Today we define part of Europe, especially England, as Anglo-Saxon. This is true. Because the people living in the area are descendants of a community called Anglo-Saxons, who ruled the area for hundreds of years before identifying themselves as British. While at that time only those who came from a certain region were called Anglo-Saxon, today it has become the definition of the English white race.
The Middle Ages were very difficult times for Europe. However, the period called the early Middle Ages was also very difficult because the Vikings were frequently attacking the region as if the Anglo-Saxons were not enough. It would not be wrong to say that hundreds of years passed before things were resolved. Let’s take a closer look at what Anglo-Saxons are, who are the Anglo-Saxons, where did they come from, and they laid the foundations of the country we call England today.
Who are the Anglo-Saxons?
The Anglo-Saxons are the Germanic people, consisting of Anglus, Saxons and Jutes, who came to Britannia region of the Roman Empire, that is, today’s England, between 410 and 1066 BC, starting from Northern Europe, which includes Germany and the countries around it, and ruled this place partially and sometimes completely.
Before the Anglo-Saxons officially settled in the region, they were mercenaries for the Roman Empire. When life became difficult due to the climate problems in their region, they came to the Britannia region. The Anglo-Saxons, who occupied the region piecemeal in small groups, united over time and came to a position to rule sometimes partially, sometimes completely.
According to what we learn from the works recorded by the first Anglo-Saxon historiographer Bede, there was only one mass resistance against the Anglo-Saxons, other than that the simple resistance efforts of the local people were fruitless. For many years, the Anglo-Saxons, who spread to the region, were attacked by many different communities, especially the Vikings, and finally, Norman Prince William I entered a new era with the invasion of England for the last time.
Where did the word Anglo-Saxon come from?
The word Anglo-Saxon is derived from the name of the Anglus and Saxon communities that came to the region. It wasn’t a name they gave themselves. It was mostly used to separate the local Britannian people from the later immigrants. The first time it appears in the records is 786. The Bishop of Ostia, George, wrote a letter to the pope of the time, announcing that he was going to Angul Saxnia for a meeting.
Strangely enough, with the Normans occupied England, the word Anglo-Saxon, which describes the immigrants who came later, began to be used to describe all the people of the region. Strangely enough, the word Anglo-Saxon is used to describe the white race and the culture of these people today. In other words, yesterday’s immigrant has become today’s mother race.
What language did the Anglo-Saxons speak?
The Anglo-Saxons spoke a language that is now called Old English, which is the basis of the English used today. However, it is known that they speak many ancient Germanic languages, which are the origins of German and similar languages today. As a result of so many differences, it is known that a different dialect is used in almost every part of the region.
It is thought that the literacy level of people living in the Anglo-Saxon period before the Norman invasion was not bad at all. A thousand books and hundreds of manuscripts written in the region before 1100 were found. These consisted mostly of religious works, the lives of saints, and church records.
What religion did the Anglo-Saxons believe?
Although there is no definitive evidence, when the burial rituals are examined, it is thought that the first Anglo-Saxon communities who came to the region were pagan. It is also known that they believed in the afterlife and believed in a Germanic god named Woden, whom they named the moon.
Of course, missionaries don’t like such things. It is known that since the 600s, flocks of Roman and Irish missionaries came to the region, and even a monk himself met with Æthelberht, the King of Kent, and invited him to Christianity on the orders of the pope. As a result, the Anglo-Saxons are forced to adopt Christianity at some point.
What are the Anglo-Saxon countries?
Today, the United Kingdom, that is, England, comes first among the Anglo-Saxon countries. However, countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are also among the Anglo-Saxon countries. In other words, the countries where the British invaded and spread their sovereignty by eliminating the local people can be considered Anglo-Saxon.
We answered questions such as who are the Anglo-Saxons, who came from one end of Europe and formed today’s England, and what Anglo-Saxon means, and we talked about the details you need to know about this community. You can share your thoughts about Anglo-Saxons in the comments.
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