Basically, working on a story where a guy kills English people (don't ask). It's set in medieval times. This killer goes up to one guy, and asks him something similar to this: "Was that before x event in history (maybe annexation or secession?), or after? " "A-a-after...?" BANG, he kills him. Could use before as well, really. Just trying to find an event where the person could be English or not based on whether or not it took place before a certain event, or after it. But preceding medieval times.
Reading 'bang' as a gun. Guns... late medieval times? Therefore Battle of Agincourt? English Kings, Henry V and VI, bossed France for a bit around then so it'd fit the annexation/secession angle you're after.
Was just using bang as a placeholder. It's actually a giant club. And that's interesting. What pieces of land were exchanged, if you don't mind me asking?
Act of Union 1707. Not an annexation, but the effect was much the same. Or the conquering of Wales or Ireland. Or the American Revolutionary War, 1775.
English holdings in France. Up until, I forget when, possibly the 15th century, Kings of England also called themselves Kings of France. If Henry V hadn't died of dysentry, he would have been crowned King of France a few weeks later.
Basically England lost the green bits of France on this map, minus Calais: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angevin_Empire Having said that, England/Europe in the Middle Ages is one of those situations where 'it's complicated' doesn't begin to cover it. I'm no expert but I think you'd get more useful answers if you give us a bit more to go on, specifically exactly when is it set and what is your character's background?
Maybe I'm not understanding the question, but I don't think there was any one event that suddenly made people English/not English. In Roman times it, Wales and I think part of Scotland were united as the province of Britannia. Then in early medieval times it was a bunch of small kingdoms, none of which called themselves England. Then for a while most of the country was ruled by the Danes, then the Saxons (I think, I'm not looking any of this up) finally united it into one kingdom of England, but then the Norman conquest happened which added another layer... I dunno, sometimes the King Arthur legend is interpreted as a native (Celtic or vaguely sub-Roman) Briton fighting against invading Germanic people like Angles or Saxons. So maybe you could do something with that? But that's (one interpretation of) a legend, if you're looking for something definitely historical I don't know what to tell you. ETA: basically what @alw86 said. Our posts must've crossed in mid-air.
Annexation/secession of what? It happens that the book I'm working on now has had me looking at a lot of English history, but I have zero idea what you're talking about here.
I'm not sure if most people would talk like that. Unless you mean something like: "If the English had just stuck with their shield wall at Hastings, maybe this street wouldn't have such a dumb name" "So was that battle before or after The Magna Carta?" "A-a-after...?" BANG!
The first King of the English was Athelstan in 927. Although Alfred the Great is commonly regarded as the first King of England, he was only King of Wessex. EDIT: However, the last king of the various kingdoms of England was Eric Bloodaxe, king of Northumbria. Once he died in 954, England would finally be united.
It's actually a Monty Python-esque take on Jack and the Beanstalk. So, probably 1500s or so. Here's how I'm thinking: Spoiler: Spoiler Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman. HEY! (offended) I'm Welsh . . . And what about you? Are you Welsh? What? Er, no but- Giant hits him. Giant looks to Jack to ask him the same. Jack sees what's about to come, and has yet another person get in front of him. Me dad's south Asian, and me mum's from blah blah blah (me mum’s Welsh). Was that before x event in history (maybe annexation or secession?), or after? (Before or after the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542?” Erm...a-after? Giant hits him off the beanstalk with his club. "RAAAAWWRRGGHHH!!!" "AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!"
Ah ok, that makes a lot more sense. Yeah I like the idea of having a certain law or act--juxtapose the lawyerly quibbling with all the violence.
