Archbishop

Highest ranking church man. Usually in charge of an archdiocese or province.

Appeasement

The policy of granting concessions to potential enemies to maintain peace. It was used unsuccessfully by Neville Chamberlain prior to the outbreak of World War Two when he tried to appease Hitler by giving into some of his demands.

Annex

To take control of a territory by force.

Annates

Money paid by the clergy to the Pope. All Catholic clergymen had to pay the profit from their first year in any new or advanced position.

Anglo-Saxon

A member or descendant of the Germanic peoples - Angles, Saxons and Jutes who settled in England in the fifth and sixth centuries. They were eventually defeated by the Normans in 1066.

Angles

A member or descendant of the Germanic people that came to England from south Jutland in the fifth century. They founded the kingdoms of Northumbria, East Anglia and Mercia. Together with the Saxons and Jutes they formed the Anglo-Saxon people.

Anachronism

A person or thing that is shown as being in the wrong historical time. Eg a mobile phone in Victorian times.

Altar

In Christian churches the table where communion is taken.

Allies

States or nations that are bound together by alliance.In World War One the term was used to denote Britain, France, Russia and later the USA.In World War Two the term was used to denote Britain, France, the Soviet Union and the USA.

Alliance

An alliance is an agreement made between two or more countries to give each other help if it is needed. When an alliance is signed, those countries become known as Allies.