Wojciech Lipoński Professor Wojciech Lipoński (B

Wojciech Lipoński Professor Wojciech Lipoński (b. 1942) specialises in two fields of research: British studies and the history of sport. He is the author of 16 books in which these two fields are frequently linked. His best works include The Origins of Civilization in the British Isles (1995) and A History of British Culture (2003), which were reprinted in several editions and published in Polish. They both obtained prestigious awards from the Polish Ministry of Science and Academic Education and his History of British Culture was also named the Best Academic Book in Poland of 2004. In 1987, Professor Lipoński established a biannual academic journal Polish-Anglo-Saxon Studies, of which he is still editor in-chief. His books on sport include World Sports Encyclopedia published in Polish, English and French under UNESCO auspices (2001- 2006), and A History of Sport (2012). Both were awarded with Olympic Laurels by the Polish Olympic Committee. He is a member of the British Society of Sports History and his papers have been LANDMARKS IN BRITISH HISTORY AND CULTURE translated into as many as 12 languages in international journals and conference proceedings. Landmarks in British History and Culture examines selected issues crucial in the development of British civilization. It consists of fragments of Professor Lipoński’s earlier publications together with the full texts of previously unpublished lectures, which are now arranged chronologically in order to form a new historical Wojciech Lipoński and cultural narrative. It contains views which are typical for standardised British historiography, but with the advantage of the outsider’s perspective, it also tries to add new interpretations and hypotheses, explaining, for example, the lack of English LANDMARKS IN BRITISH HISTORY protagonists in Old English epics or suggesting that it was England where the oldest European trading union of towns was created before the Hanseatic League. This is AND CULTURE supplemented by some newly discovered facts, such as unknown usages of the term fair play. “Landmarks in British History and Culture is a fascinating book, packed with curiosities which bring the narrative to life. It is a mine of information about Britain, its culture and history, painting a comprehensive picture of this compelling area.” [From the review of Professor Wojciech Jasiakiewicz, University of Casimir the Great, Bydgoszcz], ISBN 978-83-232-3110-3 ISSN 0554-8144 WYDAWNICTWO NAUKOWE UAM LANDMARKS IN BRITISH HISTORY AND CULTURE A MONOGRAPH OF SELECTED ISSUES ADAM MICKIEWICZ UNIVERSITY IN POZNAŃ SERIA FILOLOGIA ANGIELSKA NR 47 Wojciech Lipoński LANDMARKS IN BRITISH HISTORY AND CULTURE A MONOGRAPH OF SELECTED ISSUES Second issue, improved and updated POZNAŃ 2016 ABSTRACT. Lipoński Wojciech, Landmarks in British history and culture. A monograph of selected issues. Adam Mickiewicz University Press. Poznań 2015. Pp. 422, 57 Photos. Seria Filologia Angielska nr 47. ISBN 978-83-232-3110-3. ISSN 0554-8144. Text in Eng- lish with a summary in Polish. The book presents crucial facts and events, selected from the countless defining moments in British history and culture: the appearance of prehistoric man in the British Isles; the influ- ence of Celtic culture from a wider, not only insular perspective; the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms; the historical truth and legendary aspects of the Arthurian myth; sea and imperial expansion; the most important factors and players in the fight for freedom; and finally, the development and cultural meaning of the English concept of sport. Although the author dis- cusses well known historical and cultural events, he does this from a non-British perspective and frequently suggests new hypotheses and analyses for some unsolved problems of British cultural history, such as the lack of English protagonists in Old English literature, the Five Borough question and the etymology of fair play as an ethical term and norm. KEY WORDS: British history; British culture; Celtic culture; English literature; fight for freedom Wojciech Lipoński, Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University, al. Niepodległości 4, 61-874 Poznań, Poland; email: [email protected] Reviewer/Recenzent dr hab. Wojciech Jasiakiewicz, prof. UKW Language Supervisor Paul Newsham, Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University © Wojciech Lipoński 2016 This edition © Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu, Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM, Poznań 2016 Cover design/Projekt okładki: Agnieszka Frydrychewicz Cover photos: Elizabeth I, fragment of anonymous painting (one of at least three versions of the so called Armada Portrait); Queen Victoria (anonymous photo from the 19th century); Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill (fragments of photos from the Wikimedia public domain, internet) Typsetting and formatting/Skład i formatowanie: Pracownia Wydawnicza WA UAM ISBN 978-83-232-3110-3 ISSN 0554-8144 Contents AUTHOR’S PREFACE ........................................................................... 