Old English History

By chloeemarshall
  • 430

    Celts invade

    Celtic warlord Vortigern invited the Jutish brothers Hengest and Horsa to settle in Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight these peoples all spoke variations of a West Germanic tongue, similar to modern Frisian, variations that were different but probably close enough to be mutually intelligible.
  • 435

    Angles come into England (not exact date)

    The Angles settle on the coast of Britain, particularly in the north and East Anglia.
    these peoples all spoke variations of a West Germanic tongue, similar to modern Frisian, variations that were different but probably close enough to be mutually intelligible.
  • 450

    Frisians surround British mainland

    The Frisian people, from the marshes and islands of northern Holland and western Germany, also began to encroach on the British mainland
    these peoples all spoke variations of a West Germanic tongue, similar to modern Frisian, variations that were different but probably close enough to be mutually intelligible.
  • Period: 450 to 450

    The Anglo-Saxons Invade

    -Push the Celts into Wales and North Scotland
    -North Germanic roots appear. Birth of English
    -Led to the creations of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms
  • 470

    Saxons move into Britain

    The Saxons made an increasing number of movements into the southern part of the British mainland
    these peoples all spoke variations of a West Germanic tongue, similar to modern Frisian, variations that were different but probably close enough to be mutually intelligible.
  • 597

    Christianity brought to Britain

    St. Augustine brought Christianity to the pagan Anglo-Saxons of the rest of England
  • Sep 8, 600

    English increased in diversity from the Germanic language that the invaders all spoke

    four major dialects of Old English gradually emerged: Northumbrian in the north of England, Mercian in the midlands, West Saxon in the south and west, and Kentish in the southeast.
  • Sep 8, 601

    Augustine made Archbishop of Canterbury

  • Period: Dec 24, 793 to Dec 25, 793

    Vikings first appear in England

    -Lindisfarne monastery is raised & destoryed (loss of written manuscripts)
    -Vikings started off by seasonal raiding however by mid 9th Century started to stay
    -Began to sieze land from Anglo-Saxon inhabitants
  • Sep 8, 871

    Alfred the Great crowned

  • Period: Dec 24, 878 to Dec 25, 878

    Battle of Edington

    -Alfred King of Wessex defeats Guthrum leader of Norse army
    -Setting up of Danelaw-splitting England into 2 different countries
  • Sep 8, 899

    Alfred the Great dies

  • Sep 8, 991

    Battle of Maldon

  • Period: Dec 24, 1016 to Dec 25, 1035

    Unified the English Kingdom

    Cnut the Great ruled over the whole of England kingdom, itself the product of Wessex
  • Dec 24, 1066

    Anglo-Saxons defeated by Normans

    King Harold defeated by Norman king William the Conquerer.
    All Anglo-Saxon lords and landowners driven North to Scotland.
    Replaced by Norman Nobles who speak old French. Old English disappears.
  • Dec 24, 1154

    Count Henry of Anjou crowned

    Fluent in Latin and French, Caused large amounts of French speakers to come into England
  • Dec 24, 1348

    Black Death

    Wiped out many French speakers. English classified as most recognised language in England
  • Dec 24, 1362

    Parliament opened at Westminster

  • Dec 24, 1362

    language of law

    Law recognised too few languages recognised Latin and French.Declared cases can be pleaded in English

  • About Danelaw

    -Becomes Norse kingdom. Northumberland, Mercia and Wessex remain English
    -Trading means mingling, adding Norse words as well as Norse graphemes
    -14 Shires: York, Nottingham, Derby, Lincoln, Essex, Cambridge, Norfolk, Northampton, Huntington etc