Anglo-Saxon England

In this episode, we explore the Anglo-Saxon period, the transformative era between the end of Roman rule in Britain and the Norman Conquest of 1066. We trace how migrating Germanic tribes reshaped the island’s language, culture, and religion, while a patchwork of rival kingdoms gradually moved toward greater unity in response to repeated Viking invasions. The episode follows the rise of Wessex, the formation of the Kingdom of England in the 10th century, and the brief but important period of Danish rule under King Cnut. It concludes with William the Conqueror’s victory at the Battle of Hastings, a turning point that ended Anglo-Saxon rule and helped define the origins of the modern English people.