7th-10th Centuries (600s-900s) Flashcards
Foundations of Ængland
Who was Saint Augustine of Canterbury and what is his significance? (c.534-604)
- Who He Was:
- A missionary sent by Pope Gregory the Great in 597 AD to convert the Anglo-Saxons.
- First Archbishop of Canterbury.
- Significance:
- Converted King Æthelberht of Kent, initiating Christianization of southern England.
- Founded the English Church; with Canterbury as its religious center.
Footnote: Known as the “Apostle to the English,” Augustine’s mission fused Roman Christianity with Anglo-Saxon culture, establishing enduring ecclesiastical authority.
What were the Viking invasions, and their significance for England? (8th-11 centuries)
- What It Was:
- A series of raids and invasions by Scandinavia or Norse warriors targeting England and other parts of Europe.
- Significance
- Resulted in the Danelaw.
- Led to significant cultural and territorial changes in England.
Footnote: The threat from Vikings forced stronger kingship and fortified defenses, especially under Alfred the Great.
Who was the Venerable Bede, and what is his significance? (c. 672-735 AD)
- Who Was He:
- Known as the “Father of English History”.
- Northumbrian monk and scholar
- Significance
- Authored Ecclesiastical History of the English People (731 AD), crucial source for early English Christianity.
- Contributed to the preservation of historical knowledge and Christian scholarship.
Footnote: Bede also contributed to science (chronology, calendars) and promoted education in monastic life.
Who was Alfred the Great and what is his significance in English history? (r.871-899)
- Who He Was:
- King of Wessex who successfully defended his kingdom against Viking invasions and laid the groundwork for the unification of England.
- Significance
- Known for his military strategies, legal reforms, and promotion of education.
- His achievements set the stage for the eventual unification of England.
Footnote: His court became a hub of learning; he translated major Latin works into English to revive literacy.
What was the Danelaw and its significance? (9th-11 centuries)
- What It Was:
- Regions of eastern England under the control of Danish Vikings, where Danish laws and customs prevailed.
- Significance:
- Emerged after the Treaty of Wedmore (878) between Alfred and Guthrum.
Footnote: Though politically divided, Anglo-Saxons and Danes often coexisted and intermarried within the Danelaw.
What was the Witan and its significance in Anglo-Saxon England? (c.900s-1066)
- What It Was:
- The Witan (“wise men”) was a council of nobles, clergy, and who advised the king and sometimes even chose successors.
- Significance:
- Early form of representation in governance,
- Precedent for later English parliamentary structures.
Footnote: The Witan’s consent was crucial in legitimizing rule, as seen in Harold Godwinson’s 1066 election.
What was the Battle of Brunanburh and is it significance? (937 AD)
- What It Was:
- A decisive battle in which King Æthelstan of England defeated an alliance of Scots, Vikings, and other forces.
- Significance:
- Secured Æthelstan’s claim as first true king of all England.
- Marked the beginning of English national identity.
Footnote: Commemorated by poet Æthelweard in 975 as, “The fields of Britain were consolidated into one, there was peace everywhere, and abundance of all things.”
What was the Heptarchy and its significance in English history? (7th-9th centuries)
- What It Was:
- The term for the seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms —Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex, and Wessex—that existed in England.
- Significance
- Set stage for Wessex’s dominance and later unification under Alfred and Æthelstan
Footnote: The term “Heptarchy” is a later invention but useful for understanding early Anglo-Saxon geopolitics.
What was the Great Heathen Army and the ensuing Treaty of Wedmore? (865–878 AD)
- What They Were::
- Massive Viking invasion force
- Peace deal (878 AD) between Alfred and Guthrum after the Battle of Edington
- Significance
- Created the Danelaw
- Divided England into Anglo-Saxon and Danish zones
Footnote: Guthrum’s baptism under the treaty symbolized cultural compromise. This treaty stabilized Wessex and bought Alfred time to reform.
What was the Christianization of Britain and its significance? (7th-8th centuries)
- What It Was:
- Gradual conversion of Anglo-Saxons to Christianity, beginning with Augustine in 597 AD.
- First major convert: King Æthelberht of Kent.
- Significance:
- Christianity became the dominant religion in England, leading to the development of monasteries, literacy and record-keeping.
- Unified the various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms under a shared religion.
Æthelberht of Kent to St. Augustine: “But because you have come hither as strangers from a long distance, and as I seem to myself to have seen clearly, that what you yourselves believed to be true and good, you wish to impart to us, we do not wish to molest you; nay, rather we are anxious to receive you hospitably, and to give you all that is needed for your support, nor do we hinder you from joining all whom you can to the faith of your religion.”
What are the Lindisfarne Gospels and their significance? (c. 715-720 AD)
- What They Were:
- Illuminated manuscript of the Four Gospels, created at Lindisfarne Monastery, Northumbria.
- Significance:
- A masterpiece of Anglo-Saxon and Irish Insular art, blending Christian themes with Celtic and Anglo-Saxon styles.
- Represents the early cultural and religious exchange in the British Isles.
Footnote: Produced by bishop Eadfrith, it symbolizes the prestige of Northumbrian Christianity before the Viking raids.
What was the Ecclesiastical History of the English People and what is its significance? (c.731)
- What Was It:
- A historical work written by the Venerable Bede, chronicling the Christianization and early history of England.
- Significance:
- An important source for understanding early Anglo-Saxon and Ænglish history.
- Provides a detailed account of the spread of Christianity in England and the lives of early English saints.
Footnote: Its narrative helped legitimize Christian kingship and framed England as part of Christendom.
