Anglo-Saxon England

Anglo-Saxons - name given to the Germanic-speaking peoples who settled in England after the decline of Roman rule there. They were first invited by the Celtic King Vortigern, who needed help fighting the Picts and Scots. The Angles (Lat. Angli), who are mentioned in Tacitus' Germania, seem to have come from what is now Schleswig in the later decades of the 5th cent. Their settlements in the Read More...

Anglo-Saxons - name given to the Germanic-speaking peoples who settled in England after the decline of Roman rule there. They were first invited by the Celtic King Vortigern, who needed help fighting the Picts and Scots. The Angles (Lat. Angli), who are mentioned in Tacitus' Germania, seem to have come from what is now Schleswig in the later decades of the 5th cent. Their settlements in the eastern, central, and northern portions of the country were the foundations for the later kingdoms known as East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria. The Saxons, a Germanic tribe who had been continental neighbors of the Angles, also settled in England in the late 5th cent. after earlier marauding forays there. The later kingdoms of Sussex, Wessex, and Essex were the outgrowths of their settlements. The Jutes, a tribe about whom very little is known except that they probably came from the area around the mouths of the Rhine, settled in Kent (see Kent, kingdom of) and the Isle of Wight. The Anglo-Saxons eventually formed seven separate kingdoms known as the heptarchy. The term "Anglo-Saxons" was first used in Continental Latin sources to distinguish the Saxons in England from those on the Continent, but it soon came to mean simply the "English." The more specific use of the term to denote the non-Celtic settlers of England prior to the Norman Conquest dates from the 16th cent. In more modern times it has also been used to denote any of the people (or their descendants) of the British Isles.

See P. H. Blair, An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England (1954, repr. 1962); F. M. Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England (3d ed. 1971); D. M. Wilson, The Anglo-Saxons (rev. ed. 1971); D. J. V. Fisher, The Anglo-Saxon Age, 400–1042 (1973); G. R. Owen, Rites and Religions of the Anglo-Saxons (1985); M. J. Whittock, The Origins of England, 410–600 (1986).

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright© 2004, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V. All rights reserved.

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Anglo-Saxon England

1.

The Anglo-Saxons
by D. M. Wilson. 234 pgs.

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Title Page

Contents

Illustrations

Foreword

Introduction: the Study of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology

Chapter I: Historical Background and Pagan Burials

Chapter II: Christian Antiquities

Chapter III: The Life of the People

Chapter IV: Weapons and Warfare

Chapter V: Anglo-Saxon Art

Select Bibliography

The Plates

Notes on the Plates

Index
2.

The Fighting Kings of Wessex: A Gallery of Portraits
by G. P. Baker. 287 pgs.

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Title Page

Preface

Contents

Maps and Plans

Genealogical Tables

Chapter I: The Political Propaganda of Alfred the Great

Chapter II: The Great Change

Chapter III: The Divine Kings of the North

Chapter IV: The Ancestors of the English Kings

Chapter V: The Relation of Britain to Europe

Chapter VI: Ragnar Lothbrok, and the Discovery of the Open Sea

Chapter VII: King Aethilwulf and the Campaign against England

Chapter VIII: The Resistance of Wessex

Chapter IX: The Creative Work of Alfred

Chapter X: Edward the Elder and the Reconquest of England

Chapter XI: Aethilstan and the Foreign Policy of the English Kings

Chapter XII: The Results of the Great Famine of 976

Chapter XIII: The Rise of Knut the Great

Chapter XIV: The Last Days of the Military Guild

Chapter XV: The End of a Story

Index
3.

Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People
by Bertram Colgrave, R. A. B. Mynors. 622 pgs.

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Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People was completed in 731 and still ranks among the most popular of history books. First published in 1969, Colgrave and Mynors's edition made use for the first time of the mid-eighth-century manuscript now in Leningrad and provided a survey of the extant manuscripts and a new translation; it also brought up to date Plummer's invaluable edition. This revised edition takes into account J.M. Wallace-Hadrill's Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People: A Historical Commentary (Oxford Medieval Texts, 1988), enabling the reader to use the two in conjunction.

