[BITList] WHAT WE ARE MADE UP OF

[Malcolm]

Some 4 years ago the Rotary Club that I belonged to had a guest speaker who
also was a university lecturer of history. As I was the treasurer at that
time he gave me this copy of his talk for our records. His talk made a great
debate after he sat down. I wonder if any of our groups are interested in
what we are made up of. 

 

 WHAT WE ARE MADE UP OF

 

The Angles settled basically from East Anglia to Mercia, at the south end of
their domain, and up north to southern Scotland, including all the lowland
areas. The Saxons settled all England south of the Anglean occupied areas,
except Kent, which went to the Jutes.

 

The Scotii invaded from Ireland, forming the Kingdom of Dal Riada in the
west, and settled the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, subduing the Picts,
who intermarried with the Scottish invaders. The Celts were the same people
as the Britons, and they stayed in both southern  and northern England and
intermarried with the Angle, Saxon and Jute colonists. Those in Wales stayed
there and renamed themselves the Welsh. Those in Cornwall stayed there and
became Cornish. The last native speaker of Cornish died fairly recently.

 

With this there were 7 Anglo Saxon Kingdoms set up which, were Wessex,
Sussex, Kent, Essex, East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria. Of these, Wessex,
with its capital at Winchester, gradually became dominant, taking over the
southern kingdoms until by the time of Harold only Northumbria was
independent and I don't think that was very independent. Wales stayed
independent but had at least three 'kingdoms' and possibly more.

 

The Norse (Norwegians) invaded from time to time, most notably sacking York,
and they established many settlements, but basically only in Northumbria.

 

The Danes were latecomers, and invaded the eastern side of the country,
eventually

separating it with an independent Kingdom, the 'Danelaw'. However, this only
existed as a separate country for a short time and was resorbed into
England. 

 

And then, of course came the Normans, who occupied the whole country, and
eventually managed to stamp out what resistance there was - see Hereward the
Wake. Thenceforward. Only two countries - England and Wales, with Scotland
up in the top end remained.

 

 

 

 

 

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