Anglo-Saxon Britain

1. The arrival of the Anglo-Saxons.

1.1. The Anglo-Saxons were germanic tirbes knonwn as Angles, Saxons and Jutes

1.1.1. They spoke different dialects of the ''old english''

1.2. In 410 the Roman legions were withdraw to fight on the continent but...

1.3. ...the civilian population organised resistance for many years

1.4. So they refuged in Cornwall, Wales and Cumberland.

1.5. In the course of centuries of struggle, greater kings absorbed the territories of lesser ones, until Anglo-Saxon England was divided into seven states.

1.5.1. Kent

1.5.2. Northumbria

1.5.3. East Anglia

1.5.4. Mercia

1.5.5. Wessex

1.5.6. Essex

1.5.7. Sussex

1.6. This period is called ''The Heptarchy''.

2. What were the Anglo-Saxon like?

2.1. Most of the things we know about them is legend and the only documents they left to us are written using a mysterious runic alphabet

2.2. They were divided by strong tribal ties.

2.3. The king had arount him his followers called ''thanes'' to protect him.

2.4. The Anglo-Saxons established themselves in villages

2.5. They often farmed the land around the Roman villas, but they never lived in the villas themselves

3. Christianity.

3.1. When they invaded Britain, the Anglo-Saxons were pagans and worshipped several divinities