CHAPTER XVII ENGLAND IN THE MIDDLE AGES Section 68. The Norman Conquest The country of western Europe whose history is of great- importance est interest to English-speaking peoples is, of course, Eng- °nthetstory land. From England the United States and the vast English gj^^p^^'" colonies have inherited their language and habits of thought, much of their literature, and many of their laws and institutions. In this volume it will not, however, be possible to study Eng- land except in so far as it has played a part in the general development of Europe. This it has greatly influenced by its commerce and industry and colonies, as well as by the example it was the first to set in modern times of permitting the people to share with the king in the government. The conquest of the island of Britain by the German Angles Ovedordship of Wcsscx and Saxons has already been spoken of, as well as the con- version of these pagans to Christianity by Augustine and his monks.^ The several kingdoms founded by the German invaders were brotight under the overlordship of the southern kingdom of Wessex by Egbert, a contemporary of Charlemagne. But no sooner had the long-continued invasions of the Ger- invasion of mans come to an end and the country been partially unified Their defeat than the Northmen (or Danes, as the English called them), who ^j^g^^^al were ravaging France (see above, p. 386), began to make incur- 871-901 sions into England. Before long they had conquered a large district north of the Thames and were making permanent set- tlements. They were defeated, however, in a great battle by Alfred the Great, the first English king of whom we have any 1 See above, pp. 355 f. 405
