Talk:Timeline of the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain

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[edit] Takeover of what?

The idea is laudable but the title is incorrect. "The Anglo-Saxon invasion and takeover of Britain"? When exactly did the Anglo-Saxons "take over Britain"? The over-reliance on Bede and the ASC - naturally very biased, especially the former - also needs redressing. The final entry is at best a half-truth which implies that the Anglo-Saxons conquered Wales: not so! As for the title, I'd suggest that something like "Timeline of the Anglo-Saxon invasion and their establishment in Britain" would be more accurate. Enaidmawr (talk) 23:27, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

Nearly a month and no reply. This title is completely inaccurate. When exactly did the Anglo-Saxons take over Britain? I don't recall reading of their conquest of Wales and Scotland in any history book, rather unsurprisingly (the article itself makes no reference to a "takeover of Britain", for obvious reasons). Perhaps the simplest way to rename this is with "Timeline of the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain". If someone doesn't come up with a better suggestion in the next few days that's what I intend to do. Enaidmawr (talk) 23:04, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

I agree with your proposal above (to the redlink). Seems sensible. --Jza84 |  Talk  23:25, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

Thanks. I'll leave it for a few days to see if there is an alternative proposal - but all the others I could think of were impossibly long! Enaidmawr (talk) 23:28, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

Collecting together assorted primary sources to fabricate a timeline is rather pointless. This article could lead readers to suppose that entries in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle purporting to describe events in 433 and 1063 are of equal value. The only secondary source cited is Campbell's "Lost Centuries", and that's rather full of cautionary notes on the value of the ASC. Here we have "On or before 547 ...", whereas Campbell (p. 26) is much more cautious: "[The ASC] supplies a date, 547, for the succession of Ida to Bernicia, and another, 560, for that of Aelle to Deira: these may indicate the beginnings of the power in those kingdoms of the dynasties which were to rule them, and possibly of Anglian power there." And so on: may, possibly, perhaps. Angus McLellan (Talk) 23:38, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

I agree with Enaidmawr's proposal - and, following the above comment, there should be a clear warning sentence or two in the introduction about the uncertainty around some of the sources cited. Ghmyrtle (talk) 08:03, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for the feedback. As there are no objections I'm moving it to the proposed name. I agree with the above comments on the content and the inherent problems of accuracy and veracity, etc., but that's something that can be worked on even if it means loading the article with "ifs" and "buts". Could do with alternative sources to balance it as well, e.g. Annales Cambriae, Brut y Tywysogion, Scottish chronicles. Enaidmawr (talk) 20:38, 5 May 2008 (UTC)