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Invasion of England facts for kids

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See also: Invasions of the British Isles

An invasion of England happens when an army from another country or region tries to take control of England. Throughout history, many groups have tried to invade England, some successfully and some not. These events have greatly shaped England's history, its people, and its culture.

Early Invasions of Britain

Long before England became a single country, different groups invaded the island of Britain. These early invasions helped create the mix of cultures that would later form England.

Roman Invasions

  • 55 and 54 BC: The famous Roman general Julius Caesar led two attempts to invade Britain. He didn't stay long, but his visits opened the way for future Roman interest.
  • 43 AD: The Roman Empire successfully invaded Britain. This led to nearly 400 years of Roman rule, bringing new roads, towns, and ways of life to the island.
  • 296 AD: A Roman invasion took place during the Carausian Revolt. This was when a Roman commander in Britain, Carausius, declared himself emperor, and the main Roman Empire had to invade to take back control.

Anglo-Saxon Settlement

  • Fifth to Sixth Century: After the Romans left Britain, groups like the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes from mainland Europe began to settle. This wasn't a single invasion but a long process of migration and conquest. These groups eventually formed the kingdoms that would become England.

Invasions After England Formed

After the Anglo-Saxons established their kingdoms, and eventually a united England, many more invasions occurred. These often involved powerful rulers fighting for control.

Tardieu, Invasions of England and Ireland, 1798, Cornell CUL PJM 1028 01
This map from 1798 shows attempted invasions of England and Ireland from 1066 to 1797.

Viking and Danish Invasions

  • Eighth to Eleventh Century: Viking warriors from Scandinavia began raiding and invading Britain. They were fierce fighters who sailed in longships.
    • 865 AD: A large Viking army, known as the Great Heathen Army, invaded England. They conquered and settled large parts of eastern England, creating an area known as the Danelaw.
  • 1016 AD: The Danish king Cnut successfully invaded England. He became king of England, Denmark, and Norway, creating a vast North Sea empire.

The Norman Conquest

  • 1066 AD: This was one of the most famous invasions.

Medieval Conflicts and Invasions

  • 1136-1157: David I of Scotland invaded northern England several times. He took control of some areas during a period of civil war in England known as The Anarchy.
  • 1139-1153: During The Anarchy, Empress Matilda and later her son, the future Henry II, invaded England. They fought for the throne against King Stephen.
  • 1216 AD: During the First Barons' War, Louis VIII of France and Alexander II of Scotland invaded England. They tried to take the English throne from King John.
  • 1314-1513: Scotland launched several invasions of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence and other conflicts. These battles often took place along the border.
  • 1326 AD: Isabella of France, the wife of King Edward II, invaded England with her ally Roger Mortimer. They overthrew Edward II, and Isabella ruled as regent for her son, Edward III.
  • 1338-1380: During the Hundred Years' War, French and Castilian (Spanish) fleets raided English coastal towns. Places like Portsmouth, Hastings, and Southampton were attacked and burned.
  • 1386 AD: France planned a large invasion of England during the Hundred Years' War, but it was never carried out.

Wars of the Roses and Tudor Era Invasions

Spanish Armada and Raids

  • 1588 AD: The Spanish Armada was a huge fleet sent by Spain to invade England. It was defeated by the English navy and severe storms, preventing the invasion.
  • 1595 AD: A Spanish force successfully raided Cornwall in a surprise attack on Mount's Bay.
  • 1596 and 1597: Two more Spanish Armadas were sent but were scattered by storms before reaching England. A small number of Spanish troops did land in Cornwall and Wales in 1597.

English Civil War and Later Conflicts

  • 1640-1648: During the English Civil War, Scottish armies invaded England.
    • 1640: Scottish Covenanters invaded as part of the Second Bishops' War.
    • 1644: Another Scottish Covenanter invasion took place in Northumberland.
    • 1648: A Scottish army invaded to support King Charles I against the English Parliament, but they were defeated at the Battle of Preston.
  • 1667 AD: The Dutch navy launched a daring Raid on the Medway. They sailed up the River Medway, destroying English ships and causing panic.
  • 1685 AD: The Duke of Monmouth landed in England with his supporters, trying to overthrow King James II in the Monmouth Rebellion. He was defeated.
  • 1688 AD: William III of Orange landed in England. This event, known as the Glorious Revolution, led to King James II being replaced by William and Mary.
  • 1690 AD: The French attacked the town of Teignmouth in Devon.

Invasions After the Union of Great Britain (1707)

After England and Scotland united to form Great Britain in 1707, invasion attempts continued, often linked to Jacobite rebellions or wider European wars.

  • 1708 AD: France planned an invasion to put James Francis Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender) on the British throne, but it was stopped.
  • 1715 AD: The Jacobite rising of 1715 started in Scotland and moved into England, aiming to restore the Stuart monarchy. It was defeated at Preston.
  • 1744 AD: France planned another invasion of Britain during the Austrian War of Succession, but it was called off.
  • 1745 AD: Bonnie Prince Charlie led the Jacobite rising of 1745, a French-backed invasion from Scotland into England. They reached Derby before retreating.
  • 1759 AD: France planned another invasion, but the Royal Navy defeated their fleets at the battles of Lagos and Quiberon Bay.
  • 1778 AD: During the American Revolutionary War, American captain John Paul Jones raided Whitehaven.
  • 1779 AD: France and Spain planned a large invasion of Great Britain, but it was never carried out.
  • 1797 AD: A small French force, led by William Tate, landed at Fishguard in Wales. This was the last time a hostile foreign force landed on British soil.
  • 1803-1809: Napoleon Bonaparte planned a massive invasion of Britain, but the Royal Navy's strength prevented it.
  • 1940 AD: During World War II, Germany planned a large-scale invasion of England, called Operation Sea Lion. However, the German air force could not defeat the Royal Air Force, and the invasion was cancelled.

Invasions in Fiction

Many books and films imagine what an invasion of Britain might be like, especially by Nazi Germany.

Films

  • Went the Day Well? (1942)
  • It Happened Here (1966), showing a Nazi invasion
  • Jackboots on Whitehall (2009)
  • How I Live Now (2013), showing an invasion by unknown terrorists

Books

  • SS-GB by Len Deighton, an alternate history where Nazi Germany successfully invaded in 1940.
  • The Swoop! by P. G. Wodehouse.
  • Asterix in Britain by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, portraying a Roman invasion.
  • Rule Britannia by Daphne du Maurier, an invasion by the United States.
  • The Battle of Dorking by George Tomkyns Chesney.
  • Fatherland by Robert Harris, an alternate history where Nazi Germany successfully invaded in 1944.
  • The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, a famous story about an alien invasion.
  • The Invasion of 1910 by William Le Queux.
  • Ruled Britannia by Harry Turtledove, an alternate history where the Spanish Armada successfully invaded in 1588.

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