Anglo-Saxon England - Key Vocabulary Flashcards
AD
Used to record historical dates as number of years after Christ’s birth: Anno Domini
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
A contemporary history of England, begun during the reign of Alfred the Great
Burh
A fortified town which ruled a local area
Celts
The dominant population in Britain until the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons
Century
A period of 100 years, often used to describe different historical periods
Convent
Building housing a religious community
Danegeld
Large sums of money given to Vikings to prevent further invasions
Danelaw
English territory given over to Viking rule Dark Ages A term sometimes used to describe the years that followed the fall of the Roman Empire
Earl
A noble title, developed during the Anglo-Saxon period to describe the ruler of a county Empire A group of countries or states presided over by a single ruler
Fyrd
Part-time Anglo-Saxon army which could be called up to fight at times of war
Golden age
A period of flourishing in the history of a nation or an art form
Great Heathen Army
A large force of Viking warriors who invaded England during the 9th century
Illumination
Richly decorated religious manuscript from the medieval period
Jorvik
The centre of Viking power in England, on the site of modern-day York
Latin
A classical language spoken by the Romans and used by the Catholic Church
Longboat
A Viking ship that combined both sails
Mercia
Anglo-Saxon kingdom in central England, covering what is today called the Midlands Monastery Building housing a religious community
Monk
A man who dedicates his entire life to God, and lives outside of normal society
Native
A person born in or historically associated with a particular country or region
Pagan
Someone who believes in many different gods
Shire
Individual county, meaning ‘area of control’ in Old English
Sutton Hoo
The site of an Anglo-Saxon ship burial from the 7th century AD
Valhalla
The heaven for Viking warriors
Vellum
A writing material made from the skin of calves, before the invention of paper
Vikings
Seafaring people from Scandinavia who raided and traded across Europe, Asia and North America
Wessex
Anglo-Saxon kingdom stretching across southern England
Witan
A collection of Anglo-Saxon noblemen and senior clergymen who advised the king
Used to record historical dates as number of years after Christ’s birth: Anno Domini
AD
A contemporary history of England, begun during the reign of Alfred the Great Anglo-Saxons Two Germanic tribes who invaded England from Germany, between 400 and 600 AD Archaeologist Someone who examines objects and locations from the past, often through excavation Archbishop of Canterbury The most senior bishop in, and leader of, the Church of England Blood Eagle A notorious Viking method for killing their enemies
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
A fortified town which ruled a local area
Burh
The dominant population in Britain until the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons
Celts
A period of 100 years, often used to describe different historical periods
Century
Building housing a religious community
Convent
Large sums of money given to Vikings to prevent further invasions
Danegeld
English territory given over to Viking rule Dark Ages A term sometimes used to describe the years that followed the fall of the Roman Empire
Danelaw
A noble title, developed during the Anglo-Saxon period to describe the ruler of a county Empire A group of countries or states presided over by a single ruler
Earl
Part-time Anglo-Saxon army which could be called up to fight at times of war
Fyrd
A period of flourishing in the history of a nation or an art form
Golden age
A large force of Viking warriors who invaded England during the 9th century
Great Heathen Army
Richly decorated religious manuscript from the medieval period
Illumination
The centre of Viking power in England, on the site of modern-day York
Jorvik
A classical language spoken by the Romans and used by the Catholic Church
Latin
A Viking ship that combined both sails
Longboat
Anglo-Saxon kingdom in central England, covering what is today called the Midlands Monastery Building housing a religious community
Mercia
A man who dedicates his entire life to God, and lives outside of normal society
Monk
A person born in or historically associated with a particular country or region
Native
Someone who believes in many different gods
Pagan
Individual county, meaning ‘area of control’ in Old English
Shire
The site of an Anglo-Saxon ship burial from the 7th century AD
Sutton Hoo
The heaven for Viking warriors
Valhalla
A writing material made from the skin of calves, before the invention of paper
Vellum
Seafaring people from Scandinavia who raided and traded across Europe, Asia and North America
Vikings
Anglo-Saxon kingdom stretching across southern England
Wessex
A collection of Anglo-Saxon noblemen and senior clergymen who advised the king
Witan