TASTY MEALS FROM PIVA
HISTORY OF BRITAIN
People have lived on The British Isles from the earliest times in history but there aren't any written trails. Some material remains were found but it is impossible to say something more precious and exact about the first people there, who were they, were did they come from...
Those tribes were called Britons, the first inhabitants of Britain who came in the fifth century BC from Europe across The English Channel. After them, was given the name Britain. They had lived for many centuries peacefully in the British Isles when the Romans came. Britons lost their freedom. Julius Caesar and later other Roman emperors conquered the islands. They stayed there for three centuries, they had to fight against wild tribes from the north (present Scotland) who were very brave and Roman emperor Hadrian ordered to build a wall (which is called The Hadrian's wall and whose remains still exist today) which protected Roman Provinces in the south. There are also remains of spas in Bath with hot springs (today's word „BATHROOM“) and many others.
After three hundred years the Roman soldiers left the islands. Wild tribesmen from the place we call now Germany, invaded the islands. They were called Angles and Saxons. These people were not like Romans, clever and cultured. They homes were made of wood and straw. Their clothes were made of animals skins and furs. They killed people and burnt their houses. They destroyed palaces and monuments which Romans had built. They robbed and stole all beautiful things out of the Roman stone buildings and made bonfire of them. The beautiful towns became ruins. Soon only wild animals lived in them because people ran away into the mountains.
According to the legend, there was one great British leader who fought back bravely against the invaders Angles and Saxon. He had a magic sword – Exalibur and a hiding place – the castle of Camelot, from which he was able to make quick attacks. The legend calls him King Arthur, but we do not know who he really was and where he lived. He won the enemies and liberated Britain.
But when King Arthur died, the Angles and Saxons invaded the islands again. They settled in Britain and called it Angle – land. (today's name England – Angle land) . Slowly this name was changed into England. For four hundred years the Angles lived in Britain peacefully. They settled down in their villages and became farmers and traders.
Then, all at once new invaders came to the islands. They were called Vikings. They came from the north, from the countries we now call Norway and Denmark. They were brave and cruel and they loved adventures. They robbed, burnt and destroyed everything.
But it was not all. Besides Vikings, another danger came. In the summer of the year 1066, Duke William of Normandy, was gettting ready to invade England. He promised all those who sailed and fought with him lands and walth from England. But no English ships came to meet them... No army waited to defend the coast against the invaders. The farmers were not able to fight – they were busy in their fields. The soldiers were in the North. They were fighting the Vikings.
William made a camp at Hastings and waited. Then one day the Engish soldiers arrived. William's army attacked early in the morning. The English soldiers were standing on a hill. William attacked several times but his attacks failed. Then he thought of a trick. He pretended to retreat. The English soldiers left the hill and rushed after the Normans. As soon as the English soldiers left the hill, the Norman horsemen turned on them and cut them down. William was the victor.
In December 1066 William, called the Conqueror, became King of England.
Since the Battle of Hastins no enemy has ever stepped on the British Islands.
But throughout its history, Britain and later The United Kingdom has always taken part in all wars and become a colonial and naval force.
Nowdays, it is called the United Kingdom which consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain consists of England , Scotland and Wales. The capital of England, Britain and The United Kingdom is London.
RUŽIĆ VASILIJE, 8th grade