tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43110631311885549052024-03-18T19:46:30.800-07:00Casting Light upon the ShadowAnnie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-49502902991505143802024-01-07T16:00:00.000-08:002024-01-08T04:49:22.192-08:00The Kingdom of the Hwicce<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">As you probably know, I love researching and writing about the history of Mercia. There’s so much to find when we start digging around; legacies and connections that lead to interesting stories and link to decisive moments of history. Today I want to narrow the focus to one part of what became Greater Mercia.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBKunwjF3SeYVu25j04LpyVEY0WYjG-7fe8o7k60RHloNUat9RfwKZaDGMqfYCw-Vkn3pqHFOydavZyMMSfOmKO9r4uz5nYB7ZC93kP1iMEDOnxX9YX1IeV7x5c5cu1zBTBmdqhQvf-83kpDSCDhab5aIZl8EqXSAPur5Z3TrISCttPXBu1mVakwvFxH0" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBKunwjF3SeYVu25j04LpyVEY0WYjG-7fe8o7k60RHloNUat9RfwKZaDGMqfYCw-Vkn3pqHFOydavZyMMSfOmKO9r4uz5nYB7ZC93kP1iMEDOnxX9YX1IeV7x5c5cu1zBTBmdqhQvf-83kpDSCDhab5aIZl8EqXSAPur5Z3TrISCttPXBu1mVakwvFxH0=w163-h400" width="163" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The early history of this midlands kingdom is complicated but it was, in essence, composed of a central core, expanding by absorbing other smaller kingdoms and tribal areas, much in the way that other ‘Anglo-Saxon’ kingdoms developed. A curious document known as the Tribal Hidage - its origins are also obscure - lists some of these tribes, with Mercia ‘proper’ at the top, then going out from the Mercian heartlands to include such names as the <i>Wreoconsæte</i>, the <i>Westerna</i>, the <i>Pecsæte</i> and the <i>Hwynca</i>, or <i>Hwicce</i>. (See image, left) These names are probably unfamiliar, and sound like they have been lost in time. So were the <i>Hwicce</i> just another lost tribe? No, they retained their status and even provided a link to one of the most widely-talked about periods of Mercian, indeed English, history…</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Historians have been troubled by the kingdom of the <i>Hwicce</i> and whether it existed before Penda’s reign (c.628-655). It is often supposed that the kingdom was created when, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Penda fought, and beat, the West Saxons at Cirencester in 628. We know where it was - much of what we now know as Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire - but can we discover who they were?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The <i>Hwicce</i> lived in the flat-bottomed valley between the Cotswolds and the Malvern Hills, and some suggest that their name means ark, or chest, and refers to that topographical feature. There are many other theories, but none that can be comprehensively proven. It seems the British (or Romano-British) controlled the area in the sixth century, for the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that at the battle of Dyrham in 577 the Saxons fought and slew three British kings and captured the cities which they had ruled (one of them being Cirencester) but it seems like the area remained a mix of British (‘Celtic’) and Anglo-Saxon.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Cirencester had been the tribal capital of the <i>Dobunni</i> in the late Iron Age - perhaps a little of this tribal identity remained. The distribution of <i>Dobunnic</i> coinage is roughly coterminous with the land of the <i>Hwicce</i>, according to landscape historian Della Hooke.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It is not known what happened to the area and who was in control after Dyrham up to the formation of the bishopric of Worcester in the mid-seventh century but it’s almost universally agreed that the diocese represented the territory of the kingdom. (The bishops there described themselves as <i>episopi Hwicciorum.</i>) The <i>Hwicce</i> might, even as a subkingdom of Mercia, have ruled over smaller tribes (a charter of 849 mentions the <i>Pencersætan</i> - southwest of Birmingham - and the people known as the <i>Weogoran</i> gave their name to Worcester itself).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Whilst we might not be able to pin down their exact origins, or the derivation of their name, they are not lost to us as people, and we know of several individuals who played crucial roles. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Bede tells us of seventh-century Queen Eafe who was baptised in her own country, the kingdom of the <i>Hwicce</i>, and we know that she was the daughter of King Eanfrith, who was Christian, as were their people. From her story, we can glean that the <i>Hwicce</i> had by her time lost their independent status, if indeed they ever had it; her marriage to Æthelwalh of the South Saxons probably led to, or was conditional upon, her husband converting to Christianity. The baptism was at the ‘suggestion and in the presence of’ Wulfhere, king of Mercia (son of Penda). The inference is that the South Saxons and, indeed, the <i>Hwicce</i>, were certainly subordinate to Mercia at this point. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It has been suggested, to support the idea that Penda either liberated or created the kingdom, that he did not act alone. Using personal name evidence, one theory has it that Penda was in alliance with a branch of the Northumbrian royal house who had been temporarily exiled, that the area stayed in West Saxon hands after Dyrham and that Penda ‘liberated’ it with the help of these northerners who then ruled it for him. This is based on the number of names beginning with ‘Os’ in both areas and is not universally accepted, although it does lead us to two of those people, both interesting characters. A certain king of the <i>Hwicce</i>, Oshere, was killed, and whilst surviving records don’t tell us how or why, the theory linking the <i>Hwicce</i> to the Northumbrians provides a reason for the murder of Osthryth, the daughter of King Oswiu of Northumbria, who married another of Penda’s sons, Æthelred, and was killed by the Mercians; again, we are given no reason. Had she and Oshere been related, and were they somehow plotting to overthrow the Mercian overlordship? It’s not a theory I subscribe to, but it is tantalising! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Another ‘Os’ character for whom we have a little more information is Osric. He attested charters in the 670s, one (for the foundation of Bath Monastery) as <i>rex </i>but, crucially, only with the consent of King Æthelred of Mercia. Osric was also said to have founded the original monastery where Gloucester Cathedral now stands, and in that building there is an effigy of him. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRhi_HVH0n6YlvlrOgx_DYC8dGVbPx_NdXP0xXzNz2iPOmmuEsvIH9F8EXW3ez80NwV4JJf12NXmAv4vM0omOdaBkPL1N9s7s-bD9dFc1zyC-UtHYMJ1bJ-7LZ7F9ArZ9rFCosRGfWZUdGhp0wt3CKjTm-BRBq0GggJWCLAsru265xzDVGu0w-EJ4ZekM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRhi_HVH0n6YlvlrOgx_DYC8dGVbPx_NdXP0xXzNz2iPOmmuEsvIH9F8EXW3ez80NwV4JJf12NXmAv4vM0omOdaBkPL1N9s7s-bD9dFc1zyC-UtHYMJ1bJ-7LZ7F9ArZ9rFCosRGfWZUdGhp0wt3CKjTm-BRBq0GggJWCLAsru265xzDVGu0w-EJ4ZekM=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Three brothers, Eanberht, Uhtred and Ealdred appear in charters, each of them as <i>regulus</i>, in charters of 757 and 759, but there is no mention of their having had any children, and by the time of a charter of King Offa in 778, Ealdred is styled <i>subregulus </i>and <i>dux</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">After Ealdred, there were no more kings or even subkings of the <i>Hwicce</i>, although an ealdorman, Æthelmund, was killed attacking the people of Wiltshire at Kempsford in 802. The <i>Anglo-Saxon Chronicle</i> tells us that he ‘rode from the province of the <i>Hwiccians</i> across the border at Kempsford.’ He was met by Ealdorman Weohstan of Wiltshire and a ‘great battle’ ensued. In a charter of 796 Æthelmund was described as a faithful <i>princeps</i>. But I’ll come back to this ‘mere’ ealdorman in a moment…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">One of my favourite Mercian characters is Cwoenthryth, daughter of King Cenwulf and abbess of Winchcombe, in the heart of <i>Hwiccian</i> territory. A wealthy and powerful estate manager and heiress, she was the keeper of the royal archive (her father claimed Winchcombe as family land, and it may be that his origins were indeed <i>Hwiccian</i>) and abbess of multiple religious houses. Her ownership of some was questioned by the Church at Canterbury and a legal dispute ensued. A later chronicler accused her of arranging the death of her infant brother and, when his body was discovered, of chanting a psalm backwards as a spell in the hope of avoiding retribution, whereupon her eyeballs fell out. The chronicler claimed to have seen blood on the psalter, but the truth is we have no evidence that this younger brother ever existed. [For more on her story, see my blog post <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2023/06/prominent-women-of-mercia.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQYnRbmgK9EjhIG0eL9AuatV_-MRZTWa_9GO_pPlUoqx4N3fWriNoMdYqfFP0UVvFeBvJY_bMDjjtmxbPEQBLvkY7ghILB8QnTgDN7vAWSrBjiq8sFAKdMh-th2Hgg1tIRffsu90c3Xs_JZgX1Sm8Ak3dbgHDDbX06ElEWxKrL3w32PADmpjeEnB0xMxk" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQYnRbmgK9EjhIG0eL9AuatV_-MRZTWa_9GO_pPlUoqx4N3fWriNoMdYqfFP0UVvFeBvJY_bMDjjtmxbPEQBLvkY7ghILB8QnTgDN7vAWSrBjiq8sFAKdMh-th2Hgg1tIRffsu90c3Xs_JZgX1Sm8Ak3dbgHDDbX06ElEWxKrL3w32PADmpjeEnB0xMxk" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Nothing remains of Winchcombe Abbey bar a few stones on display at nearby Sudeley Castle, (see left) but in the <i>Hwicce</i> territory you can, unusually, see not one but two existing buildings from this period. Do, if you can, visit Deerhurst in Gloucestershire. It was here, at St Mary’s Church, that, according to some, Æthelmund the ealdorman was buried after his death at Kempsford. The church retains much of its original Anglo-Saxon features, including the bifora (double window) and stone-carved animal heads.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwEVtBxM7O5GNlcO48Zw1IhuxAp3ojBFj-nceFLtObDYmZ9YxixCj1BJSm2PZn-FjkLe11XaF1wtqRP2KE7j2GYlSmB-KmD6ox9Nv_af_0JAY7xyKrlUMDYdAjzZw7_dCfSf7LAyYkyJfqz4i_WvT-P1ybL-PAxXGa11UjgTEQwCbZwc2oEUuJhyLwnGY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwEVtBxM7O5GNlcO48Zw1IhuxAp3ojBFj-nceFLtObDYmZ9YxixCj1BJSm2PZn-FjkLe11XaF1wtqRP2KE7j2GYlSmB-KmD6ox9Nv_af_0JAY7xyKrlUMDYdAjzZw7_dCfSf7LAyYkyJfqz4i_WvT-P1ybL-PAxXGa11UjgTEQwCbZwc2oEUuJhyLwnGY" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhU9bFWXJ_is_rnMk8qtauchkNR1T2ReA2w_QPTv_9JvWL0UYTy6VqcE33iEv1mxNW7FAFPWN9-9u-Gss_QWQzvy8iF0EG7lrsn1oTBeM5T4Jsbza3n8ALai7lH3m4HCD7eweeAtIXIUDvpAkQlf50KLvviMH6AztInMtn84vKBXJc-hhvf8z-6gCAxCcU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhU9bFWXJ_is_rnMk8qtauchkNR1T2ReA2w_QPTv_9JvWL0UYTy6VqcE33iEv1mxNW7FAFPWN9-9u-Gss_QWQzvy8iF0EG7lrsn1oTBeM5T4Jsbza3n8ALai7lH3m4HCD7eweeAtIXIUDvpAkQlf50KLvviMH6AztInMtn84vKBXJc-hhvf8z-6gCAxCcU" width="180" /></a></div><br />A short walk down the lane takes you to Odda’s Chapel. In 1675 a tree fell down outside a half-timbered manor house, revealing an inscription stone. In the nineteenth century the chapel itself was discovered, attached to the house. It was commissioned by Earl Odda, owner of the estate of Deerhurst in the eleventh century, in memory of his brother who had died in 1053. </span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmJZSmjIGazuWw_pV1XiFxynlLosoLUfEIFOhzaUINuzQu8iB_IiwG0xlyUjW1AH8QXA0nJpokydXXWxyz-lJw0XkZ_CoMnifb5kw5Pwbpl7uHJTSoi2VW5_VfPWQ6urrkWSoyKGwfKUJXGGQGmE-nkytDj3VNXgKyxJwu0yBW7oukJsqtagzwRO3j9z8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmJZSmjIGazuWw_pV1XiFxynlLosoLUfEIFOhzaUINuzQu8iB_IiwG0xlyUjW1AH8QXA0nJpokydXXWxyz-lJw0XkZ_CoMnifb5kw5Pwbpl7uHJTSoi2VW5_VfPWQ6urrkWSoyKGwfKUJXGGQGmE-nkytDj3VNXgKyxJwu0yBW7oukJsqtagzwRO3j9z8=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Before we leave Deerhurst, let me return to Ealdorman Æthelmund. Though, in reality, Mercia was perhaps no different in its growth from the other ‘Anglo-Saxon’ kingdoms, it tended to continue to recognise its origins, insofar as its earldormen were often leaders of erstwhile smaller kingdoms/tribes rather than being centrally appointed. This also meant that there was nearly always more than one claimant to the throne, hence its - often bloody - succession struggles. It ran out of kings, eventually, but played a massive part in the history of this period when its leaders, the Lord and Lady of the Mercians (she being Æthelflæd) allied with Wessex to push back the Viking advance. Barbara Yorke, Emeritus Professor of Early Medieval History at the University of Winchester, has postulated that Æthelflæd’s husband, Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians, was descended from Æthelmund. It is my view that without the support of the Mercians, Alfred the Great and then his son, Edward the Elder, would not have been able to push back the Vikings. Thus the <i>Hwicce</i> played a major role at a pivotal moment of history.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisd7sJ5HVVpAXL-_eYRNSC6S0JptBAdtlSNuYw0MwGkatJF11ltTyp3vayEfOsU9QZsqojZ8bGZRjPvHlhVV0lB2jbjBkfOCvyAbdaqLY0Zim_ZpjLkj8M0dDPB6nTtm0to_IH4pDbxlHkRgMX8Je1LQbzAUyKc5VLfbyP8rr31X0YaEn2xLXMmGcMNrE" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="189" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisd7sJ5HVVpAXL-_eYRNSC6S0JptBAdtlSNuYw0MwGkatJF11ltTyp3vayEfOsU9QZsqojZ8bGZRjPvHlhVV0lB2jbjBkfOCvyAbdaqLY0Zim_ZpjLkj8M0dDPB6nTtm0to_IH4pDbxlHkRgMX8Je1LQbzAUyKc5VLfbyP8rr31X0YaEn2xLXMmGcMNrE=w267-h400" width="267" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Æthelflæd (from The Cartulary and Customs of Abingdon Abbey, c. 1220)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[A version of this article first appeared in Historical Times Magazine 2022]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">You can read more on the kingdom of the <i>Hwicce </i>in my book, <i>Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom</i>, available in book shops, on the <a href="https://www.amberley-books.com/mercia-9781398103337.html" target="_blank">Amberley Publishing Website</a>, and on <a href="http://mybook.to/MerciaRiseandFall" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjho4Xg8Cgp58waFBElT9NSXEuUebo4WmgEawF-fQw185ko-Myk7kX1W0lRLo8pM-KIP0MgyeP8DHs-fnulsdXxCxXwOpovgBcwKBzLvJAejDcDfTpDuS-Va2QlVtplcO0utc5bFQ4D6aoHtbYdAQx0inCUZimRjCSHs4uwBsc5rH-L2AvJQgcqDszYXTE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="195" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjho4Xg8Cgp58waFBElT9NSXEuUebo4WmgEawF-fQw185ko-Myk7kX1W0lRLo8pM-KIP0MgyeP8DHs-fnulsdXxCxXwOpovgBcwKBzLvJAejDcDfTpDuS-Va2QlVtplcO0utc5bFQ4D6aoHtbYdAQx0inCUZimRjCSHs4uwBsc5rH-L2AvJQgcqDszYXTE=w260-h400" width="260" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[all photos by and copyright of the author. Tribal Hidage and depiction of <span style="text-align: center;">Æthelflæd are Public Domain images]</span></span><p></p>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-18896279728588974382023-06-18T02:31:00.004-07:002023-06-18T02:45:33.888-07:00Ad Gefrin - Anglo-Saxon Museum <p> <span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">On Friday I</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> had the opportunity to travel into ancient Northumbria to visit Ad Gefrin. A few years ago I had visited the site, at Yeavering, where an enormous 'Anglo-Saxon' hall had once stood (you can find my blog post about that visit <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2018/02/yeavering-anglo-saxon-royal-palace.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>) so I was excited to hear news that in 2023 a new museum was opening just a few miles away, at Wooler. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZTaOR3FoQ3oVAyS3yAA_k-fO6sbPt635xW5Ns-FfHs8GrXdLajGJXc84kiTqpQLtTofpvrlHawqGouu7AQZFI7PLD0bUCE-6T49ndretO3eiZxoSATEG94lhKQsAUSayHO3CBx-0lBH52WIgsOJnNv3Lp0FLJ431-TuWRiS4GgI0VXuUiqhDq9fHi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="514" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZTaOR3FoQ3oVAyS3yAA_k-fO6sbPt635xW5Ns-FfHs8GrXdLajGJXc84kiTqpQLtTofpvrlHawqGouu7AQZFI7PLD0bUCE-6T49ndretO3eiZxoSATEG94lhKQsAUSayHO3CBx-0lBH52WIgsOJnNv3Lp0FLJ431-TuWRiS4GgI0VXuUiqhDq9fHi=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In April, Ad Gefrin <a href="https://twitter.com/AdGefrin/status/1651874414940631040" target="_blank">Tweeted </a>a selection of the books for sale in the shop, and I was thrilled to see one of mine included. A conversation ensued, during which I promised to let them know when I was planning to visit.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So now, let me tell you about my visit, starting with the website and booking tickets. It's maybe not essential to book in advance, though it would be advisable at busy times, and I was a bit concerned because though I didn't want to travel all that way and find it fully booked, I also - because of travelling such a long way - couldn't say exactly what time I'd be there. No need to worry though, because it's so simple to book your tickets online and know that the <a href="https://adgefrin.co.uk/our-experience/tickets" target="_blank">ticket gives you all day access, from 10am-6pm.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Off I went, tickets secured and, following another conversation via Twitter, knowing that the team there were ready to welcome me when I arrived. I'm afraid the first thing I did when I got there (in my defence, it wasn't my idea; I was encouraged!) was to sing into the 'atrium' and enjoy the resonance. I must say in apology to all who were there that I had given five talks in the week leading up to the visit and have not been to choir practice for a month so my voice was not at its operatic best!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-14fG1kaWigl686hrNU_J-wW4OKWyz-BbaT3XmkMwGmvFCIl3oLJAY91PGqGRKDgTblsDOE6ub5HptTcO6RyT4ASLXC7V76RmH7gxrgEO0XeOw_VLUE_OaflJJUBFWD2q4TAbOhbUHlG8_b6p6bwRw9iQJMK8TQr9ZGKuWzdOqLMaeXLQqE-eS5EO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="680" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-14fG1kaWigl686hrNU_J-wW4OKWyz-BbaT3XmkMwGmvFCIl3oLJAY91PGqGRKDgTblsDOE6ub5HptTcO6RyT4ASLXC7V76RmH7gxrgEO0XeOw_VLUE_OaflJJUBFWD2q4TAbOhbUHlG8_b6p6bwRw9iQJMK8TQr9ZGKuWzdOqLMaeXLQqE-eS5EO=w400-h240" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Upstairs I was welcomed into the mead hall, (and asked to leave any weapons at the door)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpg89uYGFHxgA0Y-MaxdGAxbyMaFnclC_6LBgrEwEg_By2uVuJ7tUMzwoFzCOmxbQT1z3LQqVVWuKtv9Gq6FEAFEyDCMHrQF_6sLLh1y6nbW0HZHO3BTahsYXokPU1Z2OBGnzL2CXc7thh4pnG-ZKOuydKKDqSCFWmlcCcDyFtEThDhZP9TL5NsN6b/s5152/DSC02220.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpg89uYGFHxgA0Y-MaxdGAxbyMaFnclC_6LBgrEwEg_By2uVuJ7tUMzwoFzCOmxbQT1z3LQqVVWuKtv9Gq6FEAFEyDCMHrQF_6sLLh1y6nbW0HZHO3BTahsYXokPU1Z2OBGnzL2CXc7thh4pnG-ZKOuydKKDqSCFWmlcCcDyFtEThDhZP9TL5NsN6b/w400-h300/DSC02220.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">and it was explained that there was an audio-visual to watch. I imagined the usual run-of-the-mill VT scenario, and I couldn't have been more wrong. The auditorium makes up an imagined half of the great hall, while the audio-visual presentation makes up the other half. It is an extraordinary presentation and does an incredible job of bringing the Anglo-Saxon hall to life. Various characters stepped forward to speak, and explain who they are and talk about their lives. It was mesmerising (though not easy to photograph, so apologies for the picture quality):</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2npnViexx07Er1aBAXcExiE0E5EEvR3fa_hZgHFG-DLcdO-_GXQHA9AoA-RifGs-eczdEySRelkExM38uEJkVG2d5Q9jbSJBuQX_2wABFIwpvcg81cyRpQYgHxo3GDvrd1TBIdr-vovIUmJoPzxKcs_BT0Ju2OXe8bzQiKXoyX9N1TQwpnN4M1oz7/s5152/DSC02227.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2npnViexx07Er1aBAXcExiE0E5EEvR3fa_hZgHFG-DLcdO-_GXQHA9AoA-RifGs-eczdEySRelkExM38uEJkVG2d5Q9jbSJBuQX_2wABFIwpvcg81cyRpQYgHxo3GDvrd1TBIdr-vovIUmJoPzxKcs_BT0Ju2OXe8bzQiKXoyX9N1TQwpnN4M1oz7/w400-h300/DSC02227.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I was told that on the dais where there are three beautiful wall hangings there will soon be two replica 'thrones' so that's all the excuse I need to return for another visit. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGkHQHl6CVV8kos5yN5TwM7hZICa9EbwkRaBoqL4gu5CHH9h9qV9P9ynMyG3VifHCEm5z40QOG0H1kCBtbOC4T-psE2WBEFTVaaZG9Z0ETU45Gyi3_ok-Pm593gx66S_ypGfYud9m8gf-u47G1oC2aRGmyoFWMGTRHEcNXXPHaAdogX0oDjRclQSx/s5152/DSC02239.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGkHQHl6CVV8kos5yN5TwM7hZICa9EbwkRaBoqL4gu5CHH9h9qV9P9ynMyG3VifHCEm5z40QOG0H1kCBtbOC4T-psE2WBEFTVaaZG9Z0ETU45Gyi3_ok-Pm593gx66S_ypGfYud9m8gf-u47G1oC2aRGmyoFWMGTRHEcNXXPHaAdogX0oDjRclQSx/w400-h300/DSC02239.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Here are some pictures of the other half of the hall where you can sit and enjoy the audio-visual show:</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwERzD_hZ_1zMs89LtwW_A6zy_xQSjohV2s3boPcfYj8SdswW2lONfCI9GRboBvxwzIDWClVXdxn1qO6ESx-N_UmOEmIGg5-5hgDAvcfjGC8xNu_KnoTt3lg1cRmN-6AMi1thdKj4qUBvobBDQETF_tw72BVDQrTAapisZzzMHubDfH7A2DGCdAgAs/s5152/DSC02223.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwERzD_hZ_1zMs89LtwW_A6zy_xQSjohV2s3boPcfYj8SdswW2lONfCI9GRboBvxwzIDWClVXdxn1qO6ESx-N_UmOEmIGg5-5hgDAvcfjGC8xNu_KnoTt3lg1cRmN-6AMi1thdKj4qUBvobBDQETF_tw72BVDQrTAapisZzzMHubDfH7A2DGCdAgAs/w400-h300/DSC02223.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqp9iweeWa5AIiPLCMvpXg0EGKdBwVP_6JYD3cI2zIjTUdiDBH2MBmh8ooOTHpqC9vcMZMQbO8i7UutKPnsyTyGXQ956Mi_qqA67EVEMrKc0bV1lkRioZdlTKSV7kAB-3_yvjsk0rG7QBaLSckLVxZe6gU__YeHB79iSf2Vjne-IewhESQs25v_pNx/s5152/DSC02240.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqp9iweeWa5AIiPLCMvpXg0EGKdBwVP_6JYD3cI2zIjTUdiDBH2MBmh8ooOTHpqC9vcMZMQbO8i7UutKPnsyTyGXQ956Mi_qqA67EVEMrKc0bV1lkRioZdlTKSV7kAB-3_yvjsk0rG7QBaLSckLVxZe6gU__YeHB79iSf2Vjne-IewhESQs25v_pNx/w300-h400/DSC02240.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the other half of the museum you can see the display of artefacts, some unearthed nearby and some on loan from the British Museum and other places:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHEt0OegSn1U2Z6rV34SvVgA0xUlC_amRlZXPftGkpvpdQD0GckbqVAoKm9z70opmZV4V_ssJ8-9n6gQYRLYCSB33tuR0zmydt_GcyzFzbKIjP76VRAW175pplTq0gZ1V-WjRHRLmhgCJADo8kWekyUvpoc1wFN2w44gkTCnjMXbC2jwYi6DAiYxcE/s5152/DSC02230.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHEt0OegSn1U2Z6rV34SvVgA0xUlC_amRlZXPftGkpvpdQD0GckbqVAoKm9z70opmZV4V_ssJ8-9n6gQYRLYCSB33tuR0zmydt_GcyzFzbKIjP76VRAW175pplTq0gZ1V-WjRHRLmhgCJADo8kWekyUvpoc1wFN2w44gkTCnjMXbC2jwYi6DAiYxcE/w300-h400/DSC02230.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWRq4h1dhV88kRmBzvA6Kp-QqznKNhg37mq9k9XqU1mWJKJlatgzip8ZeusUOXLKFWI5jYPxG_WWXwF5A6oDlH2aahRhwUDsnlkcLweeYf77JS3mkht7uhpq4e6gduW0ZBZ0sf90aZaoA7SAzp9Vt16tbP-69KC6p0gxPxo_Jb0lJnqUrE7U5LVdp/s5152/DSC02228.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWRq4h1dhV88kRmBzvA6Kp-QqznKNhg37mq9k9XqU1mWJKJlatgzip8ZeusUOXLKFWI5jYPxG_WWXwF5A6oDlH2aahRhwUDsnlkcLweeYf77JS3mkht7uhpq4e6gduW0ZBZ0sf90aZaoA7SAzp9Vt16tbP-69KC6p0gxPxo_Jb0lJnqUrE7U5LVdp/w300-h400/DSC02228.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87ZpNBRsRsAm2Oj3DVj4mWVw3nQPyKZmLE9bg43S8Ywp1rMkT3qq8JdFWM6_DBXqxMXhwTOsQfYhlFyPyEzgLmQxNLm6-ggUH2dqEfL6ryOq5IRLoiKmjchX6UL9MhRDxJI_DqInDrBGee65Cfk_zadMBerzCs4g1Qw_W7qQEW1yxpF0p4FM6fvxF/s5152/DSC02229.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87ZpNBRsRsAm2Oj3DVj4mWVw3nQPyKZmLE9bg43S8Ywp1rMkT3qq8JdFWM6_DBXqxMXhwTOsQfYhlFyPyEzgLmQxNLm6-ggUH2dqEfL6ryOq5IRLoiKmjchX6UL9MhRDxJI_DqInDrBGee65Cfk_zadMBerzCs4g1Qw_W7qQEW1yxpF0p4FM6fvxF/w400-h300/DSC02229.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">as well as site plans and models of the buildings:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGYGaVMkbr4EQGgfv6A7iUM5mEVyUIYlM1SnLO60oI7uIKQ-a0Ruh1m9CGWp6ssOus97cvkCStpode56fMP-TAlJ_6gT98J5Fna2sZPOerEE_Y8UgkA5IbAOd0Wi229d23aPrhcieDCipaDzVo8j5a7ETF0cJueSna0E8wnqnad8AGv0t9LfmPZQO/s5152/DSC02235.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGYGaVMkbr4EQGgfv6A7iUM5mEVyUIYlM1SnLO60oI7uIKQ-a0Ruh1m9CGWp6ssOus97cvkCStpode56fMP-TAlJ_6gT98J5Fna2sZPOerEE_Y8UgkA5IbAOd0Wi229d23aPrhcieDCipaDzVo8j5a7ETF0cJueSna0E8wnqnad8AGv0t9LfmPZQO/w400-h300/DSC02235.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I was so intent on scrutinising the exhibits that it was only as I made to leave that I fully noticed the paintings behind the displays, and spent a long time looking at them and appreciating how much they helped to contextualise the exhibits:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXC7h0-XuB2EiGR9GdDEouttv36eVGx90fUcH0yrF_jgHTRBorhKCT_GcLAe9SbIQhH8qII2Z-XOsyjmGmhnX74ICvc6UBEFLx_RQxfmHk0OYI9RUKQFPjpyue1ojjSVhgNH_ar3qo2gToyPrxBdqPnFKJKutqTZoke8Vx4yG_uqrp2lEmPWqNRTW-/s5152/DSC02236.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXC7h0-XuB2EiGR9GdDEouttv36eVGx90fUcH0yrF_jgHTRBorhKCT_GcLAe9SbIQhH8qII2Z-XOsyjmGmhnX74ICvc6UBEFLx_RQxfmHk0OYI9RUKQFPjpyue1ojjSVhgNH_ar3qo2gToyPrxBdqPnFKJKutqTZoke8Vx4yG_uqrp2lEmPWqNRTW-/w400-h300/DSC02236.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Of course, me being me, I chatted at length to the staff who were all knowledgeable and friendly. Downstairs again, I had another long chat with the team, and accidentally found myself purchasing a bottle of gin from the distillery... I didn't have time to do the distillery tour so again, that's another excuse to go back again...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibowo0XjeQYz5aeIntXoLqY7fTpPfwMkaks54NevlQGaMw0KJ4AiYI-LX3BmQ74LBhn-iAkRBUkrPO3V5IQmoiL12yiFEjh_LrDO8CJCAreo6_0qYUBcHBPrqO2I6KjUV53VUCFr0wkBsck2EWK7jkRfnKrjpF9LWZdla_a3--XvELqWuU0E9fBulv/s680/Ad%20Gefrin.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="510" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibowo0XjeQYz5aeIntXoLqY7fTpPfwMkaks54NevlQGaMw0KJ4AiYI-LX3BmQ74LBhn-iAkRBUkrPO3V5IQmoiL12yiFEjh_LrDO8CJCAreo6_0qYUBcHBPrqO2I6KjUV53VUCFr0wkBsck2EWK7jkRfnKrjpF9LWZdla_a3--XvELqWuU0E9fBulv/w300-h400/Ad%20Gefrin.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The museum has only been open for three months or so and already it is a stunning place and it will continue to grow and develop. What I especially loved is how immersive it all is and how, without fanfare or fuss, it opens a window onto life in an Anglo-Saxon 'court'. The artefacts are well presented, easy to see and with easy to read notes. The backdrops add visual aids which really help to imagine what life looked like and the colours and detail are rich. Anyone who thought that early medieval buildings were drab wooden sheds will leave with an entirely different impression after looking at the intricate and beautifully decorated carvings in the 'hall'. Similarly, anyone who thinks that the clothing of the period was drab, plain, and unadorned will watch the film and discover that's simply not true.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">There are dots to be joined up too: in one of the display cases there is a shield boss</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8b6QnZ5gTfF7B8LrBR85Q6neuOluzygnEAl5pMmJOA4NLwbEgMhSds_uzRw4OStZG64YlgEtfCZece5Cp7TAPpl7hwBf67bJlqVhSwfyn1cQ6nuCde1sQsE6goGrYLkmLbYGzYebQuqsJpSv3lq4Azx9P2Y06sB7ox3F9ZeIZdAnkqM-Zl790Kk5w/s5152/DSC02231.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8b6QnZ5gTfF7B8LrBR85Q6neuOluzygnEAl5pMmJOA4NLwbEgMhSds_uzRw4OStZG64YlgEtfCZece5Cp7TAPpl7hwBf67bJlqVhSwfyn1cQ6nuCde1sQsE6goGrYLkmLbYGzYebQuqsJpSv3lq4Azx9P2Y06sB7ox3F9ZeIZdAnkqM-Zl790Kk5w/w400-h300/DSC02231.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">which is, frankly, stunning enough. But back in the hall, you can see a replica of how this shield would once have looked:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcjtcnLhMKbMpvva-sIeOuxn3HmSaVWJL5HbECNyWkkFRbpSe6y-vY-e4aq9KG98ksAeoo8B4IVZJ4R8T3eNq1REnH5IT105otFED2jgsrQXVVfMCU2WTatxKCHZs1gX5ZX810XR5byXeW3xJovyFt2-bKYCWhR3UBXHW7nTOwX5g_4nfOtHn_ITc/s5152/DSC02238.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcjtcnLhMKbMpvva-sIeOuxn3HmSaVWJL5HbECNyWkkFRbpSe6y-vY-e4aq9KG98ksAeoo8B4IVZJ4R8T3eNq1REnH5IT105otFED2jgsrQXVVfMCU2WTatxKCHZs1gX5ZX810XR5byXeW3xJovyFt2-bKYCWhR3UBXHW7nTOwX5g_4nfOtHn_ITc/w400-h300/DSC02238.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I think it's so important to present history in this way; to give an insight into how that world looked. While I was there I noticed that many of the visitors were prompted to ask questions about what they were seeing, and came away having learned even more about the importance of the site at Yeavering, the history of the Northumbrian kingdom, and the Anglo-Saxon world.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I cannot recommend Ad Gefrin highly enough. Do visit if you can.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Website: <a href="https://adgefrin.co.uk/" target="_blank">https://adgefrin.co.uk/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Find Ad Gefrin on <a href="https://twitter.com/AdGefrin" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AdGefrin/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-39367982488315695222023-06-17T05:27:00.001-07:002023-09-04T06:54:13.379-07:00Prominent Women of Mercia<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">On Sunday June 12th as part of Tamworth's Æthelfest 23, I delivered the second of my talks*. This time the subject was Prominent Women of Mercia and I began by thanking everyone for coming, and expressed my gratitude to Tamworth Borough Council and the festival organisers for inviting me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Then I began my talk by shouting at everyone:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> Hwaet!!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HusR-iC1QV37YbUZcGDYO18yRMaBscl68AKkKZ6tH4MIzIp0jwqTgkPVLlVChK0ojzjiAJebAStqeaVeTdvb8nLNdWYm20iSwWYbXoF03d_BvF-b3g8g5ME2Bec_1ta8IdmbVgxv7zDjQVj2fxVlFbOggvZRAuCG2Q3-WfxLmM-bN2Yu4NkYCevI/s1145/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2010.41.43.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1145" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HusR-iC1QV37YbUZcGDYO18yRMaBscl68AKkKZ6tH4MIzIp0jwqTgkPVLlVChK0ojzjiAJebAStqeaVeTdvb8nLNdWYm20iSwWYbXoF03d_BvF-b3g8g5ME2Bec_1ta8IdmbVgxv7zDjQVj2fxVlFbOggvZRAuCG2Q3-WfxLmM-bN2Yu4NkYCevI/w400-h233/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2010.41.43.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">That’s how the great epic poem Beowulf starts and whilst scholars argue about what that actually means, the purpose surely is to get everyone to settle down and listen. (And by the way, there’s more than one historian who thinks that Beowulf originated in Mercia).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[You can see that word hwaet up there on the screen, top left – that’s the opening page of a copy of Beowulf there]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And we can imagine them in a hall, gathering round, drinks in hand - drinks served by the women. The poem was eventually written down, but even then it was meant to be performed, not read, because well, the Anglo-Saxons weren’t that literate were they? Well, actually they were. And those women who were serving the drinks? Yes, them too, some of them at any rate, but I’ll come back to them. (Incidentally it was a great honour and a sign of high status when the lady of the hall served the drinks. It was she who really gave permission for the fun and feasting to start.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now, whilst I have written a book about <a href="http://mybook.to/WomeninPower" target="_blank">Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England</a>, and there were plenty of them, mostly I write about the ancient kingdom of Mercia, both in my fiction and nonfiction, so I’m going to talk today about some phenomenal Mercian women, some of whom were given a really bad press.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">If we go right back to the beginning, one standout woman was King Penda’s wife, Cynewise. We know very little about her but Bede - the Northumbrian monk who wrote the Ecclesiastical History of the English People - does imply that she was ruling the kingdom when her husband was away and that she was left in charge of a high status hostage, the son of the king of Northumbria, no less. Penda spent a lot of his time up in Northumbria, fighting, so I guess we can assume that the clearly able Cynewise was left in charge during his absences for long periods.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjURAAzErJDrBXJc8P5hvRMNZSjohoDw4g9tTGTo1d0HIcKrRNum6EsPd-_CkewPmz_aaqRNF_zaWXwIBMqEKzZZfcUtPa06OLM2cKB0HLHkW40del_-OoYKF8rBd7-FE3PVgxZ-Q7_RctYKxpIwq8K9m-0TcrYbqm47i-y8a0ssysS7K-yAkBRu2Za" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="654" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjURAAzErJDrBXJc8P5hvRMNZSjohoDw4g9tTGTo1d0HIcKrRNum6EsPd-_CkewPmz_aaqRNF_zaWXwIBMqEKzZZfcUtPa06OLM2cKB0HLHkW40del_-OoYKF8rBd7-FE3PVgxZ-Q7_RctYKxpIwq8K9m-0TcrYbqm47i-y8a0ssysS7K-yAkBRu2Za=w400-h330" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">One of their granddaughters was St Werburg, who was revered at Chester, and you can see her pilgrim badge there, a design incorporated into a stained glass window, with geese on it. Among the many miracles attributed to her is the one told by William of Malmesbury. He said that she owned a strip of land where the crops were being eaten by wild geese. Werburg told the bailiff to shut the geese up in his house and, whilst he thought it an odd request, he obeyed. He then stole one of the birds for his supper, fearing no reprisal, we’re told. The next day Werburg commanded the geese to fly off but they did not, instead crowding round her feet and complaining loudly. She realised something was amiss, questioned the bailiff and obtained his confession. She then made a sign of healing and the bird sprouted new feathers and sprang back to life. William of Malmesbury went on to say that Werburg’s powers were such that the prayers of all were granted, especially those of women and children. Her cult was promoted by Mercian kings in their own kingdom and in Kent. In the tenth century, though, the main focus of her cult was Chester, where her remains were enshrined probably at the command of Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, at a minster which became known as St Werburgh’s. During the Reformation, St Werburgh’s Abbey became the cathedral of the new see of Chester.