- DURATION 60 mins x 6 plus discussion group
Event Description
Who were the Anglo Saxons and how did they re-shape Britain?
From the legends of King Arthur, to burial ships, christian missionaries, Vikings, a forgotten warrior queen, and the invasion by William of Normandy.
Join Chris Green, as he takes you on the spell-binding story about the birth of England
1) Enter the Dark Ages (3rd March)
The Romans leave Britain and Britain fragments into petty kingdoms ruled by warlords.
Into this chaos arrive settlers who will change the island forever - the Anglo Saxons.
As the settlers move east the Britons fight back under a legendary leader...King Arthur.
2) The Anglo Saxon Kingdoms (10th March)
Over time the Anglo Saxons consolidate into 7 kingdoms - ultimately leading to the rise of Offa of Mercia.
He builds a huge earthwork along his western border that remains to this day - Offa's Dyke.
But why did he build it and what is the story about the coins he sent as tribute to the Pope?
3) Vikings! (17th March)
Simple raiding gives way to a massive invasion force - The Great Heathen Army - which destroys everything in its path.
Only one kingdom remains. Wessex is the "Last Kingdom" under their king, Alfred.
But will Alfred really be that great?
4) Aethelflaed, England's Forgotten Warrior Queen (24th March)
The Viking tide is turned by Alfred's son and his daughter, Aethelflaed the Lady of the Mercians.
Largely written out of history, this warrior queen defeats the vikings again and again, eventually receiving the homage of their stronghold of Jorvik (York).
So why didn't we learn about her at school?
5) The Birth of England (31st March)
Finally, the viking threat is dealt with and the various Anglo Saxon communities are united into one kingdom - England.
The king of England is crowned in a highly symbolic Christian ceremony drawn from the anointing of ancient kings of Israel in the Old Testament.
Did you know that that ceremony (from over 1000 years ago) still forms the basis of English coronations to this day
6) Conquest! (7th April)
England enters a period of prosperity but the Vikings hadn't forgotten about this rich land which was getting even richer.
As luck would have it for them, the English were led by Aethelred the Unready.
England is conquered and becomes part of a North Sea Nordic Empire ruled over by King Canute.
Eventually, the royal house of Wessex is restored but when Edward the Confessor dies childless the Kingdom is thrown into turmoil and the vultures start to circle. The year is 1066...
7) Discussion Group (14th April)
All are welcome to come along to have more in-depth conversations about the material covered, ask any further questions, and share their highlights of the series.
- Duration: 60 mins x 6 plus discussion group
- Online Zoom event: Join from your computer, phone or tablet (no replay available)
- Book all events and approach as a history course, or dip in and out at your leisure!
Meet the Host, Chris
Chris Green (aka The History Chap) is a History graduate with a passion for telling stories from British history and make the past come to life.
His YouTube channel (The History Chap) has over 1 million views a month and he has recently launched a podcast channel by the same name.
His website is: www.thehistorychap.com
More Information
What if I can’t make the event?
If a recording’s available for the event, you can still register for it and we will send you an email with a link to a recording shortly after it ends.
Will my camera be on and will I be visible to the other people?
Your camera and microphone does not need to be on for you to enjoy the event. The choice about whether to do this is completely yours.
How do I watch the live event?
Rest Less events are hosted on Zoom, a computer application that allows you to attend online events just by clicking a link. For detailed instructions, please go to our "FAQ" page, which you can find a link to in the nav bar at the top of the page.
How do I sign-up for and access the recording? (Recorded events only)
Book the event as normal (as if you are attending live). After the event ends you will automatically receive a post-event email with a link to the recording, as long as the event was recorded. You do not need to do anything else and there is no separate booking process for recordings only. Please note it can take up to 24 hours for Zoom to process recordings.