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Saturday, April 17, 2021

Anglo-Saxons

In the news: Hard-right Republicans forming new caucus to protect 'Anglo-Saxon political traditions'

A group of ultraconservative House Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., are discussing launching an "America First Caucus" that would protect "Anglo-Saxon political traditions."

I don't think these dopes even know what the "Anglo-Saxon political traditions" were about ... monarchy. To misquote both Daniel Jackson and Thomas Hobbes, they didn't call that time the Dark Ages because it was dark ... life then was nasty, brutish, and short.

Some history ...

The Anglo-Saxon political system -= a particular period in medieval Britain lasting only about 500 years. The Angles and the Saxons and other Germanic tribes immigrated (yes, they were immigrants ;) to England after the fall of the Roman presence there (after around 400-500 AD). They mingled with the early Britons (Celts, Picts, etc.) and other immigrants from northern Europe (like the Jutes).

Britain was attacked repeatedly by the Scandinavians (Norway, Denmark) from the late 700s onward, and the Anglo-Saxon period officially ended in 1066 with King Harold II, who managed to beat the Norse at the Battle of Stamford Bridge but who then lost the Battle of Hastings to the French (William, Duke of Normandy) about 2 weeks later. Read Ivanhoe to get a sense of how the Anglo-Saxons in Britian lost the economic and culture wars to the French under Norman rule (post 1066).

The Anglo-Saxon political system had fractious regional kings, there was a caste system which included slavery, while pagabism survived somewhat there was basically a state religion of Catholicism, and men and women were, of course, not equals. I don't see why anyone (except Republicans) would want to reinstate this.

3 Comments:

Blogger Katherine Nielsen said...

I read Ivanhoe when I was about 14. Enjoyed it at the time, mainly for some colorful characters. I remember one called "Gurth the Swineherd". Also some colorful turns of phrases and oaths, such as "what the devil's matins!"
It attempted, but didn't quite succeed, in being sympathetic to the Jews. Medieval England wasn't a good time or place to be a Jew.

11:23 AM  
Blogger crystal said...

Yes, it was terrible for the Jews. What I remember most about the book was the trial by combat and the Templar knight who loved Rebecca but had to fight against her champion, Ivanhoe. Richard the Lionheart was kind of the hero. Everyone always liked him but he was not a very good king at all.

3:40 PM  
Anonymous Negative Phenomena said...

Great readd thanks

1:21 AM  

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