There is a theory that when the Romans initially arrived here in Britain the inhabitants were Germanic speaking tribes with connections to Belgic Gaul.
Julius Caesar remarked that the locals spoke a dialect similar to the Gauls.
In the 1st century BC, the Belgae were aggressive and warlike (hard to think of "warlike" and Belgium in the same sentence, right?). There had been an Belgae invasion of the south of Britain late in the 2nd century or early in the 1st century BC; and all of southeastern Britain was populated by Caesar's invasion with Belgic tribes.
Julius Caesar remarked that the locals spoke a dialect similar to the Gauls.
In the 1st century BC, the Belgae were aggressive and warlike (hard to think of "warlike" and Belgium in the same sentence, right?). There had been an Belgae invasion of the south of Britain late in the 2nd century or early in the 1st century BC; and all of southeastern Britain was populated by Caesar's invasion with Belgic tribes.
WHAT BECAME OF THE SAXONS WHO STAYED BEHIND IN SAXONY?
They occupied N.W. Germany by 531 but in 566 were taken control of and forced to pay taxes to the Franks. They waged war with their leader Charlemagne until the 8th century but were eventually absorbed into his empire by The Treaty of Verdun (843). This included the area that formed part of Germany that still exists today.
The Anglo - Saxons were tall , fair - haired men , armed with swords and spears and round shields. The sword was the most important weapon in Anglo - Saxon times. It was often passed down from father to son. Warriors were buried with their swords beside them.
The only reason that the Saxons had for coming to England was because the land was very rich and unlike their own which was flooded and so there they weren't sufficiently able to provide enough food for all of their people. In 410, the depleted Roman army faced attacks from the north by the Scots, the Irish in the west and a collection of germanic tribes from across the North Sea: Angles, Saxons and Jutes. Angles were from Algeln, located in Schleswig in Germany, Saxons were from Saxony in northern Germany and the Jutes were from Jutland, central Denmark, up by the northern peninsular. Smaller tribes like the franks and Frisians also joined in these attacks. As the Saxons formed the largest group it was generally accepted to refer to each of these tribes as being Saxon!
The Saxons were originally invited here by the Celtic King of Britain, 5th century, King Vortigern of what was southern England. This was to assist in fighting against the Scots and Picts. Hengist and Horsa were Jutish chieftains and decades of invasion of southern and central England eventually killed off 50% of the original Celts.Hengist established the kingdom of Kent in 449 but a much later British victory against the Saxons at Mon Badconicus halted the Saxon advance for a further fifty years! By 450, The Saxons increased their attacks on the much weakened Romans and made settlements along the north shore of Gaul, at the mouth of Gaul. All this must surely show that the Romans didn't have bases everywhere in England and the fact that Celtic kings were allowed to govern and fight battles in their own territory proves that the Roman's lived separately and seemed only to be interested in their own affairs! by 500, Angles, Saxons and Jutes began to accumulate in the whole of the east side of England from top to bottom from the Humber down.
Saxons never conquered Wales, Cornwall or Scotland. King Ecgfrith's army, from Northumbria, were defeated by Picts at Nechtansmore in 685 and this put a stop to ambitions in Scotland.
English, German, Dutch and Yiddish are West Germanic.
Swedish, Norwegian, Danish are North Germanic (just like Old Norse)
Old English was much closer to modern German than Norse. However Modern English has many French words, because of the Normans who invaded and conquered it in 1066.
The only reason that the Saxons had for coming to England was because the land was very rich and unlike their own which was flooded and so there they weren't sufficiently able to provide enough food for all of their people. In 410, the depleted Roman army faced attacks from the north by the Scots, the Irish in the west and a collection of germanic tribes from across the North Sea: Angles, Saxons and Jutes. Angles were from Algeln, located in Schleswig in Germany, Saxons were from Saxony in northern Germany and the Jutes were from Jutland, central Denmark, up by the northern peninsular. Smaller tribes like the franks and Frisians also joined in these attacks. As the Saxons formed the largest group it was generally accepted to refer to each of these tribes as being Saxon!