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSJ8oVLV5u72-Fymes67ATvrJSd_sK5Gy_uiSoKz59WZw9w-3MKp9meIvxLD6-u0RvbTx9Zb74JH04dcKVl15yv3E3-G7OBYmGAvZn949hbfDXEMHenztI9ysxztFOt9IKSlKPYcahw05mn0_4Kao-buo-O2gCxm88B8dUUssqauwt6tERuMWdUPy9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="960" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSJ8oVLV5u72-Fymes67ATvrJSd_sK5Gy_uiSoKz59WZw9w-3MKp9meIvxLD6-u0RvbTx9Zb74JH04dcKVl15yv3E3-G7OBYmGAvZn949hbfDXEMHenztI9ysxztFOt9IKSlKPYcahw05mn0_4Kao-buo-O2gCxm88B8dUUssqauwt6tERuMWdUPy9=w400-h215" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Werburg’s father, Wulfhere, was equally as strong a Mercian king as his father, Penda, but unlike Penda he was Christian, (and you can see him there on the right at Lichfield Cathedral) and he set about ensuring that smaller kingdoms under his overlordship were Christian, too. The king of Sussex accepted Wulfhere as his baptismal sponsor and, perhaps as a reward, received as a bride a princess of the kingdom of the <i>Hwicce</i> (an kingdom roughly the area of modern-day diocese of Worcester)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now, this princess called Eafe might just -though the dates barely work, be the same person as an abbess of that name, who was granted land by the king of Mercia at the time, Æthelbald, for the murder of her kinsman. If this Eafe is one and the same, then she’s a good example of how royal women forged independent lives in widowhood, because the religious life was far from unpleasant, and she clearly made sure that the king atoned for his crime against her kinsman. The oft-quoted ‘Get thee to a nunnery’ seems to suggest that in such an establishment there will be piety, chastity, and quiet contemplation. All these are true, but perhaps our idea of a nunnery is of a slightly austere building or buildings, where holy sisters spent their days in prayer and hard work. In fact, many were what we call Double Houses, containing both monks and nuns. Sometimes the two houses were separated by high walls, but not always. Most were run by princess-abbesses; royal, they were powerful, and influential, like our next lady.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">A few generations after Penda’s family, we meet Cynethryth, wife of Offa. He was not especially closely related to the previous king, and her bloodline might have strengthened his claim (the bloodline of royal women often played a part in establishing rule). He had ambition - reckoning himself the equal to the emperor Charlemagne (it’s clear from his letters that Charlemagne didn’t feel the same way!) - and because of the precarious nature of kingship, Offa arranged to have his son, Ecgfrith, anointed as his official heir (not that it did him much good; the lad only reigned for five months). Offa’s wife, on the other hand, holds a special record. She is the only queen consort - that we know of - who had coins minted in her own name. Part of Offa’s plans for empire, no doubt, but the fact remains that she had her own coinage.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hfvR9ywi9ekorsWFr_-w1ki91HomGjMN_k7TFh543GNkSvMl2lQjEZ4F0IegqFEAmrqY7UCP9fYsp3WbCfo4vKciiOTKnU6-gGrnLCostCvme6lGwn6jP-oRXI-0b5BCsY6V7AGx4v7Nj1KS8CqS_5GmLAoajU0h2ocLaJy19tUdxI_uTj9ZyOio/s800/cynethryth.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="800" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hfvR9ywi9ekorsWFr_-w1ki91HomGjMN_k7TFh543GNkSvMl2lQjEZ4F0IegqFEAmrqY7UCP9fYsp3WbCfo4vKciiOTKnU6-gGrnLCostCvme6lGwn6jP-oRXI-0b5BCsY6V7AGx4v7Nj1KS8CqS_5GmLAoajU0h2ocLaJy19tUdxI_uTj9ZyOio/w400-h193/cynethryth.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[and you can see her coin there, with the word REGINA on it]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">She was also involved in government (she witnessed 25 charters). Alcuin who was a Northumbrian scholar in Charlemagne’s court wrote to her son after he succeeded, and reminded him that he should learn compassion from his mother and, tellingly, he asked that the king send greeting to her; he would have written to her himself but knew that the king’s business kept her too busy to read letters. So she’s clearly acting as regent, if she’s busy with the king’s business, and also clearly able to read any letters that Alcuin might have chosen to send. She retired to become abbess at Cookham, a foundation which is currently being excavated, so that’s very exciting.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Cynethryth was accused by a later chronicler of inciting her husband to commit murder. But I must emphasise that bit about a LATER chronicler. Because remember Alcuin, who was a contemporary, called her compassionate.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In 794, we’re told, Offa, king of the Mercians, had Æthelberht of East Anglia beheaded.’ This is a contemporary-ish account, fairly standard, blames the king.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWKYzQLTxzFwkhCcJsWb1BlcSlOPDIqid9k3JFe5JEoaVlWlqSFZnuM6EDQZbtg9C3x8I9pJsYwBRm_XBWsQY1eXhIL5T-NEaIHaIS0YiMJ1H6D60kxj7OwX31pCYL9ZiaWWzRCxq3ump9MvpyC3G7Kwe7zUc9Nb2hyvafYiHGd0EkmB57FUw0Q2TK" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="568" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWKYzQLTxzFwkhCcJsWb1BlcSlOPDIqid9k3JFe5JEoaVlWlqSFZnuM6EDQZbtg9C3x8I9pJsYwBRm_XBWsQY1eXhIL5T-NEaIHaIS0YiMJ1H6D60kxj7OwX31pCYL9ZiaWWzRCxq3ump9MvpyC3G7Kwe7zUc9Nb2hyvafYiHGd0EkmB57FUw0Q2TK=w400-h330" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And there you can see the murdered king immortalised in a stained glass image</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">One version of the story is that this murdered king of East Anglia wanted to marry a daughter of Offa. He travelled to meet her in Mercia but Offa suspected him of planning an invasion and had him killed, beheaded and thrown into the nearby River. That later chronicler, Roger of Wendover - remember that name! - blamed Offa’s wife, saying that it was she who had counselled the murders.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Roger’s story gives great detail: 'Æthelberht came to Offa, the most potent king of the Mercians, beseeching him to give him his daughter in marriage.’ On learning the reason for his visit, Offa apparently entertained him with ‘all possible courtesy’, so this is a different spin. But when he consulted his queen, she said ‘God has this day delivered into your hands your enemy, whose kingdom you have so long desired; if, therefore, you secretly put him to death, his kingdom will pass to you and your successors forever.’</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The king was ‘exceedingly disturbed in mind at this counsel of the queen’ and rebuked her as a ‘foolish woman’. But she nevertheless hatched a complicated plan, which involved the digging of a pit underneath the visitor’s chair, into which he fell and was there ‘stifled by the executioners placed there by the queen.’ What we do find in these murder stories is the elaborate nature of some of the schemes!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The noble King Offa, when he heard the news, ‘shut himself up in grief … and tasted no food for three days.’ Still, it seems he was not one to miss an opportunity and set out on a great expedition and ‘united the kingdom of the East Angles to his dominions.’ So it all turned out well for him in the end...!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Cynethryth’s daughter was also labelled a murderess, though her story in a way was much more straightforward. She was married to a king of the West Saxons, and apparently took a dislike to her husband’s counsellor and gave him poison, but inadvertently poisoned her husband, too. She was banished abroad, ended up in the court of Charlemagne and was set up in a nunnery, but she was publicly caught in debauchery with a man of her own race, she was ejected from the nunnery on Charlemagne’s orders. Reduced to a life of poverty, she ‘died a miserable death.’ The chronicler who gave us this story said it was the reason why wives of the West Saxon kings were never again given the name and status of queen. I talked a bit about <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2023/06/lady-aethelflaed-warrior-queen.html" target="_blank">her yesterday, too</a>)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Another royal daughter and powerful abbess was Cwoenthryth. Cwoenthryth was the daughter of the king who succeeded Offa’s son Ecgfrith (who only reigned for a matter of months as I said). Cwoenthryth was named as her father’s heir, not to the throne, but to his property, and she became abbess of the family house at Winchcombe, the burial place of her father. She also inherited an argument concerning the lands, which the archbishop of Canterbury insisted belonged to the Church. As well as Winchcombe in Mercia she inherited houses in Kent: Minster-in-Thanet and Reculver. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUOpJjhTLPstijIuUzmda9MkBXZVswzNHQh_WIRLTesnVsEr0yeT4fz57ql3IYgIl6zzrKOU2kwlKCNYebae6vKamDudbuRSpoRQbkixMZvkUzVdAA8dHfr33-bbWIWx9QtvKOtMdYoZWIXEbMU4h-_wWb9W1lB7XjafT3PIQL78MOCMYY5s7w0LkL" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="929" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUOpJjhTLPstijIuUzmda9MkBXZVswzNHQh_WIRLTesnVsEr0yeT4fz57ql3IYgIl6zzrKOU2kwlKCNYebae6vKamDudbuRSpoRQbkixMZvkUzVdAA8dHfr33-bbWIWx9QtvKOtMdYoZWIXEbMU4h-_wWb9W1lB7XjafT3PIQL78MOCMYY5s7w0LkL=w400-h220" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[that’s Minster Abbey, showing the original Saxon Stonework and it’s actually still a religious house today]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">She cannot have overseen all three sites in person; she was clearly in charge of a wide network, and with the religious houses acting as centres for growing settlements, she would have been a powerful woman in charge of huge revenues. The eventual settlement of the dispute saw Cwoenthryth remaining in possession and in charge of Winchcombe, and continuing her role as abbess of the Kentish abbeys but she had to recognise the archbishop’s authority over them and the associated lands and of course if you own the land, you get the money, the income.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I mentioned at the beginning that we know many women must have been literate, and here are two cases in point: wealthy abbesses such as Cynethryth and Cwoenthryth would need to scrutinise documents, especially when in dispute with the Church as they both were. Letters, legal documents, land grants: they wouldn’t have been able to manage these huge, profitable estates unless they could be sure what was written on those important documents, and it seems to me unlikely that they would trust the word of someone reading them out loud. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Of course, she too was accused of inciting murder – Here I told the story of how she was supposedly upset that when their father died, her little brother Kenelm was declared heir rather than her and she arranged for him to be taken into the woods and disposed of. All would have been well had not a dove flown over St Peter's in Rome and dropped a message on the altar saying what had happened and where the body could be found. It was duly discovered, and brought back to Winchcombe for burial. Cwoenthryth, reading from a psalter, looked out of the window and saw the procession. Realising the game was up, she began chanting a psalm backwards as a spell, whereupon her eyeballs spontaneously fell out. The chronicler who gave us this story said that even in his day, you could still see the blood spatters on the psalter. It's a great story, but there is no evidence that little Kenelm ever even existed. King Cenwulf might have had a son named Cynehelm, but he wasn’t a small boy and he seems to have predeceased his father.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLk39XTixIkbSizOlO7qaGGtmgV_jSsXOa5TDGKmMRaDVFL1G7BKEjicCScgh_Atx1d55c75RvdCyFDncdIXG0hGENsMBzbi05OFVAYMBz71n4uwcr1nwMJ5lyVYy-Yvm6MyTk9IGx5CWcJ1FuNsaSSgm0igy6V2ezhpClj-thmzTK4RLJ6u34s4l4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLk39XTixIkbSizOlO7qaGGtmgV_jSsXOa5TDGKmMRaDVFL1G7BKEjicCScgh_Atx1d55c75RvdCyFDncdIXG0hGENsMBzbi05OFVAYMBz71n4uwcr1nwMJ5lyVYy-Yvm6MyTk9IGx5CWcJ1FuNsaSSgm0igy6V2ezhpClj-thmzTK4RLJ6u34s4l4=w400-h225" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And there you can see the carving from the building housing 'Kenelm's Well' just outside Winchcombe where the funeral procession is said to have rested.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">King Cenwulf was succeeded not by his son, then, nor by his daughter, but by his brother, Ceolwulf, and Cwoenthryth was succeeded as abbess of Winchcombe by Ceolwulf’s daughter, her cousin Ælfflæd.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Ælfflæd can be seen in action in her capacity as abbess in a charter and this charter seems to mark her only appearance in the contemporary records, but later Saints’ <i>Lives </i>name her as not only the daughter of King Ceolwulf, but the wife of a subsequent king, Wigmund. Her importance in the history of Mercia was not as abbess of a rich foundation, but as a member of more than one branch of the royal family. I mentioned in <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2023/06/lady-aethelflaed-warrior-queen.html" target="_blank">my talk yesterday</a> this idea that the royal women had huge status by dint of their own bloodlines, which could bolster claims of men seeking the throne and as I said, might have been employed by Offa.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">For most of the eighth and ninth centuries Mercia was beset by dynastic struggles. Rarely did son succeed father and, if he did, the reign was short-lived. Between the death of Offa in 796 and the death of the last Mercian king in c. 878 there were more than a dozen reigns. Cenwulf had ruled for twenty-five of those years, but others ruled for short periods, some had their reigns interrupted, and few succeeded or preceded members of their own branch of the family. To get back to Ælfflæd: Ælfflæd’s father Ceolwulf ruled for two years before being replaced by a man named Beornwulf, who was killed in battle a few years later and succeeded by a man called Ludeca. He was killed in battle and succeeded by Wiglaf, who reigned twice, having his kingship interrupted by Ecgberht of Wessex, a man whom Offa had forced into exile. Wiglaf’s son was Wigmund. Phew! Sorry about the slew of names! Anyway, with that last one, Wigmund, we get back to Ælfflæd because, according to a thirteenth-century prior and chronicler of Evesham, Wigmund married Ælfflæd.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And here comes another story of supposed child murder. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Essentially we can break down the power struggles by looking at the names of the men involved - and it was pretty much a fight between a branch of the royal family whose names began with C, a branch with names beginning with B, and another beginning with W.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Our Ælfflæd was descended from the Cs, but she was now the wife of a W, and she had a son, also a W - Wigstan, or sometimes Wystan. And so he had the blood of two lines and was the grandson of two kings. The story goes though that when his father died, he didn’t want to be king, even though he had a perfect claim, an untainted bloodline, preferring the religious life. A man from the B branch wanted to marry the widowed Ælfflæd. Wigstan protested, was murdered, and his body taken to Repton for burial alongside his grandfather, King Wiglaf.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizlxMRuq1MF4mqhKxALzamTLtDozjami8gy4kQYSRJdifW4nYa5jboPDOqQ1tWoFMy-ioc65jE5eMob_kBt130T5rItBzZvBxU9YV7NkijSdISFxTmO6bxkjyff9AXlYPz7OnHgNWV0465NrC33QQEekTjaQeT4Yej79Gd-Fx3bCDHux1ATsYWB-uT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="570" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizlxMRuq1MF4mqhKxALzamTLtDozjami8gy4kQYSRJdifW4nYa5jboPDOqQ1tWoFMy-ioc65jE5eMob_kBt130T5rItBzZvBxU9YV7NkijSdISFxTmO6bxkjyff9AXlYPz7OnHgNWV0465NrC33QQEekTjaQeT4Yej79Gd-Fx3bCDHux1ATsYWB-uT=w400-h379" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And there you can see the crypt at Repton (St Wystan's Church, Derbyshire)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now, this story may or may not be true but it does highlight the importance of women and their bloodlines. We know that Ælfflæd was at some time an abbess, and so perhaps this marriage didn’t go ahead and she retired to Winchcombe after her first husband died. But it’s not quite the end of her story, because whilst the succession stayed with a number of B kings for a while, the last being Burgred, there was one more king of Mercia, a man named Ceolwulf, the same name as Ælfflæd's father. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">He is most famous for having allied with the Vikings who occupied Repton in the 870s and forced Burgred to flee, and he was dismissed by the <i>Anglo-Saxon Chronicle</i> as a ‘foolish king’s thegn’ but there may be a clue to his heritage in his name; we know that he was a recognised king, and shared coinage with Alfred the great, (in fact there’s been a recent court case where two detectorists tried to sell a hoard of those shared coins) and it is possible that he was the son of Ælfflæd. If so, then it shows clearly how a woman barely mentioned in the sources was nevertheless a daughter, wife and mother of kings and a crucial player in the power politics of the age.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">One Mercian woman who was definitely not accused of murder, nor was embroiled in murder plots or coups, is the niece of that king Burgred - Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians. Some might be familiar with her story. It’s not quite the same as that portrayed recently in the TV show <i>The Last Kingdom </i>though.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgAd52ofy4KU484zH801uXytflPirVOdqCTtdp6JdUKAtwx6UGRH8dUE7glcTTJhAJpdbsivlOLhIOr-MKWQydR0b1kwXcN1dnTiCfVIWJT3E53AGKmumVjw3-1YDfIH3bkRTD11C87zFqy9LzOKpg6BgEzBpcaddypCrioRdH8_dXCScWqQfky-h/s1162/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2011.06.38.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="1162" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgAd52ofy4KU484zH801uXytflPirVOdqCTtdp6JdUKAtwx6UGRH8dUE7glcTTJhAJpdbsivlOLhIOr-MKWQydR0b1kwXcN1dnTiCfVIWJT3E53AGKmumVjw3-1YDfIH3bkRTD11C87zFqy9LzOKpg6BgEzBpcaddypCrioRdH8_dXCScWqQfky-h/w400-h226/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2011.06.38.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[There she is – two very different statues of her in Tamworth. I love the contrast]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The daughter of Alfred the Great and his Mercian wife, Ealhswith, she’s perhaps one of the better known Mercian women of power. Whilst she was initially sent to Mercia for an arranged marriage, she made a success of that marriage, and was elected leader after her husband’s death. She worked tirelessly with her brother Edward to push back the ‘Vikings’, but there is one small, often overlooked detail about her which to me is the most significant of all in a way: after her death, the Mercians elected her daughter as leader. Her tenure didn’t last long, only six months or so, but the crucial point is that a woman leader was succeeded by a woman leader, something which didn’t happen again in England until Tudor times.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">There is actually very little mention of Æthelflæd in the chronicles, yet we have enough in the documented history about her husband to make deductions about her, and we have the document known as the Mercian Register, compiled in Mercia and inserted into the collection we call the <i>Anglo-Saxon Chronicles</i>, which details her activities (until her death in 918) from 902. Her husband, Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians, having been mentioned fighting alongside Alfred and his son Edward, abruptly disappears from the record at this time and when we piece the reliable, and not so reliable sources together, it does seem that Æthelflæd was in charge of Mercia at this time, and that her husband was ill for some years. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">When Æthelred died, Edward took London and Oxford under the direct control of Wessex, but left Mercia ‘proper’ to his sister and didn’t even appoint an ealdorman to rule the province in his name. A woman leader was not unique but was rare. Edward didn’t allow Æthelflæd’s daughter to rule for long after her mother died, but the Mercian Register complains that she was ‘deprived of all authority’ so they clearly viewed her as rightful leader. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We don’t know that Æthelflæd wielded a sword, however. I’m not convinced by the whole warrior woman scenario. <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2023/06/lady-aethelflaed-warrior-queen.html" target="_blank">[As I said in my talk yesterday] </a>The Mercian Register focuses on her building programme, rather than the fighting, with brother and sister building fortresses in a strategic and coordinated campaign. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In addition, the Mercian Register tells us she sent an army into Wales to avenge the death of an abbot and that the following year she took Derby out of Viking hands but in neither case are we told specifically that she herself fought.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">As I said, she certainly wasn’t accused of murder. In fact, it seems that no one had a bad word to say about her. But in truth, hardly anyone spoke about her at all. She’s not even named in the main version of the <i>Anglo-Saxon Chronicle</i>, she’s just called King Edward’s sister. Were it not for the Mercian Register and the Irish and Welsh annals we wouldn’t know very much about her at all. And, sadly, that’s true for many of the women of this period – what we get is straightforward and/or minimal reporting from contemporary sources, or lurid tales of murder and scandal from the later ones.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And actually, let’s just knock these murder accusations on the head. With one exception, they’re all later ‘inventions’ - 12th-century Church attitudes were very different regarding women and of course these chroniclers were all monks. Only one murder story is anything like contemporary - the story of the queen who accidentally poisoned her husband and was banished abroad. But this story came to us from Asser, the biographer of Alfred the Great, who didn’t even deign to tell us the name of Alfred’s wife. It's more a story to discredit the Mercians and I have a theory about that because I believe that her husband wasn’t a West Saxon, (his name, Beorhtric, is much more Mercian-sounding (you remember that B branch of the royal family?), so I think he was actually a Mercian, a puppet installed by his father-in-law, Offa, and obviously the West Saxons wouldn’t want to dwell on that. All that said, it does seem likely that her husband was actually killed in battle, and the <i>Anglo-Saxon Chronicle</i> seems to imply this, so I think we can discount the whole poisoning story full stop.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">For our next amazing woman, we stick with the theme of murder, but this time the story is of a canny woman who used it to her advantage.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixBdLwsglwgjX0yDFWl3MLarZOq5JKDymh9PmGbDULS0JXM0eaWz7cy1Z7DOsPFMeYhHZPVXzO4WDsD_o7ipO_qLDcUeaGkhG08W7yAX5PXx7BPeL7Rnt-1UwgjDyfEsQ5yZo83DKcmpnXaaJks1uKUTgWuZOXQ2IAd9x4QLbXJzD3jB4G72W5773s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="910" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixBdLwsglwgjX0yDFWl3MLarZOq5JKDymh9PmGbDULS0JXM0eaWz7cy1Z7DOsPFMeYhHZPVXzO4WDsD_o7ipO_qLDcUeaGkhG08W7yAX5PXx7BPeL7Rnt-1UwgjDyfEsQ5yZo83DKcmpnXaaJks1uKUTgWuZOXQ2IAd9x4QLbXJzD3jB4G72W5773s=w400-h215" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And we go back in time a bit too, because Domneva, who was from Kent [that’s her in the middle], was married to a son - or perhaps foster son - of Penda of Mercia whom I mentioned earlier. This son or foster son was king of the <i>Magonsaete</i>, roughly coterminous with the diocese of Hereford. Domneva’s brothers were murdered by their cousin and she demanded compensation, as per the law. But instead of money, she asked for land on which to build an abbey, as much land, in fact, as her tame hind could run round in a day. The murderous king underestimated how far this would be, and ended up being tricked into giving much more land than he'd anticipated. And the abbey that Domneva founded was this one, Minster Abbey, so that's a nice closing of the circle.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinFzqUX36yUts_t0SJZwMjKywlXC7pVy14Wpv4v_xdC90hhIpwgOSmBjrkSDZp2eWFKHN4p1L45V8P7sooEWDwD_ZLtkC5lmUbyTiIEYoeCa7eJ57VSagkVbMuDhLIC0ZsDS8lMgmjThN8ZSeuyx_NN-JIgQ3NjNfpJZQjymUWTPCDOOk9dvtxjjFz" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinFzqUX36yUts_t0SJZwMjKywlXC7pVy14Wpv4v_xdC90hhIpwgOSmBjrkSDZp2eWFKHN4p1L45V8P7sooEWDwD_ZLtkC5lmUbyTiIEYoeCa7eJ57VSagkVbMuDhLIC0ZsDS8lMgmjThN8ZSeuyx_NN-JIgQ3NjNfpJZQjymUWTPCDOOk9dvtxjjFz=w400-h225" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Generally, the abbesses began to lose something of their power and status with the decline of the double houses and monasteries gradually began to be ruled by men. Later abbesses as we’ve seen came into direct conflict with the Church which wanted to lessen their wealth and influence. But it should not be forgotten that in the early days, it was women who were entrusted with managing these huge estates and who were responsible for the spiritual welfare of their human flocks.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Domneva’s family links were complicated; not only did her cousin kill her brothers, but his sister was married to a brother, or perhaps half-brother, of Domneva’s husband. It must have made for some awkward family Christmases!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And speaking of family sagas and complicated links, I’d like to return to Mercia ‘proper’ as it were, and mention some of the women from the later period of Anglo-Saxon history who left their mark in the 11th century.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It’s a complex tale, of rivalry and murder and astonishingly all these women were related, members of one of the richest and most powerful families in England. It starts with a woman named Wulfrun, and though we don’t know much about her, the few known facts of her life confirm that she was in the uppermost tier of high society. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVaP3TH5aU1xeRiBbzFJ7BtL3SiV0q8fZ89_dqGjC7FGo-3JrHE1maUmvqwbQ1YMbdKBfau23Vdbj401urkKe88dCNV0fXpilzdIkd0DtaAW7tGErVEGEDmJewdpKGhlJHTvjz_JSMk5kIm7_JClvEwMd7EA6oKKzuCFzBBc9yQZoWj6gBxE2uYCMO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="782" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVaP3TH5aU1xeRiBbzFJ7BtL3SiV0q8fZ89_dqGjC7FGo-3JrHE1maUmvqwbQ1YMbdKBfau23Vdbj401urkKe88dCNV0fXpilzdIkd0DtaAW7tGErVEGEDmJewdpKGhlJHTvjz_JSMk5kIm7_JClvEwMd7EA6oKKzuCFzBBc9yQZoWj6gBxE2uYCMO=w400-h276" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">She is the only female high status hostage named by the <i>Anglo-Saxon Chronicle </i>(she was actually taken during a raid here in Tamworth), she founded the monastery in the city named after her [and that statue is there] – Wolverhampton – and was of such high standing that her son was known not by any reference to his father, but as Wulfric Wulfrunsson.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFnXLmSCmHUWtUTHWFbyhmMAbE9k9vxxIwPYCwm35wXXoaub5yWPDSJoN3SWCSq1yQqncPeINN4XCG46hQR98fKsX3kI-RjH8d9bYzESQv4hgC9g6pW3mDZPVMgeE2NFVFEXWNCqnaUGOdHUNGECXVUzCn8HaFOg2qkFr8Bif1RvjW4OlGqCy6XOc/s1214/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2011.16.40.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="1214" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFnXLmSCmHUWtUTHWFbyhmMAbE9k9vxxIwPYCwm35wXXoaub5yWPDSJoN3SWCSq1yQqncPeINN4XCG46hQR98fKsX3kI-RjH8d9bYzESQv4hgC9g6pW3mDZPVMgeE2NFVFEXWNCqnaUGOdHUNGECXVUzCn8HaFOg2qkFr8Bif1RvjW4OlGqCy6XOc/w400-h221/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2011.16.40.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now, Wulfrun had two other children that we know of, besides Wulfric. Her other son, </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ælfhelm</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, was murdered by another ealdorman and his two sons were blinded. All on the orders of the king, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Æthelred the 'Unready'</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> it would seem. But as you can see from this family tree, that left a daughter, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Ælfgifu of Northampton: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Æthelred the 'Unready' did not have an especially happy reign, particularly when his country was invaded by Svein Forkbeard. This powerful and influential Mercian family was under suspicion, accused of encouraging or even facilitating the submission of their area of Mercia to Swein. Indeed, it was around the time of that submission that Ælfgifu married Swein’s son, Cnut.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGZiPvR9Bl1itd4SoOGR7xLjS4HCHdKLnUUtViuP1SFpqNb6_jGxFH-fGZa3g8TW8woV-EZ6m-KAOTv15HS7B8WrDwNdW8yBj4VKnr3dtRio4CchsaOywA7U9a6eS_vMOVC8ZTX1jIkpuUL0UEWU8P9hOpFnUH8Obx2WhPSRG6vv9-K9qfV4g38u-H" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="507" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGZiPvR9Bl1itd4SoOGR7xLjS4HCHdKLnUUtViuP1SFpqNb6_jGxFH-fGZa3g8TW8woV-EZ6m-KAOTv15HS7B8WrDwNdW8yBj4VKnr3dtRio4CchsaOywA7U9a6eS_vMOVC8ZTX1jIkpuUL0UEWU8P9hOpFnUH8Obx2WhPSRG6vv9-K9qfV4g38u-H=w370-h400" width="370" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And you can see him there with the two sons who reigned after him, not both Ælfgifu’s, as we’ll see in a moment.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">She was later to be called a concubine, but the details of her life suggest that she was more to him than a mere sexual partner, even after Cnut remarried. Perhaps we can imagine how the two met. Swein based his operations in the north, camping at Gainsborough. It would have made perfect sense to strengthen the bonds with the northern families by marrying his son to the daughter of one of the most powerful among them. The union bears all the hallmarks of yet another political marriage, in which the wife’s value rested solely on her bloodline. Yet Ælfgifu’s later life and career show that she was anything but a timid maid given no responsibility other than to breed heirs and keep her family loyal.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">By the time of the marriage – probably 1013 – her father was dead and her brothers had been effectively removed from political life, having been blinded. Ælfgifu had two sons by Cnut, who were probably born early on in the marriage. (Cnut remarried in 1017, of which more in a moment.) After Æthelred the Unready’s death, his son Edmund Ironside fought five battles in one year against Cnut but ultimately Cnut was victorious. Cnut set about neutralising any opposition threats, including that from any remaining English royal sons, and to do that he married Æthelred's widow, Emma of Normandy, with whom he also had two children. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYOM7gggs0-RPpBE_pFhioc6MLDGdAOyXgf7BucZZFxgA9p5J89OlLzNXF0sCDv69oPGp2frM0T3X7eyedo6rzCEaRMFcPOPYvhcukQGo-pYl5zSAodnH8uKoetf_DUxLaSVgkMxP36KY3rLj-jTd1NBN7_ZAYAbrdozLKz1mL8rTD3BYEx2oa8EZt" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="385" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYOM7gggs0-RPpBE_pFhioc6MLDGdAOyXgf7BucZZFxgA9p5J89OlLzNXF0sCDv69oPGp2frM0T3X7eyedo6rzCEaRMFcPOPYvhcukQGo-pYl5zSAodnH8uKoetf_DUxLaSVgkMxP36KY3rLj-jTd1NBN7_ZAYAbrdozLKz1mL8rTD3BYEx2oa8EZt=w310-h400" width="310" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Emma, (there she is, above) with her credentials as an English queen, was no doubt important to Cnut, but so too was Ælfgifu of Northampton, and Cnut had a task for her to perform. He had an empire to rule, and his son by Emma, Harthacnut, was in Denmark for some years before his father’s death, ruling the country and minting coins in his own name there. In 1030 Cnut sent Ælfgifu and her son Swein to Norway, there to rule for him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> The regency in Norway may have been hugely symbolic, but it was not a success. At the outset, it demonstrated the powerful status of the mothers of royal heirs. Swein would only have been around fifteen and it is telling that the period was remembered in Scandinavian history as ‘Ælfgifu’s time’. It was a rule noted for harsh taxation, but it has been argued that although the records do indeed indicate a heavy tax being raised during this time, it could not have been achieved without the cooperation of the majority of the nobles. It might also have been wrongly assumed to be an annual tax rather than a one-off payment, which would make it sound worse. Whatever the reason, the regency was not popular and in 1034 Ælfgifu and Swein were ousted and had to flee to Denmark. Swein died shortly afterwards, in 1035. The more significant death of that year, however, was that of Cnut, on 12th November. Now the battle between his two wives, or widows, we should say would really begin, as they revealed their aggressive determination to secure the kingdom of England for their sons.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The fight was on. Emma championed her son by Cnut, Harthacnut, whilst Ælfgifu was unsurprisingly batting for her surviving son, Harold, known as Harefoot (and I must be careful here, because in the famous and fabulously funny book <i>1066 And All That</i> he is called Harold Hairbrush, so forgive me if I slip up!)