Post-Roman British Kingdoms

There were many interesting cultures that flourished after the Romans left the British to their own fates.  The Anlges, Saxons, Jutes, and Friscans began settling in the south and east, while the Irish began seizing lands in the west, both in modern-day Scotland, Wales, and Cornwall.  While later the Vikings began settling in the north and northeast, as well as Ireland, the Orkneys, etc.  While the Germanic groups infiltrated the east and Irish Celts percolated into the west, many Romano-Britons either fled west into the Welsh mountains and Cornwall, north into the middle uplands, or across the Channel into present-day Brittany, or farther afield to northwestern Spain--a land known as Gallicia.  Above is a fairly evenly distributed list of players in the period in question.  I have my own favorites, but am curious as to what others might have to say.  Please select one of the above and offer supporting comments below.  There are a bunch of other splinter subjects that could easily arise from this poll...

Not that,just got really busy all of a sudden and haven't had time to think let alone reply properly. I promise to get to it soon.

The Picts were a force to be reckoned with from even before Roman times. They were constantly at war with neighboring nations and usually came out on top. The kingdom of Scotland (Alba) was their creation. They made even the Saxons shake in their boots.

I'm surprised that no one voted for the Saxons, who drove out the vikings and spoke the first version of English, not to mention they gave the name 'England' to that bit of land between Wales and Scotland

I'm surprised that no one voted for the Saxons, who drove out the vikings and spoke the first version of English, not to mention they gave the name 'England' to that bit of land between Wales and Scotland

 This certainly isn't case, it is the angle that gave England her name. Angle land (Angleterre in french) later became England.

 

 

Edited by Quetzalcoatl

I'd go for the Anglo-Saxons in general. The Romans, Romano British and ancient Briton were all highly aristicratic societies, where as the Anglo-Saxons more egalitarian.

When the Normans arrived a highly aristocratic people too, the legacy the Anglo-Saxons left was too strong and the egalitarian heritage couldn't be quashed.

The early history of England became, strong ruler (William I/Henry I/Edward I) = absolute monarch, weak ruler = ruler by consent. )John (Magna Carta), (Henry III (Simon de Montford) ect, Matilda and Jane Grey (kicked out).

This carried on till Edward III who accepted rule by consent and only two more monarchs tried to rule alone, Charles I (behead) and James II (sacked).

Most other European countries had absolute monarchs till the 19th century. Russia 20th. England had got rid of there's by the 14th. That's Anglo-Saxon influence and probably behind the political and scientific lead Britain took in the world.

Well I agree about the Anglo-Saxons in general. But within that - since there was a choice - Wessex has to win since it became the dominating kingdom and the chief antagonist for the Danes,