Penny of King Offa of Mercia (c. 757-796 AD). HI 2101/ HI 2606 (VS): Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and their impact on Britain and Ireland, c.400-1000 AD. Course Co-ordinator: Professor Terry Barry Welcome to this course in Senior Freshmen (2 nd ) year. There will be two lectures throughout the Semester, and one tutorial per week for seven weeks usually starting in week 3. There will be no lectures or tutorials in Reading Week 9-13 NOVEMBER 2015. Lectures are THUR 11.00-12.00 Room 3074 Arts Building FRI 12.00-13.00 Room 2037 Arts Building. 1
Course Aims: This course aims to give you an outline understanding of the major developments in politics and society in Britain between the end of Roman Rule and the start of the new millennium. Outcomes: Allow you to understand the broad chronology of the period. Allow you to analyse the relevant literature. Allow you also to realise the importance of key contemporary texts in translation. Allow you to chart the main developments in early medieval society in Britain. Gives you a firm foundation for future courses in the high Middle Ages. Lectures: 1. General introduction to the course and to the sources (TBB) 2. The governmental structure of Roman Britain (TBB) 3. The possible end of Roman influence in Britain (TBB) 4. Background to the Anglo-Saxon invasions of Britain (TBB) 5. Anglo-Saxon Settlements (TBB) 6. The conversion of Anglo-Saxon England: The Augustinian Mission (TBB) 7. The conversion of Anglo-Saxon England II: Paulinus and Northumbria (TBB) 8. Anglo-Saxon society and the Law Codes (TBB) 9. Introduction to Anglo-Saxon archaeology (TBB) 10. The early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (TBB) 11. The development of the middle Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (TBB) 12. The Golden Age of Northumbria (TBB) 13. Bede and Northumbria (TBB) 14. The Mercian hegemony in Anglo-Saxon England (TBB) 15. The Rise of Wessex (TBB) 16. Viking expansion in Western Europe (TBB) 17. The Viking invasions of England (TBB) 18. The Viking settlement of England (TBB) 2
19. The Viking impact on Ireland (TBB) 20. Society and Government in late Anglo-Saxon England (TBB) 21. The theory and practise of Anglo-Saxon kingship (TBB) 22. Monastic reform in 10 th century England (TBB) ASSESSMENT This course will be assessed by one essay to be delivered to the Department by Monday 7 th December 2015, and by a written exam in May/June 2016. This will take the form of answering three questions out of a choice of 12 topics in three hours. If you are a one semester Visiting Student, you will be required to write an additional essay at the end of your course, instead of sitting the exam. ESSAY QUESTIONS 1. When did all traces of Roman rule finally disappear in Britain? 2. Why was the introduction of Christianity so successful in Anglo-Saxon England? 3. Why is the Sutton Hoo burial so important for our understanding of both burial custom and society of Anglo- Saxon England? 4. Why is the Venerable Bede so important to our understanding of the Kingdom of Northumbria? 5. How secure was the Viking settlement of England in the late Anglo-Saxon period? 6. Discuss the factors behind the supremacy of Wessex within the Anglo-Saxon state. 7. Discuss the importance of St. Dunstan in the 10th century reform of the Anglo-Saxon church. 3
General Books Select Bibliography P. H. Blair, An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England (1962). James Campbell, The Anglo-Saxon State (2000). D. J. V. Fisher, The Anglo-Saxon Age c. 400-1042 (1978). K. Harrison, The Framework of Anglo-Saxon History to A.D. 900 (1976). E. James, Britain in the First Millennium (2001). E. James, Europe s Barbarians AD 200-600 (2009). Else Roesdahl, The Vikings (1998). P. H. Sawyer, From Roman Britain to Norman England (1978). F. M. Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England (1971) Oxford History of England. L. Webster and J. Backhouse (ed) The Making of England (1991). D. Whitelock (ed.), English Historical Documents vol. I (500-1042) [1979]. Ann Williams, Kingship and Government in Pre-Conquest England, c.500-1066 (1999). Specific Topics L. Alcock, Arthur's Britain (2001) Maurice Barley and R.W. C. Hanson (eds.), Christianity in Britain, 300-700 (1968). Stephen Bassett (ed.), The Origins of Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms (1989). Wendy Davies (ed.), From the Vikings to the Normans, 800-1100 (2009) 4
R. Bruce-Mitford, The Sutton Hoo Ship Burial, 3 vols (1976-83). R. Bruce-Mitford, The Sutton Hoo Ship Burial: A Handbook (1968). Martin Carver, Sutton Hoo Burial Ground of Kings? (1998). http://www.suttonhoo.org/archaeology.htm Thomas Charles-Edwards, The Arthur of History, in R. Bromwich et al, eds., The Arthur of the Welsh ( 1991), pp. 15-33. R. Collingwood and J. F. L. Myres, Roman Britain and the English settlements (1949) Oxford History of England. P. Clemoes and K. Hughes (eds.), England before the Conquest (1971). S. S. Frere, Britannia: a history of Roman Britain (1987). Edward Gibbons,The history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire (1776 81). Seamus Heaney (trans), Beowulf (1999). Nicholas Higham, The English Conquest: Gildas and Britain in the Fifth Century (1994). Joan Liversidge, Britain in the Roman Empire (1973). J. Morris (ed.), Gildas (1978). J. Morris (ed.), Nennius (1980). J. Morris, The Age of Arthur: A History of the British Isles from 350 to 650 (1973). P. Sims-Williams, "Gildas and the Anglo-Saxons", Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies 6 (1983), 1-30. Leo Sherley-Price (trans.), Bede: A History of the English Church and People (1965). D. M. Wilson, The Anglo-Saxons (1971). 5
Specific Topics II R. Abels, Alfred the Great: War, Kingship and Culture (1998). P. H. Blair (ed), Northumbria in the Days of Bede (1976). P. Brandon (ed.), The South Saxons (1978). James Campbell, The Anglo-Saxon State (2000). A. Dornier (ed.), Mercian Studies (1977). Dawn Hadley, The Northern Danelaw: Its social structure, c.800-1100 (2000). D. Hinton, Alfred's Kingdom (1977). K. Leahy & R. Bland, The Staffordshire Hoard (2009). H. R. Loyn, The Governance of Anglo-Saxon England, 500-1087 (1984). J. Nelson, Rulers and Ruling Families in Early Medieval Europe (1999). A. P. Smyth, King Alfred the Great (1995). Tutorials: 1. The end of Roman rule: Gildas 2. The coming of Christianity: Bede and Letters of Gregory 3. Beowulf 4. Asser and Alfred 5. The Viking Invasion: Battle of Maldon 6. The Burghal Hidage. 7. Wulfstan s Institutes of Polity. NB Some of these topics might vary in any particular year. tbarry@tcd.ie Room 3148 Arts Building. 6