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">When Cnut died, of the four of them - the two widows and their sons - only Emma was still in England. Harthacnut might have been Cnut’s choice of heir, as promised to Emma upon their wedding, but the political situation in Denmark was too volatile to allow him to return to England, while Ælfgifu and Harold, on the other hand, were free to do so.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The two women entered into the most fascinating propaganda war as they each championed the rights of their sons by Cnut to succeed and it included some dirty tricks and smear campaigns – Ælfgifu was accused of bribery and corruption and Emma commissioned a work known as the <i>Encomium Emmae Reginae, </i> more of which in a moment. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And that image above is actually taken from the cover of the <i>Encomium</i> and it shows Emma in, as far as I know, the only contemporary ‘portrait’ that we have for this period.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The long, complicated upshot was that Harold Harefoot was declared king. Emma commissioned this work of fantastic spin, the <i>Encomium</i>, setting out her own son’s claims, in which it was said that the archbishop of Canterbury refused to crown Harold and slurs were cast over his legitimacy, and even his parentage, but he was there, Emma’s son was in Denmark, so the deal was a done one. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Emma needed to change tack. Reports vary as to whether they were invited by her, or someone else, but her sons by Æthelred the Unready came back from their exile in France. One of them, Alfred, was captured and blinded. Could it be that Ælfgifu was behind this order - in vengeance for the blinding of her brothers all those years ago on the orders of Alfred’s father? Intriguing thought.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">One 20th-century historian considered that, during her son’s brief reign, Ælfgifu was actually running the country. Harold died not long after becoming king, Harthacnut reigned for not much longer and then the last of Emma’s sons, Edward the Confessor, eventually succeeded.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Emma had pretty much ignored her sons by Æthelred the Unready until she needed them and when Edward became king, he moved against her and took her treasure from her. These were not women content to sit by their needlework, that’s for sure!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But that’s not quite the end of our Ælfgifu:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">There was one last possible ‘sighting’ of this once great lady of the Danelaw, in a twelfth-century cartulary from Aquitaine, which mentions a lady named Alveva who was related to a king named Heroldus. It is possible that these are Ælfgifu and her son Harold. This text mentions a grandson and given that Harold was only in his early twenties when he died, perhaps an infant son of his was given over to his mother who maybe took him with her to exile in southern France. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But we’re not done with the story of this powerful family descended from Wulfrun. If I take you back to the family tree, you’ll see another branch on the right.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDG8i4fM-GNMxKuUXFfPuR9kJD5ej5j-dyO6JNEBnhwwxPYyAiZr_xUOE6yzcinPxkeaO_cmig6gDxzZNsItycCv6DEar4yzXhbrNua4L8dSb_MWUxiHCL1tdGmsWj7CkQXlfcHmnis7Fq7V4s4PRTmZLZ5CEHxFYtVsMRoxAeCS-WMYtMxTaVLht/s1155/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2011.26.39.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="1155" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDG8i4fM-GNMxKuUXFfPuR9kJD5ej5j-dyO6JNEBnhwwxPYyAiZr_xUOE6yzcinPxkeaO_cmig6gDxzZNsItycCv6DEar4yzXhbrNua4L8dSb_MWUxiHCL1tdGmsWj7CkQXlfcHmnis7Fq7V4s4PRTmZLZ5CEHxFYtVsMRoxAeCS-WMYtMxTaVLht/w400-h166/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2011.26.39.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And we now get a look at the descendants of Wulfrun’s daughter, Ælfthryth. You’ll see it says Sigeferth and Morcar, brothers, who were both killed. Again, this seems to have been on the orders of Æthelred the Unready, and it had far-reaching consequences. It appears that these young men, powerful young nobles, were part of the court circle of Edmund Ironside, who, as I mentioned, ultimately lost out to Cnut. But these killings came at a time when Edmund was beginning to flex his muscles and was perhaps anxious that his father’s sons by Emma were coming of age. When Sigeferth and Morcar were killed, Morcar’s wife Ealdgyth was imprisoned and Edmund not only freed her, he married her (we’ve no idea, of course, how she felt about that - but it did gain Edmund the allegiance of the people who lived in the family’s lands, in Mercia).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now, the line down this side gets a bit uncertain, but if we follow the projection you’ll see a man named Ælfgar, who appears to have married into this illustrious family. He became an earl of Mercia, he locked horns with the powerful Godwine family who had him banished not once, but twice, but he had pretty famous parents himself. His father was Leofric, earl of Mercia, and his mother was Lady Godgifu, or as she’s more familiarly known, Lady Godiva.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQizgytkZ38Z2iCw8mS9uIHmvdqS90xAiHQiG6nlkrM-sMQ5SDqRa-sHfRqxQm6s7rTWVCMZeG2zT1STTqlXb4QgrvH9nXc19XuQcnXbtCuFLFWo7MiETQUNa-AGQxfwUrcOI12NZ7EiDvDRzoUrMS9G2KFYoOGnJ4MtFK5tq_uFX3LYlGczu63TpU/s1136/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2011.28.48.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="1136" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQizgytkZ38Z2iCw8mS9uIHmvdqS90xAiHQiG6nlkrM-sMQ5SDqRa-sHfRqxQm6s7rTWVCMZeG2zT1STTqlXb4QgrvH9nXc19XuQcnXbtCuFLFWo7MiETQUNa-AGQxfwUrcOI12NZ7EiDvDRzoUrMS9G2KFYoOGnJ4MtFK5tq_uFX3LYlGczu63TpU/w400-h220/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2011.28.48.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">First, that horse ride. The story goes that Leofric (her husband) founded the monastery at Coventry on the advice of his wife. He endowed the foundation with so much land, woods and ornaments that Godgifu was keen to free the town of Coventry from such a financial burden, and yet when she spoke to her husband about it [there she is in the first picture, remonstrating with him] he challenged her to ‘Mount your horse, and ride naked, before all the people, through the market of the town, from one end to the other, and on your return you shall have your request.’ Whereupon, she ‘loosed her hair and let down her tresses, which covered the whole of her body like a veil, she rode through the market-place, without being seen, except her fair legs, and having completed the journey, returned with gladness to her astonished husband’, who then freed the town from the aforesaid service, and confirmed what he had done by a charter. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Except…the only source we have for the story is Roger of Wendover, a monk writing in the thirteenth century. I told you to remember his name! Other sources suggest that the founding of Coventry was a joint enterprise between husband and wife (and none mentions the horse ride).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It's such a shame that this is all she’s remembered for. She was the matriarch of a very powerful family – her husband was one of three leading earls, her son was an earl, her grandsons were the famous earls Edwin and Morcar and I’ll talk about her granddaughter in a moment. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We know that Godiva was a wealthy woman; possibly originally from northwest Mercia, she held lands in Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Leofric was described as pious, and being ‘but a moderate drinker’ and prayed in secret when his drunken companions were asleep. He was in power for over twenty years, we’re told ‘without violence or aggression’. He was heavily involved in the succession crisis created by the death of Cnut, when two contenders vied for the throne as we’ve seen and this particular game of thrones was very much directed by the two royal mothers, Ælfgifu and Emma, and was heavily reported. Had another high-ranking woman, wife of a leading and rather staid nobleman, with family ties to Ælfgifu, done a public striptease, I think it would have been commented upon. One of the more contemporary records for this period, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, is quite detailed by this stage, giving over pages and pages to each year, as opposed to one sentence summaries for earlier centuries (in 776 for example it tells of a battle but not who won, and records that 'marvellous adders were seen in Sussex), but it doesn’t mention the horse ride. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It's possible that she was born around 990 and if she died even shortly after 1066 then she might have been well into her seventies, having lived through the reigns of Æthelred the ‘Unready’, Swein Forkbeard and Cnut, Harold Harefoot and Harthacnut, Edward the Confessor and Harold Godwineson, and lived to see William of Normandy crowned king of England. And she kept hold of her lands after the conquest which is more than can be said for many!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So she was pious, rich - in her own right as well as through her marriage - and an old lady to be reckoned with. But riding naked through the streets? I don’t think so. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So, Godiva lived through turbulent times, but she wasn’t the last person in her family to have a large part on the political stage. If I go back one more time to the family tree,</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO468eFNNYcB2djJHp74rx_CQvNTXQCIseXathFwqMXMJ-zNl7Zi4llRkQtqVe44sfxOCwq1yNsdzH8Cz9gZoo603ewhi7OcTwkyxjDX38eKlZyeWHjNRIjML1tHo9_8HaQeP4rOkS6TUTkspcbQzZ1e8leDf-ZbG18q9kIrxKkSzBmryMsU-i5iJI/s1088/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2011.32.48.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1088" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO468eFNNYcB2djJHp74rx_CQvNTXQCIseXathFwqMXMJ-zNl7Zi4llRkQtqVe44sfxOCwq1yNsdzH8Cz9gZoo603ewhi7OcTwkyxjDX38eKlZyeWHjNRIjML1tHo9_8HaQeP4rOkS6TUTkspcbQzZ1e8leDf-ZbG18q9kIrxKkSzBmryMsU-i5iJI/w400-h200/Screenshot%202023-06-17%20at%2011.32.48.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />you’ll see that her son Ælfgar had at least three children. The two boys, and they were just boys, teenagers really, Edwin and Morcar, became earls of Mercia and Northumbria respectively. They fought Harald Hardrada at the battle of Fulford in 1066, though sadly they lost. Morcar seems to have joined the resistance fighter Hereward the Wake down in the fenlands of Ely, though it didn’t end happily for him. He was imprisoned by William and Edwin was killed, seemingly by his own men.</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkzGqE48NpDKx6yaUdLPAbA4zw18P-GxA8o75Z54isx34uuBkdn1jpXmFTYt7ZLKAlU0WY56hX8gTeK-maEf54qB65rqNQT2idxCmYpaCieTp9P_noe7kiNYoxf3B9lnLZI7UwEtwji-Jj4XR6Xbc-eY5hEhhQywwBzTvCg-0C8tL5PpCSxk7nmt5A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="934" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkzGqE48NpDKx6yaUdLPAbA4zw18P-GxA8o75Z54isx34uuBkdn1jpXmFTYt7ZLKAlU0WY56hX8gTeK-maEf54qB65rqNQT2idxCmYpaCieTp9P_noe7kiNYoxf3B9lnLZI7UwEtwji-Jj4XR6Xbc-eY5hEhhQywwBzTvCg-0C8tL5PpCSxk7nmt5A=w400-h231" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[later depiction of the battle of Fulford]<br /></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But their sister, Ealdgyth, well, she has a story too. And it could, but for a moment of fate, have been one that everyone would have heard. Her father had been a staunch ally of Gruffudd, king of Wales and she had been married to Gruffudd until his own men turned on him, killed him, and sent his head to Harold Godwineson. Later on, perhaps looking for support for his bid for the kingship, Harold married Ealdgyth, which presumably secured the support of her brothers, Edwin and Morcar who really had little reason to love Harold whose family had caused their father to be banished twice. So Ealdgyth holds the unique distinction of having been queen of Wales, and queen of England.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoD2gpFG79msdyfTCeT-CZIW8fprODEwF1D9oTIHA2bSgqxosHUTmuSfGpPZfhskhR7JR9LldHMG0E30UlB0SIiRGUHkUewr13xTApwfuxfRwBYKpTi5taARifS_6QXNRM6c1y5RR4qrqX23xU_JdNyWA7TSMC5vVSA-a4J9vUoyLOBR1-s3iHrhHC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="521" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoD2gpFG79msdyfTCeT-CZIW8fprODEwF1D9oTIHA2bSgqxosHUTmuSfGpPZfhskhR7JR9LldHMG0E30UlB0SIiRGUHkUewr13xTApwfuxfRwBYKpTi5taARifS_6QXNRM6c1y5RR4qrqX23xU_JdNyWA7TSMC5vVSA-a4J9vUoyLOBR1-s3iHrhHC=w400-h397" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">What’s more, it is said that when all was lost at Hastings, Edwin and Morcar hot-tailed it back to London and scooped their sister away to Chester and safety. Their pregnant sister… for it is also said that she was carrying, and later gave birth to, Harold’s son, also called Harold.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But for a stray arrow (if we choose to believe the story about Harold’s death on that fateful day) the kings and queens of England could all have been descended from this incredible Mercian family.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCTSyybJp7WSRBtqBq7ycgKuXCV-Pd0-HQ1E4Qvyx8O_LCcXEr6JfcuxkvsPidIwwXvTbsL5MjJ_1DQ59ww91FkYApG9kiG53tT5Z5Vnx-P9Jhg0U8K2QhgN2tDIvfq3k1wO6Sx5AySXjtNWg0vBpb_lCjhjMPAjp1rLqpE5V9Nd1dIF9duEnnisli" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCTSyybJp7WSRBtqBq7ycgKuXCV-Pd0-HQ1E4Qvyx8O_LCcXEr6JfcuxkvsPidIwwXvTbsL5MjJ_1DQ59ww91FkYApG9kiG53tT5Z5Vnx-P9Jhg0U8K2QhgN2tDIvfq3k1wO6Sx5AySXjtNWg0vBpb_lCjhjMPAjp1rLqpE5V9Nd1dIF9duEnnisli=w400-h225" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It is really challenging piecing together the scant details of these women’s lives, but it is rewarding. And what we find is women who found ways, sometimes unconventional, to influence policy, to establish religious houses and royal dynasties, and remain politically active, even in widowhood. Their stories are there, if we listen carefully.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So yes, Hwaet is an important word – if we listen, we can hear the past and it’s been so wonderful for me to have the opportunity to talk about these great Mercian women here in Tamworth at the very heart of Mercia. Thank you.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*You can read the transcript of my first talk, Lady Æthelflæd - Warrior? Queen? <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2023/06/lady-aethelflaed-warrior-queen.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></p>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-8969181874572741592023-06-16T01:08:00.001-07:002023-06-20T10:44:24.300-07:00Lady Aethelflaed - Warrior? Queen?<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">On Saturday, 11th June 2023, as part of Æthelfest 2023, I gave a talk at Tamworth Castle. Here is the transcript from that talk:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Lady Æthelflæd - Warrior? Queen? </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi16mG59fIIx9sFXWoN-M3S5mn5nD_QP2F6sNoaSpGHu5w-bye-CHwHtOv_gS72vGyqfpZX7xwVWlUQekDN2xBzbfUssCFssjejhFA9ctmISSfjBOlGTM1vYeNxWSXwr9_tnFR6vWJv7MHaDKJdkoSBwHFBjKrdjyLXJFTrvKimbPQI3EknZknY7Yk8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="360" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi16mG59fIIx9sFXWoN-M3S5mn5nD_QP2F6sNoaSpGHu5w-bye-CHwHtOv_gS72vGyqfpZX7xwVWlUQekDN2xBzbfUssCFssjejhFA9ctmISSfjBOlGTM1vYeNxWSXwr9_tnFR6vWJv7MHaDKJdkoSBwHFBjKrdjyLXJFTrvKimbPQI3EknZknY7Yk8" width="160" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[I began by thanking everyone for coming, and also expressed gratitude to Tamworth Borough Council and the organisers of Æthelfest for inviting to talk about one of my favourite Mercian women, who has a special place in my heart particularly as my <a href="http://mybook.to/To-Be-A-Queen" target="_blank">novel about her </a>really launched my writing career.]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">To me, she has always been something of an enigma - a female ruler in a time when men were pretty much always in charge of kingdoms, a woman about whom so much has been said and written but about whom we actually know very little. A woman worthy of mention, yet hardly mentioned in the contemporary records.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So, was she a warrior woman? Was she a queen?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Perhaps we should start with what we DO know about her life, or rather, what we can piece together. And I must say at the outset, it really isn’t much. She is barely mentioned in the main stock of the annals known as the <i>Anglo-Saxon Chronicles</i> (<i>ASC</i>), though we do have a preserved portion of a document known as the Mercian Register, which records her activities from 902-918. It is assumed that she was born around 870, but we don’t know. It is possible that she spent some of her childhood away from the court of the West Saxons, where her father, Alfred, was king. If so, Mercia would have been the obvious place because her mother was a Mercian, the daughter of a high-ranking nobleman, a tribal leader, and her paternal aunt was married to the Mercian king. We know that she was the eldest of Alfred’s children, because a Welsh monk, Asser, commissioned to write a biography of Alfred, tells us so. Asser spent time in Alfred’s court, so we must assume he knew the family well, although, oddly, he never tells us the name of Alfred’s wife! (And this strikes at the heart of our problems - the chroniclers didn’t often give us much in the way of detail about even the most high-ranking women of the time.) </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqSV2VV1nup1HV8FyuXU1Z7oYzEKgK01FkkFIKLW4-wYcFl65Da8ffFH0sCVV2ZZmtc3CQhYw3vIVw2YU3500jet9Wcxu2ZWIys0aRJ82lRM9Iwg5cse5wAyxH4ofduO7f0yKzgK0y0NuqBE1SxJoRHLxm42J_TeYPJNDl3ITU0OwnXZiHOH8lF_Wh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqSV2VV1nup1HV8FyuXU1Z7oYzEKgK01FkkFIKLW4-wYcFl65Da8ffFH0sCVV2ZZmtc3CQhYw3vIVw2YU3500jet9Wcxu2ZWIys0aRJ82lRM9Iwg5cse5wAyxH4ofduO7f0yKzgK0y0NuqBE1SxJoRHLxm42J_TeYPJNDl3ITU0OwnXZiHOH8lF_Wh" width="142" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">(And that's a very bad, non-contemporary portrait of her. Her name was Ealhswith, by the way)</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In 886, (again, we’re not sure, but we assume it was in this year) Æthelflæd was married to the ealdorman of Mercia, seemingly as a diplomatic bride. This man was Æthelred. He’d helped Alfred take back London from the vikings and it appears that the marriage was the seal on the alliance between Wessex and Mercia. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgc7YQ-bAwxD1o4cFJ3c3u2NSUOCtyPx9qEojkjBkc7pVWmUz-u5QDvp2Q--nznAohze1Fr1BWp1BSgYEfVxAYKmt4G5vhsnYJccfitArFuK6_sqdnXL8lw8axIWQzRyJk0mpYWfDv_k3ALNvKdur2ggQfJd0p7Uwh2MaKsB7iP9Acgpa6L-0UWAB5o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgc7YQ-bAwxD1o4cFJ3c3u2NSUOCtyPx9qEojkjBkc7pVWmUz-u5QDvp2Q--nznAohze1Fr1BWp1BSgYEfVxAYKmt4G5vhsnYJccfitArFuK6_sqdnXL8lw8axIWQzRyJk0mpYWfDv_k3ALNvKdur2ggQfJd0p7Uwh2MaKsB7iP9Acgpa6L-0UWAB5o" width="320" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Æthelred was a tried and tested warrior - We have to assume this because he was obviously accepted as the leader of the Mercians once they’d effectively run out of kings, and he is named as being the man to whom Alfred entrusted London once it had been regained - and it’s safe to assume that he was older than his wife by some years.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">He was named in the sources, fighting alongside Alfred against the encroaching Danes and, later on, with Alfred’s eldest son, Edward, too. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The campaign against the Viking invaders is quite long and complicated, but I just want to highlight a couple of incidents. One is when Alfred came to an agreement with a Viking named Hasteinn and where Hasteinn gave oaths and hostages, and his sons were baptized with the sponsorship of Alfred and the ealdorman Æthelred. Another was when Alfred’s son, Edward, besieged the enemy and ‘Earl Æthelred lent his aid to the prince [Edward].’ The three leaders were clearly working in concert together and are named as doing so in the annals. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And then, around 902, Æthelred's name stops being mentioned. In 906, we’re told, Edward was forced to make peace, temporarily, with the Vikings ‘from necessity’. (Alfred had died by this point and there’s no mention of Æthelred, so Edward appears to be alone now.) In a few short years the English resistance had withered from a triumvirate to Edward working, seemingly, on his own. Gone are the comments along the lines of ‘with the aid of Æthelred, earl of the Mercians’ and then in 907, we’re told that Chester, in Mercia, was restored, i.e. wrested back from Viking control, but we’re not told by whom. Æthelred seems to have disappeared.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXUMQnM_cVqCc4BQ9TZgdg4fPXNg8H0lseaUTJ4RbttM7WZNZ4BQ40IeBIFLnWBVQv9cILh6wdm1aicvW1FXsUUe-DTaiKEpnLLDPUY9_6WAuOuKwEJVfRcJEN4D4Ii_PNSZ9QxpBo3wy407M0tNiXORDEnmjnPj3ZnXD30YqbU-2sR2rhGHgz9mBE" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="545" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXUMQnM_cVqCc4BQ9TZgdg4fPXNg8H0lseaUTJ4RbttM7WZNZ4BQ40IeBIFLnWBVQv9cILh6wdm1aicvW1FXsUUe-DTaiKEpnLLDPUY9_6WAuOuKwEJVfRcJEN4D4Ii_PNSZ9QxpBo3wy407M0tNiXORDEnmjnPj3ZnXD30YqbU-2sR2rhGHgz9mBE=w200-h178" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8NYkkiY6WPANVAHkDa6piEWBCoo1JJwuuW3OpzEGR3atSzki0TOB4jTxrTzDm1a8eeqITE4nAx6oJnDz1oMohV6HQMH6pJCsbfPkLjUWi2b18rMCTmF7eY58wofnfW41YYGwLRH13xXDTbUArlwpmrtOksMAxGEfelpjKycrVlkW1UkP0Ca9-9sCm" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="31" data-original-width="492" height="20" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8NYkkiY6WPANVAHkDa6piEWBCoo1JJwuuW3OpzEGR3atSzki0TOB4jTxrTzDm1a8eeqITE4nAx6oJnDz1oMohV6HQMH6pJCsbfPkLjUWi2b18rMCTmF7eY58wofnfW41YYGwLRH13xXDTbUArlwpmrtOksMAxGEfelpjKycrVlkW1UkP0Ca9-9sCm" width="320" /></span></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">When we look at sources from outside Wessex and Mercia, specifically the Irish annals, we can see that he was ill, and here we are told that Æthelred, whom they call the king of the Saxons, was on the point of death yet still advising as to the best course of action. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The Irish fragmentary annals known as the Three Fragments records that when Chester was overrun those inside the city sent messengers to the King of the Saxons i.e. Æthelred, who was in a disease, and on the point of death at that time, to ask his advice, and the advice of his queen. The advice which he gave was, to give [them] battle near the city outside, and to keep the gate of the city wide open, and to select a body of knights, and have them hidden on the inside ; and if the people of the city should not be triumphant in the battle, to fly back into the city, as if in defeat, and when the greater number of the forces attacking came inside, those there should close the gate and attack. There was, apparently, a ‘red slaughter’’ but still it wasn’t over, and we are told that the king, who was on the point of death, and the queen sent ambassadors to the Gaeidhil (Irish) and the message begins "Life and health from the King of the Saxons, who is in disease, and from his Queen, who has sway over all the Saxons” and then it goes on to request aid. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The annal goes on to say that many were killed with large rocks and beams hurled down upon their heads. The Saxons, apparently, also boiled up all the beer and water in the town to throw down on the invaders, and then threw beehives down on them, at which point they left. [Well you would, wouldn't you?]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now in the course of telling this detailed episode, the Irish annalists tell us twice that Æthelred is ill. Neither the <i>ASC</i> nor even the Mercian Register records Æthelred's illness, but when Edward gathered West Saxon and Mercian forces and went harrying into Northumbria, there is no mention of Æthelred. When, presumably in retaliation, the Northumbrians broke peace, and ravaged Mercia, at the ensuing battle at Tettenhall, Æthelred is not mentioned. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So it seems safe to say that he was ill for some years before his death, but still somehow able to rule.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxYtr_BhhcojUSO2ajMlT7m01GbWr9iM5gHj7HaUlTJcv_kAcV9RYsuld1LXzePiGlhCZnb70Q47Ww4X56GmB2laqu7P9A9Wkf3iEvKTIUKLpZBQO9ldTWrdFbBXqVpeogMP5VY4EZX5Al-pLKNPy7I1EbTCeNGoK_hdXAZBTXM5C4nSjCI2MkCBmK" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="435" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxYtr_BhhcojUSO2ajMlT7m01GbWr9iM5gHj7HaUlTJcv_kAcV9RYsuld1LXzePiGlhCZnb70Q47Ww4X56GmB2laqu7P9A9Wkf3iEvKTIUKLpZBQO9ldTWrdFbBXqVpeogMP5VY4EZX5Al-pLKNPy7I1EbTCeNGoK_hdXAZBTXM5C4nSjCI2MkCBmK" width="193" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLamky1CFhBMsjwiG87xpvcyapO_HQV7Uk2vbbKdC4mtS2bEgAK8oWuJBupjYOOlweV7pIt2J0LP-RqxcFM8rBSW3jBYJ4EphuI92QqSI0sj1UGadbkrsaxPg0JHwn-Na2t1tmSCJuj28mXO8co1YWqwEJ6sYfjGKec_I5GcfXXNPPWpgFsHwP2ceg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="1165" height="36" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLamky1CFhBMsjwiG87xpvcyapO_HQV7Uk2vbbKdC4mtS2bEgAK8oWuJBupjYOOlweV7pIt2J0LP-RqxcFM8rBSW3jBYJ4EphuI92QqSI0sj1UGadbkrsaxPg0JHwn-Na2t1tmSCJuj28mXO8co1YWqwEJ6sYfjGKec_I5GcfXXNPPWpgFsHwP2ceg" width="320" /></span></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">For corroboration, we can look to that annal which is known as the Mercian Register, compiled in Mercia, and inserted, as I said earlier, into the common stock of the <i>ASC</i>. It does show Æthelflæd engaged in rather ‘queenly’ behaviour whilst her husband was still alive. For it tells us that it was she who built a burh, a fortified town, in 910. So, she’s clearly acting for him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">This, of course, changed with his death in 911. What is odd, and almost unprecedented, is that Æthelflæd then became the leader of the Mercians. From this point until her death in 918, here in Tamworth, she worked in tandem with her brother Edward, (although Edward took over control of London and Oxford, he left his sister to rule the rest of free Mercia), pushing back the Danes and carrying out a concerted and strategic campaign of burh-building with Edward building five fortresses and Æthelflæd building nine and both had the enemy submitting to them. The campaigns appear to have been very coordinated. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In the middle of all this frenetic activity she sent an army into Brycheiniog (to Llangorse Lake) in Wales. The Mercian Register tells us that this was to avenge the death of an abbot but we have no further detail. The following year she took the borough of Derby and in 918 The Three Fragments says that she directed a battle against the Dublin-Norse, ordering her troops to cut down the trees where the ‘pagans’ were hiding. Thus we are led to believe that as well as partnering her brother in an extensive and well co-ordinated attack on the Danes, she was conducting her own campaign against the Norse. I have to say I’m a bit sceptical about this one, which would have us believe she she nipped up to Corbridge in Northumbria and back down again in very quick time. [It also says that she entered into an alliance with Alba and Strathclyde - this came up in the Q&A afterwards]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But in Mercia, between them brother and sister regained control of crucial areas: the five boroughs of Lincoln, Stamford, Nottingham, Derby and Leicester. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In the year of her death, she was approached by the Danish leaders of York, who seem to have submitted to her in return for her protection although she died before being able to assist. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">She was also an effective administrator, seemingly. She issued charters in her own name which show her granting land to the nobility and she witnessed charters issued by the bishop of Worcester. She and her husband were certainly benevolent. As well as restoring land to the community at Wenlock to keep them in food, they also intervened in a case over a monastic estate which the bishops at Worcester had been trying to recover for some years. In 909 the bones of St Oswald were translated from Bardney to Gloucester and if this was done at Æthelflæd’s behest, as seems likely then it was a shrewd move on her part. An English saint was now safe in a strong Mercia, away from overrun Viking territory. There is no doubt that her husband was ill at this point; Edward was harrying Northumbria so it might be that he brought the relics back and into her hands for safe-keeping. The minster in Gloucester dedicated to St Peter was renamed St Oswald’s, and it was here that Æthelred was buried. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEzjXHgN7sSn8txgIlV-MwFF63GiW2w5TfJqTzW-ydxS7d_puUA6qhxnnVkd0CUnMxYeb8m0nhLItXO5lf8OKCQhDnNZXvrbllpA14xHUBkWLvGvSSV4Pl8GhlvKcNMBfVwii7SdU8f7gYCBs8uV2O3N98-XB3IzSEewgfdaAq3ywgKCnsSnKesbug" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEzjXHgN7sSn8txgIlV-MwFF63GiW2w5TfJqTzW-ydxS7d_puUA6qhxnnVkd0CUnMxYeb8m0nhLItXO5lf8OKCQhDnNZXvrbllpA14xHUBkWLvGvSSV4Pl8GhlvKcNMBfVwii7SdU8f7gYCBs8uV2O3N98-XB3IzSEewgfdaAq3ywgKCnsSnKesbug" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">St Oswald's, Gloucester</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Although Æthelflæd died here in Tamworth, her body was taken back to Gloucester and she was buried at St Oswald’s, alongside her husband. She perhaps, ultimately, felt more affinity to her mother’s homeland than her father’s and despite the arranged nature and age gap of the marriage, was clearly a devoted wife, too. At some point before 911, and probably before 902, she had a daughter, Ælfwynn.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So, that’s the bare bones that we know of her life, and she clearly was a leader. She was instrumental in the repossession of the so-called Five Boroughs, and I think she must have been utterly exhausted by the time she died! But did she actually fight? And was she a queen?</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiie7pjsqtwb2RlLA1trwoCwoK232leUgTFK4CocGClV9nhY8OY_SKnPaAAnLX_AiD4uYabOZfJFHTeWf5_Xk6_LkcvA--u1HoWoyFsewY_duzxMcyIz7SXi--yYLIT-OxyX75lbjlIKMqQL7DbSU-tNM_aS4LuoIgN1cnTfF2QLkPDlF4fxyH91yrd" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiie7pjsqtwb2RlLA1trwoCwoK232leUgTFK4CocGClV9nhY8OY_SKnPaAAnLX_AiD4uYabOZfJFHTeWf5_Xk6_LkcvA--u1HoWoyFsewY_duzxMcyIz7SXi--yYLIT-OxyX75lbjlIKMqQL7DbSU-tNM_aS4LuoIgN1cnTfF2QLkPDlF4fxyH91yrd" width="320" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">If she did fight, actually wield a sword, then where did she learn the necessary skills?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I’m going to quote from Asser’s biography of Alfred, where he tells us that Æthelflæd was the first born and that ‘when the time came for her to marry, she was joined in marriage to Æthelred, ealdorman of the Mercians. Æthelgifu entered the service of God; Æthelweard, the youngest of all, was given over to training in reading and writing under the attentive care of teachers, in company with all the nobly born children of virtually the entire area and a good many of lesser birth as well. In this school, books in both languages, that is to say in Latin and English were carefully read. They also devoted themselves to writing, to such an extent that, even before they had the requisite strength for manly skills (hunting, that is, and other skills appropriate to noblemen), they were seen to be devoted and intelligent students. Edward and Ælfthryth were at all times fostered at the royal court - [and this is why some think that perhaps Æthelflæd wasn’t] - and these two have attentively learned the psalms, and books in English, and especially English poems and they very frequently make use of books.’</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now, this education seems to have been comprehensive, but it doesn’t specifically talk about the education of Æthelflæd, or say that there was any weapons training, though it does mention learning the pursuits of noblemen which we must assume means weapons training, but it doesn’t say it for Alfred’s daughters. So this isn’t especially helpful in tracking down any clues about women warriors.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We know that Edward’s own daughters were educated. An Anglo-Norman Chronicler said that Edward brought up his daughters so that, ‘in childhood they gave their whole attention to literature, and afterwards employed themselves in the labours of the distaff and the needle.’ Thus the royal daughters were literate, but also well-skilled in sewing and embroidery; excellent preparation for their adult lives as royal wives or indeed as religious women. So here we have a bit more detail but again, no mention of fighting.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Nowhere is it mentioned that royal daughters were schooled in weapons training, and it does seem rather unlikely. For details of Æthelflæd's martial activity, we can discount the <i>ASC</i> apart from the Mercian Register. But even that's not clear. It says she 'sent' an army into Wales, that she ‘took’ Derby, but can we confidently infer from that that she was actually leading the army? The Three Fragments says that she collected hosts and Chester was filled with her hosts, but doesn't say she was there.