Bretons and Britons

Bretons and Britons
Author: Barry Cunliffe
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 484
Release: 2021-06-10
Genre: History
ISBN: 0192592475

What is it about Brittany that makes it such a favourite destination for the British? To answer this question, Bretons and Britons explores the long history of the Bretons, from the time of the first farmers around 5400 BC to the present, and the very close relationship they have had with their British neighbours throughout this time. More than simply a history of a people, Bretons and Britons is also the author's homage to a country and a people he has come to admire over decades of engagement. Underlying the story throughout is the tale of the Bretons' fierce struggle to maintain their distinctive identity. As a peninsula people living on a westerly excrescence of Europe they were surrounded on three sides by the sea, which gave them some protection from outside interference, but their landward border was constantly threatened - not only by succeeding waves of Romans, Franks, and Vikings, but also by the growing power of the French state. It was the sea that gave the Bretons strength and helped them in their struggle for independence. They shared in the culture of Atlantic-facing Europe, and from the eighteenth century, when a fascination for the Celts was beginning to sweep Europe, they were able to present themselves as the direct successors of the ancient Celts along with the Cornish, Welsh, Scots, and Irish. This gave them a new strength and a new pride. It is this spirit that is still very much alive today.

Bretons and Britons

Bretons and Britons
Author: Barry Cunliffe
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 484
Release: 2021
Genre: History
ISBN: 0198851626

A long history of the Bretons, from prehistoric times to the present, and the very close relationship they have had with their British neighbours. It is a story of a fiercely independent people and their struggle to maintain their distinctive identity.

Brittany and the Atlantic Archipelago, 450–1200

Brittany and the Atlantic Archipelago, 450–1200
Author: Caroline Brett
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 497
Release: 2021-10-28
Genre: History
ISBN: 110878657X

How did Brittany get its name and its British-Celtic language in the centuries after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire? Beginning in the ninth century, scholars have proposed a succession of theories about Breton origins, influenced by the changing relationships between Brittany, its Continental neighbours, and the 'Atlantic Archipelago' during and after the Viking age and the Norman Conquest. However, due to limited records, the history of medieval Brittany remains a relatively neglected area of research. In this new volume, the authors draw on specialised research in the history of language and literature, archaeology, and the cult of saints, to tease apart the layers of myth and historical record. Brittany retained a distinctive character within the typical 'medieval' forces of kingship, lordship, and ecclesiastical hierarchy. The early history of Brittany is richly fascinating, and this new investigation offers a fresh perspective on the region and early medieval Europe in general.

The Britons

The Britons
Author: Christopher A. Snyder
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2008-04-15
Genre: History
ISBN: 047075821X

This book provides a fascinating and unique history of the Britons from the late Iron Age to the late Middle Ages. It also discusses the revivals of interest in British culture and myth over the centuries, from Renaissance antiquarians to modern day Druids. A fascinating and unique history of the Britons from the late Iron Age to the late Middle Ages. Describes the life, language and culture of the Britons before, during and after Roman rule. Examines the figures of King Arthur and Merlin and the evolution of a powerful national mythology. Proposes a new theory on the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain and the establishment of separate Brittonic kingdoms. Discusses revivals of interest in British culture and myth, from Renaissance antiquarians to modern day Druids.

Britons

Britons
Author: Linda Colley
Publisher: Yale University Press
Total Pages: 452
Release: 2005-01-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9780300107593

"Controversial, entertaining and alarmingly topical ... a delight to read."Philip Ziegler, Daily Telegraph

Warriors and Kings

Warriors and Kings
Author: Martin Wall
Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited
Total Pages: 413
Release: 2017-02-15
Genre: History
ISBN: 1445658445

Explore the 1,500-year history of Celtic resistance. Martin Wall explores the mythology and psychology of this unyielding and insular people.

The Bretons

The Bretons
Author: Patrick Galliou
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Total Pages: 334
Release: 1991
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780631164067

This book draws upon a wide range of archaeological and literary material to provide a history of one of the most distinctive and individualistic regions of France and its people, from prehistoric times to the present. Focusing upon such themes as trade, settlement, agriculture, transport, population, religion, art and language, the authors explore the characteristics of a society which has combined peoples from two different linguistic and cultural traditions in a long-enduring political union.

The Ancient Celts, Second Edition

The Ancient Celts, Second Edition
Author: Barry Cunliffe
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 497
Release: 2018-04-14
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0191067210

Fierce warriors and skilled craftsmen, the Celts were famous throughout the Ancient Mediterranean World. They were the archetypal barbarians from the north and were feared by both Greeks and Romans. For two and a half thousand years they have continued to fascinate those who have come into contact with them, yet their origins have remained a mystery and even today are the subject of heated debate among historians and archaeologists. Barry Cunliffe's classic study of the ancient Celtic world was first published in 1997. Since then huge advances have taken place in our knowledge: new finds, new ways of using DNA records to understand Celtic origins, new ideas about the proto-urban nature of early chieftains' strongholds, All these developments are part of this fully updated , and completely redesigned edition. Cunliffe explores the archaeological reality of these bold warriors and skilled craftsmen of barbarian Europe who inspired fear in both the Greeks and the Romans. He investigates the texts of the classical writers and contrasts their view of the Celts with current archaeological findings. Tracing the emergence of chiefdoms and the fifth- to third-century migrations as far as Bosnia and the Czech Republic, he assesses the disparity between the traditional story and the most recent historical and archaeological evidence on the Celts. Other aspects of Celtic identity such as the cultural diversity of the tribes, their social and religious systems, art, language and law, are also examined. From the picture that emerges, we are — crucially — able to distinguish between the original Celts, and those tribes which were 'Celtized', giving us an invaluable insight into the true identity of this ancient people.