The Anglo-Saxons: Myth and Reality
Dr Marc Morris
Marc Morris is an historian and broadcaster, specialising in the Middle Ages. He is the author of The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginning of England (Hutchinson, 2021), King John: Treachery, Tyranny and the Road to Magna Carta (Hutchinson 2015), The Norman Conquest (Windmill, 2013) and A Great and Terrible King (Windmill, 2009). In 2003 Marc presented the highly acclaimed TV series Castle for Channel 4 and wrote its accompanying book (now published in paperback by Hutchinson). He has also contributed to other history programmes on radio and television. An expert on medieval monarchy and aristocracy, and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Marc has written numerous articles for History Today, BBC History Magazine and Heritage Today (now published together as an e-book, Kings and Castles).
About the event
Ever since the Norman Conquest, the English have looked back to the Anglo-Saxon era with nostalgia. As a result, the period between 450 and 1066, when England first came into being, has always tended to be regarded as a golden age. Its kings were elected and its Church was more pristine. Women had better rights than they did later, and people in general enjoyed greater freedom. But how much of this is true, and how much of it is the product of wishful thinking? In this talk, historian Marc Morris examines the history behind these and other claims, sifts the contemporary evidence, and asks whether the reality bears any resemblance to the legend.