0288-0297 CH19-846240 11/16/02 10:02 AM Page 288 CHAPTER The Irish and the Anglo-Saxons 19 55 B.C.–911 A.D. ᭡ The Alfred jewel The helmet of an Anglo-Saxon king ᭤ 410 A.D. 597 A.D. c. 700 A.D. 835 A.D. Roman legions Pope Gregory I sends Beowulf is written Danes begin leave Britain monks from Rome to raiding England England 288 UNIT 6 THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES 0288-0297 CH19-846240 11/16/02 10:03 AM Page 289 Chapter Focus Read to Discover Chapter Overview Visit the Human Heritage Web site • How Rome influenced the area known today as the British at humanheritage.glencoe.com Isles. and click on Chapter 19— • What life was like in Celtic Ireland. Chapter Overviews to preview this chapter. • How Christianity developed in Ireland and England. • Why the Anglo-Saxons united under Alfred the Great. • What life was like in Anglo-Saxon England. Terms to Learn People to Know Places to Locate coracles Saint Patrick British Isles shires Saint Columba Kent sheriff Pope Gregory I Wessex king’s peace Ethelbert Daneland witenagemot Bede witan Alfred the Great Why It’s Important Off the west coast of Europe lies a group of islands that never became part of Charlemagne’s empire. Known today as the British Isles, they consist of Great Britain, Ireland, and many smaller islands. Roman legions led by Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 B.C. The Romans eventually conquered much of the island and ruled it for almost 400 years. The Romans had difficulties ruling some of the area. A conquered people called Celts (kelts) were not interested in or influenced by Roman culture. During the 300s A.D. Roman soldiers were called home to defend the empire’s borders against the Germanic invasions. After 410 A.D., the island was overrun by groups from northern Germany and Denmark, called Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. These groups united to become the Anglo-Saxons. They built settle- ments and set up several small kingdoms. The southern part of Britain soon became known as Angleland, or England. The peo- ple became known as the English. SECTION 1 Celtic Ireland With the coming of the Anglo-Saxons, most of the Celts who lived in Britain fled to Ireland. In time, Ireland became the major center of Celtic culture. Ireland had no cities. The people were divided into clans that lived in small villages. Most farmed and CHAPTER 19 THE IRISH AND THE ANGLO-SAXONS 289 0288-0297 CH19-846240 11/1/02 11:07 AM Page 290 raised cattle. The more cattle a person owned, the wealthier that person was considered to be. The Irish were a seafaring people, too. They made boats Reading Check called coracles (kor’ uh kuhls) by stretching cow hides over a How did the wooden frame. Some coracles were large enough to hold as many Irish use boats called as 30 people. The boats handled well at sea and were used for coracles? travel, trade, and fishing. The Irish were able to remain free of Germanic attacks because their island was located farther out in the Atlantic Ocean than Britain. Scholars, artists, merchants, and monks from many parts of Europe came to Ireland because of its peace and safety. Irish scholars and artists were influenced by Christianity. The Irish Church was founded by Saint Patrick. Born in Britain in the 400s A.D., Saint Patrick was kidnapped when he was young and taken to Ireland by Irish pirates. Later, he escaped to Europe, where he studied to be a priest. After becoming a bishop, he returned to Ireland and converted the people to Christianity. He spread his message all through the island and set up many new The Book of Kells churches. Irish monks produced one Ireland lost contact with Rome during the Germanic of the masterpieces of early invasions of the Roman Empire. This meant the Pope could no Christian art—the Book of Kells, a beautifully illus- longer lead the Irish Church. So, the Church turned to its abbots. trated version of the four Many were related to the heads of the different clans. Each clan gospels. The illuminated supported its own monastery. manuscript was done in The monasteries became centers of Irish life, although the late 700s. many were in places that were not accessible—on rocky coasts or steep hills. Most monasteries were made up of a group of huts with a wooden stockade around them. Later, some monas- teries were built of stone. Because of poor transportation and communication, church organization was weak. So, each monastery took charge of its own affairs. Irish monks soon began to follow practices different from those of the Roman Church. They wore their hair in a different way and celebrated Easter on