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3aClE7Rs30228wgP9XaCbQCYRLkcBaG5QBf3-5LiUuh4kqzY2xJe7XjqlcbnvXiTBqM4jzmSRTZCMjLktTEYEx06X4lkufR8beqRPaVJoq7sHiaLLRgpuKVgPWK1FLaX7q4a3nQYBfrWxpYx0kbiKXRbHGoxZpSFM1UciHa99tngjRhMnc_WWkxOZ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3aClE7Rs30228wgP9XaCbQCYRLkcBaG5QBf3-5LiUuh4kqzY2xJe7XjqlcbnvXiTBqM4jzmSRTZCMjLktTEYEx06X4lkufR8beqRPaVJoq7sHiaLLRgpuKVgPWK1FLaX7q4a3nQYBfrWxpYx0kbiKXRbHGoxZpSFM1UciHa99tngjRhMnc_WWkxOZ" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psychomachia Faith conquers Idolatry – BL, Cotton Titus D. xvi, fol. 6r</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">What about other written evidence? The Psychomachia is a poem by Prudentius, from the early fifth century AD and it contains images of women warriors. The trouble with this is that this work is an allegory and tells of the virtues fighting the vices, and it seems that the personifications are women because in Latin, words for abstract concepts have feminine grammatical gender. So this really isn’t much help. This is very stylised.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In the fourth volume of his Gothic Wars, Procopius of Caesarea, writing in the 550s, describes how an Anglian bride from ‘Brittia’ went on the warpath against a tribe living on the banks of the Rhine. She had been betrothed to the king of this tribe, but he had died and his successor reneged on the deal. She then took 400 ships and led the expedition personally, defeating them soundly. Now there’s a few problems with this too, because whilst Brittia could mean Britain, and perhaps even East Anglia, we don’t know for sure. We do know that the Angles living in South East ‘England’ did have strong contacts with the Continent but even if this story is true, it still took place over 400 years before Æthelflæd was born. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now, I said at the start that Æthelflæd was almost unique in leading a kingdom. But we do have written evidence of a queen of the West Saxons whose name was Seaxburh. She was, definitely uniquely, included on a regnal list, but unlike our Æthelflæd we’re told by a later chronicler that the West Saxons would not go to war under the leadership of a woman. Bede recorded that after her husband’s death there was a troubled period during which sub-kings ‘took upon themselves the government of the kingdom, dividing it up and ruling for about ten years.’ The <i>ASC</i>, on the other hand, says that when her husband died she reigned one year after him. This succinct entry gives no hint about the circumstances. Was she, as would become more common, reigning on behalf of a son?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">If we add to these two conflicting reports a third, that later chronicler, who said that Seaxburh ruled for one year in her husband’s stead, ‘but was expelled [from] the kingdom by the indignant nobles, who would not go to war under the conduct of a woman’, we get a scenario building where it looks like her husband died with no adult heir, and Seaxburh and the local nobility were in conflict over the succession. The chaos seems to have lasted more than a year in fact, because it’s two years before the next king is recorded. <b>If she was fighting for her own right to the throne, and not on behalf of any sons, then she truly was a trail-blazer</b>, but we just don’t know and I have to say that the information we have on her makes what we have on Æthelflæd seem extensive by comparison. But we just don’t know any more about her reign, just as we don’t know the circumstances that led another queen, wife of another king Wessex to (according to the <i>ASC</i>) raze Taunton to the ground. Kings DID fight, they led their forces. But we don’t know what the rules were for the VERY few women leaders. We must also bear in mind that these two women ruled, if that’s what they did, in the seventh century, and whilst we also know from Bede that at around the same period the Mercian king Penda left his wife in charge of Mercia for long periods while he was away fighting, he doesn’t say she fought, so it’s not enough to say that in either kingdom there was a tradition of women rulers who led armies. And, as we’ll see, Wessex did not necessarily have the same cultural identity and attitudes to royal women as Mercia.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now, a Danish historian, Saxo Grammiticus, talked about women in Denmark dressing as men and cultivating soldiers’ skills. But Denmark isn’t England, of course, and he was also writing a good deal later - he died in around 1220.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0tIjCyooVs_FwTDV1YFCIb0FY1_a4dHHre69RIfaoKdz1sMf3NfD3uxr82HLuxiv19kkde5IrEhIkbwbbto4o_Mo5d6TOOBTwgoP9Hr1wLcWHJ4-oNjF9IvYIKnrWNqffBuAff00_fH-kkl8v_WPyfuX-VO85fs-pjG6NMIJXo_me_h36pmCzprAL" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="332" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0tIjCyooVs_FwTDV1YFCIb0FY1_a4dHHre69RIfaoKdz1sMf3NfD3uxr82HLuxiv19kkde5IrEhIkbwbbto4o_Mo5d6TOOBTwgoP9Hr1wLcWHJ4-oNjF9IvYIKnrWNqffBuAff00_fH-kkl8v_WPyfuX-VO85fs-pjG6NMIJXo_me_h36pmCzprAL" width="148" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLKzhu57XjhMAUJu9PelHkCnKCXPYzBUmhE_3RCSZO2u3aMsNvNLZAnvIfF7ezhTYIN-JojIP0lSbI6w_P45CS9YhXb2RmIEx5vFc9GwqIv7qrMZRgTj08NCNT52x52EE78hZzOzBHnhf1gT3Nqqee27xbaLyMlgVJcnLYBcaOGVaKm-uHhhpW_PAw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="67" data-original-width="1612" height="13" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLKzhu57XjhMAUJu9PelHkCnKCXPYzBUmhE_3RCSZO2u3aMsNvNLZAnvIfF7ezhTYIN-JojIP0lSbI6w_P45CS9YhXb2RmIEx5vFc9GwqIv7qrMZRgTj08NCNT52x52EE78hZzOzBHnhf1gT3Nqqee27xbaLyMlgVJcnLYBcaOGVaKm-uHhhpW_PAw" width="320" /></span></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So there’s really little in the written sources to enlighten us on this. What about the archaeological evidence then?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The obvious place to look is in graves, but of course only pre-Christian burials have grave goods. There are some where women are buried with weapons but that’s not conclusive as we don’t know the context. In 1954, two cemeteries, A and B, were excavated in Beckford, now in Hereford & Worcester, so Mercia, and Grave A2 was found to contain a female buried with a spear and shield. The skull had a lesion, maybe made by a weapon. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj06A_pDnbIuDPyWJGKgXBNZoGkfN0Z39LCiyvKdZaYn50aild8gCNY7W93C5I6r9pl_q7LpIgLOL6cfaEJuP2zDUdEOWjylUIvw5NsYrsEoA25MeCKd5RDoJHMCGNRi1AQnmGZ5FKFM7cBuxziVZIhGfaejt6yhtHkFRt_A4KcnKYPmJFUf4Cgm9kU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="388" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj06A_pDnbIuDPyWJGKgXBNZoGkfN0Z39LCiyvKdZaYn50aild8gCNY7W93C5I6r9pl_q7LpIgLOL6cfaEJuP2zDUdEOWjylUIvw5NsYrsEoA25MeCKd5RDoJHMCGNRi1AQnmGZ5FKFM7cBuxziVZIhGfaejt6yhtHkFRt_A4KcnKYPmJFUf4Cgm9kU" width="172" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The report concluded that this skeleton was probably female, but the accompanying spear and shield show that it was a weapon-bearing male, and therefore more likely to incur such an injury - clearly in the 1990s the thinking was that a woman could not be a warrior, so the bone analysis must be wrong in their view. Of course, absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence but we need much more before we can say for certain that there were women warriors and we also need to remember that we have no context for this burial. It was much earlier, too, late fifth to mid sixth-century. Stating that something is true for such an early part of the Anglo-Saxon period is not automatically to say that it’s true for the later part. Remember that the Anglo-Saxon period spans the same amount of time as from present day back to the Tudors. Things changed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So now then let's look at this notion of queenship, and a good place to start would be to go back to Asser, the monk who wrote Alfred the Great’s story and who was very much a contemporary source. He tells a very lurid tale and gives this incident as the reason why the wives of kings in Wessex were not called ‘queen’. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUN0PczQ7dp8qmLT1LSK241Xkk4yp2WH0SfgKYOR6lEImmbPaMp7ltnYjpswGDFICP4_CP_0fhj2snWeHVMSGS3aXWpts-z7OTso87rLzdeKPupiteQIDLlsFFyAVgPMzTAH8o__1ftcxMRYwgWwxfhkXzpF_DgBjwjfJqa9a0f5iQOkF0spVNsBNP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="470" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUN0PczQ7dp8qmLT1LSK241Xkk4yp2WH0SfgKYOR6lEImmbPaMp7ltnYjpswGDFICP4_CP_0fhj2snWeHVMSGS3aXWpts-z7OTso87rLzdeKPupiteQIDLlsFFyAVgPMzTAH8o__1ftcxMRYwgWwxfhkXzpF_DgBjwjfJqa9a0f5iQOkF0spVNsBNP" width="299" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDjMeXIgzs3mdOZd6e5oKy0pUD5yho3zj7W6as5db-2pVEVClSlUyny3kxWvXODTR9DHVEeG5bIyCkjDLGfZ9eAIJIYuwESJaiD3OJ7VmSBMDYaDeqoCd8CN8AVuMPE4wMSNxIpWMk7ESA1V7LjApK6lNZUYsjS0XCJF04NvRLhzGkbAKp5NCWN8-Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="393" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDjMeXIgzs3mdOZd6e5oKy0pUD5yho3zj7W6as5db-2pVEVClSlUyny3kxWvXODTR9DHVEeG5bIyCkjDLGfZ9eAIJIYuwESJaiD3OJ7VmSBMDYaDeqoCd8CN8AVuMPE4wMSNxIpWMk7ESA1V7LjApK6lNZUYsjS0XCJF04NvRLhzGkbAKp5NCWN8-Q" width="250" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It concerns Eadburh, who was the daughter of Offa of Mercia, and was married to the king of the West Saxons, a man named Beorhtric. According to Asser, Eadburh resented the influence over the king of one of his chief advisors, and contrived to poison him. Sadly for her, she accidentally also poisoned the king. For punishment she was sent abroad, to the court of the emperor Charlemagne, who set her up as abbess in a nunnery. She was later found in flagrante de licto with an Englishman and died in disgrace and poverty. Henceforth, Asser says, West Saxon wives of kings were never called queen. There’s a few things amiss with this tale: firstly, the <i>ASC</i> records a battle in the year Beorhtric died, in which Ecgberht, Alfred’s grandfather, became king, so it’s most likely that Beorhtric met his end on that battlefield. I actually think, given that his name is much more Mercian-sounding than West Saxon, that he was a puppet king installed by Offa. If this is the case, Asser would not have wished to dwell on any reminders that Wessex was once far less powerful than Mercia and actually had a Mercian in charge of them. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And you can see how similar those coins of Offa and Charlemagne are - Offa clearly considered himself on a par with the emperor!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig0_M2heqGIRyRAWoxixnwG3Ph_YbCCw_1GwWp2cTnUwvI8eAj80PRTALIvg8XKIa-ijYFPAj3EMKf8UbcLNOMjev_4MzIzDNedLuehcGEy0zbQ6gQ-dCBDKv9soXCv4UPZ25OcteXNoPL81CYlFy0dlDGxr39-wdiEflJ-4jHP7Hkpx_gfMDUMm4C" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="822" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig0_M2heqGIRyRAWoxixnwG3Ph_YbCCw_1GwWp2cTnUwvI8eAj80PRTALIvg8XKIa-ijYFPAj3EMKf8UbcLNOMjev_4MzIzDNedLuehcGEy0zbQ6gQ-dCBDKv9soXCv4UPZ25OcteXNoPL81CYlFy0dlDGxr39-wdiEflJ-4jHP7Hkpx_gfMDUMm4C" width="320" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now here’s a different coin and I’ll get on to that in a moment</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">However, whatever the reason, Æthelflæd's mother, (named Ealhswith as I said, though Asser doesn’t tell us so), was not a queen. Certainly, she didn’t witness any charters. But early on in Edward’s reign, just after Alfred died, there was a rebellion by Edward and Æthelflæd's cousin - it was a serious challenge, he declared himself to be the more throne-worthy, he minted his own coins (that's one of them above) and was eventually defeated in battle. But it is interesting to note that the rebellious cousin’s mother, was named <i>regina</i> in a charter whereas Edward’s and Æthelflæd's mother was not. As I said, their mother Ealhswith, never even witnessed charters. Still, Edward was declared king after Alfred’s death, not his cousin, so perhaps we should not read too much into the title of <i>regina</i>, and its importance in conferring status to the children of the marriage.* (Side note: Later in the tenth century it became important. King Edgar’s wife was officially crowned and a charter of 966 makes it abundantly clear that her children are throne-worthy, whereas Edgar’s older son by another woman was not (although ultimately it didn't make any difference and the older son was declared king in due course) - and it’s quite the beauty - this is the frontispiece).</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaN4joIzy8yoQKiAqQKa2YrXX72ZokYTDLL--VpzidZ5NggVanvaBMs9ZZNtP3P3nTSjt2DV-sTVC_LAcJsML0xqoJ1GLAlz8dCtRJmoSpStJnZNvrOo8kXfistI70oslMuHWB0Gl5RK5bAuJha1R6eGjIud5fsNsVFQyjDIF7COSHudt37X7NxXOW" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaN4joIzy8yoQKiAqQKa2YrXX72ZokYTDLL--VpzidZ5NggVanvaBMs9ZZNtP3P3nTSjt2DV-sTVC_LAcJsML0xqoJ1GLAlz8dCtRJmoSpStJnZNvrOo8kXfistI70oslMuHWB0Gl5RK5bAuJha1R6eGjIud5fsNsVFQyjDIF7COSHudt37X7NxXOW" width="320" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[*I also mentioned that conversely, being a mother of a king brought a woman enhanced status]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We have seen that, according to Asser, the ninth-century West Saxons did not permit a king’s wife to be called queen, and actually he’s clearly wrong, because the rebellious cousin’s mother WAS called <i>regina</i>. An alternative title might have been <i>hlæfdige</i> (lady), which was used for Alfred the Great’s wife, Ealhswith. Edward had good reason to stress the status of his mother, obviously having faced rebellion so soon into his reign, and Ealhswith became the ‘true’, or ‘dear’ Lady of the English. So, the fact that her daughter Æthelflæd was called LADY of the Mercians should perhaps make us think that this was an important word, an indication of high, or even the highest status. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Edward’s second wife was evidently an important royal wife and did her duty in providing ‘an heir and a spare’. But in the only surviving charter where she appears on the witness list she is styled not <i>regina</i> but ‘wife of the king’ and attests after her mother-in-law, Ealhswith, (who is styled ‘mother of the king’, receiving more recognition than she had as wife of King Alfred). So I should probably just explain about these charter witness lists - they’re a record of everyone who witnessed the act that the charter records - a land grant, for example, and they go in a strict pecking order.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrIct96ViQQyrG5VXPbAUTDx5N45KhCHrbFZuOPDR3mJM4ZW-PY8ToShaARlNzMuZzHGCHarhD0H5urOO4rrXkpFMo6zQVIhsfFXsC1InjE-B2oizDH1OKOhhUJd_UFR6t1QtoE9lSvsDlQDJ4EKXiL2IZpc17BlYZ45ds_fQBlgO-p7W5FTnINgbP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrIct96ViQQyrG5VXPbAUTDx5N45KhCHrbFZuOPDR3mJM4ZW-PY8ToShaARlNzMuZzHGCHarhD0H5urOO4rrXkpFMo6zQVIhsfFXsC1InjE-B2oizDH1OKOhhUJd_UFR6t1QtoE9lSvsDlQDJ4EKXiL2IZpc17BlYZ45ds_fQBlgO-p7W5FTnINgbP" width="320" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now, I’ve pretty much dismissed Asser’s claims about Wessex royal wives not being called queen, and especially the reason he gave for it, but a quick look at how some notable Mercian king’s consorts were styled in charters is revealing:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Cynethryth wife of Offa - <i>regina</i> (she had coins minted in her name, with the title regina on them too)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Eadburh, wife of Beorhtric, even though, apparently disgraced - <i>regina</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The wife of Cenwulf, a mercian king for 25 years - <i>regina</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Æthelswith, sister of Alfred, Æthelflæd's paternal aunt - <i>regina</i>. [I spoke briefly about her gold ring - commissioned by her for a gift; it's too big for a woman's finger] </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjD9G95TNa_n7OvfW9feFbWcmiBYbbzZc9FR7LRjskjEN9pbgUV6FBRURZdbKfy2N96ZCB8ZaKs8CYNwb0BLxjcWYY3A8j4_l1W5exis5pswBug5ctjukKEKU9j75gWMtICwJC0Mz7KTEZ1KjpU89Gdc_JRhIvC3-2_6R0WJ0WmOJV7Sl29wR7Bdh0Y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjD9G95TNa_n7OvfW9feFbWcmiBYbbzZc9FR7LRjskjEN9pbgUV6FBRURZdbKfy2N96ZCB8ZaKs8CYNwb0BLxjcWYY3A8j4_l1W5exis5pswBug5ctjukKEKU9j75gWMtICwJC0Mz7KTEZ1KjpU89Gdc_JRhIvC3-2_6R0WJ0WmOJV7Sl29wR7Bdh0Y" width="320" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">By contrast, in Wessex:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Wulfthryth the rebellious cousin’s mother - <i>regina </i>(AFTER Eadburh and the poisoning story but in Asser’s lifetime, so he’s wrong there)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But as we’ve also seen, the second wife of Edward ‘wife of the king’ [Though I mentioned that some - by no means all - historians believe that the Second Coronation <i>Ordo</i> was not written for Athelstan's coronation but Edward's because it includes rites for consecrating a queen]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And in that charter Ealhswith is ‘mother of the king’</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So maybe there’s something going on here - Mercian royal wives, <i>regina, regina, regina</i>,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But with the West Saxons it’s a bit more haphazard.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Ealhswith was not to be recorded or remembered as a queen. She did not attest any charters while Alfred was alive, and we don’t know why – although Æthelflæd did. She did more than just witness them actually, as I mentioned briefly earlier and which I’ll come back to in a moment.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So we can see that some royal wives and daughters witnessed charters, including Æthelflæd, and it’s notable that part of the paradox of Æthelflæd's life is that she actually wielded much more power than all of these women who were styled <i>regina</i>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We can also see that there’s no definition of a ‘queen’ per se. Sometimes this word ‘queen’ means a king’s wife, sometimes a king’s mother (and there are multiple instances of a woman’s status being elevated by being the mother of a king as we see with Ealhswith). But of course, in these terms, we then need to look at Æthelred's status, too, to determine if he was a king and if, therefore, Æthelflæd as his wife, was a queen. After all, it does seem that the wives of the kings of Mercia were indeed called regina, queen, so, if he was a king… </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In the early period, royal brides brought their status with them into the marriage - for example a 7th-century king of Northumbria needed to strengthen his claim to the southern part of Northumbria, the kingdom of Deira, so chose a bride who had Deiran royal blood. Is this the case with Æthelflæd, is that what was working here with her marriage? Was Æthelred looking to enhance his status by marrying a West Saxon ‘princess’ - not that they used that word. What is unusual about the marriage is if Æthelred himself <b>wasn’t </b>of royal stock, this would be pretty much the first time a royal daughter had been married to a so-called commoner. It didn’t happen again until the 11th century.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSXpQPDwQelav3EK7kPKQc0w0Od2bTSxvqYNPTVGciR--hFhxiUZ5FO_oW1uUwFLqK7SS-Fzz3Jmq3R4as9T2hMbkFbCiLq4NTfh-SBoM2KiJuLRFs-i4rH0cZ6ucVgK1Q_miSirjflBcGEtEHozRw7MvHmWNFZi2imAJxrehb38pn3WlsGE1O1JG2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSXpQPDwQelav3EK7kPKQc0w0Od2bTSxvqYNPTVGciR--hFhxiUZ5FO_oW1uUwFLqK7SS-Fzz3Jmq3R4as9T2hMbkFbCiLq4NTfh-SBoM2KiJuLRFs-i4rH0cZ6ucVgK1Q_miSirjflBcGEtEHozRw7MvHmWNFZi2imAJxrehb38pn3WlsGE1O1JG2" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alfred's Will</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Æthelred was definitely remembered differently from the other ealdormen in Alfred’s will, being left a sword of great value. Interestingly, no mention in this will that he was Alfred’s son-in-law. Possibly because at the point at which the will was drawn up, he wasn’t, but if so, why the expensive bequest? Still, it was rare for royal daughters to marry non-royals as I said and it wouldn’t happen again until Æthelred the 'Unready' married two of his daughters to ealdormen in the early 11th century. So the evidence points to his being somewhat more than ‘just’ an ealdorman.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now, we’ve already seen that the Irish annalists were happy to give Æthelred the title of king. They called him king of the Saxons, although actually the Mercians were more probably Angles.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The Welsh submitted to Alfred, Asser tells us, because of the ‘tyranny’ of Æthelred who was presumably acting independently of Wessex at that point.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Æthelred apparently began his reign as the ruler of an independent kingdom but there’s charter evidence which reveals that by 883 (so maybe 3 years before his marriage) he had submitted to Alfred and in that charter he’s styled (S218) ealdorman and operating with Alfred’s consent. No coins of his survive but Alfred had coins minted in Mercian towns - London, Oxford and Gloucester - which does suggest overlordship. Control of the mints is an important and significant thing. But in a way, Alfred’s forging a new kind of overlordship, one without major interference. Of course, he had other things to deal with!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Three years after his marriage, Æthelred is styled in a charter as <i>subregulus</i> which brings his status up a bit from ealdorman, to you know, a literal translation, subking. And it must be said that from the late 880s, after London, Alfred was styling himself <i>Rex Anglorum Saxonus</i> - king of the Angles AND Saxons</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Sometimes Æthelred's granting land independently without reference to either King Alfred or King Edward, and we have the charter I mentioned earlier, where the couple give land to the religious community at Wenlock and without reference to the then king, Edward. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghL_s9bQ7KVdlMNiO8hMgCFGTQZTwj80_L0Zwl48wy52QHWamSNSaniRM1qljinolAxgnhASfzJ0wnbicEtw_y2CQ7xqxBErv6rRLBASVxcUkiioFHBTd-8H18TjDQBbxxaryQAEvZ8yYK6X4J7ha1iaT9d9TJI4UcCCKye1P9ROUAcn4HYjjscZcn" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghL_s9bQ7KVdlMNiO8hMgCFGTQZTwj80_L0Zwl48wy52QHWamSNSaniRM1qljinolAxgnhASfzJ0wnbicEtw_y2CQ7xqxBErv6rRLBASVxcUkiioFHBTd-8H18TjDQBbxxaryQAEvZ8yYK6X4J7ha1iaT9d9TJI4UcCCKye1P9ROUAcn4HYjjscZcn" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fragment of the Much Wenlock Charter</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Æthelred's an ealdorman, sometimes even a subking, in West Saxon sources, but there’s a cartulary - a collection of documents, </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTlMBp67cTj9RcJgxsz3imO4DOlSrCAWIc4h1-q-ZAGFfC6kHoUaXUV2_tsXdecCo6ky1FK_AUJklSN1XgciL7qL_JgtbLQnd26px7W_vMigGEHUNPpauvTnHc3jCZHFInvGthxpHVYEhOcLp4dQ_fvbVgSV7Ud_88-e_7DTx9PSqHOPQRk-2Cfr1n" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTlMBp67cTj9RcJgxsz3imO4DOlSrCAWIc4h1-q-ZAGFfC6kHoUaXUV2_tsXdecCo6ky1FK_AUJklSN1XgciL7qL_JgtbLQnd26px7W_vMigGEHUNPpauvTnHc3jCZHFInvGthxpHVYEhOcLp4dQ_fvbVgSV7Ud_88-e_7DTx9PSqHOPQRk-2Cfr1n" width="320" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">preserved in Worcester. It’s known as Hemming’s cartulary and among the documents is a regnal list, a king list, which includes Æthelred, so presumably at some stage the English Mercians considered him a full king. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Interestingly - another side note here: though we often speak of the Viking kingdom of York, none of the English chronicles ever name these men as being kings. So we might wonder, actually, what constitutes a king, never mind a queen! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So we’re not much further on with her husband’s status as ealdorman or king, so what about hers, independently? When Æthelred died, Edward of Wessex took over London and Oxford but was happy to leave the rest of Mercia under his sister’s direct control. Hence we can assume that there was no intrinsic aversion to female rule.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Henry of Huntingdon, an Anglo-Norman chronicler, was very taken with her, comparing her to Caesar:</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Heroic Elflede! great in martial fame, was A queen by title, but in deeds a king. Heroes before the Mercian heroine quail'd: Caesar himself to win such glory fail'd.</span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">but the contemporary records say very little about her - the main <i>ASC </i>doesn’t even name her. Now, it could be argued that Mercia had run out of kings, that Æthelred was a vassal of Alfred’s, and therefore the couple could not have been king and queen of Mercia. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Nevertheless, the Mercian Register makes it quite clear that in 918, Æthelflæd's daughter was <b>deprived of all authority</b>. Clearly the Mercians were a) happy to have not one, but two female rulers and b) considered that Edward was wrong to take Æthelflæd's daughter into Wessex, and that her authority in Mercia was absolute. Presumably they felt this way about her mother’s agency too. And let’s not ignore this point: A female ruler succeeded, albeit briefly, a female ruler. This would not happen again in English history until these two:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggta60BFHf-MiX3aeIRxacHv0ksZ7aZq3mYg18YA-Rek05ZQbIpu-yBJ4zwydU5oiWu63ch-vyZsdWJ-Mi1O6PtKm0_8Na5bpKZ5835k1ehQsEGke_pzAgb6ZJMc03JcEk2T8Dmkt24_oyn_Vo_15bWSE7bLyh-qOfbBdNjag0-TK8l5fln7bLpo--/s924/Screenshot%202023-06-15%20at%2020.17.40.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="924" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggta60BFHf-MiX3aeIRxacHv0ksZ7aZq3mYg18YA-Rek05ZQbIpu-yBJ4zwydU5oiWu63ch-vyZsdWJ-Mi1O6PtKm0_8Na5bpKZ5835k1ehQsEGke_pzAgb6ZJMc03JcEk2T8Dmkt24_oyn_Vo_15bWSE7bLyh-qOfbBdNjag0-TK8l5fln7bLpo--/s320/Screenshot%202023-06-15%20at%2020.17.40.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We can see that Æthelred and Æthelflæd issued JOINT charters, which in itself contrasts with Ealhswith who didn’t even witness any in her husband’s lifetime, but often they’re doing it with the permission of Alfred or Edward. We even then have </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Æthelflæd</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> granting by herself, in Weardburh in 915 as ruler of the Mercians. But ruler, not queen. Is there a difference? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Perhaps if we move away from Wessex and Mercia things might become a little clearer - because her dealings with the Welsh and Irish Norse were different. We might wonder whether the West Saxons either thought of her as a junior partner in an alliance, or wanted history to remember her as such. The Welsh and Irish Annals clearly viewed her differently, and gave her a different title and spoke about her in different terms.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">If we can believe the Irish annals, the men of York came to ask <b>her </b>for assistance, not her brother. Yes, Mercia is nearer, but clearly either the Irish chroniclers, and/or the men of York, were happy with the idea of a woman ruler. And the Three Fragments, remember, called her a queen who held sway.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggs8QlC2vQxxd2db7ns25Bo1VJu87qkpDmDX9wmG5RTF0KVAfnf2xI0Jo80yzdt1r4cUF7sT3OtwJPq4CT4C6_o6ke2ldDaGwnzh3xsePaOW1vixKZtycGgXgF_YSIrYBAp7QckAWIGQyV6FYF0P6zHIXtJMti6V7tlE_55umO6nyvVszLa4ESGkoD" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="540" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggs8QlC2vQxxd2db7ns25Bo1VJu87qkpDmDX9wmG5RTF0KVAfnf2xI0Jo80yzdt1r4cUF7sT3OtwJPq4CT4C6_o6ke2ldDaGwnzh3xsePaOW1vixKZtycGgXgF_YSIrYBAp7QckAWIGQyV6FYF0P6zHIXtJMti6V7tlE_55umO6nyvVszLa4ESGkoD" width="240" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It’s been suggested that though we know that Edward – probably in 919 – took the submission of certain Welsh rulers, they had earlier submitted to Æthelflæd, and that at her death Æthelflæd exercised some sort of hegemony over most of the major Welsh kings.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We also have to remember that the very fact that her death was recorded at all in the Welsh and Irish annals suggests that she was a leader of some significance, yet the main <i>ASC </i>chronicle remains very quiet about her, not even naming her as I said, just calling her Edward’s sister. The Welsh annals entry is succinct: It gives the date wrongly as 917 but it simply states that Queen Æthelflæd died. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I mentioned at the beginning the curious entry in the annals that says simply that Chester was restored in 907 i.e. taken back from Viking control. We know that Æthelred was still alive at this point but that his wife was acting on his behalf. And we know that in the Irish annals they were called king and queen. Now, the Three Fragments reads rather more like a saga than an annal, but if we look again at this idea that Chester was restored:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieZOxoCvcPXUllc9264a9rVRhG7aE7_oD-3w9OeofN8x-HMIVdH1up_B4Lrej3tdj9sQfn5yMX1rQpLyf_nojhil-QLsYQOaNmH6uGWgJ9OqgIZTbFBh92oa2TP9GlOljrge3OS7NS0rATzUUecjsO0QPrRCsMQQV9q-UVQrc_0zfxFrzsp0mmyyfk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="676" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieZOxoCvcPXUllc9264a9rVRhG7aE7_oD-3w9OeofN8x-HMIVdH1up_B4Lrej3tdj9sQfn5yMX1rQpLyf_nojhil-QLsYQOaNmH6uGWgJ9OqgIZTbFBh92oa2TP9GlOljrge3OS7NS0rATzUUecjsO0QPrRCsMQQV9q-UVQrc_0zfxFrzsp0mmyyfk" width="301" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Chester was a significant trading centre, it was the centre of large-scale minting of coins, and merchants from all over were trading there, so it was a lucrative place to have control over. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">This restoration of Chester was followed by the building of burhs along the Mersey - at Eddisbury in 914 and Runcorn in 915 (note that this is after Æthelred had died). The siting of these burhs suggests that the wary Mercian eyes were looking across the Irish sea, not to the Danes in Northumbria and the northeast of Mercia. So as well as acting in concert with her brother, she’s got one eye on the Irish Seaboard, and is effectively in control there.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So it’s perhaps in this context that we should look again at the request from York. By controlling access to Mercia from the Irish sea via the Mersey, she’s in a strong position to prevent another influx of Norse Irish, though of course they could still navigate a long way up the Ribble, north of the Mercian border. But it’s Mercia, not Wessex, that shares a border with Northumbria, and therefore with York. So to the Irish and Welsh, and indeed the Northumbrians, she’s looking powerful, not at all a junior partner of Wessex.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And although, when she died, Edward did finally take control of the whole of Mercia, Mercian history did not stop. In many ways Mercia remained independent - it seems to have welcomed Athelstan as king before the West Saxons did. Twice more in the tenth century the Mercian council opted for a different candidate from Wessex. Leading Mercians fell out with the Godwines, too, in the 11th century so there was always a strong independent/nationalist streak!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKCV1kT61aApG1dwMFx4eXKvTD6kxXDYAePqYNShvh3DV_HAVnn08UZkd-E5i19R2RuCJf5fBVBdaJV_BCWmi3LVtNoG4eFwPOHNQol_dTPU4Wq8kPwjXMtTWuqo3576anTx8_OiaAlZfttW3Zy89aHCwtRAO5bQ0uSnKW67hlkWd7fiKuaO-Q75_p" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="347" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKCV1kT61aApG1dwMFx4eXKvTD6kxXDYAePqYNShvh3DV_HAVnn08UZkd-E5i19R2RuCJf5fBVBdaJV_BCWmi3LVtNoG4eFwPOHNQol_dTPU4Wq8kPwjXMtTWuqo3576anTx8_OiaAlZfttW3Zy89aHCwtRAO5bQ0uSnKW67hlkWd7fiKuaO-Q75_p" width="154" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But to get back to our heroine, whom the Welsh and Irish called Queen, and who acted in every way as if she were one, more so than other women styled regina: can we answer our original questions?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Was she a warrior? It’s perhaps disappointing to some, and recent tv productions have shown otherwise, but I don’t believe Æthelflæd fought though others may choose to disagree. But I think we have to wait for more concrete evidence that there were such people in early medieval England. And I do feel that had she actually wielded a sword, someone might have commented. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It’s difficult even to know for sure if she was governing independently or whether events and decisions were engineered by the men around her (and we don’t even really know who they were). Just what advice she was getting and how much she was bound by it, we just don’t know.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">She IS presented as acting independently in the Mercian Register, she and her husband are called ealdorman and lady in charters and West Saxon sources, but some Mercian, and the Irish and Welsh sources elevate them to the rank of king and queen. Whether or not she wielded a weapon, she was acting in parallel with her brother Edward. She was making decisions - again I must stress that we don’t know who, if anyone, was advising her, but it is abundantly clear that the Mercians considered her to be their rightful ruler. And her daughter after her.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">What we’ll never know is why we know so little. If the West Saxons were keen to play down her role in events, was this because she was representing Mercia, or because she was a woman? If there was no intrinsic aversion to women leaders, why weren’t there more of them? Why did Edward allow her rule, but not her daughter’s - was it a matter of character? Was it a matter of timing? If she was so exceptional, why wasn’t more comment made about her at the time? