Normans and Plantagenets

The writers of history are usually on the winning side.  Following the year 1066, there does not seem to be many books titled "The Saxons and the Anglo-Saxon Defeat"!  The following book presents many of the writers of contemporary Latin Christendom following this year of 1066.

"...biased interpretations based upon unhistorical prejudices." is present as a reason for this text in the very first paragraph.  The text is organized into chapters:

                                                                                           I   The Emergent West
                                                                                           II   Normandy
                                                                                           III  England
                                                                                           IV  England, Normandy and Scandinavia
                                                                                           V   The Norman Conquest of England
                                                                                           VI Norman England.

Each page flows with detailed reference to the opinions express during the historical period discussed.  First published in 1969 by R. Allen Brown, it was reprinted in 1994 in hardback and paperback by The Boydell Press.  It is an interesting read for those of us who like to discover the primary documents and their authors. [You have a large number of references to filter through!]

Prose and Poems

Who were the Anglo-Saxons?  The last post gave a reference that presented these folks from the view of the archaeologist .  This text by Kevin Crossley-Holland gives a view from the literature and art of the Anglo-Saxons.   Poems, manuscripts, prose, sculpture, jewellery and architecture are all included.

First published 1975 by The Seabury Press, NY,  it contains a large number of illustrations, prints, and pictures of the Anglo-Saxon mind.  Its contents are presented in the topics: WAR, DAILY LIFE, and RELIGION.

My favorite expression from an old Norse proverb:

       "One thing I know never dies nor changes, the reputation of a dead man." [p.61]

As Beowulf would say :  "...many a fine sight for those who have eyes to see such things."

The Anglo-Saxons

Who were the Anglo-Saxons?  A questions that is often asked among those who are of Celtic origin.  The book by David Wilson is one general view of Anglo-Saxon culture as seen through the eyes of the archaeologist.

First published as a volume in the 'Ancient Peoples and Places' series in 1960, it was reprinted by Pelican books in 1971.   There are 38 figures [including the plans of Anglo-Saxon houses ] and 79 plates including one of my favorites "The Alfred Jewel" (plate 57).  [For the real jewel of Alfred The Great see my post titled "The Real Jewel of Alfred The Great" at thejonesgenealogist.blogspot.com on Saturday, Nov. 10th, 2012.]

For those who might have a bend to the shovel (archaeology as spelled by those Anglo-Saxons), this book is a good reference.  The contents include: 
                                                                             The Study of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology
                                                                             Historical Background and Pagan Burials
                                                                             Christian Antiquites
                                                                             The Life of the People
                                                                             Weapons and Warfare
                                                                             Anglo-Saxon Art


A good list indeed...but as shown above, first "hear no evil"...:-).

Anglo-Saxon England

An introduction to Anglo-Saxon England can be found in the text by Peter Hunter Blair.

It would seem that this group of Germanic peoples had something to do with the creation of the kingdom  of England as a political entity.  They also had something to do with what was to become  English as a spoken and written language.  Who would have guessed that all this would have come through an invitation of one of those Celtic folks (Vortigern) fighting other Celtic folks? (Picts) 

The chapter titles are:
                                    I.   The Foundation of England
                                    II.  Britain and The Vikings
                                    III. The Church
                                    IV.  Government
                                    V.   Economy
                                    VI. Letters

First published by the Cambridge University Press in 1956, it has been reprinted in 1960, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1976, with a second edition printed 1977.  Over these years, a few folks must have felt it to be helpful in their understanding of the Anglo-Saxons and their beginnings.

Authentic Voices

Conforming to an original so as to reproduce essential features is one meaning of the word authentic.  The authentic voices of England from the time of Julius Caesar to the coronation of Henry II are contained in The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles.  Perhaps it should be the authentic voices of the English language, but the following text translated and collated by Anne Savage is shown below.

Alfred The Great (871 - 899 AD) is the fellow most often credited with getting things started.  The royal capital of Saxon Wessex (Winchester) seems the place where the chronicles first started. [Oldest manuscript which has survived = Corpus Christi College Cambridge MS 173, the Parker Chronicle ]  The church folks here for the first time wrote things down in their own language (Anglo-Saxon) instead of the standard church language Latin.  What in the world were they thinking...starting to write in their own language instead of the usual, widely accepted, language of the known world!  An original idea it seemed to be. 

After the Norman invasion, these records ( dates covered from 60 BC - 1070 AD) were taken to Christchruch, Canterbury where copies were made and the story continued until the coronation of Henry II.   The text above describes:

"From the everyday local dramas that made up the lives of the Anglo-Saxons to the intricacies of government and the reigns of kings, every aspect of life in the England of the Middle Ages is examined in glorious detail." [front cover...inside flap ]

What a deal...the authentic voices of the folks writing in a language that was to become English.  Take a look.

The cover shown above is taken from my copy published Crescent Books, 1995.  It contains illustrated material which gives a broad view of this period in time.  It is an excellent reference to those interested in the authentic voices of the English language.

Roman Britain and Early England

Few writers left their marks during the period following the fall of the Roman Empire.  Written records during this time are few [55 BC - 871 AD], and the events of the day are not well understood.  Peter Hunter Blair provides a brief and very readable account of this early period in the history of the people that occupied the Island after Rome pulled out.

In my growing up days, it was generally known as "The Dark Ages".  It took me some time to realize that the same sun shown brightly on these folks that gave the light to my own Kentucky home. [You know, the sun shines bright...on my "old Kentucky Home".]  Anyway, the book was published in 1966 by the Norton Library, and its major view is to present the rise of Anglo-Saxon England.  Of course those of us with Welsh, Irish, and Scottish lineage will have to dig a little deeper. [There is a good discussion of Offa's Dyke at Llanfair, Shropshire staring p. 229]

Knowledge and understanding of this period in the family tree is one foundation to our JONES surname.  This book provides an avenue to the window of time for the time traveler.

Later Roman Britain

As the foundations of the Roman world began to unravel, the geographic locations farthest from the center at Rome, began their own attempts at survival.  Being at "the end of the world",  this Celtic island had its own way of trying to deal with the events of the day. 

A small book entitled "Later Roman Britain" by Stephen Johnson", presents a clear account of this period in what was to become the very difficult times following the withdrawal of Roman rule.

For me, the most important aspect was the fact that the "Anglo-Saxon world" had made itself known to this "British Roman world" much before the "Celtic world" would tell their stories.  Saxon raiding parties had caused a series of defensive forts to be built along the eastern coastline.   This interaction had produced a long history of contact between these folks long before old Vortigern was accused of letting these folks get their foot in the door.

Lots of maps and lots of pictures make this read a neat book to gaze upon.  First published 1982 by Paladin, Grafton Books , it has been reprinted in 1986.  Later Roman Britain, a bridge to the past.