of very early Anglo-Saxon metalwork and jewellery. It came from a royal burial site from the early 600s.
After Alfred's time and up to the Norman Conquest, a special Anglo-Saxon art style developed. This happened partly because England's economy and culture became strong again after the Viking raids ended. This later style seemed to be connected with art trends in western Europe.
Today, Anglo-Saxon art is mostly known through illuminated manuscripts. These are books with beautiful drawings and decorations. While manuscripts weren't the only art form, many more of them have survived than other types of objects. People in Europe at the time thought Anglo-Saxon goldsmithing and embroidery were especially beautiful. Coins are the most common examples of Anglo-Saxon art found today. Anglo-Saxon artists also created works in fresco (wall painting), ivory, stone carving, metalwork, and enamel, but not many of these pieces have survived.
Anglo-Saxon Literature
Old English literary works include epic poems, stories about people's lives, sermons (religious speeches), Bible translations, legal writings, chronicles (historical records), riddles, and more. In total, about 400 handwritten books (manuscripts) from this time still exist.
A very famous work from this period is the poem Beowulf. It is considered a national epic in Britain. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of important early English history. Cædmon's Hymn from the 7th century is the oldest known literary text written in (Old) English. One of the most valuable sources about Anglo-Saxon history is Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation.
Images for kids
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A page with the Chi Rho monogram from the Gospel of Matthew in the Lindisfarne Gospels, made around 700 AD.
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A map showing the migrations, according to Bede.
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King Æthelstan giving a gospel book to St Cuthbert (934 AD).
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A map of Britain in 802 AD. By this time, historians usually don't separate Angles, Saxons, and Jutes.
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An Anglo-Saxon-Viking coin weight made of lead, dating from the late 8th to 9th century.
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A silver brooch from around 920 AD, found in Rome, Italy, that looks like a coin of King Edward the Elder.
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A penny of King Cnut, struck in London.
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A scene from the Bayeux Tapestry showing the Battle of Hastings (1066).
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An Anglo-Saxon king with his witan (council) in an 11th-century book.
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Part of the 7th-century Franks Casket, showing a scene from an old Germanic legend.
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An 8th-century copy of the Rule of St. Benedict.
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A replica of the famous Sutton Hoo helmet.
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A view of a rebuilt 7th-century Anglo-Saxon village.
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A reconstruction of the Anglo-Saxon royal palace at Cheddar around 1000 AD.
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Distinctive Anglo-Saxon stone strips on the tower of All Saints' Church, Earls Barton.
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A shoulder clasp from the Sutton Hoo ship-burial.
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From the Book of Cerne, a portrait of Saint Mark.
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Old English writing over an arch in a 10th-century church in Breamore, Hampshire.
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The first page of a book containing the only surviving copy of King Æthelberht's laws.
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The first page of the epic poem Beowulf.
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St Peter-in-the-Wall, Essex: A simple church from around 650 AD.
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Brixworth, Northants: A monastery founded around 690 AD, one of the largest surviving churches.
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Barnack, Peterborough: The lower tower from around 970 AD.
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Sompting Church, Sussex, with the only Anglo-Saxon tower of its kind, from around 1050 AD.
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The Sutton Hoo purse-lid from around 620 AD.
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The Codex Aureus of Canterbury from around 750 AD.
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The Ruthwell Cross from around 750 AD.
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A silver ring in the Trewhiddle style from around 775-850 AD.
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St Oswald's Priory Cross from around 890 AD.
See also
In Spanish: Anglosajones para niños