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Even though she probably didn’t fight, she was a fierce and determined and undaunted person who remains pretty much unique.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Can we say that she was a queen? Well, perhaps it’s all just a question of semantics and how we define that word. The West Saxons didn’t seem to want to name her as such, but then as we’ve seen, they wanted to downplay her contribution full stop. The main version of the <i>ASC</i> promotes the rule of Edward, does not mention his sister by name, and incidentally even bigs up the latter part of Edward’s reign when it looks as if he was losing his grip over Mercia. Clearly Æthelflæd was acting in such a way that the Welsh and Irish thought she was a queen, and she exercised much more agency than those officially given the title. As we’ve seen, in contrast with some king’s wives who didn’t witness charters, she actually issued her own.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">This woman was instrumental in stemming the tide of invading Danes, of recovering lost land, and establishing fortified towns. We’ll never know for sure whether she did that with a sword in her hand, or whether those around her called her, or thought of her as a queen, but the fact remains that when she died on June 12th 918, here in Tamworth, it ended a partnership with Wessex which had been phenomenal in fighting back the Vikings and this is how we all will remember her. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And there you can see her title: <i>Mrycna Hlaefdige</i> - Lady of the Mercians</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiR2EHHRxbxKbmx_ch0J8_6niVyCr8PBlB65psk1stQDETuC-OFziizHiUUUABll6TzsrwKiAJAB2mVdWdwFrDCmQveShl21ZyeHsysYMBSogr2JV7Qm61CLvDsVzhzAvZC7ncoccPVjxpdPxQnQ45SSIsV3_8SQfzkT17uSbs53X5hGawmnUwDWR/s1096/Screenshot%202023-06-15%20at%2020.25.18.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="1096" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiR2EHHRxbxKbmx_ch0J8_6niVyCr8PBlB65psk1stQDETuC-OFziizHiUUUABll6TzsrwKiAJAB2mVdWdwFrDCmQveShl21ZyeHsysYMBSogr2JV7Qm61CLvDsVzhzAvZC7ncoccPVjxpdPxQnQ45SSIsV3_8SQfzkT17uSbs53X5hGawmnUwDWR/s320/Screenshot%202023-06-15%20at%2020.25.18.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The transcript of my second talk of the weekend, <i>Prominent Women of Mercia</i>, can be found <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2023/06/prominent-women-of-mercia.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></p>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-11316425881249982452022-10-06T16:00:00.001-07:002022-10-07T03:28:38.005-07:00When Research Means Leaving Well Enough Alone<p> <span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">My most recent novel is Book 2 of 2 in the <i>Tales of the Iclingas</i> series, which began with <i><a href="http://mybook.to/ComeththeHour" target="_blank">Cometh the Hour</a></i> and the story of Penda, the last pagan king of Mercia and his struggles against the oppression of Mercia by Northumbria.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEe_Y0wPYuAWaEkTd_Vr5XUIIeNQaUNwuYfrPCd3EiyGAvVE22emTg_GAZNHfOCqkmliyfFonAZNeMfFSL2C2jgqcSNoR0uCzrS1J5Iu9ly2HV1mpANzBjnGtqNVkfGp4MGAmSHOic0kBKmlGwscW0IqI3HVdGtLvQa1lXC3JYVz8csD_0M3vB0INe/s1080/Blog%20collage%20Wulfhere.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEe_Y0wPYuAWaEkTd_Vr5XUIIeNQaUNwuYfrPCd3EiyGAvVE22emTg_GAZNHfOCqkmliyfFonAZNeMfFSL2C2jgqcSNoR0uCzrS1J5Iu9ly2HV1mpANzBjnGtqNVkfGp4MGAmSHOic0kBKmlGwscW0IqI3HVdGtLvQa1lXC3JYVz8csD_0M3vB0INe/w400-h400/Blog%20collage%20Wulfhere.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><p><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a></i> is the follow-up, and focuses on the next generation, in Mercia and in Northumbria, and how the children of the great warlords cope with the legacy left by their fathers. Some try to emulate their father, some try to forge a new path, and some resort to murder just to get noticed…</span></p></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKacnc0esvknuHuj8NPL-XPhArAuXvfLcHoeuBV44b9VYEvaOOW1pgVoFpO0vKwb0eSJ3ndjcGIQYx9_To8dX2d1P-fKXj8yRKxVlINa6qQsSyTZpHiQ_ze_a3yE1NHSjw-vJLHlIZXbtm-BMeZj9V8GWU_aaZ4bXeg4Ml5jCYASBZ_8__azULs0Lu/s1600/Sins%20Cryssa%20Quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKacnc0esvknuHuj8NPL-XPhArAuXvfLcHoeuBV44b9VYEvaOOW1pgVoFpO0vKwb0eSJ3ndjcGIQYx9_To8dX2d1P-fKXj8yRKxVlINa6qQsSyTZpHiQ_ze_a3yE1NHSjw-vJLHlIZXbtm-BMeZj9V8GWU_aaZ4bXeg4Ml5jCYASBZ_8__azULs0Lu/w400-h225/Sins%20Cryssa%20Quote.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Penda of Mercia was seemingly unusual at this time for having married only once and, if that’s the case, then he and his only wife had a great number of children. (There are nine of them in my stories, although one is the son of Penda’s wife by a previous marriage, a boy whom Penda adopts as his own. And I made two of the girls twins, to give their poor mother a break from all those pregnancies.)</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qw2JuZTC-dN7b4IlFXtfYOghNtowVReIjDQvfhH0BScU8v50Ie2dT9RFvk8v_XPkFlfUFSTxpDgaEv3n7BZI2lRBQYV5f7mvVaTI7BDsNaTLkuBBCPhwphScNU5fUc0oksEpcX0MV8-SRDo2HtXxAu8JMAo_iIQfplWqLC4_cy89gVSjHyQoIMSE/s599/Penda_of_Mercia.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="330" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qw2JuZTC-dN7b4IlFXtfYOghNtowVReIjDQvfhH0BScU8v50Ie2dT9RFvk8v_XPkFlfUFSTxpDgaEv3n7BZI2lRBQYV5f7mvVaTI7BDsNaTLkuBBCPhwphScNU5fUc0oksEpcX0MV8-SRDo2HtXxAu8JMAo_iIQfplWqLC4_cy89gVSjHyQoIMSE/s320/Penda_of_Mercia.jpg" width="176" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Tracking them down is not easy because very little was written about Penda himself, beyond his dealings with Northumbria, and even that was written by a Northumbrian (Bede) so is not always favourable, as you might imagine!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">So in order to establish who his children were, we have to start elsewhere and join up the dots. We might not be told that they are Penda’s sons and daughters, but sometimes we do know that they were, say, the brother of one of his children, or we hear of a granddaughter of his, and her maternal aunt, and thus we know that aunt was Penda’s daughter, so we work backwards and voila!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don’t mind wavy lines between those dots when it comes to writing fiction, but some just didn’t match at all. It’s at that point that you have to decide to leave people out of your story, no matter how intriguing they might be…</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u><span style="font-size: large;">Osweard</span></u></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This man was supposedly a brother of Penda’s son Ethelred (again with the backwards info!) He is mentioned in two charters of AD714 in relation to land granted to a bishop, or rather, how the bishop came by these lands. These charters are unlikely to be genuine and the only other mention of Osweard was in the account of the bishop’s life which essentially repeats the information, saying, ‘A short time later, I acquired another estate with this one from Osweard, the brother of the aforementioned king [Ethelred]’. I think it’s safe to say that the bishop, like so many before him and afterwards, was trying to make a case for land ownership which probably wasn’t as water-tight as he might have wished.</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRoQLWmLxhrEQiw91GXB2dUE8jKcQedK6EIbyF8jyRwhVhe9d9QvJ8_Bi8y4V5VSxiw9wpATeA9IKeOCJ6Ri5FHShN84i151Um8Bx1sdIdrmNF9Z5ADZtTP5Pqfe9ssmKFLf7oPBci797o_K4ZOP7YWKoiOqgSbIqHW9jhY3K8bG8EXNX_Ahtoiva/s1280/1280px-St_John's_Church,_Chester_-_Westfenster_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="1280" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRoQLWmLxhrEQiw91GXB2dUE8jKcQedK6EIbyF8jyRwhVhe9d9QvJ8_Bi8y4V5VSxiw9wpATeA9IKeOCJ6Ri5FHShN84i151Um8Bx1sdIdrmNF9Z5ADZtTP5Pqfe9ssmKFLf7oPBci797o_K4ZOP7YWKoiOqgSbIqHW9jhY3K8bG8EXNX_Ahtoiva/w400-h268/1280px-St_John's_Church,_Chester_-_Westfenster_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Window in St John's Church, Chester, depicting<br />Ethelred of Mercia. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_John%27s_Church,_Chester_-_Westfenster_2.jpg" target="_blank">Accreditation Link</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also think nine children is more than enough, even for a saga that spans two books and three generations, so Osweard didn’t get even a walk-on part. I had some more fun with the next generation though.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u><span style="font-size: large;">Rumwold</span></u></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">There is a curious story concerning a supposed grandson of Penda’s, a certain Saint Rumwold. According to tradition, he was a baby who died at just three days old. The <i>Vita Sancti Rumwoldi</i>, the eleventh-century account of his life, says that he was able to speak at birth, preached on wisdom and the Trinity, and predicted his own death, giving precise instructions regarding where his body was to be laid to rest.</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ViD_WlNtVMb4yFbvyID3-7TxwFhFbqQ9xlnTgRAOlZKQTYanfUxt8bkg4f67XbLyjeafxlisM9LsN_ln1rxjr7ygnMOaSGfRlqh3ZVNCOkWX_DV8THvoD8M0jQt2rTIW9jpz7vG1x7RJClW2idJNmS_Ycvh4DA_EY5m7Q_EMgVrXd0m4sbAJn9vF/s640/St_Rumbold's_well_-_geograph.org.uk_-_423381%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="640" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ViD_WlNtVMb4yFbvyID3-7TxwFhFbqQ9xlnTgRAOlZKQTYanfUxt8bkg4f67XbLyjeafxlisM9LsN_ln1rxjr7ygnMOaSGfRlqh3ZVNCOkWX_DV8THvoD8M0jQt2rTIW9jpz7vG1x7RJClW2idJNmS_Ycvh4DA_EY5m7Q_EMgVrXd0m4sbAJn9vF/w400-h266/St_Rumbold's_well_-_geograph.org.uk_-_423381%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Rumwold's Well, Buckinghamshire<br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_Rumbold%27s_well_-_geograph.org.uk_-_423381.jpg" target="_blank">Accreditation Link</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is said that he was the grandson of Penda and the son of an unnamed king of Northumbria. In which case, he can only have been the son of one of Penda’s daughters married to the Northumbrian line. Except that only one of Penda’s daughters married a Northumbrian, and he was never king of the whole of Northumbria, though he was, briefly, a sub-king of its southern portion. There doesn’t seem to be any corroboration for this tale, so I left the precocious Rumwold out of the story.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u><span style="font-size: large;">Ruffin and Wulflad</span></u></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">There is no doubt that Wulfhere (known in my story as Wulf to his family) was a son of Penda’s. But there’s a curious seventeenth-century anecdote which tells that, along with his children Werburgh (Werbyra in my novel) and Cenred, he had two sons called Wulfad and Ruffin. These two boys were, according to the story, baptised by St Cedd which so offended their father that he ‘killed them both with his own hands.’ Wulfhere was horribly tormented by what he had done, and ‘could find no ease’ until he went to St Cedd, who absolved him if he would suppress idolatry and establish Christianity throughout Mercia. It also says that the king built many churches and monasteries, among them Peterborough, although it is likely that the monastery there (Medeshamstede) was founded earlier, and by Wulfhere’s elder brother.</span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETTooGcxZCSYBYsKwKfmfPFSs_e3eiFwjHL7mJCSDRssYfMfnb54usYgREFfHwJ04eKKTAPssRqBBAnXcHA0CTT0HT2W81y9NlyELJUHXFnHoCh5oXyEeCUNlFbx4DDloCL19aeu8bRRLJDEMGRTU-9uJ8vMaaVtalADYA52reVUV_gz2PPUvdSgu/s1801/Soc_Ant_microfilm_Ms_38_Wulfhere_crop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="1801" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETTooGcxZCSYBYsKwKfmfPFSs_e3eiFwjHL7mJCSDRssYfMfnb54usYgREFfHwJ04eKKTAPssRqBBAnXcHA0CTT0HT2W81y9NlyELJUHXFnHoCh5oXyEeCUNlFbx4DDloCL19aeu8bRRLJDEMGRTU-9uJ8vMaaVtalADYA52reVUV_gz2PPUvdSgu/w400-h164/Soc_Ant_microfilm_Ms_38_Wulfhere_crop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of a 14th-Century Charter transcription of an Anglo-Saxon<br />Charter which purports to show Wulfhere's founding of Medeshamstede<br />Public Domain Image</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">That’s not the only problem I have with this story though. Little Werbyra became an abbess and saint, Wulfhere himself was a Christian, and it seems highly unlikely that he would have killed two of his sons because they’d been baptised. Since this was a period when couples could separate to take up the religious life, you’d think his wife would have left him if he'd murdered two of her children, or even step-children, yet she didn’t. When Wulfhere discovered that another king had apostatized and gone back to his heathen ways, Bede tells us that Wulfhere sent a bishop to ‘correct their error.’ Improbable then, that he would kill any Christian children of his own. It could, of course, have happened before his own conversion to Christianity, but it all seems very unlikely to me. I left them out of the book because the murder of two children by their father the king would have taken my story in an entirely different direction…</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cfLz1XfqH6Mb6IM0uhBsxXqnkXGGstrf6FdEsMWWq0ixD6Opgbc2qnq2JpNmDJPKf_FMCDsYmp9qhe4OWRApUJym6tQbZ03G6T5AvYVEMmpBTnWMirjcJ245lVm__tkN2Qxu9cVr-k7m8gA5hXenCzSxbUJeW3suXJXybdjGQR6vlD0zrb3PToKY/s300/Stwerburghbadge.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cfLz1XfqH6Mb6IM0uhBsxXqnkXGGstrf6FdEsMWWq0ixD6Opgbc2qnq2JpNmDJPKf_FMCDsYmp9qhe4OWRApUJym6tQbZ03G6T5AvYVEMmpBTnWMirjcJ245lVm__tkN2Qxu9cVr-k7m8gA5hXenCzSxbUJeW3suXJXybdjGQR6vlD0zrb3PToKY/w400-h300/Stwerburghbadge.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Werburgh's Pilgimage Badge<br />Public Domain Image</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes, when doing historical detective work, it’s best to leave the bodies right where you find them, and walk away!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">About <i><a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">A father’s legacy can be a blessing or a curse…</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">AD658: The sons of Penda of Mercia have come of age. Ethelred, the youngest, recalls little of past wars while Wulf is determined to emulate their father, whose quest to avenge his betrayed kinswomen drew him to battle three successive Northumbrian kings.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ecgfrith of Northumbria is more hostile towards the Mercians than his father was. His sister Ositha, thwarted in her marriage plans, seeks to make her mark in other ways, but can she, when called upon, do her brother’s murderous bidding?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ethelred finds love with a woman who is not involved in the feud, but fate intervenes. Wulf’s actions against Northumbria mean Ethelred must choose duty over love, until he, like his father before him, has cause to avenge the women closest to him. Battle must once more be joined, but the price of victory will be high.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Can Ethelred stay true to his father’s values, end the feud, keep Mercia free, and find the path back to love?</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieENWYh-qcSTtCAc2XTk0RpV6xRF3eqt6j-r1TpkPvUn_N4Gsaou6Nnl8-HsYzZsSx2Hky844khkRt9rsLyXegoSvrfm_C3AlllINrOSMDzCsvnkYQTKjmVqXVxUqWxzp7ufFOXciDzWHOTT-lGiUOSr0n2b7lonbrMMB6BNmSjB285qzLTLFuNcYe/s1600/Sins%20Amy%20BookBub%20review.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieENWYh-qcSTtCAc2XTk0RpV6xRF3eqt6j-r1TpkPvUn_N4Gsaou6Nnl8-HsYzZsSx2Hky844khkRt9rsLyXegoSvrfm_C3AlllINrOSMDzCsvnkYQTKjmVqXVxUqWxzp7ufFOXciDzWHOTT-lGiUOSr0n2b7lonbrMMB6BNmSjB285qzLTLFuNcYe/w400-h225/Sins%20Amy%20BookBub%20review.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[A version of this article first appeared on author Charlene Newcomb's <a href="https://charlenenewcomb.com/2021/09/17/guest-post-annie-whitehead-when-research-means-leaving-well-enough-alone/" target="_blank">blog</a> in 2021]</span></p>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-15519573970353633182022-07-25T16:00:00.001-07:002022-07-26T01:40:49.257-07:00St Wilfrid and his Crypts<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Last week, on my way back from a research trip to York, I called in at Ripon, to visit the cathedral there, or rather more specifically, to go underneath it. Stunningly beautiful though the cathedral is, it was the rather more mundane and plain crypt which attracted me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6jt2JppxNl1eOAgRxu4FMg1O9p75mwVlbMzmAkb8dYWQ_gKIwSSJEnpfccRr9kTND2-ObIWiEdo8gmeCcRYT1hUGs37Wb9dPz6geFcJkrPz29bik9OBlRgaNR9XdtVlLNY5mfo7U9pHFkmb9Td28T9xFaujjwwNrbZKc5pJVHiTNBMrv-qS9czGG/s5152/DSC01686.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6jt2JppxNl1eOAgRxu4FMg1O9p75mwVlbMzmAkb8dYWQ_gKIwSSJEnpfccRr9kTND2-ObIWiEdo8gmeCcRYT1hUGs37Wb9dPz6geFcJkrPz29bik9OBlRgaNR9XdtVlLNY5mfo7U9pHFkmb9Td28T9xFaujjwwNrbZKc5pJVHiTNBMrv-qS9czGG/s320/DSC01686.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I read recently that the crypt at Ripon is deemed to be 'creepy' but I didn't find it so. Perhaps it helped that there was a concert of organ music going on above while I was down there, but I think the crypt at Hexham, also associated with St Wilfrid, is perhaps the creepier of the two.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Ripon is proud of the fact that its crypt is the oldest in the country, beating Hexham to the title by just a few years.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Wilfrid had been inspired by what he had seen in Rome - ornate stone churches with catacombs - and he used stonemasons from overseas to build his church at Ripon, at a time when most 'English' churches were built of wood. The crypt contained holy relics, connected with St Peter, and it was lit by candlelight, which illuminated gold, silver, and purple wall decorations. The idea was to inspire, and it surely succeeded.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, who was Wilfrid, and why was he at Ripon?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I think it's fair to say that he had a colourful career and, though he is remembered as a religious man who achieved great things, he also had an uncanny knack of annoying people, so much so that he found himself banished and briefly imprisoned.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">He first comes to our notice when, as a fourteen-year-old boy, and according to one tradition, anxious to escape his wicked stepmother, he presented himself to Eanflæd, queen consort of Oswiu, king of Northumbria, who sponsored him and sent him off to study at Lindisfarne. Thereafter his chequered career is too long, and his fortunes too variable, to condense into a blog post (a quick glance at the length of his Wikipedia page will demonstrate that!), and I recommend you read Alan Thacker's detailed article at the <a href="https://www.oxforddnb.com/" target="_blank">Oxford Dictionary of National Biography</a> and his contribution in <i>The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Suffice to say for this post about the crypts that, after a time abroad, he was heavily involved with the discussions at the Synod of Whitby in 664, a vocal advocate for the argument which won the day on controversial matters such as the dating of Easter. He was appointed abbot of Ripon, but this was one of many contentious events in his career, because he expelled the abbot and the monks there, including the future St Cuthbert. He dedicated his new stone church to St Peter.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaV7T3sg0XRZG3vNihvckncknm0fhmZaWlrt1v7xamFOIWSZQ6nAVTCQr-ZpMz08lyGLlvffLkxhRsXT7CDps22EgJoGEI4UtC8s0GQ6wRpaa_bmBynREKWazqjaNlHgEXt58wO0SBOvJmrqRvrBIe9cR3IBc7Z9OzyZ4VSXq-J8_VEJ2rg0KpwG1/s5152/DSC01687.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaV7T3sg0XRZG3vNihvckncknm0fhmZaWlrt1v7xamFOIWSZQ6nAVTCQr-ZpMz08lyGLlvffLkxhRsXT7CDps22EgJoGEI4UtC8s0GQ6wRpaa_bmBynREKWazqjaNlHgEXt58wO0SBOvJmrqRvrBIe9cR3IBc7Z9OzyZ4VSXq-J8_VEJ2rg0KpwG1/s320/DSC01687.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGfKQU3O3gIRfdKZrqPl1NbXbJkcsNC8kuvRomeNIWOHIN8G3KWk8GlbnLPpU6qQg5Cjm22o_E5XPfnTthwRDBhIfWO6mrUhlXszzCc0ONyN2kajooO1CRFnLBtdFX4dtnOEV-TmDCD4GIkyTDHIS12DOLKS0IejPDjed2Z4Nh9VKLiO09l59r4DZ/s5152/DSC01693.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGfKQU3O3gIRfdKZrqPl1NbXbJkcsNC8kuvRomeNIWOHIN8G3KWk8GlbnLPpU6qQg5Cjm22o_E5XPfnTthwRDBhIfWO6mrUhlXszzCc0ONyN2kajooO1CRFnLBtdFX4dtnOEV-TmDCD4GIkyTDHIS12DOLKS0IejPDjed2Z4Nh9VKLiO09l59r4DZ/s320/DSC01693.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><p><span style="font-size: large;">By 672, Oswiu of Northumbria had died, and his son Ecgfrith was married to Æthelthryth. It was she who reputedly remained a virgin throughout this, her second, marriage, and was encouraged to do so by Wilfrid. One tradition has her escaping from Ecgfrith (it's likely that he was happy to let her go, given that she was ten years older than him and he had no heir) before she went on to become abbess of Ely. However, whilst still in the north, she gave Wilfrid a large parcel of land at Hexham, where he built another stone church, this time dedicated to St Andrew.</span></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Hexham Abbey is not so very far away from Ripon, but the existing building looks rather different. Wilfrid's church was completed in 678 but partly destroyed by Viking raids in 875. In the early twelfth century, the church became the Priory of Canons Regular of St Augustine and from the mid-twelfth to mid-thirteenth century more building took place.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In 1296, Scottish raiders set fire to the priory, and in the process destroyed shrines, books and relics. It is said that molten lead ran down the night stair and can still be seen to this day. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0hqUyNuCT8kUWh5kaZ0kA9UWipuP_m9hglAoTtU813atHZBNrLx55tURr7VbFJEZs5HMJzYLXtNz412en6NZmtkwphzPoj6VfLgfhMNWJFskNC8qnH85iGlqPb8DuNewPYdpXoOrkF_lgZpYefQ-bGEplJAIbuYh34PrjSuuru4Bk5RPvx3_CeBm/s320/DSCF5063.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0hqUyNuCT8kUWh5kaZ0kA9UWipuP_m9hglAoTtU813atHZBNrLx55tURr7VbFJEZs5HMJzYLXtNz412en6NZmtkwphzPoj6VfLgfhMNWJFskNC8qnH85iGlqPb8DuNewPYdpXoOrkF_lgZpYefQ-bGEplJAIbuYh34PrjSuuru4Bk5RPvx3_CeBm/s1600/DSCF5063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But of course for me, the interest is much deeper down, in the crypt. With a good ethos of ‘waste not, want not’ recycled Roman bricks were used, from the remains of the Roman fort and town at Corbridge just a few miles away; Wilfrid's church was probably built entirely from stones taken from this site.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrK9oL2rnfJsM9JE4TJaw6_R3pSTvTMmxXWbuO-PBy8TUZmxPeFCrnTG9NbV0y6amNdHfelGWYTd48ukgqnrEfzDbDdJsny8PsKSIMUJbg7-HzG7bYTZDvugmkyPrsuyuoE-HyYGs1aD5XbQQgKV89sZ1VrqY-gfsyN8MfuCDouNW8xSvbOvLUtiNd/s320/DSCF5060.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrK9oL2rnfJsM9JE4TJaw6_R3pSTvTMmxXWbuO-PBy8TUZmxPeFCrnTG9NbV0y6amNdHfelGWYTd48ukgqnrEfzDbDdJsny8PsKSIMUJbg7-HzG7bYTZDvugmkyPrsuyuoE-HyYGs1aD5XbQQgKV89sZ1VrqY-gfsyN8MfuCDouNW8xSvbOvLUtiNd/s1600/DSCF5060.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9zqa6Ub4ekDYdDLfRo5KDV9lxrQBIb21mE8-vTjNcLQ1-fYm9KkmOfKPsLdGJuX7zDbo47E8asj51NJtPx7dlABPmD7Du04G-R9Fh4b3CQe6hJ04aZkmcTzoWV3Pnwvr1GAjZVxZscQecHXtWY8ItlNM8zzv4m-as3cCGPm7P5MHx-EbJ410fUNtn/s3648/DSCF5061.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9zqa6Ub4ekDYdDLfRo5KDV9lxrQBIb21mE8-vTjNcLQ1-fYm9KkmOfKPsLdGJuX7zDbo47E8asj51NJtPx7dlABPmD7Du04G-R9Fh4b3CQe6hJ04aZkmcTzoWV3Pnwvr1GAjZVxZscQecHXtWY8ItlNM8zzv4m-as3cCGPm7P5MHx-EbJ410fUNtn/s320/DSCF5061.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieq_mfZVo37P81bqWNYo64gdY2zuKOKnr_5BXjAWRWhSH6hgBtJP1pRql3eamFPvIz-mO8oGvqVEPHMkZmSGvZV-RHv2_zvtXd9ow9OGpvpZ6snVR_x4v11rJAARTf12xpNwDCa-uzHr-uNQ0qThaRqRnOHzjY0Kp9oEl3SuI44G-KnfyrT3zD8Bz4/s3648/DSCF5062.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieq_mfZVo37P81bqWNYo64gdY2zuKOKnr_5BXjAWRWhSH6hgBtJP1pRql3eamFPvIz-mO8oGvqVEPHMkZmSGvZV-RHv2_zvtXd9ow9OGpvpZ6snVR_x4v11rJAARTf12xpNwDCa-uzHr-uNQ0qThaRqRnOHzjY0Kp9oEl3SuI44G-KnfyrT3zD8Bz4/s320/DSCF5062.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Is it the darker stone that makes Hexham a little gloomier, perhaps a little spookier? Let's have a reminder of Ripon again:<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg084pznt7Fx2VrZyU9Fn7ShQS1C4eMAyMYp6v0npQuxjGhqTGD8UZlOXPq9_DDEEk8Pd7VTDsJmcXAVVWDuxrCnAWmK74XCdPR2zr1Q88Jg0mrshmU05984lzIMNVeoh3AWV9rhthhxNLdgm-V1dkXbum0cWevYIcaRpo0s5sqkRu1aBiZflYVWn_N/s5152/DSC01697.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg084pznt7Fx2VrZyU9Fn7ShQS1C4eMAyMYp6v0npQuxjGhqTGD8UZlOXPq9_DDEEk8Pd7VTDsJmcXAVVWDuxrCnAWmK74XCdPR2zr1Q88Jg0mrshmU05984lzIMNVeoh3AWV9rhthhxNLdgm-V1dkXbum0cWevYIcaRpo0s5sqkRu1aBiZflYVWn_N/s320/DSC01697.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Well, whatever the case, for me it's a thrill to stand in either place, coming so close to the long-ago past, and feeling very in touch with the troublesome love-him-or-loathe-him Wilfrid. There are so few buildings which survive from the pre-Conquest era that a chance to visit those that still exist should never be passed up.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But in case all the gloomy pictures of ancient crypts aren't quite colourful enough, here's another glory of Ripon Cathedral:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknj4l7mQRKeLozExxL195xzmQccLpOYLKbBPee_0pflQ4beCjosn9kr8q-JXnvkDGR8h3Lz3YIpIE2sx5pqoSOTghQMrec-lkq0ew27O3GuZOX00NQUvLOJUcmIeLM0_cGlBhl0iN8i-Ceiq7_Ko82cj4y5bgfiqE0xaKtu47YlJ_mo2dDiz9JUqW/s5152/DSC01684.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknj4l7mQRKeLozExxL195xzmQccLpOYLKbBPee_0pflQ4beCjosn9kr8q-JXnvkDGR8h3Lz3YIpIE2sx5pqoSOTghQMrec-lkq0ew27O3GuZOX00NQUvLOJUcmIeLM0_cGlBhl0iN8i-Ceiq7_Ko82cj4y5bgfiqE0xaKtu47YlJ_mo2dDiz9JUqW/w300-h400/DSC01684.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Despite his 'interesting' career, he is rightly revered there, and there is also a beautiful painting of Queen Eanflæd by artist Sara Shamma:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYEYq3W9gagoxxPOpUCQ2FlwrGdb6a6lfwqxx3xSPcWTsClx5YVkY3aqL4UIF38wp9kNzWg-6ZDtIHU3mUeXun_Yn5Npu0g4w22vlbnSoXyxcynFLdi_ipI7ojGj8358oahw3rZ1w7BcFl9QadxJvUENtIih35DTq0IsvImfIDp7VWIsNQdIHf6BB/s5152/DSC01777.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3864" data-original-width="5152" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYEYq3W9gagoxxPOpUCQ2FlwrGdb6a6lfwqxx3xSPcWTsClx5YVkY3aqL4UIF38wp9kNzWg-6ZDtIHU3mUeXun_Yn5Npu0g4w22vlbnSoXyxcynFLdi_ipI7ojGj8358oahw3rZ1w7BcFl9QadxJvUENtIih35DTq0IsvImfIDp7VWIsNQdIHf6BB/s320/DSC01777.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Over at Hexham Wilfrid is also rightly remembered, but so too is his patron, </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Eanflæd's daughter-in-law, Æthelthryth:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIHc6IKipjRoCaAgiQmk5FOrav4v3ZsbZ1VucJNwS3kxR5aemPgKjM0i3Li5xTkPYrPARe7htYZHZ9KL2iGiGCikRuqwK6mGr4kmpOeg6utNm-h7EHlCdr3Y0esyEon_EShWETxicOGJ7J4k7iPuXpu9ITvb_UdOL1gWOVWllhxCozNbKkLg2xVq_/s3648/DSCF5069.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIHc6IKipjRoCaAgiQmk5FOrav4v3ZsbZ1VucJNwS3kxR5aemPgKjM0i3Li5xTkPYrPARe7htYZHZ9KL2iGiGCikRuqwK6mGr4kmpOeg6utNm-h7EHlCdr3Y0esyEon_EShWETxicOGJ7J4k7iPuXpu9ITvb_UdOL1gWOVWllhxCozNbKkLg2xVq_/s320/DSCF5069.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Both are beautiful sites. From the outside you would never guess what 'Anglo-Saxon' architecture they are hiding. Here are some more images:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXD1x3PcuvZWJkqsI-VcQieGHoJc3qONtaoZN-v30TjmWCzszjuCBn9w5APLhYKgX9HexBPOvMpJ6PZE1aQVs9scotWEvo3Cx8L0g1nNz0WP4XZg80jXzCm4yK3InT_EUsz3kz4cgeZ1Q3V2tNJQD073HgeOjv2PA4t8ai-3leIunQNa2VZLmf0g9s/s1080/Blog%20collage%20Hexham%20Ripon.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXD1x3PcuvZWJkqsI-VcQieGHoJc3qONtaoZN-v30TjmWCzszjuCBn9w5APLhYKgX9HexBPOvMpJ6PZE1aQVs9scotWEvo3Cx8L0g1nNz0WP4XZg80jXzCm4yK3InT_EUsz3kz4cgeZ1Q3V2tNJQD073HgeOjv2PA4t8ai-3leIunQNa2VZLmf0g9s/w400-h400/Blog%20collage%20Hexham%20Ripon.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clockwise from top left: <br />Hexham Abbey, Hexham Crypt, <br />Ripon Crypt, Ripon Cathedral<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Wilfrid appears in my novel, <i><a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a></i>, as do Eanflæd and Æthelthryth. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Eanflæd also features heavily in the previous novel, <i><a href="http://mybook.to/ComeththeHour" target="_blank">Cometh the Hour</a></i>, and both women's stories are in my book <i><a href="http://mybook.to/WomeninPower" target="_blank">Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England</a></i>.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJCxvF2-TJHFUMPKwKSf1f5Ysda3y0u_tNs2etCgBo-rcj-wMB6OuCHR0R0F2NH55MQ8qdwnhCo3AbgInyIJLQ-cwIwHqDJgIh3ak7afqMWxi4j05YyiIxWOTVFh84vxlMl-lhlQ9_Bz52BGgK8j3x4ME4z7chhoycTQStZCnb4S5cuk6NvFaehi7/s940/hour%20sins%20and%20women%20for%20blog%20post.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJCxvF2-TJHFUMPKwKSf1f5Ysda3y0u_tNs2etCgBo-rcj-wMB6OuCHR0R0F2NH55MQ8qdwnhCo3AbgInyIJLQ-cwIwHqDJgIh3ak7afqMWxi4j05YyiIxWOTVFh84vxlMl-lhlQ9_Bz52BGgK8j3x4ME4z7chhoycTQStZCnb4S5cuk6NvFaehi7/s320/hour%20sins%20and%20women%20for%20blog%20post.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">For details of another 'Anglo-Saxon' crypt, this time in Repton, Derbyshire, read my blog post <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2018/01/repton-royal-mausoleum-and-viking.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">[all photos by and copyright of the author, taken with all permissions from the relevant authorities at Ripon Cathedral and Hexham Abbey]</span></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-43032497513602910922022-05-23T16:00:00.002-07:002022-05-26T02:51:08.259-07:00Dial M for... Merewalh of the Magonsæte and all his little Ms...<p> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A family featuring prominently in my writing, both fiction and nonfiction, is that of seventh-century Merewalh of the <i>Magonsæte</i>, all of whom</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> had names beginning with M, which perhaps displays either a lack of imagination, or a strong sense of kin!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioG1VwUQxaG8OVMkVuQh_IV2rfsuhwyU1SVffaD-18IaU4ggBDspIqbEQB9iSVSFlXU5K_efG-LygMPErvPr1ElcZ-JPuJ7lpv4gPAeEoZET040gTJBgh4rpxZA0BvWgNxZZDct9MdXQhciGzly0Mm6J3ejrHJB8c3-0OFgupictZCDX7e0z1GotAA/s1080/Blog%20collage%20for%20Merewalh%20post.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioG1VwUQxaG8OVMkVuQh_IV2rfsuhwyU1SVffaD-18IaU4ggBDspIqbEQB9iSVSFlXU5K_efG-LygMPErvPr1ElcZ-JPuJ7lpv4gPAeEoZET040gTJBgh4rpxZA0BvWgNxZZDct9MdXQhciGzly0Mm6J3ejrHJB8c3-0OFgupictZCDX7e0z1GotAA/w400-h400/Blog%20collage%20for%20Merewalh%20post.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The alliterative nature of the names is interesting, as it has often been cited as a reason to dismiss the idea that Merewalh was a son of Penda, the seventh-century pagan king of Mercia. But of Penda's numerous children only one, in fact, had a name beginning with P, so this is not a strong enough reason to say that Merewalh was not one of Penda's sons. The last part of his name causes more debate, because it suggests to some that he was either a slave (Old English <i>wealh</i>) or, perhaps more probably, a Welshman. Penda had strong friendships and alliances with the British living in what we now call Wales, and there was also likely to have been a lot of intermarriage between Mercians and 'Welsh'. There were kings/subkings/noblemen with this name element - Cenwalh, Æthelwalh, and Penwalh, for example - and I don't think it should tax us unduly, other than to note that it, along with others, might indicate a degree of intermarriage. Merewalh, it is assumed, was given the rule of the area where the people known as the <i>Magonsætan</i></span> by Penda, so perhaps it was either because he was Penda's son, or foster son, or because he was a Welsh ally rewarded for help/service.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOhfGj3umuDgtyxEn9UehFPKZOu8ddUP8nv41zg__vaqTC6NDuzrawF9AknQL_p6r4r_Wxve5934jz8BCYSrctKi7pSkGG0ni4bgXqyqH0aj8sfPv4BVBIxwdj_DUpgLRQuROI7vLXJH97quwHGg50wU-2bdCsOv5-cGXVLv1sf4qbObQyRq3qmvw/s599/Penda_of_Mercia.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="330" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOhfGj3umuDgtyxEn9UehFPKZOu8ddUP8nv41zg__vaqTC6NDuzrawF9AknQL_p6r4r_Wxve5934jz8BCYSrctKi7pSkGG0ni4bgXqyqH0aj8sfPv4BVBIxwdj_DUpgLRQuROI7vLXJH97quwHGg50wU-2bdCsOv5-cGXVLv1sf4qbObQyRq3qmvw/s320/Penda_of_Mercia.jpg" width="176" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penda of Mercia</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The <i>Magonsæte</i></span> was a subkingdom of Mercia, centred around Hereford, though the name itself is not recorded earlier than 811 and it may have been home to a culturally and ethnically diverse population. Merewalh, despite having at least three sons, didn't establish a ruling dynasty, and the area was later absorbed into greater Mercia.</p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It seems that Merewalh was married twice, and his first marriage produced sons Merchelm and Mildfrith. His second marriage resulted in yet more little Ms: daughters Mildburg, Mildthryth and Mildgyth, along with another son, Merefin, who did not survive infancy. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">We have very little information about Merewalh's sons; however, material does survive which tells us about his daughters. But first, mention must be made of his second wife who, you'll be pleased to hear, did not have a name beginning with M, though her name has caused plenty of confusion! She is sometimes mistakenly called Eormenburg, has been sometimes called Æbbe,</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> but she was actually Eafe, or Domne Eafe (Domneva), daughter of a Kentish king.