First published 1973 by Longman Group Limited.
An introductory survey which provides a clear and accessible account of the centuries between the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons and the Norman Conquest.
Author(s): Douglas J. V. Fisher
Series: A History of England
Edition: Reprint
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2014
Language: English
Pages: X+374
INTRODUCTION: THE END OF ROMAN BRITAIN 1
CHAPTER 1. SUB-ROMAN BRITAIN: THE FIRST PHASE OF SAXON OCCUPATION 8
c. 400 – c. 500 1. THE EVIDENCE: LITERARY AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL 8
2. THE PROBLEM OF GILDAS 16
3. THE CONTINENTAL HOMELANDS OF THE INVADERS AND THEIR SETTLEMENT AREAS IN ENGLAND 22
CHAPTER 2. THE SECOND PHASE: THE CHARACTER OF CONQUEST 32
c. 550 – c. 850 1. THE MAKING AND EXPANSION OF WESSEX 32
c. 550 – c. 750 2. THE KINGDOM OF NORTHUMBRIA 39
c. 550 – c. 650 3. THE MIDLANDS 43
4. THE CHARACTER OF CONQUEST AND SETTLEMENT 44
CHAPTER 3. THE CONVERSION OF THE ANGLES AND SAXONS 55
c. 300 – c. 450 1. CHRISTIANITY IN LATE ROMAN AND SUB-ROMAN BRITAIN 55
c. 400 – c. 600 2. CELTIC CHRISTIANITY 58
3. ANGLO-SAXON PAGANISM 63
597–632 4. THE CONVERSION — THE ROMAN MISSION 67
633–664 5. THE CONVERSION — AIDAN: FELIX AND BIRINUS 75
597–664 6. THE VICISSITUDES OF THE MISSIONS: THE CONFLICT OF CELTIC AND ROMAN OBSERVANCES 78
664 7. RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT: THE SYNOD OF WHITBY 82
CHAPTER 4. THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE CHURCH 86
656-716 1. POLITICAL EQUILIBRIUM 86
664-690 2. THE CHURCH AFTER WHITBY. THEODORE OF TARSUS 89
692-731 3. THE CONSOLIDATION OF THEODORE'S ACHIEVEMENT 101
CHAPTER 5. THE EARLY KINGDOMS 108
c. 470 – c. 600 1. THE CREATION OF KINGDOMS 108
c. 600 – c. 716 2. THE CONFLICT FOR HEGEMONY: THE BRETWALDASHIP 113
3. SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF THE KINGDOMS 121
4. GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS 132
CHAPTER 6. THE KINGDOM OF NORTHUMBRIA 141
670–704 1. NORTHUMBRIA ON THE DEFENSIVE 141
704–865 2. THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE KINGDOM 144
704–865 3. THE NORTHUMBRIAN CHURCH 149
CHAPTER 7. SOUTHERN ENGLAND IN THE EIGHTH CENTURY: THE MERCIAN SUPREMACY 162
716–796 1. POLITICAL NARRATIVE 162
2. THE CHARACTER OF THE MERCIAN SUPREMACY 164
3. THE EFFECTS OF MERCIAN SUPREMACY ON THE CHURCH 170
CHAPTER 8. ENGLAND AND EUROPE 174
c. 450 – c. 700 1. BEFORE THE EIGHTH CENTURY 174
678–806 2. ENGLISH MISSIONS TO THE CONTINENT: ALCUIN 180
3. DIPLOMATIC AND ECONOMIC CONTACTS 191
CHAPTER 9. POLITICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND 198
796–865 1. MERCIA AND WESSEX 199
796–865 2. THE CHURCH FROM THE DEATH OF OFFA TO THE DANISH CONQUEST 201
793–865 3. THE EARLY PHASES OF DANISH ATTACK 207
CHAPTER 10. KING ALFRED 'THE GREAT' 215
865–878 1. THE GREAT ARMY OF 865 215
2. THE SURVIVAL OF WESSEX 218
878–899 3. THE REORGANIZATION OF DEFENCE: ALFRED’S LAST WARS 219
4. ALFRED’S CONCEPTION OF KINGSHIP: THE FOUNDATION OF ENGLAND 225
CHAPTER 11. THE MAKING OF ENGLAND 236
899–955 1. THE RECONQUEST OF THE DANELAW 237
2. THE INTEGRATION OF WESSEX, MERCIA AND THE SOUTHERN DANELAW 245
3. GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS OF THE ENLARGED KINGDOM 250
899–946 4. THE RESUMPTION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH CONTINENTAL RULERS 266
CHAPTER 12. THE APOGEE OF THE ANGLO-SAXON KINGDOM 269
955–957(9) 1. THE REIGN OF EADWIG 269
957(9)–975 2. THE REIGN OF EDGAR: SECULAR POLITICS 272
899–975 3. ECCLESIASTICAL REFORM 281
CHAPTER 13. THE NADIR OF ANGLO-SAXON KINGSHIP 298
975–978 1. CIVIL WAR AND ANTI-MONASTIC REACTION 298
978–1013 2. THE RESUMPTION OF DANISH RAIDING AND ITS EFFECTS 300
1013–1016 3. THE DANISH CONQUEST 314
CHAPTER 14. THE ANGLO-SCANDINAVIAN KINGDOM 319
1016–1018 1. THE CONSOLIDATION OF CNUT’S AUTHORITY IN ENGLAND 319
1016–1035 2. ENGLAND, THE SCANDINAVIAN EMPIRE AND WESTERN EUROPE 323
3. CNUT'S RULE IN ENGLAND 330
1035–1042 4. HARALD AND HARDECNUT: RESTORATION OF THE OLD DYNASTY 339
EPILOGUE 342
GENEALOGIES 349
NOTE ON BOOKS 352
INDEX 359
