What if the Anglo-Saxons Never Settled Britain? - Part 1

An alternate history video. What if the Anglo-Saxons had never migrated to or invaded Britain? Without the Angles, Saxons and Jutes what would happen to the British Isles, and the rest of the world? How would the remaining Britons fit into this equation within this alternate history? Would they be more successful than the Anglo-Saxons, or at least create their own kingdom? What about the influences of the Vikings and Normans later? How would they influence this new British history? And what of the British Empire, and Industrialisation?

Timestamps:
0:00​ - Introduction
0:50​ - Post-Roman Britain
6:16​ - Vikings
9:07 - Normans
13:28​ - Protestants, UK, Empire, Industrialisation

Music Credits:
Alba - Europa Universalis IV: Rule Brittania Copyright [2018] Paradox Interactive AB
Commerce in the Peninsula - Europa Universalis IV: Copyright [2013] Paradox Interactive AB
Kings in the North - Europa Universalis IV: Copyright [2013] Paradox Interactive AB
Land in Sight - Europa Universalis IV: Copyright [2013] Paradox Interactive AB
Off to War - Europa Universalis IV: Copyright [2013] Paradox Interactive AB

[GarfieldRex]

Ahh, EUIV music, a clean and relaxing voice, beautiful maps, consistent and strong logic in alternate history, and a beautiful video overall 👌👌👌👌 I'll check all other videos soon. The Part 2 and that channel are also neat. Blessings 🙌

[PersianHistorian]

I feel like I am in the middle of a war, I have the urge to move my troops, but I can't.

[mac]

Why wouldn't it be called Pyrdain, the welsh word for Britain?

[hs]

I disagree with the Briton’s becoming Protestant, the circumstances in our time were entirely based on personal factors of the royal family that seem unlikely to occur. I would put the chances at 3 out of 10 for conversion

[donnharper]

It is now known that the Pics were a Brythonic people, that spoke a Brythonic language similar to Cymraeg, Cumbric.

[itapi]

I don’t think that the Britonic people would have became Protestant. The reason there would be no King Henry VIII. Also the people of Albion are closer to Celtic. I also think the The United Kingdom in this timeline might extend to Brittany.

[roberthudson]

In my view if the Anglo-Saxons had not invaded Britain, the Vikings would certainly have attempted it at some point, or possibly the Franks. However, it's worth noting that when the Britons actually united, as they did on occasion, they were able to thoroughly defeat the Anglo-Saxons in battle, even if they did enjoy numerical advantage. One example of a Brythonic king who achieved this was Urien, the king of Rheged, who led a coalition of north British kings to defeat the Northumbrians in the 7th century. The Anglo-Saxon takeover of Britain was not inevitable, it occurred primarily because the Britons lacked unity, and lacked war leaders that could actually unite the various kingdoms against the Anglo-Saxons. In the early medieval period the Britons likely didn't see themselves in opposition to the Saxons any more than in opposition to each other. Had they done so and waged an effective campaign to expel the Saxons, they likely could have.

[maxopaladino]

I find funny how some alternative history YouTube channels, when they talk about Normandy, they forget 3 things:

1- Normandy was not a viking descendants majority land, only the nobility of Normandy had Nordic blood, hence, Normandy is just another aleatory duchy of France, with vikings having little influence in the local genetics, local language and even local culture.

2- People like to underrate the Anglo-Saxons just because the Normans won in our timeline. I will remind you all that in terms of military, Anglo-Saxon England was at least 5 times stronger than Normandy. Angland was one of the few united kingdoms in Europe without the problem of being divided into Duchys and Counties. The fact that the Anglo-Saxons lost to the Normans and Willian the Bastard was just because they had already fought the Norwegians in the North, and so, they were tired, they were in need to travel back fast to fight the Normans, and they being tired was an advantage to the Normans. With a little bit more of strategy, the Normans would be out of game just like the Norwegians. And so, same way that the Anglo-Saxons were capable of winning the Norwegians and Normans, so would be the Britons.

3- Normandy was still a vassal of France. When they tried a invasion in England, they were risking everything, and if England repelled the invasion and then decided to clash with France because of that "betrayal of diplomacy" that would mean that the history of France would change as a whole too.

[JTL]

GREAT VIDEO love the unique alternate history idea believe this is the first on no Anglo-Saxon invasion of England.

[Galante]

Can't wait for the amazing comeback of videos hope you're alright history's Influence man

[patrickgrounds]

Imo Britain would have had a history more similar to Eire leading to a mixing of Norse and Celtic cultures. After that is anyone's guess.

[Numba]

Alternate histories like these can be so fascinating! Thanks to Neatling for sending me. Stay well out there everybody, and Jesus Christ be with you friends.😊

[hircenedaelen]

Fun fact wouldn't be called that because it only got that name in victorian age as a tourist trap

[jordanpeters]

I read somewhere that the people in the earliest Saxon graves were of people who were differemt from those found in later Saxon graves ... they were very similar to the people who built Stonehenge!

[T_Kelso]

Next, no Norman invasion! Great video.

[Ulyanov.]

The story of Richard the Lionheart in the Crusades is actually hilarious

[SAR_DUS]

I don’t think Albion will be known as Great Albion because the great is referring to size so big Britain and little Britain (Brittany in France)

[or_gluzmanPeace_IL_PS]

rule albion albion rule the waves albion's never, never, never shall be slaves!

[francogiobbimontesanti]

I think this videos ignore how prevalent vulgar Latin was in the southeast of England. I wouldn’t be surprised if Briton ended up as a romance nation.

[GrandeSalvatore]

Just came across your channel. Great content, would love to see more!