AWH: The Start of England and Beowulf Flashcards
Who took over in England after the Romans?
the Anglo-Saxons
Who is considered the first English king?
Alfred the Great
What was Sutton Hoo?
a burial mound on a woman’s property that had the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold
Name four reasons Alfred the Great was great.
good warrior, united the Anglo-Saxon tribes, reorganizes their military and makes it a standing army, founded the royal navy, starts schools, starts the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, starts royal courts
How did Alfred the Great change the courts?
he made all the courts come from the kingdom instead of locally
Who was Ethelred the Unready?
succeeded Alfred and gets overthrow
Who was Canute?
Danish king that conquered England for a bit
Who was Edward the Confessor?
very religious Saxon king
What was the witan?
king’s council
How did Harold Godwinson gain the throne?
he was picked by the witan
Who were the three people vying for the throne?
Harold Godwinson, William of Normandy, and Harold Hardrada
Why do the Normans win the Battle of Hastings?
the Saxons lose fighters along the way to work on the harvest, and get tricked by a fake retreat
When do the Normans take over England?
1066
What is the Bayeux Tapestry?
large quilt that depicts the Norman Conquest, made by William the Conqueror’s wife
Name four of William the Conquerer’s achievements.
hold the “Doomsday Survey”, rewards loyal nobles, makes the “Salisbury Oath”, revamps the witan, and gives the king a veto over the church
What was the Salisbury Oath?
an oath that was sworn to the king instead of a lord
How did William the 2nd die?
killed by his noble in a “hunting accident”
What is the problem after Henry the 1st’s death?
he wants the throne to go to his daughter, but the council has a different guy inherit, but he dies. the throne goes to his daughter’s son.
What were the Plantagenets?
next group of kings after the Normans
What was Henry the 2nd’s main accomplishment?
extending the power of the courts to the king at the expense of the church
What are Henry the 2nd’s three changes to the courts?
makes circuit courts, solidifies the jury system, and makes common law
What is common law?
laws that everyone follows
Who was Thomas Beckett?
Archbishop of Canterbury and Henry’s friend turned enemy
How did Thomas Beckett die?
Henry is talking smack about Beckett to his friends, and they decide it means they have to kill him
Why was Richard the Lionhearted never in England?
always fighting in the crusades
What did Bad King John do?
signed the Magna Carta
What was the Magna Carta?
document that started to limit the power of the king and said that a free man cannot be wrongfully imprisoned
Who made the Magna Carta?
a group of nobles
What is Beowulf?
an epic poem that is the oldest piece of English literature
Give a summary of Beowulf.
A king’s land is being terrorized by Grendel, a monster, but Beowulf comes and kills it. Grendel’s mother attacks for revenge but is also defeated. Fifty years later, Beowulf is the king of the Getas, but a dragon comes to terrorize his land. He kills it, but not without being kills himself.
What lesson does Beowulf teach?
even heroes can die
How did Beowulf survive to modern-day?
one manuscript that was almost burnt
Where is Beowulf set?
Pagan Scandinavia in the 6th century
