The Anglo Saxons

II The Anglo Saxons

449 AD - After the weakening of the Britons, they called on two German brother-princes, Hengist and Horsa, to their aid

• Saxons, Angles/anglians, Jutes, and Frisians begin to migrate to Britain

  • Came from Western and Northern Germany

• It gains a new nationality and language (Anglo-Saxon) which is the foundation of the present English (Angle-land_

• This nation was fierce, being noted by emperor Julian to be the toughest that they dwelt with beyond the Rhine on the western ocean

• Tall and handsome, blue eyes, fair skin, strong, pillagers and pirates, while the women and slaves cared for their land and flocks

• They were divided into tribes, each with a chieftain; in times of danger, they would select a supreme commander under the name of Konyng or King, but only temporarily

• They raided and conquered England, dividing into 8 kingdoms: Kent, Sussex, Wessex, Essex, Northumbria, Mercia, Bernicia, and Deira; Bernicia and Deira were often combined and thus we hear of the 7 kingdoms (Anglo-Saxon heptarchy)

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