The fascinating story of the Anglo-Saxons spans centuries, beginning at the withdrawal of Rome’s legions and ending with the turbulent Norman Conquest..
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Here, we map the significance of the Saxon era in a timeline that documents some of the most notable events in history; events that formed the basis of much of Britain’s culture, language and borders.
Anglo-Saxon timeline
400 | ||
410 Roman legions withdraw from Britannia after Alaric, king of the Goths, sacks Rome. |
c 449Hengist and Horsa land in Kent with three shiploads of Saxon warriors. |
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500 | ||
c 518 Lead by King Arthur, the British defeat the Saxons at Mount Badon. 597 St. Augustine lands in Kent, founds a Benedictine monastery at Canterbury, and begins his missionary work. |
c 563 Columba founds the monastery at Iona. | |
600 | ||
664Synod of Whitby. |
635 St Aidan founds Lindisfarne monastery. |
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700 | ||
731 Bede completes his Ecclesiastical History of the English People. |
793-5 Danish raids on Lindisfarne, Jarrow and Iona. |
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800 | ||
878 Alfred the Great is driven into the Somerset marshes, but then defeats the Danes at Edington. | c 891-2 Earliest manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. | |
900 | ||
c 919-20 Edward the Elder, son of Alfred, is acknowledged as overlord by Princes in West Wales, kings of Scotia, Strathclyde, and York. These were the first in a series of ‘submissions’ culminating in 973 with eight ‘British kings’ swearing fealty to Edward’s grandson, Edgar.
960 Dunstan becomes Archbishop of Canterbury. |
924-39 Reign of Athelstan, generally acknowledged first King of England. | |
1000 | ||
1065 Westminster Abbey is consecrated. | 1016 Cnut becomes King of England and, in 1018, also of Denmark. 1066 Harold II , King of England, defeats the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada and Tostig at Stamford Bridge. Duke William II of Normandy defeats Harold II at Hastings. |
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