Studying at York
The Birth of a Kingdom: Unity and Identity in Anglo-Saxon England, c.850-1035 - Semester 2 - HIS00206H
- Department: History
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
Module summary
The idea of England is a powerful one which excites discussion and debate to this day. This module explores the rise of a unified ‘England’ out of the fragmented kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon world and the development of what may be called an English identity in the period up to the Norman Conquest. In the first semester, we will begin with an exploration of the Anglo-Saxon world before the ninth century, before proceeding to study the well-documented reign of King Alfred (d. 899) and his successors. We will unpick the social, political and religious developments that laid the groundwork for a unified England. Was this unification the product of a shared culture? Did a common religion underpin this? Did the Viking raids solidify English identity in the face of the ‘other’?
In the second semester, we will explore the consolidation of the kingdom of England to its largest physical extent, as well as the solidification of English identity up to the mid-11th century. Were Alfred’s successors able to hold their people together? What internal and external challenges did the fledgling kingdom face? Did the rise of England’s Viking kings undermine the idea of England? This module will use a wide range of written historical and literary sources (Bede’s Ecclesiastical History, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, writings of Alfred and Asser, sermons, vernacular poetry, charters, law codes, treaties, etc), alongside archaeological and numismatic evidence to develop an understanding of identity in Anglo-Saxon England.
Related modules
Students taking this module must also take the first part in Semester 1.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2024-25 |
Module aims
The aims of this module are:
- To introduce students to in depth study of a specific historical topic using primary and secondary material;
- To enable students to explore the topic through discussion and writing; and
- To enable students to evaluate and analyse primary sources.
Module learning outcomes
Students who complete this module successfully will:
- Grasp key themes, issues and debates relevant to the topic being studied;
- Have acquired knowledge and understanding about that topic;
- Be able to comment on and analyse original sources;
- Be able to relate the primary and secondary material to one another; and
- Have acquired skills and confidence in close reading and discussion of texts and debates.
Module content
Students will attend a 3-hour seminar in weeks 2-4, 6-8 and 10-11 of semester 2. Weeks 5 & 9 are Reading and Writing Weeks (RAW). Students prepare for and participate in eight three-hour seminars in all. A one-to-one meeting between tutor and students will also be held to discuss assessments.
Seminar topics are subject to variation, but are likely to include the following:
- Aethelstan, ‘the English Charlemagne’
- Edmund and the challenge from York
- A Kingdom in Turmoil: The Short Reigns of Eadred and Eadwig
- Consolidation under Edgar
- Aethelred the Unready and the price of a kingdom
- The First Viking king of England?: Sveinn
- Knut and the Anglo-Danish Empire
- The End of a Dynasty: Knut’s successors
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
For formative assessment, students submit an essay draft of 2000-words.
For summative assessment, students complete a 4000-word essay relating to the themes and issues of the module. This comprises 100% of the overall module mark. Summative assessments will be due in the assessment period.
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Following their formative assessment task, students will receive a one-to-one meeting with the tutor to discuss the essay and their plans for the assessed essay.
Work will be returned to students with written comments in their tutorial and may be supplemented by the tutor giving some oral feedback to the whole group. All students are encouraged, if they wish, to make use of their tutor’s student hours. For more information, see the Statement on Feedback.
For summative assessment tasks, students will receive their provisional mark and written feedback within 25 working days of the submission deadline. For more information, see the Statement of Assessment.
Indicative reading
For semester time reading, please refer to the module VLE site. Before the course starts, we encourage you to look at the following items of preliminary reading:
- Barbara Yorke, The Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England (Abingdon: Routledge, 2002).
- Edward James, Britain in the First Millennium (London: Arnold Publishing, 2001).
- Nicholas Howe, Migration and Mythmaking in Anglo-Saxon England (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989).