The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms invaded
After the departure of the Romans, tribes from Germany called the Angles and Saxons began to invade the now disorganised country. The name "English" is derived from the first group. Many of the Celts or Britons fled from the massacres to Brittany (in present- day France), which was named after them. The newcomers established several kingdoms, which were organised on a tribal basis: that is to say, the free people held the land in common; life was mainly agricultural, herds of cattle constituted the main source of wealth, apart from plunder. The wariors held a special position under the kings, whose crown depended on military force; prisoners of war were enslaved.
From about 800 on Danish or Viking invaders began to plunder Ireland and France, and to invade northern and eastern England, attracted by the rich monasteries.
They gradually founded permanent settlements, building fortified towns from which they traded. Under this threat to their rule, the Anglo-Saxon kings began to unite. In the reign of King Alfred the Great (849-899), the Danes controlled nearly half of the country. He paid them huge sums of money (the "Danegeld") until he had won over the Anglo- Saxon rulers, and had learnt enough from the Danes to defeat them.
The English adopted the Viking iron axes which made it easier to cut down forests, winning land to use for agriculture. The rulers began to build stone castles; towns grew up close to them because of the trade which the lord attracted. With the beginning of centralised rule under the most powerful Anglo-Saxon kings, the status of the people began to change: in return for protection from the Vikings, they had to give up many of their freedoms, and were becoming increasingly dependent on their lords. Tribal Anglo- Saxon England began to develop into a feudal society under the pressure of the wars against the Norsemen.
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