England, Scotland and Wales in 550

This map shows how Britain was organised in around 550 AD.

When the Saxons and Angles invaded Britain they had to defeat the native Britons. This is the era of King Arthur who, legend states, defended Britain against the invaders. The Saxons managed to defeat the Britons and take control of the country. The Saxons settled mainly in the south of England, while the Angles settled mainly on the east coast.