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Angles (German: Angeln, Old English: Englas, Latin: noun Anguls verb Anglii) were a Germanic people, from Schleswig -- an area which was wholly the southern part of Denmark and protected from German conquest by the Danevirke until the 19th century -- to East Anglia in the 5th century. Eastern Britain was later called Engla-lond (in Old English - "Land of the Angles"), thus England.
1 Early history
Possibly the first instance of the Angles in recorded history is in Tacitus' Germania, chapter 40, in which the Anglii are mentioned in passing in a list of Germanic tribes. He gives no precise indication of their geographical position, but states that, together with six other tribes, including the Varini (the Warni of later times), they worshipped a goddess named Nerthus, whose sanctuary was situated on "an island in the Ocean." Ptolemy in his Geography (ii. 11. § 15), half a century later, locates them with more precision between the Rhine, or rather perhaps the Ems, and the ElbeThe Elbe River ( Czech Labe Sorbian/Lusatian Lobjo Polish Laba is one of the major waterways of central Europe. It originates in the North West Czech Republic before traversing much of Germany and finally emptying into the North Sea. Geography Elbe rises, and speaks of them as one of the chief tribes of the interior. Unfortunately, however, it is clear from a comparison of his map with the evidence furnished by Tacitus and other Roman writers that the indications which he gives cannot be correct. Owing to the uncertainty of these passages there has been much speculation regarding the original home of the Angli. One theory, which however has little to recommend it, is that they dwelt in the basin of the SaaleThe Saale is a river of Germany, a tributary of the Elbe, rises between Bayreuth and Hof in the N. of Bavaria, springing out, of the Fichtelgebirge at an altitude of 2390 ft. Course It pursues a winding course in a northerly direction, and after passing t (in the neighbourhood of the canton Engilin ), from which region the Lex Angliorum et Werinorum hoc est Thuringorum is believed by many to have come. At the present time the majority of scholars believe that the Angli had lived from the beginning on the coasts of the Baltic, probably in the southern part of the Jutish peninsula. The evidence for this view is derived partly from English and Danish traditions dealing with persons and events of the 4th century3rd century 4th century 5th century other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. Events Definitive declaration of biblical canon: Council of Carthage Demotic is replaced by Gr (see below), and partly from the fact that striking affinities to the cult of Nerthus as described by Tacitus are to be found in Scandinavian, especially Swedish and Danish, religion. Investigations in this subject have rendered it very probable that the island of Nerthus was Sjaelland ( ZealandThis article is about the Danish island. For the Dutch province, see Zeeland; for the Pacific island country named for the province, see New Zealand. Zealand (Danish: Sjaelland is the largest island of Denmark. It is separated from Funen by the Great Belt), and it is further to be observed that the kings of Wessex traced their ancestry ultimately to a certain Scyld, who is clearly to be identified with Skiöldr , the mythical founder of the Danish royal family (Skiöldungar). In English tradition this person is connected with "Scedeland" (pl.), a name which may have been applied to Sjaelland as well as Skåne, while in Scandinavian tradition he is specially associated with the ancient royal residence at Leire in Sjaelland.
Bede states that the Angli before they came to Britain dwelt in a land called Angulus, and similar evidence is given by the Historia Brittonum. King Alfred and the chronicler Æthelweardthelweard Ethelward , Anglo-Saxon historian, was the great-grandson of AEthelred, the brother of Alfred, and ealdorman or earl of the western provinces (i. probably of the whole of Wessex). He first signs as dux or ealdorman in 973, and continues to sign identified this place with the district which is now called Angel in the province of Schleswig (Slesvig), though it may then have been of greater extent, and this identification agrees very well with the indications given by Bede. Full confirmation is afforded by English and Danish traditions relating to two kings named Wermund and Offa, from whom the Mercian royal family were descended, and whose exploits are connected with Angel, Schleswig and Rendsburg. Danish tradition has preserved record of two governors of Schleswig, father and son, in their service, Frowinus ( Freawine ) and Wigo ( Wig), from whom the royal family of Wessex claimed descent. During the 5th century the Angli invaded this country, after which time their name does not recur on the continent except in the title of the code mentioned above.
The province of Schleswig has proved exceptionally rich in prehistoric antiquities which date apparently from the 4th and 5th centuries. Among the places where these have been found, special mention should be made of the large cremation cemetery at Borgstedterfeld, between Rendsburg and Eckernförde, which has yielded many urns and brooches closely resembling those found in heathen graves in England. Of still greater importance are the great deposits at Thorsbjaerg (in Angel) and Nydam, which contained large quantities of arms, ornaments, articles of clothing, agricultural implements, &c., and in the latter case even ships. By the help of these discoveries we are able to reconstruct a fairly detailed picture of English civilization in the age preceding the invasion of Britain.
