The War for Britain after Rome
From about 50 AD to the mid-4th century, Britain was a part of the Roman Empire. By the time the Visogoths sacked Rome at the end of the 4th century, Britain's physical presence and most traces of Roman culture and civilization were almost non-existent. So, after the Romans left, what happened to Britain and its people?
When discussing British history, the period from the fifth to the early eighth centuries is commonly referred to as the Dark Ages. Scholars now refer to it as the early Middle Ages and the start of the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain. It is a period shrouded in mystery, and this three-hour odyssey provides an in-depth examination of this particular epoch.
Despite the fact that they left a network of walled strongholds across the country connected by a great highway, the socio-political climate was disorganized and chaotic. After the Roman legions left, Germanic Anglo-Saxon tribes arrived and gradually invaded the islands, encountering little resistance from the native Romano-British citizens. The Anglo-Saxons spread across the country, forming their own kingdoms. They were, however, almost constantly at odds with one another in a never-ending cycle of power and dominance.
Simultaneously, the Bardic tradition rose to prominence, with bards spinning (dubious) tales of heroism within these new kingdoms, backed up by only a small number of written sources from historians such as Gildas and the Venerable Bede. However, archaeological discoveries show that the 5th to 7th centuries were far from glorious. Britain had devolved into a post-apocalyptic wasteland where survival was difficult and dangerous.
The infamous "Year without the Sun" began in 536 AD. For the next 20 to 30 years, a sudden and massive change in climate wreaked havoc on the planet. Temperatures rose and fell; there was drought and famine, and thick ash began to fall from the sky, blocking out the sun. Crop failure occurred, and many people perished during a literal "Dark Age." This phenomenon was felt in many countries around the world and is now thought to be caused by a massive volcanic eruption. Just as things were beginning to improve, a new and deadly disease arrived, killing British Kings. The first global pandemic and an outbreak of bubonic plague arrived on British soil.
During the 600s and 700s, Britain was Christianized and saw some advances in art and architecture. Britons and Anglo-Saxons began to mix and live side by side. Northumbria, Mercia, Kent, East Anglia, Essex, Sussex, and Wessex emerged, as did important non-Anglo-Saxon kingdoms such as Rheged. Power struggles raged on, primarily between the larger kingdoms, with King Aethelbert of Kent and King Edwin of Northumbria eventually becoming two of the islands' first rulers.
A new and formidable foe was on the horizon by the eighth century. The impending Viking invasion acted as a catalyst for the formation of a single, unified English kingdom.
Timestamps 📽
19:42 - I - THE END TIMES
48:56 - II - THE RUIN
1:26:30 - III - NORTH OF THE WALL
1:53:35 - IV - KINGS IN THE NORTH
2:15:00 - V - LAST MARCH OF THE GODODDIN
2:36:00 - VI - THE WAR FOR BRITAIN
3:11:00 - VII - THE FINAL KINGDOM
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Cre: @HistoryTime (YouTube)