Anglo-Saxon Period Background
I. Barbarian Invasions into the Roman Empire (late
300’s – 410)
a. Who were they? --- Ostrogoths, Visigoths,
Franks, Burgundians, Vandals, Angles, Saxons,
Huns
b. Why did they invade the Roman Empire? --climate (experiencing a mini-ice age and looking
for warmer land), overpopulation, wanted the
wealth of the Roman Empire, and the Huns were
pushing them further west and south
c. What were they like? --- they came, they
conquered, they stayed --- by the early 400’s and
into the 500’s, they have firmly settled
communities throughout England and mainland
Europe.
II. Germanic Tribes
a. Described by the Roman historian Tacitus as tall,
red or blonde haired, blue-eyed, muscular --men wore animal skin coats and rough coats --women wore woven material (linen, wool, or
flax) --- purple was primary color
b. Monogamous, and lived in family units --- men
and women were = in VALUE
i. Women seen as life providing --- weaving,
sewing, care for crops and children --- were
allowed to inherit property
ii. Men slept late, lounged, bathed in warm
water, but then groomed bodies with rancid
butter --- drank a lot of beer --- fought and
trained constantly --- plunder and steal
c. War value --- don’t lose your shield (surrender) -- cowardice is the ultimate disgrace --- if died
dishonorably, body might be discarded, as
opposed to dying like a hero and being burned as
a warrior on a funeral pyre --- honor, loyalty, and
courage most important aspects
d. Tribal government & legal system --- questions
of policy and disputes were settled by democratic
assembly --- all males participate --- clear laws
to prevent bloodshed within a clan --- payments
for legal disputes (wergild) --- no imprisonment -- death is only compensation for leader’s death -
-- believed law was organic (people born with it
intuitively) --- gave us Common Law and the
jury system --- all men =, and all subject to the
law
e. Religion --- polytheistic (many gods), some even
pantheistic (divinity in many forms), and
animistic (animals have spiritual divinity) --gods were warlike
III. The Huns (just a side note here about the group
that was pushing the other groups west and south)
a. The early Hun warriors literally LIVED on
horseback. They slept on horseback and
performed all their bodily functions on
horseback. The horse provided their sustenance.
Drank horse sweat, ate horse meat, warming it in
their armpit or crotch. They were filthy dirty,
NEVER bathed, and wore their clothes until they
rotted off. Even wore helmets of rat leather.
TERRIFYING!!!
IV. Brief advancement under King Charlemagne
a. Charlemagne ruled what eventually became The
Holy Roman Empire, from the late 700’s until
his death at the age of 72 in 814. He was a
contradiction in many ways. When putting down
a Saxon rebellion by beheading 4,500 men, he
was promoting learning and the arts at his palace
at Aachen.
b. He possessed all the typical characteristics of a
great leader: rhetoric, charisma, concern for the
common people, intelligent, etc. reflecting the
highest ideals of society.
c. Believed strongly in the importance of an
education for his nobility and administrative
heads. Eventually spread education even to
peasant boys. Only educated males though.
Established schools at monasteries --illumination of books --- established libraries --searched for copies of ancient Greek and Roman
works and other old manuscripts
d. After his death, the Holy Roman Empire was
weakened by his feuding sons --- Vikings begin
to invade heavily from the north
V. Vikings
a. In 789, Vikings first invade England at York --within 40 years, they are all over the Holy
Roman Empire, which has shrunk rapidly.
b. Why did they come?
i. Population growth at home --- glaciers had
retreated, which allowed them more
farming, in turn better health, and population
growth --- more leisure time on their hands
since had surplus of food
ii. Greed --- the churches, monasteries, and
schools which had been established were
easy prey
iii. Control of trade routes --- the more they
control, the wealthier they become
iv. Why not?
c. Known for their brilliant sailing knowledge --invaded as far south as Spain and Sicily, where
they encountered Muslims
d. Sailed in “long boats” --- strong, light, portable,
stable, ran on rivers and high seas --- shallow
and flat --- usually hold 30-100 men --- rowing
and sail --- 15 men could carry it on land --carried a lot of loot --- typically only raided in
summer
e. Fought in crazed manner (berserker) --- killed
brutally and indiscriminately --- blood eagle
slayings --- had names that reflected their person
(ex: Eric Bloodaxe)