The Anglo-Saxon WorldThe essential history of Anglo-Saxon England, brought completely up to date with new discoveries and interpretations The Anglo-Saxon period, stretching from the fifth to the late eleventh century, begins with the Roman retreat from the Western world and ends with the Norman takeover of England. Between these epochal events, many of the contours and patterns of English life that would endure for the next millennium were shaped. In this authoritative work, N. J. Higham and M. J. Ryan reexamine Anglo-Saxon England in the light of new research in disciplines as wide ranging as historical genetics, paleobotany, archaeology, literary studies, art history, and numismatics. The result is the definitive introduction to the Anglo-Saxon world, enhanced with a rich array of photographs, maps, genealogies, and other illustrations. The Anglo-Saxon period witnessed the birth of the English people, the establishment of Christianity, and the development of the English language. With an extraordinary cast of characters (Alfred the Great, the Venerable Bede, King Cnut), a long list of artistic and cultural achievements (Beowulf, the Sutton Hoo ship-burial finds, the Bayeux Tapestry), and multiple dramatic events (the Viking invasions, the Battle of Hastings), the Anglo-Saxon era lays legitimate claim to having been one of the most important in Western history. |
Contents
1 | |
20 | |
Chapter 2 The Origins of England | 70 |
Chapter 3 From Tribal Chieftains to Christian Kings | 126 |
Chapter 4 The Mercian Supremacies | 179 |
Chapter 5 The AngloSaxons and the Vikings c 825900 | 232 |
Chapter 6 Conquest Reform and the Making of England | 284 |
Chapter 7 The Age of Æthelred | 335 |
Chapter 8 The Transformation of AngloSaxon England | 387 |
443 | |
459 | |
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Common terms and phrases
activity Alfred Anglo-Saxon appears areas army authority Bede Bishop Book Britain British buildings burial Canterbury cemetery centres changes charters Christian Chronicle Church clearly close coins comparatively Conquest constructed continued cultural death earlier early East Edward eighth century elite England English established estates evidence example excavated figure forces given graves Harold History Hoard important issued Kent King kingdom kingship known land late later Latin least less London material Mercian monasteries names ninth century Norman northern Northumbria occurred offered ofthe original particularly perhaps period place names political present probably production recorded reference reform regions reign religious remains Roman royal rule Saxon Scandinavian seems settlement seventh century significant sources status style success suggest tenth texts tion towns trade Viking Wessex West West Saxon written York