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Title Page

Editor's Preface

Note to the Reprint (1991)

Abbreviations

Contents

Select Bibliography

Historical Introduction

Textual Introduction

Appendix Obituary Verses

Index of Manuscripts

Preface

Book I

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Chapter XVIII

Chapter XIX

Chapter XX

Chapter XXIV

Chapter XXV

Chapter XXVI

Chapter XXVII

Chapter XXVIII

Chapter XXIX

Chapter XXX

Chapter XXXI

Chapter XXXII

Chapter XXXIII

Chapter XXXIV

Book II

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Chapter XIX

Chapter XX

Book III

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Chapter XVIII

Chapter XX

Chapter XXI

Chapter XXII

Chapter XXIII

Chapter XXIV

Chapter XXV

Chapter XXV

Chapter XXVII

Chapter XXVIII

Chapter XXIX

Chapter XXX

Book IV

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI (xiv)

Chapter XVII (xv)

Chapter XVIII (xvi)

Chapter XIX (xvii)

Chapter XX (xviii)

Chapter XXI (xix)

Chapter XXI (xix)

Chapter XXII (xx)

Chapter XXIII (xxi)

Chapter XXIV (xxii)

Chapter XXV (xxiii)

Chapter XXVI (xxiv)

Chapter XXVII (xxv)

Chapter XXVIII (xxvi)

Chapter XXIX (xxvii)

Chapter XXX

Chapter XXXI (xxix)

Chapter XXXII (xxx)

Book V

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

Chapter XII

Chapter XIII

Chapter XIV

Chapter XIV

Chapter XV

Chapter XVI

Chapter XVII

Chapter XVIII

Chapter XVIII

Chapter XIX

Chapter XX

Chapter XXI

Chapter XXII

Chapter XXIII

Chapter XXIV

Cuthbert's Letter on the Death of Bede

Index of Quotations

General Index
4.

Anglo-Saxon Military Institutions: On the Eve of the Norman Conquest
by C. Warren Hollister. 170 pgs.

Book

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Title Page

Preface

Contents

Abbreviations

Introduction

I: Mercenaries and War Finance

II: The Nation in Arms

III: The Select Fyrd and the Five-Hide Unit

IV: The Personnel of the Select Fyrd

V: Special Aspects of the Select-Fyrd Obligation

VI: The Late-Saxon Navy

VII: Tactics and Strategy

Bibliography

Index
5.

The Church in Anglo-Saxon England
by John Godfrey. 529 pgs.

Book

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Title Page

Contents

List of Illustrations Plates

Preface

Abbreviations

Chapter I: Pre-Christian Religion In Roman Britain

Chapter II: Christianity in Roman And Sub-Roman Britain

Chapter III: Christianity Amongst the Celts

Chapter IV: The Heathen Anglo-Saxons

Chapter V: The Mission of St Augustine

Chapter VI: Further Stages In the Roman Mission

Chapter VIII: The Triumph of Rome

Chapter IX: Theodore and Wilfred

Chapter X: Monks and Nuns In Early England

Chapter XI: Architecture and Art In Pre-Danish England

Chapter XII: Christian Poetry In Anglo-Saxon England

Chapter XIII: Scholarship and Learning In Early England

Chapter XIV: The Anglo-Saxon Mission To the Continent (i)

Chapter XV: The Anglo-Saxon Mission To the Continent (ii)

Chapter XVI: The Eighth Century: Councils and Reform

Chapter XVII: The Danes and King Alfred

Chapter XVIII: The Monastic Revival

Chapter XIX: The Origin and Development Of the Parochial System

Chatter XX: Homilists and Writers

Chapter XXI: English Contributions to The Conversion of Scandinavia

Chapter XXII: Architecture and Art: The Later Stages

Chapter XXIII: The Closing Stages

Chapter XXIV: The Primacy of Lanfranc

Notes

Bibliography

Index
6.

Angles, Angels, and Conquerors, 400-1154 ("The Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy" begins on p. 10)
by Joel T. Rosenthal. 216 pgs.

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Title Page

The Borzoi History of England

Foreword

Contents

Maps

Introduction

Chapter One: Kings And Battles

Chapter Two: The People And The Land

Chapter Three: Secular Institutions

Chapter Four: The Christian Church

Chapter Five: Letters And Arts

Glossary

Studying the Past

Bibliography

Index
7.

Anglo-Saxon Poetry
by R. K. Gordon. 334 pgs.

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Title Page

Introduction

Contents

Beowulf

Finnesburh

Waldhere

Widsith

Deor

The Wanderer

The Seafarer

The Wife's Lament

The Husband's Message

Wulf and Eadwacer

The Ruin

Charms

Genesis

Exodus

Daniel

Christ and Satan

Juliana

The Fates of the Apostles

Andreas

Elene

The Dream of the Rood

The Phoenix

Physiologus

Guthlac

The Soul's Address to the Body

Doomsday

Riddles

Gnomic Poetry

The Arts of Men

The Fates of Men

Judith

The Battle of Brunanburh

The Battle of Maldon
8.

