The history of the British

The history of the British is as old as the history of the human civilization. It is assumed that before 2,30,000 years ago the Neanderthals¹ were the first inhabitants of what is now considered as England. But continuous habitation was started before 12,000 years ago at the time of last glacial period². Then the land passed the Mesolithic³, Neolithic⁴ and Bronze ages⁵. But in Iron Age⁶ England was inhabited by the Celtic⁷ people who are widely known as Britons⁸. At the same time some Belgae⁹ tribes like Atrebates¹⁰, Trinovantes¹¹ etc. came to England. Then the significant Roman conquest¹² happened in 43 CE and they maintained their province of Britannia¹³ till 5^th century.

The most important and historical invasion came by the Anglo-Saxons¹⁴  which is often called the origin of present England after the departure of the Romans. Anglo-Saxons are the collections of various Germanic peoples¹⁵. After 800 CE the Vikings¹⁶ originated from the Scandinavians¹⁷ started to raid England and also occupied a large part of its mainland. That is why they found it necessary to create Kingdom of England in 10^th century. But in 1066 the Normans¹⁸ invaded and conquered England.

There were civil wars during the middle age¹⁹. The kingdom remained sovereign till 1194 when the king Richard I²⁰ made it a vassal²¹ of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1212 the kingdom became an only tribute-paying vassal during the reign of John Lackland²², the brother of the king Richard I. This state of the kingdom remained unchanged till the 16^th century. During the period of Renaissance²³, the kingdom was ruled by the Tudors²⁴. They lasted till 1603 when the reign of Elizabeth I²⁵ ended. Then there came the rule of Stuart of Scotland²⁶. The Empire lost world’s largest colonial domination during 20^th century but their shadows still exist through the impact of their culture.