Today we move on to the Dark Ages after the Romans pulled out of Britannia. Unsurprisingly, little is known about the Dark Ages and hence the name. After the Romans left, Saxons from Northern Europe gradually started to settle in Britain. Not long after, the Saxons began to divide the land into many pieces crowning themselves kings and giving the lands names such as Kent, Wessex, Essex, Sussex and Mercia. The reign of the Saxons stretches to 1066 AD when Duke William of Normandy invaded and won the battle at Hastings.
These 600 years of Saxons rule can be confusing to many people as there are many kings with very similar names such as Aethelbert, Aethelred, Aethelstan, Aethelwulf, Aethelbald. However the important events which tourists may be interested when visiting attractions in London are:
1. In 597, St. Augustine arrived in Kent as a missionary after being sent by Pope Gregory the Great. King Aethelbert of Kent had already built the first St. Paul’s Cathedral however St Augustine chose to go to Canterbury and soon established his own cathedral there. St. Mellitus instead was established at St. Paul’s in 604. If you visit St. Paul’s in London, the present cathedral is the fourth church being built on the same site.
2. “London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down…” Perhaps you are familiar with this nursery rhyme? It is said that it was inspired by the Battle of London Bridge in 1014 whereby St. Olaf of Norway and King Aethelred fought against King Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark. St. Olaf and Aethelred managed to pull down London Bridge, bringing down the bridge together with the Danish garrison.
3. In 675, the first monastery was established at Westminster. King Edward the Confessor established the Westminster Abbey in 1065. On December 28, the abbey was consecrated and Edward died a few days later. He was buried in the Abbey and was made a saint in 1161. However the present Westminster Abbey is not the same one, but was built by Henry III in 1245.
That is all I have for now. If you want to add any significant event, please feel free to comment.
Get more out of a trip to England by knowing her history – Part II The Dark Ages & The Saxons
Today we move on to the Dark Ages after the Romans pulled out of Britannia. Unsurprisingly, little is known about the Dark Ages and hence the name. After the Romans left, Saxons from Northern Europe gradually started to settle in Britain. Not long after, the Saxons began to divide the land into many pieces crowning themselves kings and giving the lands names such as Kent, Wessex, Essex, Sussex and Mercia. The reign of the Saxons stretches to 1066 AD when Duke William of Normandy invaded and won the battle at Hastings.
These 600 years of Saxons rule can be confusing to many people as there are many kings with very similar names such as Aethelbert, Aethelred, Aethelstan, Aethelwulf, Aethelbald. However the important events which tourists may be interested when visiting attractions in London are:
1. In 597, St. Augustine arrived in Kent as a missionary after being sent by Pope Gregory the Great. King Aethelbert of Kent had already built the first St. Paul’s Cathedral however St Augustine chose to go to Canterbury and soon established his own cathedral there. St. Mellitus instead was established at St. Paul’s in 604. If you visit St. Paul’s in London, the present cathedral is the fourth church being built on the same site.
2. “London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down…” Perhaps you are familiar with this nursery rhyme? It is said that it was inspired by the Battle of London Bridge in 1014 whereby St. Olaf of Norway and King Aethelred fought against King Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark. St. Olaf and Aethelred managed to pull down London Bridge, bringing down the bridge together with the Danish garrison.
3. In 675, the first monastery was established at Westminster. King Edward the Confessor established the Westminster Abbey in 1065. On December 28, the abbey was consecrated and Edward died a few days later. He was buried in the Abbey and was made a saint in 1161. However the present Westminster Abbey is not the same one, but was built by Henry III in 1245.
That is all I have for now. If you want to add any significant event, please feel free to comment.