An interview with Dr Marc Morris, author of The Anglo-Saxons: A history of the beginnings of England

Dr Marc Morris is an historian and broadcaster. He is an expert on medieval monarchy and aristocracy, and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Marc has written several books, numerous articles for magazines, and he has contributed to various history programmes on radio and television.
In this episode, Marc joins me to discuss his latest book. The Anglo-Saxons: A history of the beginnings of England, which is available to buy here: amzn.to/39GN6Sj
The story starts sixteen hundred years ago, when Britain left the Roman Empire and swiftly fell into ruin. Grand cities and luxurious villas were deserted and left to crumble, and civil society collapsed into chaos. Into this violent and unstable world came foreign invaders from across the sea, and established themselves as its new masters.
In his book, Marc traces the turbulent history of these people across the next six centuries. He explains how their earliest rulers fought relentlessly against each other for glory and supremacy, and then were almost destroyed by the onslaught of the vikings. He explores how they abandoned their old gods for Christianity, established hundreds of churches and created dazzlingly intricate works of art. He charts the revival of towns and trade, and the origins of a familiar landscape of shires, boroughs and bishoprics. It is a tale of famous figures like King Offa, Alfred the Great and Edward the Confessor, but also features a host of lesser known characters - ambitious queens, revolutionary saints, intolerant monks and grasping nobles. Through their remarkable careers we see how a new society, a new culture and a single unified nation came into being.
In this show, we consider the history of London across this period. What was Roman London like? What happened to London when Roman rule collapsed? When and for what reasons did people return to London, and how did the city develop thereafter? How was it affected by the viking invasions of Britain? And, of course, how much can we really know?
If you are interested in the history of London, you might like my blog: ianstone.london/blog/
You can subscribe to my blog here: feedburner.google.com/fb/a/ma...
www.ianstone.london

[@jackstrawful]

I like the idea that early medieval kings would build walls not so much because walls were actually needed, but because they wanted to be seen as great rulers and building walls is just what great rulers do.

[@keir1984]

This book is fascinating im halfway through and now on a medieval history binge

[@thehistoryoflondon]

Check out more of Marc’s books. I really liked his Conquest book.

[@berniestafford1445]

A superb, easy to read book, yet full of fascinating facts.

[@GreatGreebo]

Extremely informative and very well done. Your video is very much appreciated; Thank you!

[@thehistoryoflondon]

Thank you. It’s very kind.

[@hrfnwarian6473]

Glad I got this book at Barns&Noble before I didn't see it again.

[@patshifflett4205]

I just added this book to my must read list. Thanks for this interview.

[@thehistoryoflondon]

I think you’ll enjoy it. Have you read other books Marc’s written?

[@garry_b]

I've just finished Marc's book. Highly recommended

[@thehistoryoflondon]

It’s another good book from Marc.

[@susanacaytuiro8324]

I read his book The Anglo Saxons amazing work....

[@HugeWolf1]

It is interesting how Francis Pryor in { kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3fMe5-gds2XptE } describe the Anglo-Saxon period so differently than Dr. Morris does here. Almost total opposites. It is interesting to see how a historian and an archeologist using the same evidence can come up with different stories of history. This does present a reason to continuously study history as new facts and new ways of studying facts can alter our conception of the past.

[@thehistoryoflondon]

That’s where history gets really interesting.

[@troma54]

Extremely interesting. Thanks for posting this. I've ordered the book. However, a note on the sound. Dr. Morris sounds fine. Ian not so much. It might have something to do with microphone placement. Maybe hire a local teenager who is a veteran poster? Thanks again.

[@amyferebee]

Excellent! I keep re-listening......thank you

[@thehistoryoflondon]

Thank you.

[@kabutler70]

Great interview, but Marcs mic was a bit choppy at times.

[@Sean12248]

Will there be more content? The videos on this channel are very good.

[@thehistoryoflondon]

Hopefully yes. Had a busy few months.

[@THINKincessantly]

Wow! These are good! 🍷

[@momcilojagodic4581]

Dear sir, I am phd student of theology from Serbia (Orthodox theology faculty, University of Belgrade) and my doctorat is named Monasticism in Anglosaxon church from 8th until 10th century. So I would like to know if you could connect me with prof so he could give me some advices on literature etc.? Thank you very much.

[@thehistoryoflondon]

You should find him on Twitter.

[@editorinformal873]

Seems very interesting IF could be heard ...

[@paperback10]

Invite a great guest and then don't let them get a word in edgeways!!

[@lt8395]

Great video, Marc fantastic too. Thanks

[@thehistoryoflondon]

Thank you. Marc is very knowledgeable and engaging isn’t he?

[@Sean12248]

52:18 I laughed so hard at that.

[@thelostlegendsoflewesandhamsey]

Look no further than East Sussex. Lewes and Hamsey specifically. Ipwinesfleet.

[@pfcsantiago8852]

Very interesting but sound quality lets it down.

