I will give him just six feet of English soil; or, since they say he is a tall man, I will give him seven feet
Harold Godwinson (reputedly), King of England, 1066
What does that mean?
In 1066AD, King Harold was the King of Anglo Saxon England. In that year, he successfully fought off a Viking invasion fleet before heading into battle against Duke William of Normandy. It’s reported that before the battle Harold said this about William:
“I will give him just six feet of English soil; or, since they say he is a tall man, I will give him seven feet.”
What do you think he meant?
That’s right, Harold was only willing to give William enough English soil to be buried in!
Unfortunately for Harold, his witty remarks didn’t match his success in that battle. William won the Battle of Hastings, ending 600 years of Anglo Saxon rule, to became the first Norman King of England.
But if that’s the end of the Anglo Saxon story, where did it begin?
The beginning of Anglo Saxon England
If you grab the slider on the right and pull it across, you can see how Britain looked before and after the Anglo Saxons began to arrive.
Before the Anglo Saxons came, Britain was ruled by the Romans. It was part of the enormous Roman Empire that stretched from Africa to the border of Scotland.
In around 410AD, the Roman Empire started to crumble. All the lands in north and western Europe were abandoned by Rome and that meant that they were undefended! The Romans didn’t let people learn how to use weapons unless they were in the army. So when the Roman army left… the people of Britain were having a lot of trouble fighting off anyone who fancied stealing a bit of land.
Some legends say that the Britons invited the Anglo Saxons over to help them fight off the Scottish Picts, but we don’t know if that’s true or just a story.
Either way, from the early 400s, Anglo Saxon tribes began migrating from mainland Europe and settling amongst the native Britons.
So when was this, exactly?
Can you match the people to their time?
Dress like an Anglo Saxon
Make an Anglo Saxon shield
Make an Anglo Saxon Helmet
Beowulf
Before we get into Anglo Saxon life, let’s hear a story about one of their greatest heroes: Beowulf.
Beowulf was a legendary warrior from Denmark, which was one of the homelands of the Anglo Saxon tribes. This story was probably told even before the Anglo Saxons came to Britain, but it was written down in Anglo Saxon times.
It’s the oldest surviving story written in English (Old English, which is a name for the group of languages the Anglo Saxons spoke). You wouldn’t be able to read Old English if you saw it written down as it’s very different from modern English!
It’s a story with monsters, dragons, heroic deeds, and… well just watch the video below to find out:
The first Anglo Saxons
When they first came to Britain, the Anglo Saxons were pagan. That means they worshipped their own Gods, rather than being Christian. Their Gods were related to the Viking Gods, if you have heard of them. No doubt you have heard of the most famous one: Thor! The Anglo Saxon version of Thor was called Thunor, and he was also responsible for Thunder and had a great hammer. Thursday is named after Thunor/Thor.
Like the Vikings, when a King or wealthy Lord died, the pagan Anglo Saxons buried them in their ships. They filled the ships with everything the dead person might need in the afterlife. One of the most famous discoveries from Anglo Saxon times is a ship burial from Suffolk in East Anglia, at a place called Sutton Hoo.
Make a comb
Anglo Saxons knew how important it was to stay clean and healthy. If you’re going to be a real Anglo Saxon, you’ll need a comb to keep your hair and beard free from nits!
Make a brooch
You can’t be a proper Anglo Saxon without some bling! Make a disc brooch to keep your cloak snug around your shoulders, and also to show off your wealth.
Make a dinner
Anglo Saxons loved to feast! You can prepare for your feast with the most important things: bread, butter, and mead.
Anglo Saxon Kingdoms
When the Anglo Saxons settled in Britain, they ended up with seven Kingdoms. This is known as the Heptarchy.
Heptarchy is a Greek word:
Hept = 7
So Heptarchy basically means the “rule of seven“
The Heptarchy lasted from the 5th Century until about the 9th Century, when the Kingdoms began to come together to form a larger country that would eventually become England.
Can you name the seven kingdoms of the Heptarchy?
Daily Life in Anglo Saxon Times
Imagine you’re an archaeologist, and you have just dug up some Anglo Saxon objects. Use your powers of deduction to work out what these things are, and what they can tell us about the Anglo Saxons.