Anglo-Saxon

From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change

Anglo-Saxons were a tribe of Germanic people. They were the main ancestors of the English people and nation.

The Anglo-Saxons settled in England after Roman rule there failed. Early historians wrote that they were first invited by the Romano-British King Vortigern, who needed help fighting the Picts and Scots.

[change] Origin

The Saxons, a Germanic tribe, settled in England in the late 5th century. Their settlements became the kingdoms of Sussex (South Saxons), Wessex (West Saxons), and Essex (East Saxons). Another closely related tribe that settled was the Angles, who gave their name to England (Angle-land). Their settlements in the eastern, central, and northern parts of the country later became the kingdoms of East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria. A third tribe, the Jutes, are usually included with Anglo-Saxons also. They are believed to have settled the Isle of Wight area and what later became the kingdom of Kent.

When they first crossed from the main continent, the Anglo-Saxon tribes worshipped the Germanic gods similar to the ones of Norse mythology, but the kingdoms began to become Christian from around 100 to 200 years later.

In time, the Anglo-Saxons had seven separate kingdoms, known as the heptarchy, and these were gradually united by Alfred the Great and the following kings to become England.

[change] Name

The word Anglo-Saxon comes from the Latin Anglo-Saxones. The Saxons called themselves Seaxe, and the Angles called themselves Anglecynn or Anglefolc. These peoples later became known as the "English". The name Anglo-Saxons is especially used to mean the people of England before the Norman Conquest in 1066, and their language, also known as Old English. In modern times, "Anglo-Saxon" has also been used to mean the English people in every country.