7 Chapter One THE EARLY INHABITANTS OF BRITAIN ...................................... 13 Chapter Two THE CELTIC CHARACTER OF THE BRITISH ISLES .................... 35 Chapter Three PAGAN CELTIC RELIGION .............................................................. 61 Chapter Four “I AM THE STRENGTH OF ART”: A POET IN ARCHAIC CELTIC SOCIETY ............................................................ 79 Chapter Five FOUR CYCLES OF CELTIC LITERATURE ..................................... 93 Chapter Six FROM GA TO HEPTARCHY: REMARKS ON THE ORIGINS OF ANGLO-SAXON KINGDOMS .................................. 121 Chapter Seven THE ARTHURIAN LEGEND ............................................................ 141 Chapter Eight ANGLO-SAXON POETS AND POETRY ........................................ 167 Chapter Nine ORIGINS OF BRITISH PROTESTANTISM .................................... 193 6 Contents Chapter Ten PURITANISM AND ITS CONTEMPORARY AFTERMATHS .................................................................................. 229 Chapter Eleven THE HISTORY AND CONCEPT OF FREEDOM IN BRITISH CIVILIZATION ............................................................ 253 Chapter Twelve BRITISH MARITIME TRADITIONS ............................................... 283 Chapter Thirteen THE ROLE OF SPORT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH CIVILIZATION, PASTIMES AND LANGUAGE ......................................................... 321 Chapter Fourteen EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE ....................................... 371 AUTHOR’S PREFACE “The past may be forgotten, but it never dies. The elements which in the most remote times have entered into a nation’s composition endure through all its history and help to mould that history, and to stamp the character and genius of the people.” Thomas William Hazen Rolleston (1857-1920) The cultural historian who attempts to write anything about British history and civilization is confronted with two serious dilemmas. First of all, even a comparatively short description and analysis of basic historical factors would consume many volumes. To write about the mighty force of the events, processes and cultural achievements which have emanated from Britain to the rest of the world over the ages is an even larger task. Secondly, he encounters the problem of a subject about which little new can be said, at least from the traditional point of view generally accepted by official historiography. British historiography, however, suffers from internal British evaluations, excluding the external views of foreign histo- rians. And here is the chance to reveal and analyse what has been over- looked by native British scholars. This monograph attempts to examine some selected issues which are crucial for British history. It consists of fragments of my earlier publications together with previously unpublished full lectures, now arranged chronologically in order to form a somewhat new historical, and at the same time, cultural narrative. Most of this monograph’s chapters were first delivered at different intervals in the years 1991-2014 as a series of regular lectures under the title „Selected Aspects of British History and Culture.” Then they were repeated during consecutive academic years, each time updated with new elements and thus they matured until they gained their final form. At least in some respects they ventured to intro- duce new information or new interpretations of earlier knowledge. Some of them were separately developed and became the basis of two of my former books published in Polish: The Origins of Civilization in the 8 Author’s preface British Isles (Narodziny Cywilizacji Wysp Brytyjskich, 1995) and A His- tory of British Culture (Dzieje kultury brytyjskiej, 2003). In the present monograph I use some fragments of these books in a new English language version, because they have never been published in English before (except two chapters: on Archaic Celtic Poetry and From ‘ga’ to Heptarchy). Thus, some of them closely follow the Polish texts in Eng- lish, while some appear in loose, paraphrased form. But the main bulk of this monograph contains chapters which are based on original lectures delivered in English and never before published either in English or Polish versions. All of them, although to different degrees, are enriched by new dis- coveries, not always my own, but always used to update my narrative. For instance, a number of my earlier works explained the presence of the Celtic people on the British Isles through migration. Now I present a more differentiated

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