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In the 5th Century, the Celts north of Hadrian's wall were pagans. The Romans were pagans but became Christians after Emperor Constantine converted at the beginning of the 4th Century.
The Anglo-Saxons were pagans
Romanized Celts converted to Christianity.
The replacement of religious pluralism to Christianity had 3 consequences: it gave more political stability to the British Isles, it unified the British Isles, and it brought them closer to the European Continent. -
The wealth of Britannia attracted many "barbarians" who settled down after 410AD
They belonged to 3 powerful Germanic tribes:
-The Angles from Northern "Germany" settled in the east (East Anglia)
-The Saxons from Northern "Germany" settled in the south, from Cornwall to Kent
-The Jutes from "Denmark" settled in Kent and the Isle of Wight
The Angles and Saxons killed/enslaved many Celts and Britons.
They pushed them to the west into "Wales" or into Scotland and Cornwall.
Showed English, religion -
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The Angles and Saxons established 6 large kingdoms: Essex (East), Sussex (South), Wessex (West), East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria, and the Jutes in Kent.
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Christianity first came in Ireland with Patrick, a slave who crossed the sea of Ireland. He founded the Irish Chruch which served to convert much of England and Scotland.
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Ireland was never invaded, Irish society was Celtic and had a tribal organization.
There were 5 kingdoms: Ulster in the North, still used for Northern Ireland.
This period is called the "Golden Age" of the Celtic Culture. The Book of Kells (an illustrated manuscript of the Gospels) was made at that time -
By the 8th Century, most of the Celts living in England had been pushed into Wales.
Offa's Dyke marked a clear border with England
Wales was divided into 6 kingdoms.
In 1055 Gruffydd ruled over the whole Wales but he was killed in 1063 by the English. Future kings of Wales had to promise loyalty to the King of England. -
Scotland had 2 different societies because of its geography: highlands/lowlands
4 groups of people:
- The Picts in the NE
- The Scots in the W, Celtic settlers from Ireland
- The Britons in the SW. They were romanized. Kingdom of Strathclyde
- The ANgles from Northumbria in the SE
In 843 Kenneth I MacAlpin became King of Scotia, uniting the Picts, the Scots, and the Britons.
Society in the Highlands remained tribal until the mid 18th Century -
Pope Gregory the Great in Rome sent Augustine to re-establish Christianity in England since it had been weakened by the Anglo-Saxon invasion. He became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.
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Those 6 large kingdoms merged into 3 kingdoms: Northumbria, Mercia, and Wessex
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the King of Northumbria supported the Roman Church so the Irish Church declined.
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Thanks to Kenneth I MacAlpin who became the King of Scotia
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The Vikings came from Norway and Denmark
In 865, they invaded Britain using their Drakkar.
The Norse settled in the Orkneys, the Shetlands, the North of Scotland, and the West coast.
The Danes invaded Southern and Eastern England: Mercia in 874.
Alfred the Great, king of Wessex (871-899) managed to stop them with a peace treaty. York became the capital of Danelaw.
Canute invaded England in 1013, became King of all England (1016-1035)
The Wittan built Westminster. -
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Because of that future kings had to promise loyalty to the King of England.