- Who He Was:
- A missionary sent by Pope Gregory the Great in 597 AD to convert the Anglo-Saxons.
- First Archbishop of Canterbury.
- Significance:
- Converted King Æthelberht of Kent, initiating Christianization of southern England.
- Founded the English Church; with Canterbury as its religious center.
Footnote: Known as the “Apostle to the English,” Augustine’s mission fused Roman Christianity with Anglo-Saxon culture, establishing enduring ecclesiastical authority.
Who was Saint Augustine of Canterbury and what is his significance? (c.534-604)
- What It Was:
- A series of raids and invasions by Scandinavia or Norse warriors targeting England and other parts of Europe.
- Significance
- Resulted in the Danelaw.
- Led to significant cultural and territorial changes in England.
Footnote: The threat from Vikings forced stronger kingship and fortified defenses, especially under Alfred the Great.
What were the Viking invasions, and their significance for England? (8th-11 centuries)
- Who Was He:
- Known as the “Father of English History”.
- Northumbrian monk and scholar
- Significance
- Authored Ecclesiastical History of the English People (731 AD), crucial source for early English Christianity.
- Contributed to the preservation of historical knowledge and Christian scholarship.
Footnote: Bede also contributed to science (chronology, calendars) and promoted education in monastic life.
Who was the Venerable Bede, and what is his significance? (c. 672-735 AD)
- Who He Was:
- King of Wessex who successfully defended his kingdom against Viking invasions and laid the groundwork for the unification of England.
- Significance
- Known for his military strategies, legal reforms, and promotion of education.
- His achievements set the stage for the eventual unification of England.
Footnote: His court became a hub of learning; he translated major Latin works into English to revive literacy.
Who was Alfred the Great and what is his significance in English history? (r.871-899)
- What It Was:
- Regions of eastern England under the control of Danish Vikings, where Danish laws and customs prevailed.
- Significance:
- Emerged after the Treaty of Wedmore (878) between Alfred and Guthrum.
Footnote: Though politically divided, Anglo-Saxons and Danes often coexisted and intermarried within the Danelaw.
What was the Danelaw and its significance? (9th-11 centuries)
- What It Was:
- The Witan (“wise men”) was a council of nobles, clergy, and who advised the king and sometimes even chose successors.
- Significance:
- Early form of representation in governance,
- Precedent for later English parliamentary structures.
Footnote: The Witan’s consent was crucial in legitimizing rule, as seen in Harold Godwinson’s 1066 election.
What was the Witan and its significance in Anglo-Saxon England? (c.900s-1066)
- What It Was:
- A decisive battle in which King Æthelstan of England defeated an alliance of Scots, Vikings, and other forces.
- Significance:
- Secured Æthelstan’s claim as first true king of all England.
- Marked the beginning of English national identity.
Footnote: Commemorated by poet Æthelweard in 975 as, “The fields of Britain were consolidated into one, there was peace everywhere, and abundance of all things.”
What was the Battle of Brunanburh and is it significance? (937 AD)
- What It Was:
- The term for the seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms —Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex, and Wessex—that existed in England.
- Significance
- Set stage for Wessex’s dominance and later unification under Alfred and Æthelstan
Footnote: The term “Heptarchy” is a later invention but useful for understanding early Anglo-Saxon geopolitics.
What was the Heptarchy and its significance in English history? (7th-9th centuries)
- What They Were::
- Massive Viking invasion force
- Peace deal (878 AD) between Alfred and Guthrum after the Battle of Edington
- Significance
- Created the Danelaw
- Divided England into Anglo-Saxon and Danish zones
Footnote: Guthrum’s baptism under the treaty symbolized cultural compromise. This treaty stabilized Wessex and bought Alfred time to reform.
What was the Great Heathen Army and the ensuing Treaty of Wedmore? (865–878 AD)
- What It Was:
- Gradual conversion of Anglo-Saxons to Christianity, beginning with Augustine in 597 AD.
- First major convert: King Æthelberht of Kent.
- Significance:
- Christianity became the dominant religion in England, leading to the development of monasteries, literacy and record-keeping.
- Unified the various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms under a shared religion.
Æthelberht of Kent to St. Augustine: “But because you have come hither as strangers from a long distance, and as I seem to myself to have seen clearly, that what you yourselves believed to be true and good, you wish to impart to us, we do not wish to molest you; nay, rather we are anxious to receive you hospitably, and to give you all that is needed for your support, nor do we hinder you from joining all whom you can to the faith of your religion.”
What was the Christianization of Britain and its significance? (7th-8th centuries)
- What They Were:
- Illuminated manuscript of the Four Gospels, created at Lindisfarne Monastery, Northumbria.
- Significance:
- A masterpiece of Anglo-Saxon and Irish Insular art, blending Christian themes with Celtic and Anglo-Saxon styles.
- Represents the early cultural and religious exchange in the British Isles.
Footnote: Produced by bishop Eadfrith, it symbolizes the prestige of Northumbrian Christianity before the Viking raids.
What are the Lindisfarne Gospels and their significance? (c. 715-720 AD)
- What Was It:
- A historical work written by the Venerable Bede, chronicling the Christianization and early history of England.
- Significance:
- An important source for understanding early Anglo-Saxon and Ænglish history.
- Provides a detailed account of the spread of Christianity in England and the lives of early English saints.
Footnote: Its narrative helped legitimize Christian kingship and framed England as part of Christendom.
What was the Ecclesiastical History of the English People and what is its significance? (c.731)
