Anglo-Saxon England

Exploring the challenges of studying East Anglian history, the importance of archaeology in uncovering its secrets, the archaeological evidence of Rendlesham as a royal center, the migration and settlement of Germanic Anglians, and the practice of cremation in pagan societies.

With Kent wrapped up, and while I’m working on the next part of the podcast, I wanted to do another patron request episode. I have been asked to talk a bit about good books and resources for studying Anglo-Saxon history. This episode will be more free form than others, I just going to go through what for me are some of my go to resources. Some of these are academic books, so when they are likely to be expensive I will say so and I will try to suggest good alternatives where possible. Resources recommended in this episode:-       A Guide to Old English by B. Mitchell and F. C. Robinson-       http://www.oldenglishaerobics.net/-       https://www.memrise.com/-       English Historical Documents: Volume 1: c.500–1042, edited by D. Whitelock-       Councils and Synods: with other documents relating to the English Church, vol. I, part I: A.D. 871–1066, edited by D. Whitelock, M. Brett and C. N. L. Brooke.-       The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles by M. Swanton-       Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People (Oxford Medieval Texts), transl. and ed. B. Colgrave and R. A. B. Mynors-       The Complete Old English Poems (The Middle Ages Series), transl. C. Williamson-       https://oldenglishpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/-       The Anglo Saxon Literature Handbook by M. C Amodio-       Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary by J. R. R. Tolkien-       https://esawyer.lib.cam.ac.uk/about/index.html-       The Anglo-Saxons, ed. J. Campbell-       The Anglo-Saxon World by N. J. Higham and M. Ryan-       The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England by M. Morris-       The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England, ed. M. Lapidge, J. Blair, S. Keynes, and D. Scragg-       The Church in Anglo-Saxon Society by J. Blair-       The Coming of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England by H. Mayr-Harting-       Signals of Belief in Early England: Anglo-Saxon Paganism Revisited, ed. M. Carver, A. Sanmark, and S. Semple-       Alfred the Great: War, Kingship and Culture in Anglo-Saxon England by R. Ables-       Alfred the Great: Asser's Life of King Alfred and Other Contemporary Sources, transl. S. Keynes and M. Lapidge-       Aethelstan: The First King of England by S. Foot-       Aethelred the Unready by L. Roach-       Edward the Confessor: Last of the Royal Blood by T. LicenceCredits -Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdeninghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8DdeningSocial Media - Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/anglosaxonenglandFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Anglo-Saxon-England-Podcast-110529958048053Twitter: https://twitter.com/EnglandAngloInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/anglosaxonenglandpodcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzyGUvYZCstptNQeWTwfQuA  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This podcast discusses the end of Kent as a kingdom, including the rebellion against Mercian rule, the reconquest with papal approval, and the post-fall period that led to the end of Kent's independence.

After Wihtred's death, Kent experienced instability and was invaded multiple times by Mercia. The once-great kingdom was brought to its knees during almost 50 years of Mercian overlordship. The chapters discuss the reigns of Wittret's sons, the uncertain relationship between Kent and Mercia, the history of Kent after Athelbert's death, and Offer's actions and resistance in Kent.

Learn about the reign of King Wihtred, who restored Kentish independence and left a law code. Discover how Kentish society changed, the stabilization of Kent, and the development of the monarchy and laws concerning the church. Explore early decrees on marriages, outlawing paganism, and the transformation of Kent into a Christian medieval kingdom.

The late 680s in Kent are another of those periods that have become quite familiar to us in our study so far: a period of upheaval following on the heels of war. In this case, the war was fought between Kent and the Gewisse between 686 and 688. It began, apparently, when Cædwalla invaded Kent in 686 and saw the subjection of Kent until his abdication in 688. After this date, though, Kent was further subjugated by its neighbors and did not truly regain independence until at least 692. No one alive at the time could have known, but the period 686 to 692 was just a foretaste of the dynamics which would shape the rest of Kentish history.Credits – Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdeninghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8DdeningSocial Media - Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/anglosaxonenglandFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Anglo-Saxon-England-Podcast-110529958048053Twitter: https://twitter.com/EnglandAngloInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/anglosaxonenglandpodcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzyGUvYZCstptNQeWTwfQuA  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the death of Ecgberth in 673, the throne of Kent passed to his younger brother Hlothhere. There is some debate as to whether Hlothhere succeeded Ecgberht immediately or after an interregnum. While this may suggest some instability in Kent in the 670s, when seen as part of the kingdom’s larger political history it is clear that the line of Eorcenberht had now fully established its grip on the Kentish throne. However, the uncertainty that greeted Hlothhere’s reign was an ominous foretaste of troubles to come. Credits – Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdeninghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8DdeningSocial Media - Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/anglosaxonenglandFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Anglo-Saxon-England-Podcast-110529958048053Twitter: https://twitter.com/EnglandAngloInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/anglosaxonenglandpodcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzyGUvYZCstptNQeWTwfQuA  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the Kentish Royal Legend and its supernatural components that make it difficult to verify. Discover the murder of two children, the founding of the Monastery on Thanet, and the confusion surrounding succession in Kent. Delve into King Aorkenbert's role in religious politics and Archbishop Deus Dettit's activities. Learn about Edgbert's close ties with the church and the legend of the royal martyrs. Discover the origins and evolution of the legend, including family history and the foundation of Thanet.

Despite Æthelberht’s official adoption of the new Christian creed, he seems to have been largely unsuccessful in promoting it among his courtiers. His own son, Eadbald, refused to adopt the faith. Upon his father’s death in 616 his pagan heir ascended to the throne of Kent. So began Kent's 'pagan reaction', a time in which the Church at Canterbury lost its influence over the rulers of the kingdom. It would bounce back, but only in a reduced form with its ability to achieve its ambitions curtailed. Credits – Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdeninghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8DdeningSocial Media - Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/anglosaxonenglandFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Anglo-Saxon-England-Podcast-110529958048053Twitter: https://twitter.com/EnglandAngloInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/anglosaxonenglandpodcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzyGUvYZCstptNQeWTwfQuA  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Any list of the most consequential Anglo-Saxons would need to include King Æthelberht of Kent. As the king who welcomed the Augustinian Mission in 597 and gave them his protection Æthelberht was personally responsible foe the start of England’s official conversion to Christianity; an event which would have massive cultural and political implications for later generations. At least that’s the traditional narrative. To what extent is Æthelberht’s reputation deserved? As I will show in this episode, much of what he pioneered vanished soon after his death and consequently it seems that his actual importance to early Anglo-Saxon England is somewhat overstated by later hagiography.Credits – Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdeninghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8DdeningSocial Media - Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/anglosaxonenglandFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Anglo-Saxon-England-Podcast-110529958048053Twitter: https://twitter.com/EnglandAngloInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/anglosaxonenglandpodcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzyGUvYZCstptNQeWTwfQuA  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices