Anglo-Saxons facts for kids
The Anglo-Saxons were the dominant people living in England from the mid-5th century AD until the Norman conquest in 1066. They spoke Germanic languages and are identified by Bede as the descendants of three powerful tribes. These were the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. Their language, Anglo-Saxon or Old English, came from West Germanic dialects. It changed into Middle English from about the 11th century. Old English was divided into four main dialects: West Saxon, Mercian, Northumbrian and Kentish.
The Anglo-Saxons partially displaced the Celtic tribes who had lived in the British Isles before they came. They never conquered Wales but Anglo-Saxon kings did claim overlordship from time to time. Some Anglo-Saxons came to Britain as warriors, but others came peacefully to become farmers or to raise families.
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Anglo-Saxon migration
It is not known how many Anglo-Saxons actually came to Britain between the 4th and 6th century AD. Many sources say large numbers of Anglo-Saxon settlers arrived. Because of this, some of the native Britons moved west, towards Wales and Cornwall. Others went to Armorica and became the Bretons. The language of the Anglo-Saxons, Old English, became the main language in southern Britain. A few Celtic and Latin words were borrowed into Old English.
In the areas such as Kent, Sussex, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, many of the native Britons may have been driven out. In other areas, some Britons likely remained and were absorbed into Anglo-Saxon society.
Angles, Saxons and Jutes
It was Bede who identified the invaders as Angles, Saxons and Jutes. But he sometimes used the names Angli and Saxones for the same people in different parts of his writings. In Book I, Chapter 15 he said that by invitation of King Vortigern "Angles or Saxons" came to Britain in three longships. Modern authorities confirm that Angles, Saxons, Frisians and some Jutes did come to England during this migration time period. The differences between the tribes that moved to England were not significant. Kent was different in culture from other parts of England, mostly because it had close contact with parts of Europe such as Gaul.
Certain styles of jewellery are recognized by archaeologists as being typical of Anglian, Saxon and Jutish areas in Northern Europe. But why the name England came to be used for the country and English for the language is not clear. In Old English the people called themselves Engle, and in Latin they were called Angli, but nothing suggests the Angles made up the largest percentage of the Germanic peoples in Britain. The name Englaland, which became 'England' was regularly used by the 11th century.
Celtic words for the Anglo-Saxons
The native British people, who wrote in both Latin and Welsh (a Celtic language), referred to these invaders as Saxones or Saeson. The latter name is still used today in the Welsh word for English people, Saeson, the English language, Saesneg, and things related to England, Seisnig. In the Scottish Gaelic language the word for an English person is sasannach and in Irish the word is sasanach.
Art
Anglo-Saxon art before the time of Alfred (who ruled from 871–899) is a mixture of Anglo-Saxon and Celtic techniques and styles. The Sutton Hoo treasure is an excellent example of very early Anglo-Saxon metalwork and jewellery. It came from a royal grave of the early 7th century. The period between Alfred and the Norman Conquest saw a distinct Anglo-Saxon style in art. This was due in part to the revival of the English economy and culture after the end of the Viking raids. This later style appears to have been in touch with trends in western Europe.
Anglo-Saxon art is mainly known today through illuminated manuscripts. Manuscripts were not the only Anglo-Saxon art form, but they have survived in much greater numbers than other types of objects. People in Europe at the time regarded Anglo-Saxon goldsmithing and embroidery as especially fine. The most common examples of Anglo-Saxon art are coins. Anglo-Saxon artists also worked in fresco, ivory, stone carving, metalwork and enamel, but few of these pieces have survived.
Literature
Old English literary works include epic poetry, biography, sermons, Bible translations, legal works, chronicles, riddles and others. In all there are about 400 surviving manuscripts from the period.
A very famous work from this period is the poem Beowulf. It has achieved national epic status in Britain. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of important early English history. Cædmon's Hymn from the 7th century is the earliest attested literary text in (Old) English. One of the most valuable and important sources on Anglo-Saxon history is Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation.
Images for kids
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Page with Chi Rho monogram from the Gospel of Matthew in the Lindisfarne Gospels c. 700, possibly created by Eadfrith of Lindisfarne in memory of Cuthbert
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The migrations according to Bede, who wrote some 300 years after the event; there is archeological evidence that the settlers in England came from many of these mainland locations
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Æthelstan presenting a gospel book to (the long-dead) St Cuthbert (934); Corpus Christi College Cambridge MS 183, fol. 1v
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Map of Britain in 802. By this date, historians today rarely distinguish between Angles, Saxons and Jutes.
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Anglo-Saxon-Viking coin weight. Material is lead and weighs approx 36 g. Embedded with a sceat dating to 720–750 AD and minted in Kent. It is edged in dotted triangle pattern. Origin is the Danelaw region and dates late 8th to 9th century.
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Silver brooch imitating a coin of Edward the Elder, c. 920, found in Rome, Italy. British Museum.
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Cnut's 'Quatrefoil' type penny with the legend "CNUT REX ANGLORU[M]" (Cnut, King of the English), struck in London by the moneyer Edwin.
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Depiction of the Battle of Hastings (1066) on the Bayeux Tapestry
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Anglo-Saxon king with his witan. Biblical scene in the Illustrated Old English Hexateuch (11th century)
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The right half of the front panel of the seventh century Franks Casket, depicting the pan-Germanic legend of Weyland Smith also Weyland The Smith, which was apparently also a part of Anglo-Saxon pagan mythology.
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An 8th-century copy of the Rule of St. Benedict
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Replica of the Sutton Hoo helmet
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Panorama of the reconstructed 7th century village
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Reconstruction of the Anglo-Saxon royal palace at Cheddar around 1000
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Distinctive Anglo-Saxon pilaster strips on the tower of All Saints' Church, Earls Barton
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Shoulder clasp (closed) from the Sutton Hoo ship-burial 1, England. British Museum.
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Book of Cerne, evangelist portrait of Saint Mark
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Her sƿutelað seo gecƿydrædnes ðe ('Here is manifested the Word to thee'). Old English inscription over the arch of the south porticus in the 10th-century St Mary's parish church, Breamore, Hampshire
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The initial page of Rochester Cathedral Library, MS A.3.5, the Textus Roffensis, which contains the only surviving copy of Æthelberht's laws.
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First page of the epic Beowulf
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St Peter-in-the-Wall, Essex: A simple nave church of the early style c. 650
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Brixworth, Northants: monastery founded c. 690, one of the largest churches to survive relatively intact
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Barnack, Peterborough: Lower tower c. 970 – spire is later
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Sompting Church, Sussex, with the only Anglo-Saxon Rhenish helm tower to survive, c. 1050
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Sutton Hoo purse-lid c. 620
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Codex Aureus of Canterbury c. 750
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Ruthwell Cross c. 750
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Trewhiddle style on silver ring c. 775 – c. 850
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St Oswald's Priory Cross c. 890
See also
In Spanish: Anglosajones para niños
