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Unit One: Theme 1: the Heroic and the Humble Chi-Rho page: St. Matthew’s Gospel, folio 34, Book of Kells, c. 800. Unknown Irish monk. Ink on vellum, 330 x 255 mm. Trinity College Library, Dublin, Ireland. 32 UNIT ONE The Anglo-Saxon Period 449–1066 and The Middle Ages 1066–1485 “A hero in one age will be a hero in another.” —Charlotte Lennox Theme 1 The Heroic and the Humble pages 41–229 THE ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD AND THE MIDDLE AGES 33 The Anglo-Saxon Period and the Middle Ages Setting the Scene “The barbarians drive us to the sea. The sea drives us back towards the barbarians. Between them we are exposed to two sorts of death: we are either slain or drowned.” This description was part of a desperate plea for help sent in the early 400s by the Celtic people of Britain to the consul of Rome. The Celts were under attack by Scottish and Irish tribes, but Rome was too busy trying to save its own crumbling empire to spare any soldiers. Next, the Celts sought help from the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes—tribes that occupied regions of what is now Germany. Unfortunately, these tribes viewed the Celts’ plea as an opportunity to take over Britain. The Anglo-Saxon warriors, clothed in animal skins and wielding spears, drove the Celts into the mountains and took the land for their own. It was a bloody beginning for the nation that would come to be known as England. Active Reading Strategies Reading the Time Line 1. How many years after Alfred the Great came to the throne did his descen- dant, Edward the Confessor, become king of England? 2. Which European king came to power eighty-five years after Empress Wu became Invasion of Danes under Hinguar and Hubba. From the first female ruler of Life, Passion and Miracles of St. Edmund, c. 1130. China? England (Bury St. Edmund’s). The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. M. 736, f.9v. England 597 787 871 St. Augustine establishes Danish invasions Alfred the Great’s Germanic tribes invade England monastery in Canterbury begin rule begins 449 570 600 683 800 Muhammad, the Empress Wu becomes 768 founder of Islam, the first woman to Charlemagne becomes World is born in Mecca rule China king of France 34 UNIT 1 449–1485 History of the Time The Anglo-Saxon Period Edington. Alfred went on to capture London and, eventually, much of England. For these and other Many consider that English history began with the inva- feats, Alfred was called “the Great.” Later, Alfred’s sion of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in 449. These son and grandson won back all of England from the Germanic invaders took over the southeastern part of Danes, and the country was at peace. the island and called it “Angle-land.” They formed small tribal kingdoms whose members lacked written The Middle Ages language, supported themselves through farming and hunting, and believed in many different gods. These peaceful days did not last forever. When King Edward died in 1066, the Duke of Normandy laid The Coming of Christianity In 596, missionaries claim to the English throne. When the English council attempted to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. of elders chose Harold II as king, the duke retaliated By the year 650, most of England was Christian— by attacking and defeating the Anglo-Saxons at the at least in name. Battle of Hastings, emerging as England’s first Norman Although the people king, William I. appeared to be intense Alfred the Great believers in God and the Merging Cultures Along with a new king, England church, many held on to gained a taste of French culture. Though the Anglo- their pagan beliefs and Saxon culture was solid, England assimilated many traditions. French influences, including feudalism and chivalry. • Under feudalism, land was parceled out to lords The Danish Invasions who supported the Norman king. These lords During the eighth and granted land to vassals in exchange for an oath of ninth centuries, other military duty. Germanic tribes attacked Britain. Danes and • According to the code of chivalry, knights strove Norsemen took to the to be honorable, generous, brave, skillful in battle, seas in an attempt to respectful to women, and helpful to the weak. win Britain by force. By Moving Toward a New Era The fourteenth century the middle of the ninth was a dark time in England’s history. Edward III warred century, most of against France; the Black Death killed almost a third of England had fallen to England’s people; and rival popes caused a decline in the invaders. However, the tide was turned in 878 respect for the church. But towns and cities continued when Alfred, the Saxon king of Wessex, led his war- to grow, and the feudal system was fading. A new era riors to victory over the Danes in the Battle of was approaching. 