history3: Anglo-Saxons

During the 5th century, three Germanic tribes invaded England: Jutes, Angles, and Saxons.They were barbarians who lived in today's Denmark and Germany.After being threatened by Germanic tribes, Romans left the island and left England defenceless.Four centuries living in peace had made English people unwarlike, and Anglo Saxons crossing North Sea,entered England.Celtic inhabitants of England were pushed west and north, into Wales,Scotland, and Ireland.

 Some believe that Anglo-Saxons invaded England because their land often flooded and it was difficult to grow crops, so they were looking for new places to settle down and farm

Angles settled in north and centre, Jutes in Kent, in south, but they were pushed west by Saxons who settled around London.

 

The Anglo-Saxons divided England into some smaller kingdoms. The five main Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, Kent and Anglia.

Religion:

Anglo-Saxons were pagans.They worshiped different gods and goddesses some of which have given their names to the days of the week:

Tuesday - Tyr's day

Tyr was the Anglo-Saxon/Norse god of war.It was said that he played the vital part in chaining the monster wolf called Fenris who was ravaging the world. The gods made a magic chain for the beast but could not persuade him to try it on until Tyr offered to put his hand in the beast's mouth as a security for the chain's instant removal. This was done and when Fenris realised that the gods had no intention of removing the chain, he bit Tyr's hand off. If Fenris should ever escape from the chain then it will signal the end of the world.

Wednesday - Woden's day

Woden or Odin was the leader of the Anglo-Saxon/Norse gods. He is supposed to have hung himself on the Tree of Life to gain knowledge of everything that happened in the universe. The price of his knowledge was high. He was blinded in one eye.

Thursday - Thor's day

   Thor was the god of thunder and is usually shown carrying a hammer.

Friday - Freya's day

Freya was the Anglo-Saxon/Norse goddess of love