Late Saxon and Viking Art
by T. D. Kendrick. 250 pgs.

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Title Page

Preface

Contents

Text Illustrations

Plates at End

I: Winchester Illumination: the Main Development

II: Winchester Illumination: the Scientific Books

III: Winchester Illumination: Initials

IV: The Inhabited Scroll

V: Sculpture: West Saxon Figure-Carvings

VI: Sculpture: Northumbrian Styles

VII: Sculpture: Round-Shafts of North Mercia

VIII: Sculpture: Danish Mercia and the Anglian Styles

IX: Sculpture: London and Sussex

X: Viking Art: the Jellinge Style

XI: Viking Art: the Ringerike Style

XII: Viking Art: the Urnes Style

XIII: The Norman Conquest and After: Manuscripts

XIV: The Norman Conquest and After: Sculpture

Index
9.

Alfred the Great (Chap. Five "King Alfred and his Rule in Wessex")
by Eleanor Shipley Duckett. 224 pgs.

Book

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Filled with drama and action, here is the story of the ninth-century life and times of Alfred--warrior, conqueror, lawmaker, scholar, and the only king whom England has ever called "The Great." Based on up-to-date information on ninth-century history, geography, philosophy, literature, and social life, it vividly presents exciting views of Alfred in every stage of his long career and leaves the reader with a sharply-etched picture of the world of the Middle Ages.

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Title Page

Contents

Maps

Chapter One: Wessex Before the Time of Alfred

Chapter Two: The World of Alfred's Boyhood, 84965

Chapter Three: Alfred and His Brother, King Ethelred, 865-71

Chapter Four: King Alfred and the Great War Against the Danes, 871-86

Chapter Five: King Alfred and His Rule in Wessex

King Alfred and His Scholars and Teachers

Chapter Seven: King Alfred and the Later War Against the Danes, 892-96

Chapter Eight: King Alfred and His Earlier Translations

Chapter Nine: King Alfred and His Later Translations

Chapter Ten King Alfred at Home

Brief List of Books

Index

Phoenix Books Titles in Print
10.

Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England
by Barbara Yorke. 218 pgs.

Book

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Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England provides a unique survey of the six major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms - Kent, the East Saxons, the East Angles, Northumbria, Mercia and Wessex - and their royal families, examining the most recent research in this field.Barbara Yorke moves beyond narrative accounts of the various royal houses to explain issues such as the strategies of rule, the reasons for success and failure and the dynamics of change in the office of king. Sixteen genealogical and regnal tables help to elucidate the history of the royal houses.

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Title Page

Contents

Foreword

List of Tables and Illustrations

Chapter One: Introduction: The Origins of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms

Chapter Two: Kent

Chapter Three: The East Saxons

Chapter Four: The East Angles

Chapter Five: Northumbria

Chapter Six: Mercia

Chapter Seven: The West Saxons

Chapter Eight: The Development of Kingship C. 600-900

Notes

Bibliography and Abbreviations

Index
11.

The English Settlements (Chap. 5 "Saxons, Angles, and Jutes on the Saxon Shore")
by J. N. L. Myres. 256 pgs.

Book

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Here, Myres looks anew at the dark centuries of English history between the collapse of Roman rule in the early fifth century and the emergence of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the seventh--the subject of the now-classic Roman Britain and the English Settlements by Collingwood and Myres--and reconsiders the period in light of abundant recent research in the field. New linguistic findings have led to a significant shift in emphasis, which is now reflected in this last volume of the Oxford History of England. The author illuminates some of the little-understood factors that link Roman Britain with Anglo-Saxon England, and suggests certain political and social continuities that help to clarify this complex and traumatic historical era.

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Title Page

Acknowledgements

Note to the Paperback Edition

Contents

Figures

Maps

Abbreviations

Introduction

1: The Nature of the Evidence: I.The Literary Sources

2: The Nature of the Evidence: Ii. Archaeology and Place-Names

3: The Continental Background

4: The Romano-British Background and the Saxon Shore

5: Saxons, Angles, and Jutes on the Saxon Shore

6: The Formation of Wessex

7: The Humbrenses and the North

8: Change and Decay

Addenda

Appendix I

Appendix II

Appendix III

Bibliography

Index

Oxford More Oxford Paperbacks
12.

