Reign of Alfred the Great

Spread of Christianity

Roman rule

Geographical context

People in the four lands of Britain derive from a host of ancestral sources, notably:

• the prehistoric cultures which produced such impressive monuments as the stone circles of Avebury and Stonehenge;

• the ancient Celtic peoples who inhabited western and central Europe;

• the Romans who occupied Britain for over 300 years from the invasion in AD 43;

• the Angles, Saxons and Jutes - Germanic peoples who began raiding and settling in Britain from the third century;

• Scots from Ireland, who began to settle in what became known as Scotland in the sixth century (merging with the indigenous Picts to form one kingdom under Kenneth Macalpin in the ninth century);

• the Vikings from Scandinavia, who pillaged and settled areas of Britain and Ireland from the end of the eighth century; and

• the Normans from France, who invaded England in 1066.

The last thousand years have witnessed the assimilation of all these strands — and many new ones besides, following on from global exploration, the expansion of trade and international rivalry, and the growth of the Empire.

At the same time political, social, economic and religious trends, pressures and crises have all evolved to create the beliefs, lifestyle and expectations that are prevalent among the people today.

Past events — modern legacies

Roman rule was very influential in Britain's evolution, not least in the founding of towns and cities so many of which are familiar to the people today. For example, London and Lincoln largely preserve their Roman names - Londinium and Lindum Colonia respectively - while others, such as Chester, Gloucester and Colchester, betray their origins by the '-chester' or '-cester' ending. This name, derived from the Latin castra, was givento the Roman sites by the Anglo-Saxons.

Christianity-which had been introduced to Britain under the Romans — was reintroduced to pagan England in the sixth and seventh centuries. The Catholic Church sent St Augustine to preach and establish in 597. Since that time, Christianity has remained the predominant faith among people in Britain.

From the fifth century onwards of small kingdoms emerged in England. These gradually evolved into fewer, larger groupings - particularly Northumbria in the north, Mercia in the midlands and Wessex in the south.

During the ninth century Vikings from Scandinavia overran all these kingdoms except Wessex, where Alfred the Great, who reigned. from 871 to 899, successfully resisted the invaders. In the tenth century the Wessex dynasty came to rule the whole of England. The present Royal Family is partly descended from the royal line of Wessex.

Дата добавления: 2014-01-05