34. The Germanic Conquest.
About the year 449 an event occurred that profoundly affected the course of history. In
that year, as traditionally stated, began the invasion of Britain by certain Germanic tribes,
the founders of the English nation. For more than a hundred years bands of conquerors
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and settlers migrated from their continental homes in the region of Denmark and the Low
Countries and established themselves in the south and east of the island, gradually
extending the area they occupied until it included all but the highlands in the west and
north. The events of these years are wrapped in much obscurity. Although we can form a
general idea of their course, we are still in doubt about some of the tribes that took part in
the movement, their exact location on the continent, and the dates of their respective
migrations.