The Saxons were originally invited here by the Celtic King of Britain, 5th century, King Vortigern of what was southern England. This was to assist in fighting against the Scots and Picts. Hengist and Horsa were Jutish chieftains and decades of invasion of southern and central England eventually killed off 50% of the original Celts.Hengist established the kingdom of Kent in 449 but a much later British victory against the Saxons at Mon Badconicus halted the Saxon advance for a further fifty years! By 450, The Saxons increased their attacks on the much weakened Romans and made settlements along the north shore of Gaul, at the mouth of Gaul. All this must surely show that the Romans didn't have bases everywhere in England and the fact that Celtic kings were allowed to govern and fight battles in their own territory proves that the Roman's lived separately and seemed only to be interested in their own affairs! by 500, Angles, Saxons and Jutes began to accumulate in the whole of the east side of England from top to bottom from the Humber down.
Saxons never conquered Wales, Cornwall or Scotland. King Ecgfrith's army, from Northumbria, were defeated by Picts at Nechtansmore in 685 and this put a stop to ambitions in Scotland.
English, German, Dutch and Yiddish are West Germanic.
Swedish, Norwegian, Danish are North Germanic (just like Old Norse)
Old English was much closer to modern German than Norse. However Modern English has many French words, because of the Normans who invaded and conquered it in 1066.
A list of words which are used in both the French and English language but a few translate different into English meaning! Also, many other of "our" words have a French variation with an added e at the end of their word. : Page, presentation, me, chose, amusement, home, court, revolver, port, prime, plate, portable, voyage, rapid, telephone, son, cables, plus, important, comfortable, long, clair, sale, content, retard, an, pause, bus, force, face, on, a, football, weekend, promenade, grand and encore. There must be many others!
Saxons chose not to settle in old Roman cities so they built small towns near their areas of agriculture. Their homes were wooden structures with a thatched roof. As a result, Roman bulidings became derelict and beyond repair. Saxons later realised the importance of the fortified walls that surrounded Roman cities, that they gave a defensive advantage when facing an attack, so they began constructing their buildings inside these walls.
Saxon writing taken from The Saxon Chronicle-History of the Saxons-and they began in the reign of Alfred the great. The word Saxon actually comes from the name of the sword they used: Seax. It was one of a variety of single edged swords.
Before the Saxons first came to England many other languages were spoken here: Latin or local Celtic languages in areas closer to the western side of England. Wales and Cornwall were never conquered by the Saxons so in these regions there is a much higher possibility for individuals to possess Celtic heritage.The Saxons flooded the gene pool here in England and this is supported because it is a fact that very few British place names remained thereafter.
The Saxons spoke a language that is very similar to English and was known as old English and today there is even a much more similar language being spoken to the one used all those centuries ago by the Saxons: Frisian, from Friesland in Northern Holland. This region is thought to originally be a Saxon homeland and there is obvious reasons to believe that these people are the closest relations to the majority of all white English people today! If you were walking down a high street over there you could be fooled into believing that you were back in England, because the facial features of both sets of natives are not just similar but identical! It is possible for any English person to understand a few words or meaning from what is being said because of these similar words and the similar sounds that both languages have.
The Saxons had their own alphabet, but even so, many of the words are so similar to today's English. Surnames were't used as individuals were only known by one name but Smith does date back to these times. It was written as Smip, a term used for someone who worked with metal.
Saxon Words . English translation:
Twa.............. Two
An................ One
Fif................ Five
Seafen.......... Seven
Twa.............. Ten
Hundred......... Hundred
Cese............. Cheese
Grene............ Green
Wifman.......... Woman
Modo............. Mother
Nihte............. Night
Before the Saxons first came to England many other languages were spoken here: Latin or local Celtic languages in areas closer to the western side of England. Wales and Cornwall were never conquered by the Saxons so in these regions there is a much higher possibility for individuals to possess Celtic heritage.The Saxons flooded the gene pool here in England and this is supported because it is a fact that very few British place names remained thereafter.