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Domne Eafe had two brothers who were killed by their cousin. A famous story concerns how she demanded compensation from their killer, and duped him into giving her more land than he'd anticipated. On this land she founded an abbey, Minster-in-Thanet, and it is still home to a community of nuns to this day, and part of the original building survives.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFJJ6R3y8w9NX5vtA60Aexej4kbLHmntXr9jv29qakGTBEzKyF3BUQEuRTEL4tO3_7iEggF04r_iRWAoWPT0E6JddE6jPIyDVEz5jT5_fyrIZQjjAvNjb_GBSHOVjab2NtN_tMiWcVlKf4aFZva2HjDvTiM2GhYAMv0bGPC4H9G4nne3V4X1jZThk/s1536/6.%20Minster%20Abbey%20Saxon%20Stonework.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1536" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFJJ6R3y8w9NX5vtA60Aexej4kbLHmntXr9jv29qakGTBEzKyF3BUQEuRTEL4tO3_7iEggF04r_iRWAoWPT0E6JddE6jPIyDVEz5jT5_fyrIZQjjAvNjb_GBSHOVjab2NtN_tMiWcVlKf4aFZva2HjDvTiM2GhYAMv0bGPC4H9G4nne3V4X1jZThk/w400-h266/6.%20Minster%20Abbey%20Saxon%20Stonework.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minster Abbey, showing Saxon stonework<br />(photo by kind permission of the community there)</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Of her daughters, Mildgyth remains a shadowy figure, about whom we have no information beyond that she was buried somewhere in Northumbria; some have questioned whether she even existed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We are on surer ground with the other two daughters. Mildrith, we are told, was sent abroad, to receive her education at the monastery at Chelles, in Frankia. The abbess attempted to force her into marriage with one of her kinsmen and, when Mildrith refused to acquiesce, she was put in a hot oven, but miraculously managed to escape. The abbess then beat her so viciously that her hair was torn out. Mildrith sent some of this hair to her mother as an SOS signal. Domne Eafe sent a rescue party, although Mildrith refused to leave until she had collected some holy relics from her room. The delay meant that they were pursued and were only successful in escaping because the tide turned. No doubt her mother was pleased to see her again; Mildrith entered Domne Eafe’s house at Minster-in-Thanet and eventually succeeded her as abbess. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLt_TWlhzHKC9QXY4m55YPGssLk0CS0Zw-CGjQ87u4WUcv7_iDP49bIimHpmU7W_XHY4iU9Wl0B377RSKeiQbIhpezLkMGQcoeAX9txMUiYZc9pucvy_XZ4ZjJFUF2s5mqY4ZmWVxlI5RQIwk3L0e_6O9WfWqr2DxO6U8IwmGMR3FQp3uZzh9G1N-r/s2080/8.%20Three%20Abbesses,%20Minster%20Abbey.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2080" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLt_TWlhzHKC9QXY4m55YPGssLk0CS0Zw-CGjQ87u4WUcv7_iDP49bIimHpmU7W_XHY4iU9Wl0B377RSKeiQbIhpezLkMGQcoeAX9txMUiYZc9pucvy_XZ4ZjJFUF2s5mqY4ZmWVxlI5RQIwk3L0e_6O9WfWqr2DxO6U8IwmGMR3FQp3uZzh9G1N-r/w400-h263/8.%20Three%20Abbesses,%20Minster%20Abbey.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tapestry owned by Minster Abbey, depicting the first three<br />abbesses, including Domneva and Mildrith</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The remaining sister, Mildburg, became the second abbess of Wenlock, and many miracles were associated with her. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">An important document, the <i>Testament of St Mildburg</i>, speaks of land and gifts granted to her by her brothers, Merchelm and Mildfrith, although the language used suggests that they were her half-siblings (thus the assertion above that Merewalh married twice). In the <i>Testament</i>, Merchelm is styled <i>rex </i>but if he did, indeed, succeed his father as king of the <i>Magonsæte</i> the line stopped with him. Mildfrith was named <i>regulus</i> in a monumental inscription set up by Cuthbert, bishop of Hereford in the eighth century. Perhaps the brothers ruled jointly? </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">The only other information we have of Mildfrith is </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">a story concerning the murder of Æthelberht of East Anglia by Offa, king of Mercia. Apparently, upon hearing reports of miracles associated with the victim, Mildfrith founded a minster at Hereford. But Mildfrith must have been long dead by the time of this murder, which occurred in 794.The </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Testament</i><span style="font-family: georgia;"> does tell us though that his sister, or half-sister Mildburg, was still alive in 727, and possibly even in 736.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqfN3kVUSQzHCw4-lyShZS7UZzWaMSYNmWN68XRTCF1BoT3AJoKHmfH3YDZRlF9zIWwq1GTE3-h-qwjYr28bsMJ0GP0QGpY6VmPp5bGc8KUtLR1QN0Pvx1K_feHJYZpYPBztMdOEQondA4lQlgSCy3ebPlALVUOgp2WtsTSWIp3EmNlgmEP1J2hVe/s823/Wenlock_Priory_Graham_1965_Plan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqfN3kVUSQzHCw4-lyShZS7UZzWaMSYNmWN68XRTCF1BoT3AJoKHmfH3YDZRlF9zIWwq1GTE3-h-qwjYr28bsMJ0GP0QGpY6VmPp5bGc8KUtLR1QN0Pvx1K_feHJYZpYPBztMdOEQondA4lQlgSCy3ebPlALVUOgp2WtsTSWIp3EmNlgmEP1J2hVe/w389-h400/Wenlock_Priory_Graham_1965_Plan.jpg" width="389" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plan of the later medieval buildings at Wenlock</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Before she became abbess at Wenlock it had been under the auspices of the abbot of an East Anglian abbey and an abbess who came there from Chelles. As already mentioned, we know that Mildrith was educated at Chelles, and it is possible that Mildburg also spent some time there. A curious mix, then, produced a religious house in Mercia, on the Welsh border, founded initially by East Anglians and styled on Frankish models. </span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It seems that Mildburg also had connections with Llanfillo, near Brecon; during the seventh century relations between the Mercians and the Welsh had been good – her grandfather Penda and Cadwallon of Gwynedd had fought as allies against the Northumbrians – so perhaps there is a possibility that Mildburg’s father Merewalh was indeed a Welshman, given land for service by Penda, or that perhaps he was Penda’s Welsh son-in-law, by dint of his first marriage, rather than his son. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">We don't know when, where or how Merewalh died (a date of around 680 has been suggested), and we have scanty information about his family, but his wife and daughters seem to have led eventful lives!</span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The name <i>Magonsætan</i> was mentioned as late at 1041, so it seems that some 'tribal' memory/identity remained centuries later.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">You can read more about Merewalh and his family in my nonfiction books, <i><a href="http://mybook.to/MerciaRiseandFall" target="_blank">Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom</a></i> and <i><a href="http://mybook.to/WomeninPower" target="_blank">Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England</a></i>. They also appear in my novel about Penda, <i><a href="http://mybook.to/ComeththeHour" target="_blank">Cometh the Hour</a></i>, and feature prominently in the follow-up, <i><a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a></i>.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wGCE8nQ371Zn_nIepZZzY3Rq-upujOnNs_s9PwxFc6i-u3ZP76gJ8Q03pdi0RSzhOfMXH1-KKxGPTcf8lo5X4jYRso5G4MeqMb86B2Dc_K4Q4N303V7Qy57JYbGJa0m0Q99OeWdzKTTxMug1eNIW21G2Po9E-erf579ZckbEVcPUDhBX6x9fTjVv/s1080/Mercia%20Women%20Hour%20and%20Sins.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wGCE8nQ371Zn_nIepZZzY3Rq-upujOnNs_s9PwxFc6i-u3ZP76gJ8Q03pdi0RSzhOfMXH1-KKxGPTcf8lo5X4jYRso5G4MeqMb86B2Dc_K4Q4N303V7Qy57JYbGJa0m0Q99OeWdzKTTxMug1eNIW21G2Po9E-erf579ZckbEVcPUDhBX6x9fTjVv/w400-h400/Mercia%20Women%20Hour%20and%20Sins.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-25772145644700625652022-03-07T16:00:00.001-08:002022-03-07T16:00:00.172-08:00Great Escapes<p> <span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It's Women's History Month so it seemed appropriate to put together some stories about courageous women who most certainly did not submit quietly to a fate dictated for them by others:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Let’s turn first to seventh-century Queen <b>Æthelthryth</b>, a member of the East Anglian royal family but married to Ecgfrith of Northumbria. He was perhaps ten years her junior and, famously, she was said to have been encouraged by Bishop, later Saint, Wilfrid to remain celibate. Bede said he heard the details of the story from Wilfrid himself, and explained how Æthelthryth gained her husband’s permission to enter a monastery, staying first with Abbess Æbbe at Coldingham Abbey and then becoming abbess of Ely.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg033AIeKUFaO39t-YmNhioQSk-awitZYjAEYxC3eufLh8eBcxSeim4iwxCtXb3EmdGInpckTSzldBIeHid2wXuR8JixynulNQ2io5mZOt8T2A-cZ_eeC0SUQgJx227qx40G04goyZbsVPz9z8x8mcxhwFb9E-oyCi_EOgQARPDjl6S4Wr1TlSXP2Px=s3648" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg033AIeKUFaO39t-YmNhioQSk-awitZYjAEYxC3eufLh8eBcxSeim4iwxCtXb3EmdGInpckTSzldBIeHid2wXuR8JixynulNQ2io5mZOt8T2A-cZ_eeC0SUQgJx227qx40G04goyZbsVPz9z8x8mcxhwFb9E-oyCi_EOgQARPDjl6S4Wr1TlSXP2Px=s320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Image of Æthelthryth - with kind permission<br /> of the rector of Hexham Abbey</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i style="font-style: italic;">The Liber Eliensis </i>(a history of Ely Abbey compiled in the 12th century) tells a dramatic tale in which Ecgfrith, having initially agreed to the divorce, tried to remove her forcibly from the convent. Æbbe advised Æthelthryth that her only option was to escape. The king set off in pursuit, but Æthelthryth and her two lady companions climbed to the top of a steep hill where divine intervention caused the water levels to rise, cutting off the hill and keeping the holy virgins hidden for seven days. The king could not get near, and eventually returned to York. Unfortunately the nuns on the rock began to suffer from extreme thirst. The abbess prayed for them and in answer to her prayers, a spring of water gushed forth and provided the nuns the means with which to slake their thirst. The <i>Liber Eliensis </i>states that this story was not based on the writings of Bede but came from those who knew the area of Coldingham and were witness to the events. Well, whether the story is true or not, she got to Ely safely and became abbess, being succeeded there by her sister.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">A contemporary of Æthelthryth, <b>Mildrith</b> was the daughter of Merewalh (a sub-king of Mercia and possible son of King Penda), and Domneva (Domme Eafe) a Kentish princess. Mildrith was sent abroad, to be educated at the abbey at Chelles. Goscelin of St Bertin said that while she was there, the abbess attempted to force her into marriage with one of the abbess’s kinsmen. When Mildrith refused to comply, she was put in a hot oven, but miraculously managed to escape. The abbess then beat her so viciously that her hair was torn out. Mildrith sent some of this hair to her mother as an SOS signal. Domneva sent a rescue party, although Mildrith refused to leave until she had collected some holy relics from her room.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> The delay meant that they were pursued and were only successful in escaping because the tide turned. When she at last returned to Kent and set foot on land, Mildrith left the imprint of her shoe on the rock at Ebbsfleet and transferred to it healing powers. Mildrith entered Domneva’s house at Minster-in-Thanet and eventually succeeded her mother as abbess. This family was quite a force to be reckoned with. Though not involved in any dramatic escapes of her own, Domneva tricked a king, her cousin, who had ordered the murder of her brothers, into giving her the land where she built the abbey at Minster-in-Thanet. Incidentally, Minster Abbey is still home to a community of nuns. </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiwOTtV-4AVIPDQSwdeq-R3wtH_60hdGNp6b8vnzzYDhTjmT86ixU30tA0uPJ7KTSgahC-MMeFWywR8BonowDmDdNkBduRSmJQN3Yzuig3iv4dDg_eM0jfr2-Y2nSEgBDa6WaS6EnVsACtxU-faJWvbHaoWNMRLL5lgNkjCkRKYkONMNlic0T4zqTh=s2080" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2080" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiwOTtV-4AVIPDQSwdeq-R3wtH_60hdGNp6b8vnzzYDhTjmT86ixU30tA0uPJ7KTSgahC-MMeFWywR8BonowDmDdNkBduRSmJQN3Yzuig3iv4dDg_eM0jfr2-Y2nSEgBDa6WaS6EnVsACtxU-faJWvbHaoWNMRLL5lgNkjCkRKYkONMNlic0T4zqTh=w400-h263" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tapestry showing the first three abbesses at Minster - with kind<br />permission from the community there</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Osith</b>,(alternatively Osgyth or even Osyth) was a relative of Mildrith’s, if she’s correctly identified as the the daughter of a sub-king of Surrey, Frithuwald, and his wife Wilburh, sister of King Wulfhere of Mercia (possibly Merewalh’s brother). According to later, twelfth-century, stories she was brought up in Aylesbury in the nunnery of her aunt St Eadgyth. On a journey to meet another aunt, St Eadburh, she drowned in the River Cherwell but was revived by the prayers of her aunts. She wanted to remain a virgin but was married off by her parents to King Sigehere of the East Saxons, but she avoided consummating the marriage, putting herself under the protection of a bishop named Beaduwine. (There are echoes here of the story of Æthelthryth, of course, who similarly was under the protection of a bishop). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Sigehere seems to have accepted the situation and given her land at Chich, where she built her abbey. She thus escaped marriage, but perhaps not with her life, for she was apparently kidnapped by pirates and beheaded after refusing to renounce her faith. In one version of her story, she was buried at Aylesbury, while in another she was buried at Chich, taken to Aylesbury for nearly fifty years, and then returned. If Osith was indeed the daughter of Wilburh, wife of Frithuwald, then a connection with Aylesbury, a probable royal minster, makes sense. Her story might have been confused with that of another lady of the same name, because there were two feast days and one explanation is that the temporary relocation of the relics from Chich to Aylesbury was an attempt to reconcile two separate cults. </span></p><p></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_lwilNSBdRjzpWhuDxxS8dYhtudFFIgOmMHd13JiAITwMkYAX9YfGuqSiljBHaz7LKl07Xk0KiU4c5z5MUwiqtlxIxyGEyhnfWg1pTkj029f33FBzJCQ0I1njDAkwGev4H5-R_F8Wv9YTYo1QBY6TkSVUmXSoGrFj7WaA7DhTZO-HL5rLpaZEvL0B=s194" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="194" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_lwilNSBdRjzpWhuDxxS8dYhtudFFIgOmMHd13JiAITwMkYAX9YfGuqSiljBHaz7LKl07Xk0KiU4c5z5MUwiqtlxIxyGEyhnfWg1pTkj029f33FBzJCQ0I1njDAkwGev4H5-R_F8Wv9YTYo1QBY6TkSVUmXSoGrFj7WaA7DhTZO-HL5rLpaZEvL0B=w400-h272" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osgyth#/media/File:Osith.png" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Illuminated capital depicting Saint Osith</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Let’s fast-forward now to the tenth century where we find a woman, sometimes a nun, sometimes not, sometimes a royal wife, sometimes not, but who, in one version of her story, also had a dramatic escape.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Wulfthryth</b> was the mother of King Edgar’s daughter St Edith of Wilton, and possibly his son, Edward the Martyr. She became abbess of Wilton and was later venerated as a saint, but before that was the subject of much gossip. It is not known precisely when she took up the religious life. Some sources state that she was a nun when Edgar met and seduced her.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">According to Osbern of Canterbury, writing in the latter part of the eleventh century, Edgar seduced a nun of Wilton who gave birth to a son, Edward. But another source, a young contemporary of Osbern’s named Eadmer, said that Edward was the son of Æthelflæd Eneda (Edgar’s supposed first wife). Eadmer decided therefore that Edgar, a married man, sinfully seduced a laywoman who wore a veil in an attempt to avoid the king’s attentions. He said that the king went to Wilton and, “captivated by the beauty of a certain young girl” ordered her to be brought to him while she, out of fear for her chastity, “placed a veil snatched from one of the nuns on her own head.” Edgar though, was not fooled and, saying, “How suddenly you have become a nun,” dragged the veil from her head. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Goscelin of St Bertin said it was St Wulfhild, abbess of Barking, who was in fact the object of Edgar’s attentions. She evaded him by escaping naked down a sewer, and so the king took her kinswoman, Wulfthryth, a laywoman being educated by the nuns, instead. Goscelin was however adamant that Wulfthryth became Edgar’s lawful wife and that they were bound by ‘indissoluble vows’. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Veils and sewers notwithstanding, Wulfthryth seems to have been a canny administrator of Wilton. She purchased a collection of relics, and lands which had been granted to her by Edgar were conferred to the nunnery, presumably so that the abbey would retain the lands after her death. She was influential too: Goscelin related how she brought pressure to bear on King Æthelred when his officers tried to remove a thief who had claimed sanctuary in the church and the royal servants were blinded as punishment, and how she interceded on behalf of two priests imprisoned by the reeve of Wilton.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgkUAAbuSjLOOIfXYOeO8nQBLIRGA_s05qXDH4Hj7rWGzj_S5ADjTA8Qu6gyG3CEcEakyfHIVOUXiKfiPkhaGUk2o5N0AAlpXHqlFCu9DAPj20GpbHzW9aTUF05nQVeL6p9At4moaQP6T_xZiCv0zsmc2GojhBcgfFhkN4lqbuoB9k7_h0KDkC46gG=s640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgkUAAbuSjLOOIfXYOeO8nQBLIRGA_s05qXDH4Hj7rWGzj_S5ADjTA8Qu6gyG3CEcEakyfHIVOUXiKfiPkhaGUk2o5N0AAlpXHqlFCu9DAPj20GpbHzW9aTUF05nQVeL6p9At4moaQP6T_xZiCv0zsmc2GojhBcgfFhkN4lqbuoB9k7_h0KDkC46gG=w400-h300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">St Mary (Old Church) Wilton - attribution <a href="By Trish Steel, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11657739" target="_blank">LINK</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">One of the escape stories has a less happier ending, though it’s not wholly one of despair. A woman named <b>Cyneburh</b> is named in the Gloucester Cartulary. According to legend, she was a Saxon princess who fled to Gloucester in order to avoid an arranged marriage. She took service with a baker, who was so impressed by her work that he adopted her as his daughter. This aroused the jealousy of the baker’s wife, who murdered Cyneburh. She then disposed of the body by throwing it into a well. When the baker returned home and couldn’t find Cyneburh, he began calling her name and she, though dead, answered him, thus revealing where her body was hidden. She was buried near the well, and a church was then built on the site. Thereafter miracles were recorded, with one woman being cured having lost the use of her muscles down one side of her body, another’s withered hand was restored, while someone else was cured of dropsy.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Sadly, it’s impossible to identify this lady. She is not Cyneburh daughter of Penda, for she married Alhfrith, son of Oswiu of Northumbria, nor is she Cyneburh of the West Saxons, wife of Oswald of Northumbria, who is generally assumed to have taken the veil at Gloucester and become abbess there. This lady of the well must either be a figment of the Gloucester chronicler’s imagination, or she is yet another woman whose full story might never come to light. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjE-ui4gNIvgHx3Jh_JXjB6iyiYAxlb4zgkBT_42S2afdztQhs2voUQfY-VJFJW1VWoFo1Uj3BocnvpdOu7MzSvxUw406eXi7KS9I_nmclJMctfQ7eJ_F8M3stqx6I_58YI2ADvUfOJMLb93ICVNWILeOrQTAXyjBFuKRtQvgsPKU-cFxAd7wZq2BCx=s720" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="548" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjE-ui4gNIvgHx3Jh_JXjB6iyiYAxlb4zgkBT_42S2afdztQhs2voUQfY-VJFJW1VWoFo1Uj3BocnvpdOu7MzSvxUw406eXi7KS9I_nmclJMctfQ7eJ_F8M3stqx6I_58YI2ADvUfOJMLb93ICVNWILeOrQTAXyjBFuKRtQvgsPKU-cFxAd7wZq2BCx=s320" width="244" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I mentioned St Edith of Wilton briefly, and she has an escape story, or rather her leather and purple garments do (!) while Balthild the slave escaped servitude, and Judith of Flanders, having caused a scandal with her first two marriages, was locked up for her own good by her father and made her escape before marrying a third time. For more about those three indomitable women, see <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2020/07/anglo-saxon-women-with-attitude.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXYyI1qZV2LgsChmhxbwzXEmUjWGyHpeQFyooTIMxa4Ec5Nz6d2x5XW-1sGK67TQtG5K42G8iFBn5SjDClcjlUrkSsg45yAlXBMe1BaNnAJBZuXdfiDzzn8u-IhI-yci2D7_wIKau6Gh_gxfemAeMuZG81XCklzqdBptEvwIJ9hXsxPbNNMnvDXoTI=s2250" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="1410" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXYyI1qZV2LgsChmhxbwzXEmUjWGyHpeQFyooTIMxa4Ec5Nz6d2x5XW-1sGK67TQtG5K42G8iFBn5SjDClcjlUrkSsg45yAlXBMe1BaNnAJBZuXdfiDzzn8u-IhI-yci2D7_wIKau6Gh_gxfemAeMuZG81XCklzqdBptEvwIJ9hXsxPbNNMnvDXoTI=w126-h200" width="126" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">All these women’s stories are included in <a href="http://mybook.to/WomeninPower" target="_blank">Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England</a>, and almost all of them feature in my <a href="http://viewauthor.at/Annie-Whitehead" target="_blank">novels</a>, too.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh57MPO_g7JQGwyvrE_TI4DDZGcum8QZEShwUttdme-lbRNm5yGRY6b_n35jIpG0QzVgkBUvZBrQic4cRdSy7X64atcceh6pLBj_XaL85tShxWkmhUCAnYZye9emd1A8OI0NIs_lx5FGQ9Xx-1b_SJoArdW6cVC41kLHihI6a3JY4m8I6QJ8LnsLsBN=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh57MPO_g7JQGwyvrE_TI4DDZGcum8QZEShwUttdme-lbRNm5yGRY6b_n35jIpG0QzVgkBUvZBrQic4cRdSy7X64atcceh6pLBj_XaL85tShxWkmhUCAnYZye9emd1A8OI0NIs_lx5FGQ9Xx-1b_SJoArdW6cVC41kLHihI6a3JY4m8I6QJ8LnsLsBN=w400-h225" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><br /></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-71266965757626184972021-12-30T06:00:00.001-08:002021-12-30T06:07:29.928-08:002021 Round-up (and Æthelflæd’s Daughter) plus News!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTjaLhqKu8YA_U0Nhod0dfCW4EgjOBMSP2TBe_YSIowYyxUb_tJzx-EsH_yxlWYrJIbOinyYB-zf3nAIcNVCTET3BlKJGRLxgfQflQXuBnoHIKzhViaus9oYk7aZhHUx6s72X_JH7zsi_HHLByv7315MU6ydwEk8n-HpsKuNewjeL6LguJ2aAtuQv7=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTjaLhqKu8YA_U0Nhod0dfCW4EgjOBMSP2TBe_YSIowYyxUb_tJzx-EsH_yxlWYrJIbOinyYB-zf3nAIcNVCTET3BlKJGRLxgfQflQXuBnoHIKzhViaus9oYk7aZhHUx6s72X_JH7zsi_HHLByv7315MU6ydwEk8n-HpsKuNewjeL6LguJ2aAtuQv7=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We once again spent much of the year in lockdown but writerly things were still able to happen and, indeed, are planned (find out more at the end of this post). Highlights of my year were:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Being shortlisted for the prestigious <a href="http://www.creativewritingmatters.co.uk/2021-exeter-story-prize-and-trisha-ashley-award.html" target="_blank">Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award</a> with my story <i>The Borrowed Days</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The publication of the second and last in my <i>Tales of the Iclingas</i> series. Book One, <i><a href="http://mybook.to/ComeththeHour" target="_blank">Cometh the Hour</a></i>, told the story of Penda, the pagan king of Mercia, his feud with the Northumbrian kings and his quest to avenge his womenfolk. Now <i><a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a> </i>continues the tale by focusing on the next generation. All are scarred in one way or another by the continuing feud, but does any of them have the strength to end it? The reviews have been lovely, with one reader saying:</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> "Annie Whitehead’s writing is an absolute joy to read. Her prose is lyrical, her research is meticulous, and she recreates the Anglo-Saxon world so faithfully that it’s easy to lose yourself in the pages of the story. Whenever I read any of her stories, I can’t help but feel that I’m sitting in a mead hall, being entertained by the scop while I dine on fresh cheese and honey. The Sins of the Father, the sequel to Cometh the Hour, delivers everything I’ve come to love from one of Annie’s novels and more. She can’t produce a time travel machine, but she’s given us the next best thing. From the opening scene until the last, I was hooked. "</span></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh03gtakW_I3W3nO1bFwA74R3y89EqXe4l7kYsecijMplPKAOc4zjlDA_kpROafTioDXkqvhtvG00AUFp5opbI-HGaXdHfHFdLrNQ7py7lx4exiSwiCkjnZNzI9BqAScpSI6jjJ9riLHHsBRpdZM3aJkMeMnZ-XF3Bd5KQtbEfXmbPiGdamNglZeAiD=s1600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh03gtakW_I3W3nO1bFwA74R3y89EqXe4l7kYsecijMplPKAOc4zjlDA_kpROafTioDXkqvhtvG00AUFp5opbI-HGaXdHfHFdLrNQ7py7lx4exiSwiCkjnZNzI9BqAScpSI6jjJ9riLHHsBRpdZM3aJkMeMnZ-XF3Bd5KQtbEfXmbPiGdamNglZeAiD=w400-h225" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">2021 also saw the publication of the paperback edition of my second nonfiction book, <i><a href="http://mybook.to/WomeninPower" target="_blank">Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England</a></i>, of which Imogen Robertson, author and chair of the Historical Writers' Association, said: </span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">"Absolutely fascinating - Annie Whitehead pieces together the evidence with meticulous care, then tells the stories of an exciting variety of remarkable women in fluid, crystal-clear prose. It is a pleasure to read her thoughtful and nuanced portraits of peace-weavers, queens and saints and have my eyes opened to the complex histories of these forgotten Anglo-Saxon leaders."</span></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwpZu5nV6T1dHekUJ9-CY7dZBhcBzMJuQOjs7l7hZb4yT-78S7u2epvvXcsaToOnpWkrkhOBAkB25soq5ete5GR42-McEklSopi8NbM4UANocvqz2bK4OCrB_oG3Ro8E8r9t-9_1URhJin_I1s3q3dp_dYxNoEYnQeXffpsBeBVlAjp39EIcPxGzqt=s1464" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="1464" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwpZu5nV6T1dHekUJ9-CY7dZBhcBzMJuQOjs7l7hZb4yT-78S7u2epvvXcsaToOnpWkrkhOBAkB25soq5ete5GR42-McEklSopi8NbM4UANocvqz2bK4OCrB_oG3Ro8E8r9t-9_1URhJin_I1s3q3dp_dYxNoEYnQeXffpsBeBVlAjp39EIcPxGzqt=w400-h225" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And the publication of the paperback version of <i><a href="http://mybook.to/1066UpsideDown" target="_blank">1066 Turned Upside Down</a></i>, our collaborative re-imagining of the events of 1066.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJPnjHbS436cu5uWvvnLkddvCyXNntF2qMZBB0Sm6aCcvQjhQnPrHWSR05qMb7UL6nJV-x87g8onAQ-pGe67gbMnyPq151AU1McfRZKtRZNW3EXkIB_M5DYPNI7hcljlxtNVngVi9J_wmPbW2jXP4d44NAWHG9xdLZx3rgIF9kvR9c4LKy8h9jZNK5=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJPnjHbS436cu5uWvvnLkddvCyXNntF2qMZBB0Sm6aCcvQjhQnPrHWSR05qMb7UL6nJV-x87g8onAQ-pGe67gbMnyPq151AU1McfRZKtRZNW3EXkIB_M5DYPNI7hcljlxtNVngVi9J_wmPbW2jXP4d44NAWHG9xdLZx3rgIF9kvR9c4LKy8h9jZNK5=s320" width="200" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://mybook.to/MerciaRiseandFall" target="_blank">Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom</a></i>, my first nonfiction book, continued to occupy a place in the top five of books on Anglo-Saxon history on Amazon and found its way onto several bookshop tables, including the huge five-storey branch of Waterstones in Birmingham just before Christmas.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMErUCpZMogTkn4C-78eM9OIVy_ajo4YILvNsbD_a5t5hxM17aYyjLR0PtZkkjMGnGC3bKJ_gB-T7kVyXbxXSR98CP5ipyz31YvrsbiXmDvPil5ephHfJ2Mx6rgTWoBFZH3QEix3_cG8tmNVCI0nEHFDssmiEY-5tyJhNxsjRXuhQLme4pLWrEPu62=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMErUCpZMogTkn4C-78eM9OIVy_ajo4YILvNsbD_a5t5hxM17aYyjLR0PtZkkjMGnGC3bKJ_gB-T7kVyXbxXSR98CP5ipyz31YvrsbiXmDvPil5ephHfJ2Mx6rgTWoBFZH3QEix3_cG8tmNVCI0nEHFDssmiEY-5tyJhNxsjRXuhQLme4pLWrEPu62=s320" width="240" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In the autumn, I took part in the Ask Historians Digital Conference, where I discussed the misrepresentation of Anglo-Saxon Women by the later chroniclers, and you can see our roundtable discussion <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By62Jua-riw&t=1638s" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I was interviewed by Seb Whitehouse for his Youtube channel, where we chatted about social history as well as kings and queens and, of course, Mercia. You can catch the interview <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH3NjTK5Zio&t=2772s" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtjiSGLx7wZIQeGwfJJj-awSsfgzbQuFbpF8him0WhmOvS_5fb_iTTk7cRM3iUcVu24T8m5_kjTTOpIRTBxXsXkjX-WX6wtMIuPjGvcMBT0KvD3QkEoiPUXVb0LZeSfE8rXc50EhdUUZ2Q_M2tOYHNSqFB3plwiaiT8NplFuEA889feWKohbEYgjhB=s680" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="680" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtjiSGLx7wZIQeGwfJJj-awSsfgzbQuFbpF8him0WhmOvS_5fb_iTTk7cRM3iUcVu24T8m5_kjTTOpIRTBxXsXkjX-WX6wtMIuPjGvcMBT0KvD3QkEoiPUXVb0LZeSfE8rXc50EhdUUZ2Q_M2tOYHNSqFB3plwiaiT8NplFuEA889feWKohbEYgjhB=w400-h198" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I had a lovely chat with the <b><a href="https://tudorsdynasty.podbean.com/e/aethelflaed-with-annie-whitehead/" target="_blank">Tudors Dynasty podcast</a></b>, too. Now, you might be wondering, what on earth does Anglo-Saxon history have to do with the Tudors? But, there is a link, and here's a little bit more information about that connection:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I'd been talking to a friend not so long beforehand, about the enduring popularity of the Tudors and why it should be so. I think the fascination is partly to do with two things: a king executing his queens is unique in English history, and women succeeding women to the throne is something which had never happened before and has not happened since, unless you count Anne’s succeeding William and Mary.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Well, I say it hadn’t happened before. It did, once, albeit briefly.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I’ve written a great deal about Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, in my novel <i><a href="http://mybook.to/To-Be-A-Queen" target="_blank">To Be A Queen</a></i>, and both my nonfiction books, <i><a href="http://mybook.to/MerciaRiseandFall" target="_blank">Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom</a></i> and <i><a href="http://mybook.to/WomeninPower" target="_blank">Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England</a></i>. She was the daughter of Alfred the Great, and she was born at a time when ‘Viking’ incursions were not only a major nuisance, but had already seen two kingdoms - East Anglia and Northumbria - fall pretty much permanently under Danish (and Norse) control. Only the very top part of Northumbria, some of Mercia and the whole of Wessex were still under English rule. Alfred, and later his son, Edward, began working alongside Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians and, when a concerted joint effort pushed the invaders out of London, the alliance was sealed by the marriage of Alfred’s daughter Æthelflæd to Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiujtrM07h-CzJqVKbPkdHCF6Z3ZdU5n-YsGgpEBY4WAffNcIqOqj3qx9MQbVH-60b5fFLbV2cZWM2n8GxwhRGOigGN2d9x8_QZHVaxGn4lNE_Sakd_AgmtyGwcBjX7gSXOZzq1aHsJwmPmRI6l0jTXRq3aTEEZL8V0U_kSuANhjWmfOF3kLzeLnyqB=s684" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="475" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiujtrM07h-CzJqVKbPkdHCF6Z3ZdU5n-YsGgpEBY4WAffNcIqOqj3qx9MQbVH-60b5fFLbV2cZWM2n8GxwhRGOigGN2d9x8_QZHVaxGn4lNE_Sakd_AgmtyGwcBjX7gSXOZzq1aHsJwmPmRI6l0jTXRq3aTEEZL8V0U_kSuANhjWmfOF3kLzeLnyqB=s320" width="222" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We don’t have much information for the early years of their marriage, except the details of the continuing campaign against the 'Vikings'. Around the year 902, however, the chronicles stop mentioning Æthelred’s name and the Irish annals make it clear that he was suffering from some kind of illness, which prevented him from fighting but did not stop him giving strategic advice to his wife. This gives me the impression that by this stage, this was one amazing power couple, happy to support and protect each other - she looking after him while he was ill and he being happy to delegate to a ‘mere’ woman.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">History records - and yes, it’s a bit of a spoiler - that after this protracted illness she ended up ruling alone. That’s also worth a moment’s pause. Only once before had a woman ruled an English kingdom, and it didn’t end well. Seaxburh, queen of Wessex, was the only Anglo-Saxon woman to be included on a regnal list. She ruled for somewhere between one and two years in the seventh century but as a later chronicler said, the men of the kingdom would not go to war under the leadership of a woman. I think ‘war’ is the clue here. It’s likely that she was actually ruling as regent for her son during a time of conflict over the succession. At any rate, her rule was not long, and was not successful.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOYzJAH59wcPC8exwHrkyAk1ZoZ1cPfPsmzXpSl01jXuRiadTuf-LK5CC-J4KfV7UEnnfSZHpoebCReAhqFIfPWnyAQruzfL-WNqhY465jozrcQt27bL765BBaCwPf6niyAqV60PaJITzTlrF60W4eXmcUuE-Dr-6kV2BduxBXpyqT1HRrKOeealoR=s284" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="189" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOYzJAH59wcPC8exwHrkyAk1ZoZ1cPfPsmzXpSl01jXuRiadTuf-LK5CC-J4KfV7UEnnfSZHpoebCReAhqFIfPWnyAQruzfL-WNqhY465jozrcQt27bL765BBaCwPf6niyAqV60PaJITzTlrF60W4eXmcUuE-Dr-6kV2BduxBXpyqT1HRrKOeealoR" width="189" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Æthelflæd, on the other hand, ruled Mercia for seven years on her own and in that time she worked in partnership with her brother Edward to wrest occupied Mercia out of 'Viking' hands, building defensive towns called <i>burhs</i>, and famously taking Derby with her troops and losing in the fighting ‘four thegns who were dear to her.’ Derby was one of the strategically important ‘Five Boroughs’ of the Danelaw (the other four being Lincoln, Stamford, Nottingham and Leicester). By the time she died at Tamworth, their work was almost done.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">From beyond the grave though, she pulled off another remarkable feat: her daughter Ælfwynn succeeded her. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We know virtually nothing of Ælfwynn’s life, not even her year of birth, but we do know that she witnessed a charter of her mother’s, issued at <i>Weardbyrig</i> (unidentified but possibly in Shropshire) in 915, when Æthelflæd was in the midst of her intense <i>burh</i>-building programme. Even if Ælfwynn had been born late in the marriage – and it seems unlikely that she would have been conceived after her father fell ill in around 902 – she probably wouldn’t have been on campaign with her mother if she was still tiny. Most likely she was a young adult at the very least. Given that it would have been far safer for her to remain in the Mercian heartland, there could well have been a specific reason for her presence at <i>Weardbyrig</i>, that of watching and learning from her mother, with the intention that one day she would take over.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But if she was already a young woman, why had she remained unmarried? Again, I think it might be because she was being groomed to take over the country and keep it in Mercian hands. It’s said that her mother raised the future King Athelstan in Mercia but she clearly didn’t consider him her heir and, when she died, the Mercian council declared for Ælfwynn. We know this because, like Seaxburh all those years ago, her tenure was short-lived. Her uncle Edward, who’d been happy for his sister to rule, wasn’t so accommodating when it came to her daughter and according to the annal known as the Mercian Register, she was ‘deprived of all authority’. Thus they clearly believed that she was rightful ruler.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We don’t know what happened to her after that, other than that she was probably taken into Wessex. A later charter speaks of a holy woman called Ælfwynn, but there is no proof at all that this was the same woman. Like so many before and after, she simply disappeared off the pages of history.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But we should not overlook that very important point. In Mercia in 918 a remarkable thing happened: a woman ruler was succeeded by a woman ruler. This would not happen again until the time of the Tudors.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And finally... a version of the above mini-article first appeared on author <a href="https://samanthawilcoxson.blogspot.com/2020/10/aethelflaedsDaughter.html" target="_blank">Samantha Wilcoxson's blog</a> and might give a slight hint of the direction my next novel will take me. But first, I have a talk to prepare for the re-enactment group, Swords of Penda, and I will be contributing a chapter for a new book about English kings and queens which will be published by Hodder & Stoughton in 2023. That should all keep me busy for a while!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Thank you for reading my blog articles - I have many more planned for the coming year so do please keep popping by.</span></p><p><br /></p>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-25889433842709622932021-12-13T16:00:00.001-08:002021-12-14T01:50:19.950-08:00Finding Stories in Legends: The Anglo-Saxon World<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">A royal son, in defiance of his frail and useless father, released the king’s prisoner from jail and married her, before leading the kingdom in an heroic fight against the invaders. A king went to war because his sister had been mistreated. A princess was accused of killing her little brother and her punishment was that her eyeballs fell out. A teenaged king was found in bed on his wedding night with his wife and her mother…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">These are all tales worthy of books. Even Films maybe. But they’re tales of Anglo-Saxons, so you might not have heard of them. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s less true now, thanks to <i>The Vikings</i> TV series and <i>The Last Kingdom </i>– TV series and books - but the Anglo-Saxon period has at times suffered from a lack of interest. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">But why? A bit of shameless name-dropping here: over lunch one day, Fay Weldon told me that she thought it had a fair bit to do with the costumes. The Tudors, for example, had exquisite clothing and accurate paintings which can be used to reproduce the garments for telly shows. The Anglo-Saxons left only drawings which lacked perspective and detail and yes, it’s fair to say that in comparison, their clothes were a shade less flamboyant.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">There’s a big line, too, drawn across history and making a cultural and documentary barrier: 1066. For a long time, the Anglo-Saxons were separated from us by that line, seen as a people from a far-off, almost mythical world. The ‘Dark Ages’ is now termed the ‘Early Medieval’ period but that tends to mean that the Anglo-Saxons are presumed to have had the same medieval ideas as the Normans, when in fact their laws, particularly relating to women, were a lot more enlightened.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’m a historian, so I like to sift and sieve, trying to tease the facts from a jumble of chronicles written by people who had a political agenda and told the stories from their own point of view. But I’m an author, too – so I like to get behind the facts and envisage the real people.</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgus4-a5ATg_FXYEve0Egf4mRySKM9b5E9vhbEKpT_h5lx_RRVfU2fQzjAo1OI6uK6ZHeb6m8GqSTTuPr2bLHumk9aLZQgymy0Q06UiaHjooaPRZDXLzHKdNaSZLzb0bdtlrU4hyphenhyphenDwr3X4/s1127/800px-Athelstan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1127" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgus4-a5ATg_FXYEve0Egf4mRySKM9b5E9vhbEKpT_h5lx_RRVfU2fQzjAo1OI6uK6ZHeb6m8GqSTTuPr2bLHumk9aLZQgymy0Q06UiaHjooaPRZDXLzHKdNaSZLzb0bdtlrU4hyphenhyphenDwr3X4/s320/800px-Athelstan.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Athelstan, from St Bede's Life of <br />St Cuthbert</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scenarios described in the opening paragraph have already formed the basis of two of my novels. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Penda was a pagan warlord who fought against the Northumbrian kings. Bede, a Northumbrian, naturally enough didn’t have much in the way of pleasant things to say about him. But tucked away in Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People are a couple of nuggets about Penda: he was tolerant of Christians and he went to war because a neighbouring king repudiated his wife, who happened to be Penda’s sister. Two short sentences allowed me to build up a picture of a man whose motives for war were much less clear-cut and not necessarily driven by bigotry. A man loyal, above all else, to his family. This man intrigued me.</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GbyoqH7JDoZTQBjaaOLzFnum1whmIakkwomeQ6s3Pq0HkGRLcEwhFRPMSOCbFIUFT5CPqBd_JUbYyDj3TKs9KnEFf8JmjoVTsf97o3e7aR0n80Cl8ifLVY3d7W8Px-THTNz349HQS1Q/s570/Bede.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GbyoqH7JDoZTQBjaaOLzFnum1whmIakkwomeQ6s3Pq0HkGRLcEwhFRPMSOCbFIUFT5CPqBd_JUbYyDj3TKs9KnEFf8JmjoVTsf97o3e7aR0n80Cl8ifLVY3d7W8Px-THTNz349HQS1Q/s320/Bede.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Venerable Bede</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">To miss out on Anglo-Saxon history is to miss out on a treat. Such a wealth of stories, such an array of characters…</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">That three-in-a-bed romp? Well, it may or may not be completely true, but as an opening chapter it served me well. The alleged incident caused widespread fall-out and shaped the politics of tenth-century England. And the novel it inspired also includes the next king’s wife who just happened to be accused of murdering an abbot, colluding with the king in the killing of her first husband, oh, and that of her stepson too. Those women made rather sumptuous ‘bookends’! Behind the fruity gossip though, were a young woman whose reputation was besmirched, and a queen who had to give up two of her children when she married the king, and then lost another when he was still an infant.</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgda2or4fbsk-qAjMhOGtXJooUiBRXrJh0OyXcHZ50xvNS2w2F7_Ies_eJZ0wKolnl9XYkqgNmLUhlYJl13I7dfsMLYD6-CXNZbI7nyTVRQHuMSBY8LDXt8LxhyhfeG-2syqxT5cwymiYE/s1080/New_Minster_Charter_966_detail_Edgar.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="776" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgda2or4fbsk-qAjMhOGtXJooUiBRXrJh0OyXcHZ50xvNS2w2F7_Ies_eJZ0wKolnl9XYkqgNmLUhlYJl13I7dfsMLYD6-CXNZbI7nyTVRQHuMSBY8LDXt8LxhyhfeG-2syqxT5cwymiYE/s320/New_Minster_Charter_966_detail_Edgar.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">King Edgar, from the New Minster<br />Charter, 966</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another woman whose life story packs a metaphorical punch is Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, daughter of Alfred the Great. She ruled a country in all but name and was instrumental in holding back the Viking onslaught. She probably never wielded a sword yet her story is fascinating none the less. How did she, who was only half-Mercian and a woman, manage to command the loyalty of the Mercian troops? I’ve pondered the paradox of her status many times, in fiction, nonfiction, and even on the ‘stage’.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I still have questions. Why was this remarkable woman so little remarked upon? Her leadership of a kingdom, whether as a politician or a sword-swinging warrior-woman, was unprecedented. Yet the chroniclers either took this completely in their stride, or, with a couple of exceptions, ignored it all together. I couldn’t not write her story.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d0AJv1RjWwlbZh2nyugO-ZicVvfyD2padKDYOgyh3QQrcNJLJzFeGLPmNAwHq4tZSa3ef14xWE0LKdeUVd5lFo46rQlnCqOzivqL5_y3qk5f2fQ7AFCqrPP_0oxZpBNpKNdm6tvW00A/s284/%25C3%2586thelfl%25C3%25A6d_as_depicted_in_the_cartulary_of_Abingdon_Abbey.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d0AJv1RjWwlbZh2nyugO-ZicVvfyD2padKDYOgyh3QQrcNJLJzFeGLPmNAwHq4tZSa3ef14xWE0LKdeUVd5lFo46rQlnCqOzivqL5_y3qk5f2fQ7AFCqrPP_0oxZpBNpKNdm6tvW00A/s0/%25C3%2586thelfl%25C3%25A6d_as_depicted_in_the_cartulary_of_Abingdon_Abbey.png" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Æthelflæd, from a 14thC<br />Genealogical Chronicle<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">All of my fiction happens to be set in Mercia, the ancient kingdom of the Midlands. So, having written three novels, I realised that I had enough material, along with my original undergrad notes and research books, to undertake the telling of the story of Mercia itself. Here I was able to search for the truth behind such legends as:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Offa – not just a dyke-builder but a major player on the international stage, getting himself involved in a trade war with the emperor, Charlemagne. (Okay, there was a little bit of murder, too…)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Also from Mercia were Lady Godiva - did she really ride naked through the streets of Coventry? – and Eadric Streona, whose name means ‘The Grasper’ and who turned round and changed sides so often during the wars with Cnut that he must have got positively dizzy. In the end, Cnut ordered that Eadric should be paid what was owed him, and one can imagine how he then drew his finger across his throat as he gave the command.</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNqv2PCBjme1UeDXxGi55HYMGE-YI0Y_oLIJyp1ulIYoeeuUVrAvpw2METWMHMj__YYa1-b-6nfLyUfRYO8tCMfhrw4Bd2wXwNf301freIqOR4-DzdZ0iJoCEbDkfB3TJbmskT1H1VsM/s2048/DSCF4278+%25281%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNqv2PCBjme1UeDXxGi55HYMGE-YI0Y_oLIJyp1ulIYoeeuUVrAvpw2METWMHMj__YYa1-b-6nfLyUfRYO8tCMfhrw4Bd2wXwNf301freIqOR4-DzdZ0iJoCEbDkfB3TJbmskT1H1VsM/s320/DSCF4278+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My photo of the Godiva Statue in Coventry</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Exciting as these tales are, the Anglo-Saxons were so much more than this. Their world was not one of ‘sword and sorcery.’ They weren’t illiterate heathens (well, Penda was, but this didn’t make him bad); they were real people, whose laws were sophisticated and whose metal-working skills were exquisite. (Think Staffordshire Hoard or the Sutton Hoo treasures.) Their love of tales and drama means that there is a wealth of material from which to draw. Some of those tales are indeed lurid, but it doesn’t take much scratching to reveal the human stories underneath. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">So many of the stories seemed to concern women that I soon had enough to write another nonfiction book, this time concentrating on those women and trying to separate the facts from the fiction of the later chroniclers.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes it is merely a footnote: the main character of one of my novels had no recorded wife. But a woman is mentioned as having been deprived of property by his successor. Was she his widow? If they weren’t married, did they have a relationship? Writing historical fiction means being guided by the facts, but sometimes it requires reading between the lines, too. Look closely and there you’ll find the stories.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhSRYiCXdobJvl5uW7ceCeJy7WUuzVNQhL3P2QaHm4ArxgRnJSQ5F65CsryHbh9ZmTQxgUpWcMma1XO4Hiy2icCBRxpauHno3JJIERuwE9lHxet6ZwP0lPA9H1OOhUcruerlasMYaBfDxGoo4N70WPrXCgBkLVNOSeTSbep_xRlGQxpmDSEIIeYDLG=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhSRYiCXdobJvl5uW7ceCeJy7WUuzVNQhL3P2QaHm4ArxgRnJSQ5F65CsryHbh9ZmTQxgUpWcMma1XO4Hiy2icCBRxpauHno3JJIERuwE9lHxet6ZwP0lPA9H1OOhUcruerlasMYaBfDxGoo4N70WPrXCgBkLVNOSeTSbep_xRlGQxpmDSEIIeYDLG=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">You can find all my books and stories <a href="http://viewauthor.at/Annie-Whitehead" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></p><p>[A version of this article first appeared on the blog of <a href="https://maryanneyarde.blogspot.com/2019/02/finding-stories-in-legends-anglo-saxon_13.html" target="_blank">Mary Anne Yarde </a> in 2019]</p>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-72422005036536837522021-12-07T16:00:00.002-08:002021-12-08T01:36:40.578-08:00Adding some Atmosphere<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I've had some lovely compliments recently about the world-building in my novels, so I thought I'd share some aspects of 'Anglo-Saxon' life here with you today.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In my novel <i><a href="http://mybook.to/ComeththeHour" target="_blank">Cometh the Hour</a></i>, I imagined the Sutton Hoo burial and mentioned the lyre that was included in the grave goods. But in all my novels, I've written scenes set in the mead hall during a feast, where invariably there is a <i>scop </i>telling tales, riddles, and playing music.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMSGXN8xJbpg7ffHpcTQUcXYP2Z1sWn8V-lpJxd2Vo_PZgZx8wqAThnFjri9BObtJm_ud02RdrZ7ra8-ICnyz2qNLIQzMoAhNqUlE_jQGRUDKNZFfvbq2HlGAj8vyioBm3kDnztZ0vUs/s320/DSCF3204.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMSGXN8xJbpg7ffHpcTQUcXYP2Z1sWn8V-lpJxd2Vo_PZgZx8wqAThnFjri9BObtJm_ud02RdrZ7ra8-ICnyz2qNLIQzMoAhNqUlE_jQGRUDKNZFfvbq2HlGAj8vyioBm3kDnztZ0vUs/w300-h400/DSCF3204.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My photo of the reconstructed lyre at Sutton Hoo</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Here's a link (the image of the inside of the mead hall is not strictly accurate) to a piece from Grendelcynn on Youtube, played on a similar instrument. It will give a flavour of the kinds of sound one might have heard at the time:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_GVjcVBiP4" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_GVjcVBiP4</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Of course, lyres weren't the only musical instruments. There were also wooden and even bone whistles, or flutes. The Malham Pipe was originally thought to have been Bronze Age, but is now thought to be post-Roman, and it might have sounded something like this:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/pittriversound-1/malham-pipe-jig-eric-todd-1951" target="_blank">https://soundcloud.com/pittriversound-1/malham-pipe-jig-eric-todd-1951</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I'm very lucky in that the <a href="https://www.thegns.org/" target="_blank">Thegns of Mercia</a> specialise in reconstructing the earlier 'Anglo-Saxon period'. They are constantly inspiring me, and if you've read Cometh the Hour and/or the follow-up, <a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a>, and want an idea of the wrap-over coats that my characters wear, well, here's an image, with kind permission from Æd Thompson and with credit to Jon Wylie of the Thegns:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLfVZw-pWdDbIqsFyGh17HMAcKBsvyeEjKlFo1Nxn9rPWDWHfU-ex43JoehcUVeZJbZEmEPGfKnsf1lOt7NbJ8LkuCYig-03jGoKPhGPOyx4NfN2kG3pPx5Q4LNbX-v1m0M1v1l47iZE/s960/Thegn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLfVZw-pWdDbIqsFyGh17HMAcKBsvyeEjKlFo1Nxn9rPWDWHfU-ex43JoehcUVeZJbZEmEPGfKnsf1lOt7NbJ8LkuCYig-03jGoKPhGPOyx4NfN2kG3pPx5Q4LNbX-v1m0M1v1l47iZE/w300-h400/Thegn.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />Please do visit their site or catch them on <a href="https://twitter.com/ThegnsOfMercia" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Thegns" target="_blank">Facebook</a> for more wonderful photos and reconstructions.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Of course, we all know that people at this time loved their 'bling'. Those who've read 'Sins' might recall that a Kentish bride was wearing a rather lovely, and rather large, brooch. My inspiration for this piece was the Kingston Brooch which, I think you'll agree, is also rather lovely:</span><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXekkwjAiCN1dyCC9L_w1KdWRomr5S5bvKswMe9pwuhaSQxZyZoq-8L3WcenrfXELxk0naESuqHX_DfOqQgQcjoFjRt5cm4I7PQc8fGJbhhu0PEjaiPy4190DvJBjvRnMW7KpyQ_3G0I/s800/The_Kingston_Brooch%252C_World_Museum_Liverpool.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXekkwjAiCN1dyCC9L_w1KdWRomr5S5bvKswMe9pwuhaSQxZyZoq-8L3WcenrfXELxk0naESuqHX_DfOqQgQcjoFjRt5cm4I7PQc8fGJbhhu0PEjaiPy4190DvJBjvRnMW7KpyQ_3G0I/w400-h300/The_Kingston_Brooch%252C_World_Museum_Liverpool.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Image via Wiki Commons: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Kingston_Brooch,_World_Museum_Liverpool.jpg" target="_blank">Link</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />This has been dated to the seventh century and was found near Kingston in Kent, so I'd say it's a pretty perfect fit for my seventh-century royal Kentish bride to wear on her wedding day!<br /><br />Sadly, there are no surviving examples of Anglo-Saxon wooden buildings, but to get a sense of what they looked like, you could do worse than visiting West Stow Anglo-Saxon Settlement, where they have examples of various styles of buildings:</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GQEAn3OVt6rXTVX33-sHF1SK76Klj6rLjtx2b0ykgOk3OpNBy8_KsZldonv0SuH3pLgjg5U21MRnVnHe_WCFgK4WgOPX_j4pO5sPyH3Fr99l8mwPaz-um4TNzjzG9paRXNfduQiOI-Q/s800/West_Stow_Anglo-Saxon_village_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GQEAn3OVt6rXTVX33-sHF1SK76Klj6rLjtx2b0ykgOk3OpNBy8_KsZldonv0SuH3pLgjg5U21MRnVnHe_WCFgK4WgOPX_j4pO5sPyH3Fr99l8mwPaz-um4TNzjzG9paRXNfduQiOI-Q/w400-h240/West_Stow_Anglo-Saxon_village_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Via Wiki Commons - <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:West_Stow_Anglo-Saxon_village_2.jpg" target="_blank">Link</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">There are a few surviving stone churches, however, and whilst it's fair to say that in the early conversion period the churches were also built of wood, there is a remarkable stone built church which has been dated to around the time that my main character in <i><a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a></i>, Ethelred, became king of Mercia. This one is in Northumbria, land of his enemies, but let's not hold that against this beautiful building, which I was lucky enough to visit in the spring when the blossom was out:</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWn6diibGP0rBar4rddSKlE7a8ke1tL1coMC04acdr0yNhDYJUUzFrhiRbR2pov65FysOO2kzl7LT-49DT_XFHJ5umo1rsqwGW4WKDkJd3OjI30OxGiL6ie2qzPZUATxavsEx7yr7Apw/s2048/DSCF3700.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWn6diibGP0rBar4rddSKlE7a8ke1tL1coMC04acdr0yNhDYJUUzFrhiRbR2pov65FysOO2kzl7LT-49DT_XFHJ5umo1rsqwGW4WKDkJd3OjI30OxGiL6ie2qzPZUATxavsEx7yr7Apw/w400-h300/DSCF3700.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My photo of Escomb Church, Bishop Aukland, Co Durham</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So these are some of the sights, but what about the sounds? The characters in my books would all have spoken local dialect versions of Old English, which sounds like a language far removed from our own, but there are lots of recognisable words, if you look closely.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I wrote a <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2019/08/its-all-about-context-deciphering-old.html" target="_blank">post a little while ago</a>, looking at the words of the Lord's Prayer, and how we can decipher some of the Old English words. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0c-nZ_julF13Cx7t8uAhWkpmcDjMdZb3o3Qu1OJVq3VqEzjcE1h-UfybUA1l-k4AC2CFJQdBfawA49VI1cCOA_RjEQ6WB2_DxEMRdIfDDkqTWjSeqxYEpTY6SvPM46I5Dr1Uxqlm_4Y/s400/DSCF5513.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0c-nZ_julF13Cx7t8uAhWkpmcDjMdZb3o3Qu1OJVq3VqEzjcE1h-UfybUA1l-k4AC2CFJQdBfawA49VI1cCOA_RjEQ6WB2_DxEMRdIfDDkqTWjSeqxYEpTY6SvPM46I5Dr1Uxqlm_4Y/w300-h400/DSCF5513.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lord's Prayer in Old English - written <br />for me by calligrapher, reenactor, and friend,<br />Dawn Burgoyne</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">However, perhaps to get a flavour of the seventh-century mead hall we'd be better off listening to a lovely reading of the epic poem Beowulf - which might have originated in Mercia! - by </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Heiðniborg:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CpKlEiahtI" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CpKlEiahtI</a></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1yRTX3MSmSrKrjqV3AjT52kt3D2qol96cqCIUDFCm4suX9XMNid6m6flOCK_FLhbNRAQ0MCtP1FOkdfDG4g_Q9kumBthKErwIxokN5Mc-QT7XtM73RwFmkWb3-GopPoeu8QDjDBmiEFg/s785/Beowulf.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1yRTX3MSmSrKrjqV3AjT52kt3D2qol96cqCIUDFCm4suX9XMNid6m6flOCK_FLhbNRAQ0MCtP1FOkdfDG4g_Q9kumBthKErwIxokN5Mc-QT7XtM73RwFmkWb3-GopPoeu8QDjDBmiEFg/w261-h400/Beowulf.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A page from a copy of Beowulf</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Outside the mead hall you'd hear various sounds, none louder than thunder. Animals, the clanging from the forge, and conversation (in Old English, of course). Whilst putting together this little blog post I came across this fun website. It's a bit too 'modern' for our purposes, but I reckon if you set the sounds to this pattern, you'll get an idea:</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiragVfZ3dN2oH1B8HGhlyg_U8y0jIVs3xbM78QaI9f9QO_5KxJ0UPGL_x5Pu978rhzPvW3qG2AoGGje67l-0ZdFSXF_Hgy7uwbCoQ1_XovkoM2YRBwPCykSGxkNVC0OEqajcvmDIDENm8/s606/Screenshot+%2528501%2529.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="606" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiragVfZ3dN2oH1B8HGhlyg_U8y0jIVs3xbM78QaI9f9QO_5KxJ0UPGL_x5Pu978rhzPvW3qG2AoGGje67l-0ZdFSXF_Hgy7uwbCoQ1_XovkoM2YRBwPCykSGxkNVC0OEqajcvmDIDENm8/w400-h225/Screenshot+%2528501%2529.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Click <a href="https://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/medievalVillageSoundscapeGenerator.php" target="_blank">HERE</a> to visit the site</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />Of course, one thing I can't do is bring you the smells of Anglo-Saxon life. In my books, I try to focus on the more pleasant aromas - cooked food, flower blossom, herbs - but I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that some other smells might have been distinctly unpleasant, so perhaps we should be grateful that blog posts can't yet bring Smell-0-Vision to the world!<br /></span><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">My two-book series, Tales of the Iclingas, is complete and available now:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://mybook.to/ComeththeHour" target="_blank">Cometh the Hour</a></i>:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CBgVspNkJ3UaS2StxN69Ti_p7b2byOiKsvTOafQHVlndovXB-z8D2-PRAuXGF4d9ElCtKcWQYXhKWPQ8pyyUEJ2vEX5hUqAJ1kujRya0I4cLLnGNYH6OcbYeJ-lMLRTTXA1ywZYzrUo/s800/CTH-Promo-graphic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CBgVspNkJ3UaS2StxN69Ti_p7b2byOiKsvTOafQHVlndovXB-z8D2-PRAuXGF4d9ElCtKcWQYXhKWPQ8pyyUEJ2vEX5hUqAJ1kujRya0I4cLLnGNYH6OcbYeJ-lMLRTTXA1ywZYzrUo/s320/CTH-Promo-graphic.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a></i>:</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK50c_XXM80sb4lQ1a8FemNpsqG4UmQUosMMAsPo92PsJFFXOvKU34tfNBaVuij1tY9rMd_RcEo2L2_3JDn9QdcmlXg_pi3hISgIsYsjRqfqX96uXqdl6-jUjKqzrmSPPK7H9vmZi49c0/s800/SinsFather-Promo-graphic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK50c_XXM80sb4lQ1a8FemNpsqG4UmQUosMMAsPo92PsJFFXOvKU34tfNBaVuij1tY9rMd_RcEo2L2_3JDn9QdcmlXg_pi3hISgIsYsjRqfqX96uXqdl6-jUjKqzrmSPPK7H9vmZi49c0/s320/SinsFather-Promo-graphic.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And you can find my other novels, stories, and my nonfiction books <a href="http://viewauthor.at/Annie-Whitehead" target="_blank">HERE</a></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKf2UrShVcHolxbcSPxxt0zM194Y1OVY8RxzkFY3iSlD9koU6fnyLwJc5R5iZx4H3w2MPjzN57PhoLH_2mpopVL2xASE5xaVr7FSJyZm-KoQ-vk825FMvllbAqww-mp5DmlrGRkeIVKw8/s1600/All+books+weekend+%25282%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKf2UrShVcHolxbcSPxxt0zM194Y1OVY8RxzkFY3iSlD9koU6fnyLwJc5R5iZx4H3w2MPjzN57PhoLH_2mpopVL2xASE5xaVr7FSJyZm-KoQ-vk825FMvllbAqww-mp5DmlrGRkeIVKw8/w400-h225/All+books+weekend+%25282%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-638773672851515622021-11-29T16:00:00.000-08:002021-11-30T01:23:28.005-08:00Tamworth - Ancient Mercian Royal Residence<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Last time, I wrote about the site of <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2021/11/the-early-fortress-of-bamburgh.html" target="_blank">Bamburgh Castle</a>, which features in both of my <i>Tales of the Iclingas</i> novels. This time I thought I’d explain some of the background to my choice of the main Mercian setting in both books: Tamworth. This is where Penda, the last pagan Mercian king, and his family, whose stories are told in the books, had their main residence.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihO7RSxZrUwi_0MnPziS52zOouZoOgMbBFHSi9iBahLh9l1xB2vyOnvLc2_MVgu71R9ksTmz4MXVT_fThC-WHfaSpx-ESP7FP2A5PbB0cMu6B8A6EFwxrsuN8g65nUhxD5OlUd8iUcZP8/s2048/DSCF4742.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihO7RSxZrUwi_0MnPziS52zOouZoOgMbBFHSi9iBahLh9l1xB2vyOnvLc2_MVgu71R9ksTmz4MXVT_fThC-WHfaSpx-ESP7FP2A5PbB0cMu6B8A6EFwxrsuN8g65nUhxD5OlUd8iUcZP8/s320/DSCF4742.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">There’s some debate about whether Tamworth can truly be described as the ancient capital of the midland kingdom of Mercia, because Repton also claims that title. On a recent BBC Radio 4 programme, Gareth Williams, the British Museum's Curator of Medieval Coinage, said that the notion of ancient capitals is "a product of nineteenth-century antiquarianism." If we think in terms of 'royal centres' though, I think both places have a claim, up to a point, and I’ll explain why.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Though the kings at this time were itinerant, moving from royal vill to royal vill, it seems clear that they had their favourite, or main, residences and these changed according to which family was ruling. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mercia, more so than the other kingdoms, grew from, and to an extent remained, a federation of smaller kingdoms and tribes which gradually became part of Greater Mercia, and it suffered from dynastic disputes which played a significant part in its eventual demise. Even in the later part of the period, its administrative system differed from that of its neighbour, Wessex, in that the leading men of the Witan and those charged with the business of local government, tended to be leaders of those tribes and smaller kingdoms, rather than being appointed centrally by the king.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52-20LJZ4K9mK-24zQa8C6lOWbzxgaVP_qrV3RJIR9yOxgnESaFs2sQrczvKJfqwe4HL-uRkr6cctrR6xOjRpbMyKu_JUPfnlhcR0LI2bO1rSRzXE2KwA2h5361rmmsHtTu2x31mwkZM/s2048/31.+Cenwulf+Carving.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52-20LJZ4K9mK-24zQa8C6lOWbzxgaVP_qrV3RJIR9yOxgnESaFs2sQrczvKJfqwe4HL-uRkr6cctrR6xOjRpbMyKu_JUPfnlhcR0LI2bO1rSRzXE2KwA2h5361rmmsHtTu2x31mwkZM/w150-h200/31.+Cenwulf+Carving.JPG" width="150" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And so, we find that a later king, Cenwulf (depicted left), seemed to favour Winchcombe in modern-day Gloucestershire and used the abbey there as a repository for royal documents. Meanwhile the mausoleum at Repton housed the remains of King Wiglaf and his family, as well as being the base for King Burgred, who was ousted when the Great Viking army made camp there.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQcnh7Jq6msqOA7N69f_ibewVBQGQALEmsETEPUEboZ0al9PFPZaNo_C2HB_F0U7BJSFeC5eOHJSrHPcH0-EkePWGpKOBaV1SSmhh_hWQb9t9OsEwzul4yqzYoFv9wox-J9nWBYEzlTg/s2048/21.+The+Crypt+at+Repton.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQcnh7Jq6msqOA7N69f_ibewVBQGQALEmsETEPUEboZ0al9PFPZaNo_C2HB_F0U7BJSFeC5eOHJSrHPcH0-EkePWGpKOBaV1SSmhh_hWQb9t9OsEwzul4yqzYoFv9wox-J9nWBYEzlTg/w201-h268/21.+The+Crypt+at+Repton.JPG" width="201" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crypt at Repton</td></tr></tbody></table></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Offa, in the eighth century, seems to have favoured Tamworth, building a ‘palace’ there. So I think it’s fair to say that at different times, different places were the ‘capital’ of Mercia, but all were situated within the core area of the original ‘kingdom’. I chose to make my character King Penda part of the Iclingas, Icel being the supposed founder of the royal house of Mercia. In one genealogy, he appears five generations above Penda (Anglian Collection).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Repton and Tamworth both fell within the territory of a people called the Tomsæte, ‘the dwellers by the River Tame’ and the Iclingas perhaps began as the leaders of these people, who established themselves in "an open meadow by the Tame" which they called "Tomworðig (Tomworthy). The settlement straddled the River Anker (which flows into the Tame). Bede described the Mercians as being the people who lived north and south of the River Trent, and it should be noted of course that the Tame flows into the Trent at Alrewas in Staffordshire, so to talk of the Tame Valley Mercians and the Trent Valley Mercians is to refer to a small enough area. In fact, Tamworth to Repton is a distance of only just under 23 miles. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">However, since we don’t know where Penda came from, for my novels I opted for Tamworth as his base which, of course, is not far away (11 miles or so) from where the Staffordshire Hoard was found - a crucial element of my tale. If we assume that Penda was one of the Iclingas, and that the Iclingas absorbed or were part of the Tomsæte, then Tamworth seems a fitting main residence. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRkZNTqE7WxUZMMRduV6as6sWz0GTeFT0OuthDZ_UHaBO1py8YFoN_ZK621hQPTyGq5UfLNhnW_QMnSXTvA7MR99DzDf7qgI5JihpO68F3dhI4jnpW8PVQ2biMcuS81zAFaeyVdxP2yE/s2048/DSCF4755.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRkZNTqE7WxUZMMRduV6as6sWz0GTeFT0OuthDZ_UHaBO1py8YFoN_ZK621hQPTyGq5UfLNhnW_QMnSXTvA7MR99DzDf7qgI5JihpO68F3dhI4jnpW8PVQ2biMcuS81zAFaeyVdxP2yE/s320/DSCF4755.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the roof of the castle, the view of<br />St Editha's Church</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The current castle sits high on a mound but dates back no earlier than the 12th century, while the original motte was built in the eleventh. The picture below shows the beautiful Norman herringbone brickwork. The location of Offa's palace has never been identified, although excavations north of Bolebridge Street in 1968 revealed what appeared to be the outline of a large Saxon building.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpHWXse58oXpTom5m6vuoPJLqhGWoWFjUVDaBFAcRb2bapaOueV-3gyBFuoECuF3cB1dN7jDWVnf5cswr7Vsc33ltPFgCcT-xgvdivyCLzgwcbdCf_iu2fNxaZR5TqcJaD-nDQMkcqp8/s2048/DSCF4740.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpHWXse58oXpTom5m6vuoPJLqhGWoWFjUVDaBFAcRb2bapaOueV-3gyBFuoECuF3cB1dN7jDWVnf5cswr7Vsc33ltPFgCcT-xgvdivyCLzgwcbdCf_iu2fNxaZR5TqcJaD-nDQMkcqp8/s320/DSCF4740.