Within large kingdoms such as Wessex, Mercia and Northumbria, some areas achieved a semi-autonomous status akin to that enjoyed by the minor kingdoms.After his coronation, William the Conqueror claimed that all the land in England now belonged to him. The major kingdoms would rise in influence and power and almost inevitably fall again. Modern historical research suggests that the period was far more complicated that the neat label suggested by seven kingdoms. It is the time when the native population is pushed to the fringes of the island – to Cornwall, the Lake District (Cumbria), and Wales (Cymru). This period sees some of the most important and lasting moments of English history – it is the time of Offa and his Dyke, Alfred the Great of Wessex, the Danish invasion and the creation of the Danelaw in north and eastern England. Angles had arrived from Friesland and Schleswig, Saxons had come from eastern Holland and northern Germany and Jutes from Jutland in modern day Denmark. The kingdoms were the gradual and ultimate product of waves of immigrants who had filled the power vacuum created by the departure of the Roman legions in 410 CE. Minor kingdoms were found in Essex (the East Saxons), Sussex (the South Saxons) and Kent.
The principal four kingdoms were Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex (land of the West Saxons), and East Anglia. The Seven Kingdoms imprinted a powerful folk memory on the people and survive to this day as counties or regions of England. Towards the end of the period, the threat from the north would be every bit as real and menacing as that promised in A Game of Thrones – the first Viking raids in the 8 th century brought the ferocious assault of the Danes to English shores. The Heptarchy was never a stable collection of states but instead represented the waxing and waning of dynastic power and local allegiances. During the intervening three centuries, England would be divided with up to seven kingdoms vying for power and control. Lasting from roughly 500 to 800 CE, the Heptarchy covers the period of history lasting from the departure of the Roman legions to the union of England under the House of Wessex. A terrible threat lurks in the north, semi-mythical beings who are set to descend with savage ferocity on those who survive. Winter is coming, and with it bloody strife descends on the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
#The feudal kingdoms of england tv
Martin’s A Game of Thrones or seen the HBO TV adaptation will recognise the synopsis. Dragons plough the waves and the skies fill with terrible portents of doom.Īnyone who has read George R. The chronicles report the sack of monasteries and the massacre of their holy guardians. And as much as they fear each other, the kings fear one thing more than all else – something terrible is stirring in the north. A single crown has been divided into seven kingdoms, locked into a spiral of fierce conflict and bitter intrigues.
Once united and peaceful, the island is ripped apart by noble rivalries and divided allegiances.
The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros find an historical analogy in the Heptarchy of England. One shadowy chapter of English history receives a prominent nod. Martin drew inspiration from many strands of history, from England’s War of the Roses to the Icelandic sagas and tales of Viking conquest. Millions have read his voluminous saga with many more gripped by the television adaptation. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire has left a powerful cultural imprint across the world.
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