The Saxons spoke a language that is very similar to English and was known as old English and today there is even a much more similar language being spoken to the one used all those centuries ago by the Saxons: Frisian, from Friesland in Northern Holland. This region is thought to originally be a Saxon homeland and there is obvious reasons to believe that these people are the closest relations to the majority of all white English people today! If you were walking down a high street over there you could be fooled into believing that you were back in England, because the facial features of both sets of natives are not just similar but identical! It is possible for any English person to understand a few words or meaning from what is being said because of these similar words and the similar sounds that both languages have.
The Saxons had their own alphabet, but even so, many of the words are so similar to today's English. Surnames were't used as individuals were only known by one name but Smith does date back to these times. It was written as Smip, a term used for someone who worked with metal.
Saxon Words . English translation:
Twa.............. Two
An................ One
Fif................ Five
Seafen.......... Seven
Twa.............. Ten
Hundred......... Hundred
Cese............. Cheese
Grene............ Green
Wifman.......... Woman
Modo............. Mother
Nihte............. Night
Anglo Saxon names still in use today. An individual would be known by one name only; These all had a particular meaning and could describe a parent's job or area they lived or just be symbolic just as today's popular are! Many are used today as first names but I've listed many others that I know are still being used as surnames.
Anglo Saxon names still in use today: Ann-boy, Anna-boy, Ashley-girl, Audley-boy, Courtney and Courtnay-boy, Daryl-girl, Dawn-girl, Desmond-boy, Drew-boy, Daisy-girl, Catherine, Catheryn or Cathryn-girl, Chelsea-girl, Don-girl, Dougal-boy, Douglas-boy, Eamon-boy, Earl-boy, Edgar-boy, Edith-girl, Edmond or Edmund-boy, Edwyn-boy, Ellen-boy, Elene-girl, Felix-boy, Geoff, Graeme-boy, Hilda-girl, Jeffrey-boy, Kim-boy, Lora-girl, Loretta-girl, Lyn-boy or girl, Lynette-girl, Lynn-girl, Mae-girl, May-girl, Megan and Meghan-girl, Mildred-girl, Oswald-boy, Paige or Page-boy, Pearce-boy, Perry-boy, Pierce-boy, Piers-boy, Ripley-boy, Rowena-girl, Russell-boy, Selwyn or Selwin-boy, Shelly-girl, Shelley-boy or girl, Stewart-boy, Stuart-boy, Tait-girl, Tate-girl, Tracey or Tracy-boy, Wallace-boy, Wellington-boy, Whitney-boy or girl, Wilbur-boy, Wilona-girl, Wyman-boy, Worthington-boy, Rice-boy, Roe-boy, Seaton-boy, Sheldon-boy, Shephard-boy and meaning shepherd, Steadman-boy, Swift-boy, Mann-boy, Maxwell-boy, Fairfax-boy, Finan, Fleming and Freeman-boys, Gareth-boy, Garrett-boy, Geraint-boy, Gordon and Graham-boy, Grendel-boy, Ham or Holt-boy, Irwin-boy, Juliana-girl, Kendrick-boy, Kent or Kimball-boy, Denby or Devon-boy, Durwin-boy, Easter-girl, Eddison-boy, Banning-boy, Benwick or Berkeley-boy, Bliss-boy or girl, Boden-boy, Bowden-boy, Brogan and Bronson-boy, Chapman-boy, Ace or Aiken-boy, Alden-boy, Alfred-boy, Anson or Archibald-boy, Audrey-girl, Almund-boy.
