In the early 5th century, Germanic Angles, Saxons and Jutes crossed the
North Sea in increasing numbers and began settling among the ruins of
the former Roman province of Britannia. This led to centuries of warfare
as these 'Anglo-Saxons' carved new, independent kingdoms at the point of
the sword, fighting the native Britons and each other. From the late
eighth century they also had to face the threat of the Vikings, at first
as opportunistic raiders but increasingly bent on conquest. The last
Viking invasion was defeated by Harold Godwinson at Stamford Bridge but
he was defeated by the Normans in that same fatal year of 1066, ending
the Anglo-Saxon Age.
Gabriele Esposito gives an overview of Anglo-Saxon military history,
narrating the great campaigns, such as those of Alfred the Great of
Wessex and Harold Godwinson. He discusses in detail the composition of
Anglo-Saxon forces, their tactics, weapons and equipment, detailing
developments across the period. The informative, accessible text is
supported by dozens of color images showing replica Saxon war gear in
use.