THE SAXON

INVASION
Third Meeting
THE INVADERS
 Around 4th century Germanic
tribes came to raid Britain. But
then, starting from AD 430 (5th C)
they began to settle.
 The new comers were warlike and
illiterate.
 Ecclesiastical History of the English
People (by Thomas Bede) told
much about the invaders.
THE INVADERS
The invaders came from three
powerful Germanic tribes:

 The Angles  settled in the east

and in the north Midlands
 The Saxons  settled between the
Angels and the Jutes
 The Jutes  settled in Kent and
along the south coast
 THE
ANGLO
SAXON
WHERE WAS THE CELTS?
The British Celts pushed westward:
 Most driven into the mountain in
the far west “Weallas” or “Wales”
meaning “the land of the
foreigners”
 Some driven into Cornwall and into
the lowland of the country known
as “Scotland”
 Some stayed and became slave
CELTIC’S REMAINS
 Names of river:
Thames, Mersey, Severn,
and Avon

 Two Larger cities:

London and Leeds
ANGLO-SAXON CULTURE
 Days of the week:
Tig (Tuesday), Wodin
(Wednesday), Thor (Thursday),
Frei (Friday)
 New place names:

Reading, Hastings, Birmingham,

Nottingham or Southampton, 
Kingston
ANGLO-SAXON KINGDOMS
1. Essex (East Saxons)
2. Sussex (South Saxons)
3. Wessex (West Saxons)
4. Middlesex (Middle Saxons)
5. East Anglia (East Angles)

NB: (By the middle of 7th C there are

3 largest kingdoms: Northumbria,
Mercia, and Wessex)
 ANGLO
SAXON
KINGDOM
THE INVADERS
King Offa of Mercia
 Kingship of the English
 Powerful to employ thousand
men to build a huge dyke or
earth wall
THE SAXONS GOVERNMENT
 The King’s Council called
“Witan”
 Informal group then became
formal institution
 Consist of senior warrior
and churchmen
 Give advice and support
THE SAXONS GOVERNMENT
 Witan became formal body
in 10th century
 Issuing laws and charters
 Not at all democratic
 King has the authority to
decide
THE SAXONS
 Divide the land into new
administrative areas, based
on “Shires” or counties.
 Shire established by the end
of 10th century.
 Each Shire has a “Shire
Reeve”, later became
“Sheriff”.
ANGLO SAXON
TECHNOLOGY
Change the shape of English
agriculture.
 Heavier plough
 Useful for cultivating
heavier soils
 Required 6 or 8 oxen
ANGLO SAXON TECHNOLOGY
 Land divided into 2 or 3
very large field
 Each family had a number
of strips
 Different use in planting
 Basic of English agriculture
until 18th century
THE SAXON FIELD
ANGLO-SAXON VILLAGE
ANGLO-
SAXON
VILLAGE
THE MANOR
 Larger and simple
building/house in each
district functioned as place:
- to pay taxes
- to administer justice
- to join the “Fyrd”
THE LORD OF MANOR
 Called Aldermen = local official and
elected officer in local gevernment
(later became warlord)
 Also called “Earl” = a high ranking
noble in the beginning of 11th century
 Alderman and Earl still remaining
today
 The beginning of class system:
Kings, Lords, Soldiers, Workers on the
land, The Men of learning.
SAXON SOCIAL CLASS
I. KING
II. LORDS
III. SOLDIERS
IV. WORKERS
V. MEN OF LEARNING (EDUCATED
PEOPLE)  especially in Christian
Church