Origins and Migration (5th–6th Century)
The term "Anglo-Saxon" refers primarily to three main tribes: the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, who came from regions corresponding to present-day Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. According to tradition, they were invited to Britain as mercenaries to defend the Romano-British kingdoms from incursions by the Picts and Scots after the Roman legions departed around 410 CE.
The 6th-century historian Gildas and the 8th-century monk Bede provide some of the earliest accounts of these migrations. Over time, these Germanic settlers began to conquer and settle much of southern and eastern Britain, pushing the native Britons westward into areas like Wales, Cornwall, and Cumbria.
Formation of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms
By the 7th century, the Anglo-Saxon settlers had established several powerful kingdoms. This period is known as the Heptarchy, a term describing the seven main Anglo-Saxon kingdoms:
- Northumbria
- Mercia
- East Anglia
- Essex
- Kent
- Sussex
- Wessex
Each kingdom had its own rulers, laws, and customs, although over time, some gained supremacy over others. Northumbria was dominant during the 7th century, followed by Mercia in the 8th, and finally Wessex in the 9th and 10th centuries.
Society and Culture
Anglo-Saxon society was hierarchical and based on loyalty to a lord or king. At the top were the kings, followed by ealdormen (noblemen), thegns (lesser nobles), ceorls (freemen), and thralls or slaves.
Kinship and loyalty were the bedrock of social order. Legal traditions included the use of wergild, or man-price, a system of compensatory payments for injury or death.
The Anglo-Saxons were skilled farmers, craftsmen, and warriors. They left behind magnificent treasures such as the Sutton Hoo burial, a ship-burial discovered in Suffolk containing exquisite artifacts like a ceremonial helmet, gold and garnet jewelry, and a lyre, providing deep insights into their elite culture and burial practices. shutdown123