Medieval British History: Anglo-Saxon Migrations and Genetics

Anglo-Saxons began to migrate from the European continent around 450 A.D. This changed the language and culture of what became England from Romano-British to Germanic. The Germanic-speakers in Britain, themselves of diverse origins, eventually developed a common cultural identity as Anglo-Saxons. More.

Anglo-Saxons Explained in 10 Minutes
Captivating History: “There was a time before England was united. This was a time before William the Bastard decided to prove to his contemporaries that his bastard moniker would be erased with a swift conquest of the biggest island northwest of Europe. A time before the Battle of Hastings and the year 1066. A time when many petty kingdoms ruled, conquered, and were liberated, time and time again, by a specific people group. A people group that is, in fact, a blend of many and that authors of later dates would collectively call the Anglo-Saxons.”

Study of Antiquity and the Middle Ages on Youtube posted this lecture by Prof. David E. Thornton of Bilkent University in Istanbul, Turkey. It discusses the Angles, Saxon, and Jute Migrations in the Post-Roman Period into the British Isles, as well as place names and paganism. The 600+ comments below the lecture are interesting.

All of Thornton’s 27 lectures in the Medieval British History course are online here.