a different day. Their rituals were not the same as those of the Romans. Irish monasteries set down few rules. A monk was free to move from one monastery to another. Many monks chose to be hermits. Others set up schools to teach Christianity. Still others became missionaries. They sailed the North Atlantic and the Irish Sea seeking new converts and looking for islands on which to build new monasteries. Student Web Activity One of the best-known monks was Saint Columba (kuh Visit the Human Heritage Web site at luhm’ buh). He set up a monastery on Iona (ı¯o¯ ’ nuh), an island off humanheritage.glencoe.com the west coast of Scotland. From his base on Iona, Saint Columba and click on Chapter 19— did missionary work among the many non-Christian Celts along Student Web Activities to find the coast. out more about the work of Irish Monks from Iona went to northern England to preach to the monks. Anglo-Saxons. Other Irish monks went to northern Europe, 290 UNIT 6 THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES 0288-0297 CH19-846240 11/1/02 11:07 AM Page 291 IRISH MONASTERY Irish Christian monks established monasteries through- out the British Isles and Europe. Many of their stone living quarters, like the ones shown here, still stand today along the rocky coast of western Ireland. What attracted monks to Ireland? where they built monasteries and churches. Many Irish scholars became part of Charlemagne’s palace school. They helped spread Christianity and learning throughout his empire. Section 1 Assessment Graphic Organizer Activity 5. 1. Define: coracles. Draw this diagram, and use it to show 2. How did the Irish earn a living? the cause and effects of Irish isolation 3. Why did Irish monasteries take charge from Germanic invasions. of their own affairs? Cause Effects Critical Thinking Irish 4. Predicting Consequences What Isolation might have happened in Britain if the Romans had not left in 410 A.D.? CHAPTER 19 THE IRISH AND THE ANGLO-SAXONS 291 0288-0297 CH19-846240 11/1/02 11:08 AM Page 292 SECTION 2 Christianity Ireland was Christian, but the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Britain were not. They followed the Germanic religions. Then, Pope Gregory I decided to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. Legend has it that he saw some Anglo-Saxon boys waiting in the marketplace of Rome to be sold into slavery. Gregory noticed their light skin, handsome faces, and blonde hair and asked where their home was. When he learned that the boys were Angles, he said they had the faces of angels and should be Christians. Therefore, in 597 A.D., Pope Gregory sent a mission of 41 monks from Rome to England under the leadership of Augustine. The missionaries landed in the small kingdom of Kent in southern England. Kent’s queen, Bertha, was already a Christian, but its king, Ethelbert (eth’ uhl bert), was not. At first, Ethelbert was very suspicious of Augustine and the other monks. He would Alfred the Great meet with them only in the open air where their “magic” could not hurt him. Within a year, however, Ethelbert became a 849 A.D.–899 A.D. Christian. He allowed Augustine to build a church in the town of Anglo-Saxon King Canterbury (kant’ uhr ber e¯ ) and to teach the people about Christianity. Son of a Saxon king, The Anglo-Saxons were quick to accept the new religion, and Alfred led the resis- by 700 A.D. all England was Christian. The Pope was head of the tance against Danish Church. Monasteries were built throughout England. As in invaders. He made his Ireland, they became centers of religion and culture. kingdom the rallying One monk, Bede (be¯d), was a great scholar. He wrote the point for other king- first history of the English people. He also brought to England doms, paving the way the Christian way of dating events from the year of Jesus’ birth. for the unification of Although they accepted Christianity, the Anglo-Saxons kept England. In 886 A.D., much of their old culture. They told old legends about brave war- he captured London riors fighting monsters and dragons. One such legend was about and was soon recog- a warrior named Beowulf (ba¯’ uh wulf). Beowulf, one of the earli- nized as king of all est known tales, is an epic poem of almost 3,200 lines. Created by England. One of his an unknown poet in about 700, it was passed along by oral tradi- greatest achievements tion for two centuries. Finally, in the 900s, the work was written was the creation of a down. In colorful verses it describes how the hero warrior navy—the basis of Beowulf goes from place to place fighting wicked people and England’s future ferocious animals.