15 Facts About Anglo-Saxon England

1.

Anglo-Saxon England identity survived beyond the Norman conquest, came to be known as Englishry under Norman rule, and through social and cultural integration with Celts, Danes and Normans became the modern English people.

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2.

The term 'Anglo-Saxon England' came into use in the 8th century to distinguish English Saxons from continental Saxons .

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3.

Anglo-Saxon England suggested a mass immigration, with the incomers fighting and driving the sub-Roman Britons off their land and into the western extremities of the islands, and into the Breton and Iberian peninsulas.

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4.

Anglo-Saxon England suggests that several modern archaeologists have now re-assessed the traditional model, and have developed a co-existence model largely based on the Laws of Ine.

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5.

The Roman rites were adopted by the English church, although they were not universally accepted by the Irish Church until Henry II of Anglo-Saxon England invaded Ireland in the 12th century and imposed the Roman rites by force.

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6.

Anglo-Saxon England used this as a base from which to harry the Vikings.

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7.

Anglo-Saxon England built a navy, reorganised the army, and set up a system of fortified towns known as burhs.

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8.

Anglo-Saxon England mainly used old Roman cities for his burhs, as he was able to rebuild and reinforce their existing fortifications.

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9.

Anglo-Saxon England's reign was marked by disorder, and three years later, in 978, he was assassinated by some of his half-brother's retainers.

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10.

Anglo-Saxon England then struck south, forcing Æthelred into exile in Normandy .

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11.

Capitalising on his death, Æthelred returned to Anglo-Saxon England and drove Sven's son, Cnut, back to Denmark, forcing him to abandon his allies in the process.

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12.

Anglo-Saxon England became so unpopular that Edward was invited to return from exile in Normandy to be recognised as Harthacnut's heir, and when Harthacnut died suddenly in 1042, Edward became king.

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13.

Norman accounts suggest that at this time Edward offered the succession to his cousin, William of Normandy, though this is unlikely given that accession to the Anglo-Saxon England kingship was by election, not heredity – a fact which Edward would surely have known, having been elected himself by the Witenagemot.

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14.

Anglo-Saxon England took to his bed and fell into a coma; at one point he woke and turned to Harold Godwinson and asked him to protect the Queen and the kingdom.

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15.

Anglo-Saxon England had a further claim based on a pact between Harthacnut, King of Denmark and Magnus, King of Norway.

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