[@thehistoryoflondon]

I'm glad you found it interesting and sorry that you found the sound disappointing.

[@loganstrait7503]

Didn't even mention Witenagemoot

[@teresatestrake4639]

Very difficult to hear.

[@COBBETT1215]

Frustrating sound quality spoiled the interview and made it hard to follow.

[@ezzovonachalm9815]

The epopea if my ancestor King Alfread the Great merits a better presentation by a historian knowing his champ of research rather than a verbal rendition of a text written- I suppose- by Artificial Telligence.

[@AG-io5wr]

Another book to add to the ever increasing pile.

[@thehistoryoflondon]

I know what you mean. Especially at this time of year.

[@Cymry-Am-Byth]

I've often found it curios why those in the Saxon heartland of Germany are never consulted regarding history that's effectky theirs seeing those Germanic peopies that settled in Britain came from Saxony , Friesland in Holland and also Jutland in Denmark that made up the Anglo-Saxons. It's like the Pilgrim Father's from England claiming English culture as theirs forgetting the population of England remained and they were only a tiny fraction that made the leap to the New World taking English language & culture with them. PS. Please don't also in this video whitewash our history i.e the Cymry who were in the British isles millennia before the Saxons arrived. And the language spoken in London was Brythonic or Old Welsh And don't forget, It was by Welsh scholar Gildas who was first to document the mythical Hengist & Horsa. He is the father of British history and not the pretender Bede often cited.

[@EnglishSaxons]

All this identity and roots have been unpicked lately too try and call us British im kind of sick of it

[@jasonallen9144]

The Saxons were routed in 1066 by the Normans, it was just another era that came to pass. So little of the Saxons exists anymore, not even in our blood.

[@johnbrereton5229]

@@jasonallen9144 Recent dna research shows that the greatest extent of Anglo Saxon DNA is in east Anglia (unsurprisingly) where it is 38%. Over the rest of England it's around 30% and this is also true for southern Wales and southern Scotland. Evidenced by Edinburgh itself, which was a fortified town by built by the Northumberland King Eidyn, hence Eidyn Burgh- Edinburgh.

[@andrewwhelan7311]

London was well established long before Rome arrived. Let's ignore the pre Roman coins, metal working furnaces and evidence of ancient bridges and walls and long established trade routes with Europe and Mediterranean. Let's ignore the pre Roman roads and mineral mines including gold that were established well before the Romans arrival. The so called catastrophe and death was due to the devastation of a comet, so let's ignore that this then allowed the Saxon to move into the island unnappossed. Let's ignore that a native Briton Christianity existed before the later Roman version which was based on power corruption social control and wealth. Let's ignore all the records, ancient indigenous lineage evidence and claim that everything was foreign ( Roman Saxon or Norman). The native indigenous Briton's are ghosts in their own history. Decide to excavate a site and before a spade has hit the soil, declare it to be Roman Saxon or Norman, then fit the findings into this narrative. This is how archeology is done in this country nowadays. It's an echo chamber establishment Anglo centric narrative and therefore nothing else is considered.

[@johnbrereton5229]

Read 'the Emergence of the English' By Susan Oosthuizen which shows the growing evidence of an alternative history where the Britons were not destroyed and removed but survived and we are their descendants.

[@johnpatrick5307]

@@johnbrereton5229 The Britons were basically Anatolian farmers, who re-colonised Britain in the late Bronze age (see: Mass Migration to Britain in the late Bronze Age). So they were not really Celts (although they probably spoke Welsh). And the "Anglo Saxons" were made up of many different races, including Scandinavian and African (recent find of West African girl in "Anglo Saxon" burial grounds, in Kent).

[@at_brunch3852]

Doesn’t similar architecture tell the story? From south Germany upwards to England, you see similar everything 😂. It happened when Germans came to early 🇨🇦. Not a fan of Germany. But go ahead ~ look more than read ~ burgs.

[@illumencouk]

What is apparent in this interview is the deliberate playing down of how Western civilisation emerged from the Dark Ages 'as a species with amnesia' who having lost their elders were reduced to children. Apparently it wasn't until the Crusades that a library was discovered in the middle East that produced the books we call history. The translated literature of Plato, Aristotle even The New Testament were all 'courtesy' of the Arab scholars we were warring with and it's their interpretation and translation from Aramaic, into Latin and Hebrew to thank. In light of our being the 'enemy' at the time I think the library was a poison pen, bait with a long, stategic and pre-set roll out. An agenda where pre-knowledge of planned events will appear prophetic to the uninformed. Bad habits taught to all. Look around and ask yourself if rising gas prices, interruptions of the food supply chain, No.10, failing public services, ineffective public health policies, debt-inducing education, social media madness, all a part of the big squeeze.

[@si4632]

no mention of the catholic church

[@kublaicarl4818]

Lunatic.

[@QPRTokyo]

This is already dated.

[@jiml8964]

Should be Anglo saxons the people stole britania.