AD 410-1066 Early medieval

During the 5th century AD, Germanic peoples, variously identified as Angles, Saxons and Jutes, came to settle in south-east England. By 600 they had formed a number of small kingdoms and Kent was recognised as the dominant power, under its king, Ethelbert.

In 597 Augustine arrived from Rome to convert the Anglo-Saxons. He landed in Kent and persuaded Ethelbert to accept Christianity. Gradually Christianity spread across southern and eastern England. Canterbury became a centre of learning and the headquarters of the English church. In the late 7th century, the central England kingdom of Mercia expanded southwards and eastwards, supplanting Kent during a period of stability that lasted until the end of the 8th century.

In 865 the ‘Great Army’ of the Danes landed in East Anglia and began to conquer eastern and southern England. A long struggle followed between the Danes and the people who now identified themselves as the English, led by Alfred, king of Wessex. In 878 Alfred made peace with the Danish leader Guthrum, and his descendants established an English monarchy with its capital at London. However, Viking raids re-intensified in the 10th century and by the 11th century, a Danish king, Cnut, was on the throne. Within 25 years of his death, the south-east was invaded again and England was conquered by the Normans.