History of the Anglo-Saxons facts for kids
The History of the Anglo-Saxons is a three-book series written by an English historian named Sharon Turner. He wrote these books between 1799 and 1805. The series tells the story of England all the way up to the Norman conquest, which was a big event when William the Conqueror took over England in 1066.
Turner was inspired by another book called Reliques of Ancient English Poetry. He became one of the first people to study and write about old Anglo-Saxon writings found in the Cottonian collection at the British Museum. His History became very popular, and by 1852, it had been printed seven times!
Contents
Why Was This Book So Important?
Turner's book had a huge impact. It helped make Anglo-Saxon studies a real subject for scholars to study. It also helped people think of England as a country with a long, proud Anglo-Saxon past.
- The famous writer Walter Scott said Turner's book influenced his novel Ivanhoe.
- It also inspired John Mitchell Kemble to create an important version of the epic poem Beowulf in 1837.
What Were the Challenges with This History?
Even though Turner's book was very important, it also had some problems.
How Did It Relate to Ideas About Race?
Sharon Turner believed that all humans belonged to a single species. However, his work was later used in the 1800s to support harmful ideas about racial supremacism. This is the idea that one race is better than others.
How Did Turner's Views Affect His Writing?
Turner wrote his History as Britain was becoming a powerful empire. Because of this, his book sometimes showed his own strong feelings and beliefs.
- He had "Whiggish commitments," which means he supported certain political ideas of his time.
- He also had strong nationalist feelings, believing in the greatness of England.
- Some of his ideas were "orientalist," which means they viewed Eastern cultures in a certain way, often through a Western lens.
- He also had "imperialist beliefs," supporting the idea of Britain expanding its power.
These personal views sometimes affected how he presented history. Later, his book was even used to support racist and colonial ideas in places like the southern United States and Australia. This made some scholars question how accurate and fair his history truly was outside of England.
Who Owns the Original Copy?
Today, the main copy of The History of the Anglo-Saxons is owned by Professor Lewis Nicholson.
