Early Medieval Britain, c. 500–1000

✍ Scribed by Rory Naismith

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2021
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 897
• Series: Cambridge History of Britain
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Early medieval Britain saw the birth of England, Scotland and of the Welsh kingdoms. Naismith's introductory textbook explores the period between the end of Roman rule and the eve of the Norman Conquest, blending an engaging narrative with clear explanations of key themes and sources. Using extensive illustrations, maps and selections from primary sources, students will examine the island as a collective entity, comparing political histories and institutions as well as societies, beliefs and economies. Each chapter foregrounds questions of identity and the meaning of 'Britain' in this period, encouraging interrogation and contextualisation of sources within the framework of the latest debates and problems. Featuring online resources including timelines, a glossary, end-of-chapter questions and suggestions for further reading, students can drive their own understanding of how the polities and societies of early medieval Britain fitted together and into the wider world, and firmly grasp the formative stages of British history.

✦ Table of Contents

Half title
Series page
Title page
Imprints page
Contents
Preface and Acknowledgements
Boxes
Illustrations
Maps
1 Introduction
1.1 Overview
1.2 Cathróe’s Journey
1.3 The Land and Kingdoms of Britain
1.4 Peoples and Places
1.5 Rethinking ‘the Middle Ages’
1.6 Reading this Book
1.7 Key Texts
Part I Conceiving Early Medieval Britain
2 An Island in the Ocean: The Idea of Britain
2.1 Overview
2.2 Introduction
2.3 Britain in the Sixth Century: Un-Roman Britain
2.4 Britain in the Eighth and Ninth Centuries: A Contest of Scholarship
2.5 Britain in the Tenth Century: Three Visions
2.6 Conclusion: Whose Britain Was it Anyway?
2.7 Points for Discussion
2.8 Key Texts
3 On the Edge of the World: Britain and Europe
3.1 Overview
3.2 Britain on the Edge
3.3 West: Ireland and the Irish Sea
3.4 East: Scandinavia
3.5 South: Mainland Europe
3.6 Conclusion
3.7 Points for Discussion
3.8 Key Texts
4 Legend, Myth and History
4.1 Overview
4.2 An Anglo-German Chronicle
4.3 Forms of History
4.4 Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People
4.5 Geoffrey of Monmouth, History of the Kings of Britain
4.6 Beowulf
4.7 The Pillar of Eliseg
4.8 Conclusion
4.9 Points for Discussion
4.10 Key Texts
5 Migrations and Peoples
5.1 Overview
5.2 Thinking About Peoples
5.3 Thinking About Migration
5.4 The Roots of the English
5.5 What’s in a Name? The Anglo-Saxons
5.6 The Origins of Scotland: Irish Migration to North Britain
5.7 Viking Settlement in Britain
5.8 Conclusion
5.9 Points for Discussion
5.10 Key Texts
6 Fragments of the Past
6.1 Overview
6.2 Introduction
6.3 Out of the Libraries
6.4 Out of the Ground
6.5 Out of Mouths
6.6 Conclusion
6.7 Points for Discussion
6.8 Key Texts
Part II Making Early Medieval Britain
7 Britain c. 500
7.1 Overview
7.2 Timeline: Britain before AD 500
7.3 Introduction
7.4 Two Britains
7.5 The End of Roman Britain
7.6 North Britain
7.7 Conclusion
7.8 Points for Discussion
7.9 Key Texts
8 ‘Fertile of Tyrants’: Britain 500–650
8.1 Overview
8.2 Timeline
8.3 Introduction
8.4 Becoming Different: New Kingdoms in the South
8.5 Developing Kingship in Southern and Eastern Britain
8.6 Continuity and Change in North Britain