1455 1042 Series of civil wars between Edward the Confessor, last 1215 the House of York and the English king to descend from Magna Carta is House of Lancaster, called Alfred the Great, begins rule signed by King John “Wars of the Roses,” begins 1000 1200 1271 1325 1400 1462 1485 1192 Marco Polo Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Ivan the Great Leif Eriksson sails The shogun become a explores Aztec empire, is completed on the becomes the first to North America military power in Japan China site of what is now Mexico City Russian czar THE ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD AND THE MIDDLE AGES 35 The Anglo-Saxon Period and the Middle Ages Life of the Time People are talking about ≠ The First Crusade In the middle of the eleventh century, the Turks took over Jerusalem, which was regarded by Christians as a holy city. Pope Urban II called for a crusade to recover this and other holy places for Christianity and promised all who fought “the reward of imperishable glory in the kingdom of heaven.” In 1096 thou- sands of Christians marched into battle, and victory was declared in 1099. However, this was just the beginning of a series of bloody crusades that Christians launced against Muslims in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The Model Parliament In 1215 a group of barons forced the unpopular King John to agree to a Great Charter, or Magna Carta, which guaranteed free citizens many rights and paved the way for a parliament. In 1295 King Edward I expanded Godfrey of Bouillon (c. 1060–1100) his group of government advisors to include knights and in First Crusade. representatives of the towns. This model parliament set an important precedent for the future. º ≠ Peasants’ Revolt (Tyler’s Rebellion) In the late four- teenth century, King Richard II instituted a tax to pay for Copy of the Seal of King the war with France. Laborers resented the tax, along with John to the agreement many other laws they considered unfair. In protest, Walter with the barons. Tyler, a former soldier, organized a revolt. Armed villagers and townspeople attacked manors and religious houses, making their way to a bloody assault on London on June 13, 1381. The results of the attack were mixed. Although the rebels forced the king to repeal the tax, the rebellion was crushed when the mayor of London had Tyler killed on June 15, during negotiations. Firsts • Arabic numerals replaced Roman numerals around the beginning of the eleventh century. • Buttons began to be used as fasteners in the thirteenth century. • Mechanical clocks appeared in Europe in the fourteenth century. The death of Wat Tyler. 664 England 537 British Christian church Arthur, legendary is united with Roman 793 king of Britain, dies Catholic Church Vikings invade Britain 449 c. 460 517 600 641 800 Mayan culture Buddhism is Library at Alexandria, Egypt, peaks in Mexico introduced (begun by King Ptolemy I in 307 B.C. World into China as a center of learning) is destroyed 36 UNIT 1 449–1485 Food & Fashion • In the fifteenth century, noble women wore pointed headdresses, while men some- times wore liripipes, or hoods with a long, pointed back. The long, pointed toes of men’s shoes had to be tied to the ankle to prevent tripping. Children were viewed as miniature adults and were dressed accordingly. º • In an effort to ensure a distinction between classes in the Middle Ages, the rich passed a law stating, “No plowman, oxherd, cowherd, shepherd, swineherd, dairy- woman, or anyone else who works as a farmer should wear anything but cheap cloth or blanket.” • Social status determined what food an individual ate. The wealthy tended to eat richer, fattening foods, such as red meat, mutton, and gravy. The common people ate vegetables and high fiber products. Bread was a staple for all social classes. Medieval liripipe. ≠ Nobles held abundant feasts featuring a rich variety of foods. The first course might consist of fish, chicken, and fritters; the second course might include roast beef, meat pies, stewed lamb, and crayfish tails. Arts & Entertainment • The first English cathedral was built in Canterbury between 1070 and 1180, ' beginning a period of more than 400 years of cathedral-building. These awe- some and towering cathedrals were artistic masterpieces created by the most talented architects, masons, artists, and craftspeople of the time to celebrate the glory of God. • Manuscripts were decorated, or illuminated, with intricate drawings in bright colors and real gold. Artist-monks made their own inks from items found in nature such as copper, salt, honey, and crushed insects. Amusements • Knights provided sport and entertainment for others by participating in showy tournaments, which gave them the opportunity to practice fighting and show off their skills.
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