Reddit mentions of The Making of Europe: Conquest, Colonization and Cultural Change, 950-1350

The Anglo-Saxons were a group of Germanic tribes, from Germany, Jutland, and the Low Countries, who invaded England in the 5th and 6th centuries. So that's the answer to your first question. To your second, I think the biggest impact in this rough period was the work of Anglo-Saxon missionaries in concert with the Frankish Empire to Christianize Germany, Saxony, and Scandinavia. Basically, they transformed the entire social, political, and religious landscape of the continent (on the latter topic this book is a good start).

The Making of Europe by Robert Bartlett

If you're interested in the European Middle Ages, this is a great book to look into. Bartlett proposes that Europe is more of an idea than a geographical designation, and explores how this idea was formed between 950 - 1350 AD. It touches on most aspects of Medieval European life and does so in very readable prose.

With English history, I would start with the Romans. The "very short introduction" books have shown up in my old reading lists on multiple occasions at university.



I would then move on to the vikings. Again look at "a very short introduction". I would also look at "The Viking World". This is the textbook I used at Uni.


(Now we get to medieval England, my favourite) Look at the history of the medieval church christianity was central to medieval life. Look at the Black Death King Death: The Black Death and its Aftermath in Late-Medieval England, it is one of my favourite books of all time and an absolute pleasure to read. This book is a very good overview of medieval Europe This book is also a very good, but brief, introduction. I would read that one before the other one.


The Hundred Years war is an important part of English and French history. The Hundred Years War is a good brief book.



Now we get to the War of the Roses (if you like game of thrones, this is what it is based on). Hicks, M. A., The war of the Roses (2003). He wrote another longer book in 2010. Both are very good, but the 2003 book is much much smaller.


I never studied the Tudors or Stuarts at uni but I am sure someone else would be able to direct you to good books. When buying books look for "University Press" books. They are written buy lecturers and professors, world leaders in their field.


The Empire Project is a very good book, but not as small as the others I have suggested (well, except for the viking age one).


Don't be disheartened by the amount of books I have suggested, I promise the majority are tiny and pictures do take up a lot of room. If you were to combine them, they probably would be as many words as 2 big books. Wait for the books to become cheap or call up a university second hand book shop to see if they have them in stock. Again I highly recommend the "a very short introduction" books if you want to get to know an area of history without making the commitment of buying larger more expensive books. If you want my old reading lists I can send them too you if you PM me.