Anglo Saxon names still in use today: Ann-boy, Anna-boy, Ashley-girl, Audley-boy, Courtney and Courtnay-boy, Daryl-girl, Dawn-girl, Desmond-boy, Drew-boy, Daisy-girl, Catherine, Catheryn or Cathryn-girl, Chelsea-girl, Don-girl, Dougal-boy, Douglas-boy, Eamon-boy, Earl-boy, Edgar-boy, Edith-girl, Edmond or Edmund-boy, Edwyn-boy, Ellen-boy, Elene-girl, Felix-boy, Geoff, Graeme-boy, Hilda-girl, Jeffrey-boy, Kim-boy, Lora-girl, Loretta-girl, Lyn-boy or girl, Lynette-girl, Lynn-girl, Mae-girl, May-girl, Megan and Meghan-girl, Mildred-girl, Oswald-boy, Paige or Page-boy, Pearce-boy, Perry-boy, Pierce-boy, Piers-boy, Ripley-boy, Rowena-girl, Russell-boy, Selwyn or Selwin-boy, Shelly-girl, Shelley-boy or girl, Stewart-boy, Stuart-boy, Tait-girl, Tate-girl, Tracey or Tracy-boy, Wallace-boy, Wellington-boy, Whitney-boy or girl, Wilbur-boy, Wilona-girl, Wyman-boy, Worthington-boy, Rice-boy, Roe-boy, Seaton-boy, Sheldon-boy, Shephard-boy and meaning shepherd, Steadman-boy, Swift-boy, Mann-boy, Maxwell-boy, Fairfax-boy, Finan, Fleming and Freeman-boys, Gareth-boy, Garrett-boy, Geraint-boy, Gordon and Graham-boy, Grendel-boy, Ham or Holt-boy, Irwin-boy, Juliana-girl, Kendrick-boy, Kent or Kimball-boy, Denby or Devon-boy, Durwin-boy, Easter-girl, Eddison-boy, Banning-boy, Benwick or Berkeley-boy, Bliss-boy or girl, Boden-boy, Bowden-boy, Brogan and Bronson-boy, Chapman-boy, Ace or Aiken-boy, Alden-boy, Alfred-boy, Anson or Archibald-boy, Audrey-girl, Almund-boy.
Angles settled in E.Anglia, the Midlands-Mercia-and northern England (Northumbria, north of the River Humber).
Jutes settled in Kent, Hampshire, which was part of wessex and the Isle of Wight.
Saxons settled in Sussex, ( South Saxons), Essex, (East Saxons) and Middlesex,( Middle Saxons). Each king, called a cyning, led small armies and created a small kingdom.
Angles: males were called Anglius; Women Anglia. They influenced the French word for English: Anglais and England: Angleterre.
As a reaction the the new settlers, Celts moved away and many Britons moved to France and established present day Brittany. Brits also established bases in Galicia in Spain.
Jutes settled in Kent, Hampshire, which was part of wessex and the Isle of Wight.
Saxons settled in Sussex, ( South Saxons), Essex, (East Saxons) and Middlesex,( Middle Saxons). Each king, called a cyning, led small armies and created a small kingdom.
Angles: males were called Anglius; Women Anglia. They influenced the French word for English: Anglais and England: Angleterre.
As a reaction the the new settlers, Celts moved away and many Britons moved to France and established present day Brittany. Brits also established bases in Galicia in Spain.
Facing the threat of Viking invasions, the House of Wessex became dominant during the 9th century, under the rule of Alfred the Great. There were then only four kingdoms: Northumberland, Mercia, E.Anglia and Wessex. During the 10th century, the individual kingdoms unified under the rule of Wessex into the Kingdom of England, which stood opposed to the Danelaw, the Viking kingdoms established from the 9th century in the North of England and the East Midlands. The entire kingdom of England fell to Danish invasion in 1013, and was ruled by the House of Denmark until 1042, when the Anglo-Saxon House of Wessex was restored until 1066, when the last Anglo-Saxon king, Harold Godwinson, fell at the Battle of Hastings.