The Anglo-Saxons

Description

This survey, an introduction to the history of Anglo-Saxon England looks at political history, and religious, cultural, social, legal and economic themes are woven in. Throughout the book the authors make use of original sources such as chronicles, charters, manuscripts and coins, works of art, archaelogical remains and surviving buildings.The nature of power and kingship, role of wealth, rewards, conquest and blood-feud in the perennial struggle for power, structure of society, the development of Christianity and the relations between church and secular authority are discussed at length, while particular topics are explored in 19 "picture essays". Contents Preface 1 The End of Roman Britain Britain in the Fourth Century The Collapse of Imperial Authority 2 The Lost Centuries : 400-600 The Transformation of Britain The Written Sources for the Coming of the Saxons Finglesham. A Cemetery in East Kent The Archaeological Record The Politics behind the Archaeology Aethelbert’s England and the Problems of Continuity 3 The First Christian Kings The conversion of the Kings of England The Church in the Third Generation of the Seventh Century Seventh-Century Kings and the Nature of their Power The Organization of Kingdoms England and Europe Conclusion 4 The Age of Bede and Aethelbald Bede on his own Times Monkwearmouth and Jarrow Six Early English Saints The Tomb of Saint Cuthbert The Making of the Early English Church Three Contemporary Kings Church and King 5 The Age of Offa and Alcuin Offa, Alcuin and Charlemagne Northumbria and Dynastic Politics The Carolingians, the Coins and the Dyke Worcester and Canterbury: Bishops, Nobles and Kings 6 The Ninth Century The Vikings and King Alfred The Achievement of Alfred The Burhs 7 The Age of Edgar The Making of England The Governance and Institutions of the English Kingdom The Reform of the Church 8 The Return of the Vikings Edward the Martyr and the Crisis of 975-979 Aethelred II and the Return of the Vikings Anglo-Saxon Ivories Aethelred’s Legislation Church Learning: Wulfstan and Aelfric Anglo-Saxon Coins 3 : Edgar's Reform to the Conquest The Reign of Cnut 9 The End of Anglo-Saxon England Dynastic Insecurity: the Succession toCnut ■"Iphallu* -jchapm-Simtonrpfnnia* GamueL- jtnanutv -jachob' -jiaditm- The Sources for Edward the Confessor’s Reign and the Norman Conquest Edward the Confessor's England The Church under Edward the Confessor The Years 1053-1066 The Aftermath of the Conquest The End of Roman Britain The Lost Centuries: The First Christian Kings The Age of Bede and Aethelbald The Age of Offa and Alcuin The Ninth Century The Age of Edgar The Return of the Vikings The End of Anglo-Saxon England Bibliography Index