Category Archives: Anglo-Saxons

A Primer for Books 1-2 of Thomas Malory’s “Le Morte d’Arthur”

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Regina Jeffers

For those of you who have never read Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur or have not read it since you were in secondary school, I intend to keep this simple (or as simple as a 545 years old story can … Continue reading →

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History Behind the BBC Series “The Last Kingdom”

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

I am watching “The Last Kingdom” on BBC America (Saturday’s at 10 P.M.). It is a tale of Saxon history, with England struggling to become a “nation” in itself, without the rule by the Danes. Although I possess a “working knowledge” … Continue reading →

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A Labor Day Break from Blogging…

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

LABOR DAY: WHAT IT MEANS According the U.S., Department of Labor, “Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a … Continue reading →

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Celebrating the Feast of St Lewina

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Mysterious Britain and Ireland explains the source of the St Lewina celebration as, “St Lewina was a young British virgin who was martyred by Saxons on 24 July 687 A.D. (whilst Theodore was 7th Archbishop of Canterbury). Following her death … Continue reading →

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The Development of the English Language During the Anglo-Norman Period (1066-1350)

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

French influence upon England came about with the Norman conquest in 1066. In the beginning, the Norman conquerors spoke nothing but French, actually holding the Anglo-Saxon language in contempt. What we now refer to as Norman French was used for … Continue reading →

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The Anglo-Saxon World: King Alfred, William of Normandy, and the Doomsday Book

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

King Alfred is considered by many to be the wisest and greatest king.  As King of the West Saxons, Alfred (849 – 901) unified his people and constructed a victory against the Danes in 878 at Ethandum. Alfred led his … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglo-Saxons, British history, Great Britain, real life tales, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Anglo-Saxon Christian Writings

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Religion during the Anglo-Saxon period was more than church life; it was the cultural beat of Society. Needless to say, “literature” grew from the foundations of religion. Most of the literature of the time was written in Latin by the … Continue reading →

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Anglo-Saxon Poetry

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

As poetry began as song and was easier to memorize because of the rhyme scheme and the rhythmic pattern, Anglo-Saxon poetry outstripped the period’s prose. The poems were passed from one generation to another by word of mouth.  Customarily, Anglo-Saxon poetry … Continue reading →

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Anglo-Saxon Literature – Part II: Charms and Riddles

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

The transition from pagan thoughts to the dogma of Christianity was slow to go. Appeasing the populace to look upon a Christian society with acceptance was a difficult task. Charms reflect pagan superstition and folklore. Even so, it was not … Continue reading →

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Anglo-Saxon Literature ~ Part I Early Epic Poems

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

The Finnesburg — or Finnsburh — Fragment is a portion of an Old English heroic poem about a fight in which Hnæf and his 60 retainers are besieged at “Finn’s fort” and attempt to hold off their attackers. The surviving … Continue reading →

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