Roman Britain and the English Settlements
by R. G. Collingwood, J. N. L. Myres. 515 pgs.

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Title Page

Preface to Books I-Iv

Preface to Book V

Contents

List of Maps

Book I: Britain Before the Roman Conquest

II: Britain in the Time of Julius Caesar

III: Caesar's Invasion

IV: From Caesar to Claudius

Book II: The Age of Conquest

VI: Caratacus and Boudicca

VII: From Boudicca to Agricola

VIII: The Making of the Frontier

IX: The Frontier After Hadrian

Book III: Britain Under Roman Rule

XI: The People

XIII: The Towns

XIII: The Country-Side

XIV: Industry and Commerce

XV: Art

XVI: Religion

Book IV: The End of Roman Britain

XVIII: The End of Roman Rule

XIX: Britain in the Fifth Century

Book V: The English Settlements

XXI: The Course of the Conquest in Kent and the South-East

XXII: The Fenlands, East Anglia, and the Problem of Wessex

XXIII: The Humbrenses

XXIV: The Character of the Conquest

Appendix I

Appendix II

Appendix III

Bibliography

Index
13.

The Latin Charters of the Anglo-Saxon Period
by F. M. Stenton. 106 pgs.

Book

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Title Page

Preface

Contents

List of Abbreviations

1: Charters and Their Criticism

2: The Development of The Charter

3: The Last Century of The Solemn Charter

List of Charters Mentioned In This Book

Index
14.

Making Thanes: Literature, Rhetoric and State Formation in Anglo-Saxon England, in Philological Quarterly
by Peter R. Richardson. 18 pgs.

Journal Article
15.

The Saxon & Norman Kings
by Christopher Brooke. 232 pgs.

Book

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Title Page

Preface

Contents

Chapter I The Method of This Inquiry

Chapter II On King-Making

Chapter III The Occupations of a King

Chapter IV Origins

Chapter V The Small Kingdoms

Chapter VI Interlude: 670-871

Chapter VII Alfred

Chapter VIII The Tenth Century

Chapter IX Cnut and Edward the Confessor

Chapter X The Conqueror and the Conquest

Chapter XI The Conqueror's Sons

Chapter XII Stephen

Chapter XIII Epilogue

Bibliographical Note

Genealogical Tables

Index
16.

Anglo-Saxonism and the Construction of Social Identity
by Allen J. Frantzen, John D. Niles. 244 pgs.

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"Teaches us the extent to which the discipline of Anglo-Saxon studies is a construct motivated variously by political, economic, cultural, gender-based, and racialist impulses. Thus it also teaches us both humility before the limits upon our supposed 'disinterestedness' and optimism, if chastened, in our collegial ability to reform and improve our disciplinary investments". -- R. Allen Shoaf, University of Florida
Contributors to this volume explore Anglo-Saxonism as a set of beliefs and cultural practices that posits a unity among English-speakers based on their common racial, linguistic, and institutional descent from the people of Anglo-Saxon England. Value has often been set on such heritage, for Anglo-Saxonism asserts the superiority of the Anglo-Saxon people and sees their institutions as models of good government, commercial prosperity, and piety.
In an examination of Anglo-Saxonism in a variety of forms and in several different periods of English and American literary history, the authors investigate how the Anglo-Saxons themselves thought about the origins of national and racial identity By linking current theoretical studies to the early manifestations of Anglo-Saxonism, they seek to contribute to the "new medievalisms" -- theoretically aware, institutionally focused, and interdisciplinary medieval studies -- that are transforming the academy.

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Title Page

Contents

Introduction Anglo-Saxonism and Medievalism

Notes

Part One Medieval and Renaissance Anglo-Saxonism

1: Bede and Bawdy Bale

2: Anglo-Saxonism in the Old English Laws

3: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Poems and the Making of the English Nation

4. Received Wisdom: The Reception History of Alfred's Preface to the Pastoral Care

Part Two Nineteenth- and Early Twentieth- Century Anglo-Saxonism

5. Nineteenth-Century Scandinavia and the Birth of Anglo-Saxon Studies

Notes

6: Mid-Nineteenth-Century American Anglo-Saxonism The Question of Language

7: Byrhtnoth in Dixie The Emergence of Anglo-Saxon Studies in the Postbellum South

8. Historical Novels to Teach Anglo-Saxonism

Notes

9: Appropriations A Concept of Culture

Contributors

Index

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