Historical Background
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I. British Isles invaded by Celts (originally from southern Europe)
A. When? Between 800-600 B.C.

B. Who? two groups (of Celts)

1. the Brythons (now Britons) settled what is now Britain

2. the Gaels settled what is now Ireland (where Gaelic comes from)

C. Celtic culture:

1. farmers & hunters

2. lived in clans united by fierce loyalty to chieftans

3. spiritual leaders were a class called Druids

II. Britain invaded by Romans

A. When?

1. quick invasions in 55 & 54 B.C. (by Julius Caesar)

2. true conquest approx. 155 A.D. (nearly 100 yrs later)

a. rule lasted more than 300 years

b. set up towns throughout Roman Empire, including Britain

c. Romans accepted Christianity during 4^th century & introduced to Britain

i. Continued to spread, mingle, replace paganism throughout Britainnia

ii. Later in 597: Roman cleric St. Augustine converted King Ethelbert of Kent and sets up a monastery

d. last Roman legion left Britain in 407 A.D. (to defend Rome from northern European tribal attacks)

i. Rome falls 476 A.D.

III. Britain invaded by Anglo-Saxons (Germany)

A. When? 449 A.D.

B. Who?

1. two tribes: Angles and Saxons of what is now Germany

C. Anglo-Saxon culture:

1. farmers and deep-sea fishermen

D. 827: King Egbert names Britannia Englaland, “land of the Angles” & the language became called Englisc

1. literature: oral tradition

a. spoken verse or incantations

b. scops: traveling storytellers, entertainers

c. recitations occurred at ceremonial & celebratory events

d. elegiac poems (elegies) – like “The Wanderer”

e. heroic poems – like Beowulf

i. Beowulf: a heroic epic that recounts the story of a great pagan warrior – tells of his courage, strength, & dignity

ii. Action takes place in 6^th century Scandinavia

iii. Marks beginning of English literature when written down in 11^thcentury England

iv. Also marks the change from early pagan society to Christian society

IV. Britain invaded by the Danes & Norse (Denmark)

A. When? 9^th century

B. Who?

1. Vikings (often pirates)

a. Danes of Denmark to eastern & southern England

b. Norse of Norway/Sweden to western & northern England and Ireland & Scotland

2. Alfred the Great became King of Wessex in 871-899

a. Because he was able to resist total Danish coming into Saxon territory

b. Truce declared 886 that made him a national hero:

i. Saxons acknowledge Danish rule in east & north

ii. Danes respect Saxon rule in south

c. Alfred’s achievements

i. On the battlefield

ii. Helped preserve Danish civilization in England along with the Anglo-Saxon

iii. encouraged rebirth of learning & education

3. Danes re-emerge – English defeated 991 – force England to choose Danish kings

4. 1042 – Alfred’s line restored with Edward the Confessor (a deeply religious Christian)

5. 1066 – Anglo-Saxon period ends

V. Britain invaded by Normans (Normandy, France)

A. When?

1. 1066

2. the Battle of Hastings

B. Who?

1. Normans, “north men” – descendants of Vikings on north coast of France (directly across the English channel)

2. William, Duke of Normandy

a. Family ties to Edward the Confessor

b. Claimed Edward promised him the throne

c. Saxons chose Harold II upon Edward’s death

d. William crossed English channel, defeated Harold, became William the Conqueror

C. Linguistic Importance: William suppressed Anglo-Saxon nobility, took lands, forced English to conduct government & business in Norman French or Latin

1. The infusion of French into the Old English brought about the new tongue that we now call Middle English