Anglo-Saxon Britain (Very Short Introductions)

Description: First published as part of the best-selling The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain, John Blair's Very Short Introduction to the Anglo-Saxon Age covers the emergence of the earliest English settlements to the Norman victory in 1066. This book is a brief introduction to the political, social, religious, and cultural history of Anglo-Saxon England. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. Contents: Introduction ; 1. The English settlements ; 2. The seventh century ; 3. Christianity and the monastic culture ; 4. The Mercian supremacy ; 5. The Viking invasions and the rise of the house of Wessex ; 6. Aethelred and Cnut: the decline of the English monarchy ; 7. The end of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom ; Further reading ; Chronology ; Index Author Biography: John Blair is Fellow and Prelector in Modern History, The Queen's College, Oxford. His publications include Early Medieval Surrey (1991), Anglo-Saxon Oxfordshire (1994), Ministers and Parish Churches (1988), English Medieval Industries (1991), The Cloister and the World (1996), and The Church in Anglo-Saxon Society (forthcoming).