8.7 Gildas’s Vision of Britain
8.8 The Date and Outlook of Gildas
8.9 Religions Old and New
8.10 Conclusion
8.11 Points for Discussion
8.12 Key Texts
9 ‘What the Outcome Will Be, a Future Age Will See’: Britain 650–850
9.1 Overview
9.2 Timeline
9.3 Introduction: Britain in the Balance?
9.4 Southern Britain: Mercia and Wessex
9.5 Middle Britain: Northumbria and its Neighbours
9.6 North Britain: The Triumph of the Picts
9.7 Towns and Trade
9.8 Conclusion: The Coming of the Vikings
9.9 Points for Discussion
9.10 Key Texts
10 ‘God Help Us!’: Britain 850–1000
10.1 Overview
10.2 Timeline
10.3 Introduction: Crisis and Consolidation
10.4 Vikings
10.5 The Kingdom of the English
10.6 The Kingdom of Alba and North Britain
10.7 The Welsh Kingdoms
10.8 Conclusion
10.9 Points for Discussion
10.10 Key Texts
Part III Living in Early Medieval Britain
11 Kingship in Action
11.1 Overview
11.2 Introduction
11.3 Doing without Kings?
11.4 The Making of Kingdoms
11.5 The Workings of Kingship
11.6 Case Study: Alfred the Great (871–99)
11.7 Points for Discussion
11.8 Key Texts
12 Building a Christian Society
12.1 Overview
12.2 Introduction: An Age of Faith?
12.3 The Conversion Process
12.4 The Nature of Conversion
12.5 The Aristocracy Converts the Church
12.6 Case Study: Conversion and Burial
12.7 Case Study: Pre-Christian Beliefs
12.8 Points for Discussion
12.9 Key Texts
13 Maintaining Belief: The Church as an Institution
13.1 Overview
13.2 Introduction: Structuring Religion
13.3 The Bishops of Britain
13.4 Forms of Monasticism
13.5 Local Churches and Pastoral Care
13.6 An Age of Saints
13.7 Points for Discussion
13.8 Key Texts
14 Family, Friend, Lord, Slave: The Basis of Society
14.1 Overview
14.2 Getting by in Early Medieval Britain
14.3 Families and Lords
14.4 Rank and Social Structure
14.5 Slavery and Unfreedom
14.6 Women’s Status
14.7 Sex and Sexuality
14.8 Law and Order
14.9 Points for Discussion
14.10 Key Texts
15 Land, People and Settlement
15.1 Overview
15.2 Introduction
15.3 People on the Land
15.4 Living on the Land
15.5 A Tour of the Early Medieval Countryside
15.6 A Sense of Place: Settlements and Central Places
15.7 Conclusion: Place and Mobility
15.8 Points for Discussion
15.9 Key Texts
16 Getting and Giving: Acts and Settings of Exchange
16.1 Overview
16.2 Introduction
16.3 Commerce, Tribute and Gift-Giving
16.4 Means of Exchange: Money, Metal and Beyond
16.5 People and Places of Exchange
16.6 Points for Discussion
16.7 Key Texts
17 Language and Communication
17.1 Overview
17.2 Introduction: The Languages of Britain
17.3 The Age of Latin?
17.4 The Age of the Vernacular?
17.5 What’s in a Name?
17.6 Points for Discussion
17.7 Key Texts
18 ‘As Far as the Cold Waves Reach’: Conclusion
18.1 Overview
18.2 Britain in the Eleventh Century
18.3 A New Britain?
18.4 Key Texts
Glossary
Further Reading
1 Introduction
2 An Island in the Ocean: The Idea of Britain
3 On the Edge of the World: Britain and Europe
4 Legend, Myth and History
5 Migrations and Peoples
6 Fragments of the Past
7 Britain c. 500
8 ‘Fertile of Tyrants’: Britain 500–650
9 ‘What the OUTCOME Will Be, a Future AGE Will SEE’: Britain 650–850
10 ‘God Help us!’: Britain 850–1000
11 Kingship in Action
12 Building a Christian Society
13 Maintaining Belief: The Church as an Institution
14 Family, Friend, Lord, Slave: The Basis of Society
15 Land, People and Settlement
16 Getting and Giving: Acts and Settings of Exchange
17 Language and Communication
Index