England became England, the land of English-speaking people, at the beginning of the Middle Ages. Before that it had been the home of Iron Age tribes known as Celts, and for a time, part of the Roman Empire. Then beginning in the 400s AD, tribes from the north, known as the Engles, the Saxons, and the Jutes, moved in. The most famous leader of this time period in England was Alfred the Great. Alfred lived in Wessex, the kingdom of the West Saxons, which was in the southern part of England. He was a good leader who made his kingdom stronger. He created a system of defenses , called burhs, across the country. He reorganized the army so that his men had time to fight and time to farm. Alfred's efforts protected his people from the Vikings and allowed Wessex to grow. Eventually the rulers of Wessex would rule all of England. Alfred also made other improvements. He made laws for his people. He encouraged learning and translated several important books into his Saxon language. This was the beginning of the language we call English today. Two important pieces of literature from that time period are the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Beowulf, both written in Old English. Old English lasted through most of the Middle Ages. Middle English came in during the late Middle Ages, and Modern English began about the time of the Renaissance. England and English got their names, not from the Saxons, but from one of the other tribes, and Angles. The original name of England must have been something like Angle-land(only in old English of course). Alfred the Great was the king of   _  .
the Romans the West Saxons the Angles the Vikings