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In the 1970s excavation work, also in the Bolebridge Street area, uncovered a water mill, dating from the 9th century or perhaps earlier. Remains of a second mill were also found. “Among the finds were the sole-tree of the mill, with its steel bearing; one of the wheel-paddles; many fragments of millstones, of local stone and imported lava; fragments of the clay bed in which the lower millstone was set; and the residues of lead window-cames. Grain and grain impressions include oats and possibly barley. The second mill was destroyed by fire.” [<a href="https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/cba_rr/rr83.cfm?CFID=573996&CFTOKEN=39545028" target="_blank">Archaeology Data Service</a>] </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">A few generations after Penda’s rule and that of his immediate family, the succession switched to another branch of the royal house. Then, in the eighth century, Offa appears to have favoured Tamworth while later kings based themselves elsewhere as I’ve mentioned. There was a period where no Mercian rulers were able to base themselves there, for Tamworth was occupied by the ‘Vikings’ in the ninth and early tenth century.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Which is why (and if you’ve read my <a href="http://mybook.to/To-Be-A-Queen" target="_blank">novel about her life</a> you'll know), Æthelflæd seems to have lived in the southwest - and thus the free area - of Mercia, with strong links to Gloucester and Worcester. However, in 913 her forces liberated Tamworth and it was here that she died in 918, still on campaign. The statue of her just outside the castle was erected in 1913 to mark the centenary of her victory over the Vikings. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rww44mbae4nveW1AwyD4z8nA7c4KFmQKwNWiqdydzbZpB4jpc7luBt7qSLNap3SGAltNO8BhepQEM3cWuegB5VoEjpIfP4HcbX2IFiVocMUnhYepU7sDoJ8yPVpBixXY5_VumE3QALY/s2048/17.+Aethelflaed+Statue+%25231.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rww44mbae4nveW1AwyD4z8nA7c4KFmQKwNWiqdydzbZpB4jpc7luBt7qSLNap3SGAltNO8BhepQEM3cWuegB5VoEjpIfP4HcbX2IFiVocMUnhYepU7sDoJ8yPVpBixXY5_VumE3QALY/s320/17.+Aethelflaed+Statue+%25231.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">In 2018 there was a conference and a literary festival held at Tamworth to mark the 1100th anniversary of Æthelflæd’s death. I was there, giving a talk about the Lady, and even met her myself.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMDbg5TCQ4bXB6apU_s3QBJuC683H68HQBwn42RWhrW9FusCeHQqez0ZjHLLTT1lU5N8rraW7BfTeQ7BEXj7_bqZxyCOP9FmXICWpLmkT3OlrLbtGVkepuMH52PtQf1d07r4faSbQSYk/s2048/DSCF4764.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMDbg5TCQ4bXB6apU_s3QBJuC683H68HQBwn42RWhrW9FusCeHQqez0ZjHLLTT1lU5N8rraW7BfTeQ7BEXj7_bqZxyCOP9FmXICWpLmkT3OlrLbtGVkepuMH52PtQf1d07r4faSbQSYk/s320/DSCF4764.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">There was much talk about her, quite rightly, and mention of Offa, of course. But I also spent the weekend wandering around looking for the site of the excavated water mill, and imagining Penda and his family living in the town which would, of course, be unrecognisable to them now. But there is something there which just might catch their eye: <a href="https://www.tamworthcastle.co.uk/battle-and-tribute" target="_blank">Tamworth Castle</a> now houses the largest collection of pieces from the Staffordshire Hoard outside Birmingham. And, as I said, the hoard plays a crucial part in my tale… </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><a href="http://mybook.to/ComeththeHour" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Cometh the Hour</span></a></i></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJlb6fxA7tfPwWX2pi-1UtG9JLBNsaHNVJURsZPr17CsmfZofd5GB2ne6sTqDmcC4YF3bouTHA9Tb0UCkk6Lzg2G7x0A4MrNJOAZpkDIZ7C04tfuvr6Rz1VB_jZpPfA2Gjy5XfMrCbUw/s800/CTH-Promo-graphic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJlb6fxA7tfPwWX2pi-1UtG9JLBNsaHNVJURsZPr17CsmfZofd5GB2ne6sTqDmcC4YF3bouTHA9Tb0UCkk6Lzg2G7x0A4MrNJOAZpkDIZ7C04tfuvr6Rz1VB_jZpPfA2Gjy5XfMrCbUw/s320/CTH-Promo-graphic.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father </a></i></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZRuqTSe5y01t0If2LM4NmDXPQGFbcwkDcCSrXtRLfotIaOdMxUCVRMd1vsWrwvDVEsfQ_wWxScF-JgZrTSn_ANvoMC1fxVm8YSZVRBQw3flF8IqPQGyPaOxkBbuwUXlvtZic70nubf8/s800/SinsFather-Promo-graphic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZRuqTSe5y01t0If2LM4NmDXPQGFbcwkDcCSrXtRLfotIaOdMxUCVRMd1vsWrwvDVEsfQ_wWxScF-JgZrTSn_ANvoMC1fxVm8YSZVRBQw3flF8IqPQGyPaOxkBbuwUXlvtZic70nubf8/s320/SinsFather-Promo-graphic.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><i><br /></i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[All photographs taken by/copyright of the author. Promo Graphics by Avalon Graphics]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>You can find all my books, fiction and nonfiction, at</i></span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://viewauthor.at/Annie-Whitehead" target="_blank">http://viewauthor.at/Annie-Whitehead</a></i></span></p><p><br /></p></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-59495016354837140062021-11-22T17:30:00.001-08:002021-11-23T01:50:50.407-08:00The Early Fortress of Bamburgh<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The ancient fortress at Bamburgh has featured heavily in my two-book <i>Tales of the Iclingas</i> series, because it’s where all the baddies live!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Actually, that’s not completely true, but Northumbria was certainly no friend to Mercia during this period.</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG82wtg25_aLLHk-egyOq_Wle85wWFsOVknYjnVsTZmm57148mLQ4IUPuv_DI-1hG9_Ec1njiltBMOS3HyxzWUnIZUOdM_yQ0_e0L9xWRX3BPUL8gZD_iZziV46SBEWx3mArTPO3ZQffY/s2048/Bamburgh+-+D.+Satterthwaite.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG82wtg25_aLLHk-egyOq_Wle85wWFsOVknYjnVsTZmm57148mLQ4IUPuv_DI-1hG9_Ec1njiltBMOS3HyxzWUnIZUOdM_yQ0_e0L9xWRX3BPUL8gZD_iZziV46SBEWx3mArTPO3ZQffY/w400-h266/Bamburgh+-+D.+Satterthwaite.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Modern Day' Bamburgh Castle - photo courtesy of <br />David Satterthwaite</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I thought I’d talk a little today about the history of Bamburgh itself. It’s famous, and has been used as a backdrop in many film and TV dramas, but what were its origins?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The first warlord of Bamburgh about whom we have any detailed information was Æthelfrith, and the Britons called him <i>Flesaur</i>, or "the twister.” What came to be known as Northumbria was initially two separate kingdoms: Bernicia in the north, centred around Bamburgh, and Deira in the south, centred around York.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Æthelfrith seemingly had designs on Deira, and launched an attack during which the king of Deira was killed, Edwin (possibly the king’s brother) was driven into exile and Acha, his sister, willingly or not - I suspect not - was then married to Æthelfrith. In time, their progeny would bring the two Northumbrian kingdoms together, but it was a long road, one that began with Edwin taking a circuitous route out of exile and seeking revenge…</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYbtb0-NSZe04_xWihM7dM07Zqqiit2nJub7GBYZujICtFsDbZoUbfQwYFeOmEJktOUCazg-_OZ8s7jlow9VSNNTSmjqtJDnF4xfaBzGzmbjL_P_cdqVPvq7KgHxSHW7DKSzIyaBZqgk/s600/577px-Northumbria.rise.600.700.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="577" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYbtb0-NSZe04_xWihM7dM07Zqqiit2nJub7GBYZujICtFsDbZoUbfQwYFeOmEJktOUCazg-_OZ8s7jlow9VSNNTSmjqtJDnF4xfaBzGzmbjL_P_cdqVPvq7KgHxSHW7DKSzIyaBZqgk/s320/577px-Northumbria.rise.600.700.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Via Wiki Commons - <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northumbria.rise.600.700.jpg" target="_blank">Attribution Link</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">According to Bede, Bamburgh (Bebbanburh) was named after Bebba, first wife of Æthelfrith. Who was Bebba? No one knows. That’s the only mention of her. Whether she was still alive when Æthelfrith popped home with new wife Acha in tow, we don’t know. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">She might not even have been ‘Anglo-Saxon.’ How these people, specifically the Angles, came to be ruling this area isn’t clear, but it seems that it had previously formed part of the kingdom of the Gododdin, a Brittonic people of the Hen ogledd (old North).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXuruUSzozREPhRm-MA90PFzv39nVCGYETzq4f0KsG073SUhzqQDmIuP_actlP_DtOhtbEIULUUQWsUtDoH_N7J6PrpBAe2aLVoql1dOhtySRky_zlwb7jeKlupLKfYWT8UQPiBfPExps/s1136/800px-LindisfarneFol27rIncipitMatt+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXuruUSzozREPhRm-MA90PFzv39nVCGYETzq4f0KsG073SUhzqQDmIuP_actlP_DtOhtbEIULUUQWsUtDoH_N7J6PrpBAe2aLVoql1dOhtySRky_zlwb7jeKlupLKfYWT8UQPiBfPExps/s320/800px-LindisfarneFol27rIncipitMatt+%25281%2529.jpg" width="225" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The island of Lindisfarne is just off the coast of Bamburgh and when Oswald, son of Æthelfrith, came to power, he sent for Aidan from Iona to found the monastery there.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">(It was here that the exquisite Lindisfarne Gospels were produced in around AD700. You can read more about them <a href="https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/lindisfarne-gospels" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Sadly, Lindisfarne was of course, also the victim of a devastating Viking raid in 793.) </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">In my novel <i>Cometh the Hour</i> we see various Northumbrian kings in residence at Bamburgh and in <i>The Sins of the Father</i> it is once again the central location in the north. However, kings at this time were wont to move around, visiting their estates. For ease, and to prevent scene after scene of royal courts on the road, I kept the scenes in the north almost exclusively set at Bamburgh. Although, in <i>Cometh the Hour</i>, Yeavering is shown being built, and you can check out a blog post about Yeavering <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2018/02/yeavering-anglo-saxon-royal-palace.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It’s not hard to see, when you look at photos of Bamburgh, or when you’re there in person, why this site lends itself so well to a royal fortification. Sea for protection? Check. Rocky outcrop? Check. Commanding view of the area? Check.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cVcNrYDQSt4CRU6W5SUnQcRLoSpFTPCTi5QrOB96sYC4ytfBEDihvLYUYcK9SU4xf6LKNd_6RMBgLLfKP-MWviEYqoKUOmjJtiMVUu7XpUFbpvDvA-VDwhD-b5jNIXkEKiFmsyFMLL8/s800/800px-Bamborough_Castle_from_the_Northeast%252C_with_Holy_Island_in_the_Distance%252C_Northumberland_MET_DP805117.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="800" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cVcNrYDQSt4CRU6W5SUnQcRLoSpFTPCTi5QrOB96sYC4ytfBEDihvLYUYcK9SU4xf6LKNd_6RMBgLLfKP-MWviEYqoKUOmjJtiMVUu7XpUFbpvDvA-VDwhD-b5jNIXkEKiFmsyFMLL8/w400-h285/800px-Bamborough_Castle_from_the_Northeast%252C_with_Holy_Island_in_the_Distance%252C_Northumberland_MET_DP805117.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Bamborough Castle from the Northeast, with Holy Island in the Distance, <br />Northumberland" by John Varley (1827; Metropolitan Museum of Art</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The site is 150ft above sea level. Recent excavation has revealed that in pre-Conquest times, there was a timber hall on the edge of the site near steps which came up through the cleft in the rock. The <a href="https://bamburghresearchproject.wordpress.com/2021/07/11/background-to-our-september-2021-field-school-excavation-the-outworks-of-st-oswalds-gate/" target="_blank">Bamburgh Research project</a> has details of St Oswald’s Gate, which formed the entrance to the fortress from at least the latter part of the eighth century and probably gave the only access to the fortress at that time. It would have given access from the stronghold to the settlement that lay to the west - probably where St Aidan’s church now stands, and perhaps also provided access to the sea via the beach, where there might also have been a harbour.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Not surprisingly, this royal vill would have been quite the centre of industry. Archaeologists have also found evidence of an ‘industrial mortar mixer’ indicating the presence of a major stone-built building. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stunning archaeological finds have included two pattern-welded swords, one a two-strand, and one a six-strand. Pattern-welding is a method of making sword blades by twisting strands of metal together. This process produces blades with shimmering patterns. The six-stranded weapon was probably wielded by someone of very high status; perhaps the king himself. In the photos below you can see one of the swords and what it would have looked like when it was new (images from <a href="https://twitter.com/drjaninaramirez/status/635549284692307968" target="_blank">Janina Ramirez on Twitter</a>)</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R88tGMvrYwF4LGJDYOktJ0XlB1AYo7vuJk6hLoNnewwMoKV33ZK66U2gZEnQ7xS1rpmHsV2tF_P850SPG5wiLe38Y5u1t9rTXdKMkjrbkaw38hxIPSY4RzMeorymK9eYx6vHNcIgQ7M/s300/CNHss9jWoAAIlxb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="203" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R88tGMvrYwF4LGJDYOktJ0XlB1AYo7vuJk6hLoNnewwMoKV33ZK66U2gZEnQ7xS1rpmHsV2tF_P850SPG5wiLe38Y5u1t9rTXdKMkjrbkaw38hxIPSY4RzMeorymK9eYx6vHNcIgQ7M/s0/CNHss9jWoAAIlxb.jpg" width="203" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlf2j6582FEavZlaph3JrjstsawKANjH3I8ghy2MUITk9g2njgMZbJsnR1m80GQwOyJNnVYgvTgBNhhpiI16k_munIgV2t53XFhq25Jls49EIbYSP7X1Sjb3t_l0CFOy-3KlYTy1udHE/s582/CNHss9pWcAQhgp-.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="582" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlf2j6582FEavZlaph3JrjstsawKANjH3I8ghy2MUITk9g2njgMZbJsnR1m80GQwOyJNnVYgvTgBNhhpiI16k_munIgV2t53XFhq25Jls49EIbYSP7X1Sjb3t_l0CFOy-3KlYTy1udHE/s320/CNHss9pWcAQhgp-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><p><span style="font-size: large;">Another find was the famous Bamburgh Beast, a small zoological design in gold. It seems there was a stone carved chair, which would have served as a gift-stool (a throne, essentially). </span></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Excavation has not just revealed artefacts though and the area is now well-known for its bodies.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">First revealed by a violent storm in the 19th century, the Bowl Hole graveyard is hidden within the sand dunes a few hundred meters south of Bamburgh Castle. Dozens of individuals were uncovered during excavations between 1998 and 2007. These remains have been analysed and you can find out more <a href="https://bamburghbones.org/" target="_blank">HERE</a> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">One skeleton found at Bamburgh was that of a young man, whose left shoulder was sliced away and his pelvis had been sliced all the way down to his left knee. It is possible to envisage how he was standing, with his left arm slightly forwards, in a defensive pose. Another skeleton was of a youth who was seriously disabled, with a malformed right knee which would have inhibited walking. He was buried though in a high status cemetery, a mark of how much he was cared for during life.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the castle has been used many times as a filming location. I was aware of some, but here’s a <a href="https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?locations=Bamburgh+Castle%2C+Bamburgh%2C+Northumberland%2C+England%2C+UK" target="_blank">link</a> to a list - and it’s a longer one that I imagined!</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://mybook.to/ComeththeHour" target="_blank">Cometh the Hour</a>:</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuw_AZC5ojoolCOxhoYiYAMrfKr1nx4Qd1TlPINZL5MV7tcxpZcuP5v-omLFgo0NSQK_ZYzLDUbbcOH8EQeNve8ltMv2Lyr5gDiUg5LDG-r_PhL6mWPzaNsqDL7Liea-VPArVRn0ICvPY/s800/CTH-Promo-graphic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuw_AZC5ojoolCOxhoYiYAMrfKr1nx4Qd1TlPINZL5MV7tcxpZcuP5v-omLFgo0NSQK_ZYzLDUbbcOH8EQeNve8ltMv2Lyr5gDiUg5LDG-r_PhL6mWPzaNsqDL7Liea-VPArVRn0ICvPY/s320/CTH-Promo-graphic.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /><i><a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a>:</i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSly9pJgVulso3VgLiYkpQGiMg-bHzMBFZ97S_tmC7onr1dlmyitXHRjYDAf8_6i0zHYTDk9VBz_4YlRmvPrWVwp-u46kTxqxVAsfAEUb94C9hCBYK5VFEXCp34KCH-2fFkritoTAZiM/s800/SinsFather-Promo-graphic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSly9pJgVulso3VgLiYkpQGiMg-bHzMBFZ97S_tmC7onr1dlmyitXHRjYDAf8_6i0zHYTDk9VBz_4YlRmvPrWVwp-u46kTxqxVAsfAEUb94C9hCBYK5VFEXCp34KCH-2fFkritoTAZiM/s320/SinsFather-Promo-graphic.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /><i>You can find all my books, fiction and nonfiction, at</i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://viewauthor.at/Annie-Whitehead" target="_blank">http://viewauthor.at/Annie-Whitehead</a></i></span></p><p><br /></p>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-3249597964843765122021-10-17T07:30:00.001-07:002021-10-17T07:30:55.058-07:00Stepping Back into Saxon England and Other News<p> <span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It's been a while since I posted a new article here. There's a good reason, honestly!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The middle months of 2021 went by in a rush, filled with the tasks of getting <i><a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a></i> out into the world, and writing blog posts for all the kind bloggers and authors who agreed to help me spread the word. The reviews have been wonderful so far.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofYNSvW95sMN-Y8K3AA4UDPW3buf1rYxuA2eFPve5pGW0eA67RLI4R8SJtsqBhtNqLX4bWEabGxtLXUdYOs1_FkINltNT68RKkram6rqoCrXh4-RNnqsNVd3OROLaV8CJah12V01wE8Q/s1600/Sins+Helen+Quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofYNSvW95sMN-Y8K3AA4UDPW3buf1rYxuA2eFPve5pGW0eA67RLI4R8SJtsqBhtNqLX4bWEabGxtLXUdYOs1_FkINltNT68RKkram6rqoCrXh4-RNnqsNVd3OROLaV8CJah12V01wE8Q/w400-h225/Sins+Helen+Quote.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I wrote some posts for this blog, here, too, but decided to hold them back until the paperback was published. There was a delay at the printers, unfortunately, so it will be a few weeks until the paperback edition is available.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Something else was also going on though, and that was a joint mini blog tour undertaken with Helen Hollick.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChgn7Tnqif1oioiUhYGncrj6ImNOZtOo8Akwyg_LX4bbRO_nCJ9hwGP6Jejh4LQY2L30mWhXqf7dXA3ReqIy1dEfFDM1YfLJ4xjX9eeu8DMprAoCGMlch0BeoRlkjUAUifM-fWMr_PCA/s851/SBSE+banner+%25232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChgn7Tnqif1oioiUhYGncrj6ImNOZtOo8Akwyg_LX4bbRO_nCJ9hwGP6Jejh4LQY2L30mWhXqf7dXA3ReqIy1dEfFDM1YfLJ4xjX9eeu8DMprAoCGMlch0BeoRlkjUAUifM-fWMr_PCA/w400-h148/SBSE+banner+%25232.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We timed it to coincide with the anniversary of the battle of Hastings and you can find all the posts here:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><u>My posts for Helen's Blog</u></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2021/10/monday-mysteries-anglo-saxon-mystery.html" target="_blank">Monday Mystery: The Staffordshire Hoard</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxtR_Tml1l2OxuMb4YQbWoiml7FU7TkHZNodN_YjGNNUf6zmvIjzT3t41i8wI3lt2zaFb3O6xSLB-VGX0ZoUm7DQvmhLxuOiD2oto2gaGWxN17TOaW8d5AeSXy1HV2PVt8w_X_f-3dKQ/s800/Staffordshire_hoard_annotated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxtR_Tml1l2OxuMb4YQbWoiml7FU7TkHZNodN_YjGNNUf6zmvIjzT3t41i8wI3lt2zaFb3O6xSLB-VGX0ZoUm7DQvmhLxuOiD2oto2gaGWxN17TOaW8d5AeSXy1HV2PVt8w_X_f-3dKQ/s320/Staffordshire_hoard_annotated.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2021/10/wednesday-wanderings-anglo-saxon.html" target="_blank">Wednesday Wandering: Sites Associate with Saxon England (and standing in fields getting emotional)</a></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgZc-6xSnYsLk49AvQJm6BqmagD1WXcjSPmqYeMkvOK6R0nO8t-oisalDXNhmoSdXWfRLq1E3tr9bV9y6QF7RZCjouE1vyuLz8kWTApbWq9_EVTKdLQdLliJZ3_vStpTiATxQkb7DLy4/s2048/DSCF3657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgZc-6xSnYsLk49AvQJm6BqmagD1WXcjSPmqYeMkvOK6R0nO8t-oisalDXNhmoSdXWfRLq1E3tr9bV9y6QF7RZCjouE1vyuLz8kWTApbWq9_EVTKdLQdLliJZ3_vStpTiATxQkb7DLy4/s320/DSCF3657.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2021/10/friday-furries-anglo-saxon-animals-by.html" target="_blank">Friday Furries: Anglo-Saxon Animals and the uses they were put to.</a></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNEZbkSXel27fuVK16KFqnwDQs-5ncT2Kolg3vX80Dq6Cy826NR2FZpRi9c72aMn3ykoJz5_ZdRzr7OjT-dKNXGHmwURYHHJl-IhOkMdT4erULhH6Ddm0JZjj34jhJ8m2jXTY1B31Ffg/s1024/Manx_loaghtan+public+domain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNEZbkSXel27fuVK16KFqnwDQs-5ncT2Kolg3vX80Dq6Cy826NR2FZpRi9c72aMn3ykoJz5_ZdRzr7OjT-dKNXGHmwURYHHJl-IhOkMdT4erULhH6Ddm0JZjj34jhJ8m2jXTY1B31Ffg/s320/Manx_loaghtan+public+domain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2021/10/stepping-back-into-saxon-england.html" target="_blank">Three Questions and Answers</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26aDOsxpZq3NYJSwAqvdUwohRQnwHrKj9AI7RhgqP_arwb10H2Qk-f7dG_FB6fVOnAEiI8OyN2jRD65gh6bm41KbYysq3VOBLihdcSECfkDGqo2rN_1CPsKvvH8JMhApgMWPfgYrwGM0/s700/Edgar_and_dunstan_bath_abbey+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26aDOsxpZq3NYJSwAqvdUwohRQnwHrKj9AI7RhgqP_arwb10H2Qk-f7dG_FB6fVOnAEiI8OyN2jRD65gh6bm41KbYysq3VOBLihdcSECfkDGqo2rN_1CPsKvvH8JMhApgMWPfgYrwGM0/s320/Edgar_and_dunstan_bath_abbey+%25281%2529.jpg" width="171" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><u>Helen's posts on my blog</u></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://rwranniewhitehead.blogspot.com/2021/10/stepping-back-into-saxon-england-what.html" target="_blank">What If? Some other events in history that might have been turned upside down</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmkooYJVqHRYXo3WpLW75kW3TuqGLyFTfWoqbDM3DFfZ8VygwV10JxjAMKiISGkhJf1esfGjFE81o7B6vq_zR9mfFiYX65Dol5mnz9dkMyWYkcz0QsSu72KcIlWHap-wz_fXAiy3VVsU/s400/500px-James_Scott%252C_Duke_of_Monmouth_and_Buccleuch_by_Jan_van_Wyck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmkooYJVqHRYXo3WpLW75kW3TuqGLyFTfWoqbDM3DFfZ8VygwV10JxjAMKiISGkhJf1esfGjFE81o7B6vq_zR9mfFiYX65Dol5mnz9dkMyWYkcz0QsSu72KcIlWHap-wz_fXAiy3VVsU/s320/500px-James_Scott%252C_Duke_of_Monmouth_and_Buccleuch_by_Jan_van_Wyck.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://rwranniewhitehead.blogspot.com/2021/10/why-did-harold-godwineson-go-to.html" target="_blank">Why did Harold Godwineson make that fateful trip to Normandy?</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMf5ZFnjyq1FO_Ay_0Gi_bNeRafSnMu1a9vuP4SpStJRbAOQBrr0xEbKgljnARNVRWuEkVQ_NbcEuGpF1edh0ttUJqrFY6OX5r3DGb3lv4fAHnjhHvn9tR08EePN1roEbHPNC_ql-3SM/s400/Bayeux+river.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="400" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMf5ZFnjyq1FO_Ay_0Gi_bNeRafSnMu1a9vuP4SpStJRbAOQBrr0xEbKgljnARNVRWuEkVQ_NbcEuGpF1edh0ttUJqrFY6OX5r3DGb3lv4fAHnjhHvn9tR08EePN1roEbHPNC_ql-3SM/s320/Bayeux+river.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://rwranniewhitehead.blogspot.com/2021/10/stepping-back-into-saxon-england-3.html" target="_blank">Three Questions and Answers</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLld404Hiy1IwGt4B06uICDsqeadOTxZ201p7wVPd8rIzWEsLTlPbOn51Gls7lnmLJcOh14hOeYf6dkhOrSuFtZHXUuq90CdFeLbJAvC38wSR7lxdA_jf4KRXpEEtEDtMfVjdGxinlTWs/s400/302126_3879366871037_379799909_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="400" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLld404Hiy1IwGt4B06uICDsqeadOTxZ201p7wVPd8rIzWEsLTlPbOn51Gls7lnmLJcOh14hOeYf6dkhOrSuFtZHXUuq90CdFeLbJAvC38wSR7lxdA_jf4KRXpEEtEDtMfVjdGxinlTWs/s320/302126_3879366871037_379799909_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I hope you find some - or all - of these articles of interest. Stay tuned for some posts relating to <i><a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a></i> and an announcement about the paperback release...</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoxxhpZ8qdDvkFKFRULOuZRvZg957BU90lLfJG_sTBUdLIYfIPpOhekCR74sgBMQ1uhE_QUddN0A6PtMKMyZ2eV92cVeetgzP5Wd5LUtQwcR6vnMZ6wwHcCXc0ljVgdQ1fNweCxJVZqw/s1600/Sins+Cryssa+Quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoxxhpZ8qdDvkFKFRULOuZRvZg957BU90lLfJG_sTBUdLIYfIPpOhekCR74sgBMQ1uhE_QUddN0A6PtMKMyZ2eV92cVeetgzP5Wd5LUtQwcR6vnMZ6wwHcCXc0ljVgdQ1fNweCxJVZqw/w400-h225/Sins+Cryssa+Quote.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><br /></p></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-30240904376019501552021-04-19T11:14:00.004-07:002021-04-19T11:50:03.196-07:00Roman Remains – Did the Saxons Use Them?<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I suppose the first thing that springs to mind when we think about ‘what the Romans did for us’ is that they left some rather straight roads. Did the Anglo-Saxons use them? I’d say absolutely yes. Why would they not? Let’s work backwards here. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">With York being so important, not only to the Anglo-Saxons but then later to the ‘Vikings’ who had it as the centre of their kingdom, a road heading due south from York - Ermine Street - was bound to have seen heavy traffic, in particular, when Harold Godwinson marched his troops up to Stamford Bridge in 1066 and back down again to meet William of Normandy. Could he have moved his troops - men and horses - so quickly without using the Roman road (the most direct route)? And as fellow author Helen Hollick has pointed out, those roads must therefore have been well maintained. </span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcasd4OsNN_wuYc0-pVx1jpc-L_8C6FK76xx5CkpiKyMa7d0M1F43rAw9wNc7B2FHKt38_VuFumOqBJxZDdMP6Sud4T1fIHGZVBTzj9kUoC1S1OaNSdPtZnmUyVjID3HXriReahXbLcA/s2048/5+Death+of+Harold_death.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1784" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcasd4OsNN_wuYc0-pVx1jpc-L_8C6FK76xx5CkpiKyMa7d0M1F43rAw9wNc7B2FHKt38_VuFumOqBJxZDdMP6Sud4T1fIHGZVBTzj9kUoC1S1OaNSdPtZnmUyVjID3HXriReahXbLcA/s320/5+Death+of+Harold_death.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><p><span style="font-size: large;">Another Roman road, Watling Street, was, famously, the line used to divide up the kingdom when Alfred the Great came to an agreement with Guthrum the Dane in the ninth century so, again, we have to assume it was still in use in the late ninth century if it was used as a boundary marker.</span></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">We have more certain and tantalising proof that the Roman roads were still in use though. In 2009 one of the most exciting finds to date was dug up in a field. This was the seventh-century Staffordshire Hoard and it’s surely no coincidence that it was found just off the A5, more usually known as Watling Street. Imagine the scene: whoever buried the hoard made a quick getaway along the old road, intending to come back at some point to retrieve it… (It’s a scenario I portrayed in <a href="http://mybook.to/ComeththeHour" target="_blank">Cometh the Hour</a>.) </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTD9e96sts3WiY6AB_7EtyfNsCejG59Tu4a6b-Sm8dEuVT7AAjOj33lYmWtvgtMzP8hKpmur_WcEuEfQg9IAKVCZOlb2tqKhNjUV-EdbMpPUBD6h0ohs_kMsbvC9p8GzTIg71C7nTZiSA/s800/CTH-Promo-graphic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTD9e96sts3WiY6AB_7EtyfNsCejG59Tu4a6b-Sm8dEuVT7AAjOj33lYmWtvgtMzP8hKpmur_WcEuEfQg9IAKVCZOlb2tqKhNjUV-EdbMpPUBD6h0ohs_kMsbvC9p8GzTIg71C7nTZiSA/s320/CTH-Promo-graphic.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Staffordshire Hoard included many items - almost all of them military - inlaid with garnets, which brings me on to another aspect of Roman ‘remains’: jewels. From the seventh century on, for example, while glass beads remained popular, amethyst was incorporated, possibly from recycled Roman ornaments, but they were repurposed and worn strung lengthways with other beads, rather than dangling down, and pendants were also made from old Roman coins.</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvo2MFyH8ZYCw-m43ghckql7TBFsnWh5SV15hrLwXaL4FOWBOZmmMpHNhe1XVtYbLjPWp7cwKonHIXT7RFiQpbjNDo0cNN94PfE-ByV-TbUnUQS71GMIfAV9dUavqUztzvChydodP8f0/s800/Staffordshire_hoard_annotated.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvo2MFyH8ZYCw-m43ghckql7TBFsnWh5SV15hrLwXaL4FOWBOZmmMpHNhe1XVtYbLjPWp7cwKonHIXT7RFiQpbjNDo0cNN94PfE-ByV-TbUnUQS71GMIfAV9dUavqUztzvChydodP8f0/s320/Staffordshire_hoard_annotated.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staffordshire Hoard - <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Staffordshire_hoard_annotated.jpg" target="_blank">Image Credit</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">What else did the Anglo-Saxons upcycle?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">They didn’t, on the whole, reuse the domestic buildings. If the buildings were in poor repair, why did they not rebuild? They certainly knew how to build, so that wasn’t the issue. Reconstructions, such as those at West Stow, and the excavation of great halls such as Yeavering, show that they were not incompetent builders. Tacitus said that none of the Germanic tribes on the continent lived in walled cities, so it’s more likely that the Anglo-Saxons preferred to live in buildings that kept them feeling close to the natural world. I also think that affected the way they communicated. Their lifestyle was one of community gatherings, of feasts in great halls, with many folk sleeping on benches or on the floor of the halls once the food and tables had been cleared away. It was where they exchanged stories, gifts, and heard songs and poems performed. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">And here’s the crucial thing: the acoustic properties of wooden buildings also offer opportunities for intimate conversation. Sound will fall away, muffled by the absorbent materials in the building. Living communally provides companionship and a strong sense of belonging, but it must have been a boon to be able to conduct private conversations if the need or urge arose. Stone buildings have large spaces where sound echoes and resonates. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Churches, of course, are a different matter. Plenty of these were built in stone and an early example can be seen in the surviving crypt at Hexham Abbey, commissioned by Bishop Wilfrid in the seventh century. With a good ethos of ‘waste not, want not’ recycled Roman bricks were used, from the remains of the Roman fort and town at Corbridge just a few miles away; Wilfrid's church was probably built entirely from stones taken from this site.</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUe6VIYn33urc5b9ZLLObS3RXoRomdHldz83m8EQe2ckpQO-QKuJYWztTnC3YPifYf-Ds-CmhDaninw2SWk9Zvq_7CaLuaCU0mC3BZGdKYbjt68xL4dEUdVocsH44u34dK_kHC6I0fFxc/s2048/DSCF5060.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUe6VIYn33urc5b9ZLLObS3RXoRomdHldz83m8EQe2ckpQO-QKuJYWztTnC3YPifYf-Ds-CmhDaninw2SWk9Zvq_7CaLuaCU0mC3BZGdKYbjt68xL4dEUdVocsH44u34dK_kHC6I0fFxc/s320/DSCF5060.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crypt at Hexham abbey - my photo</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">A Roman town also played a part in a pivotal real-life scene in my novel <a href="http://mybook.to/AlvartheKingmaker" target="_blank">Alvar the Kingmaker</a>. It was the setting for a coronation, and not just any old coronation. King Edgar, who became king in 957, was crowned there in 973. Yes, 16 years after he ascended the throne. Can this be right?</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8Aiu7ClejWcQfzh1RSGoCEhyphenhyphen7bLbXNo8nZF6UO_9_bot0ntuDBmmKM3ltnWgOIlPxWzr1MdSKs8QS51KniTXRDpkQUFX9goUbbFYQzs8Wri5jHze2TTm3AAkOCh343WHYVG-cm9pR8I/s700/Edgar_and_dunstan_bath_abbey+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8Aiu7ClejWcQfzh1RSGoCEhyphenhyphen7bLbXNo8nZF6UO_9_bot0ntuDBmmKM3ltnWgOIlPxWzr1MdSKs8QS51KniTXRDpkQUFX9goUbbFYQzs8Wri5jHze2TTm3AAkOCh343WHYVG-cm9pR8I/s320/Edgar_and_dunstan_bath_abbey+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><p><span style="font-size: large;">Edgar had a chequered love life, with historians unable to agree whether he had two or three wives, and with earlier chroniclers suggesting that one of them was even a consecrated nun. For his supposed sins, he was allegedly given a seven-year penance, which delayed his coronation. But we know that by 964 he was married to his last wife, so that doesn’t explain the delay of the coronation until 973. Often-times, Anglo-Saxon kings had delayed coronations, but not usually for this length of time. </span></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Edgar’s epithet was The Peaceable, and there were no Viking raids during his reign. He had control of Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria and East Anglia and, during another ceremony in 973, was famously rowed along the River Dee by 6-8 (depending on sources) other kings of the British Isles, who paid him homage. He was also probably 30 years old in that year, the canonical age for ordination. This might have been significant; a sort of symbol of spiritual maturity. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I suspect that this was a second coronation, and that Edgar’s age, and his supremacy over the kingdoms, was being marked. Bath was on the edge of the two major erstwhile Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia, kingdoms which had traditionally voted for different candidates for the throne, including Edgar’s own accession, so its location would signify a unification. More than this, though, is the fact the Bath was a remnant of the Empire and this would have been a very clear sign that this was some kind of imperial coronation. It’s clear that the memory of the Romans was very much alive.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Not that this helped in the long run. With all those wives/women came a few children, which meant, ultimately, another fight for the throne. Alvar the Kingmaker certainly had his work cut out…</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xE28tprA9aIbS_SDQfJEKQka751hFrvFLKeJabyjvU8qAkihZPjPRBLDPkp-I-a0Shk9CEOS7-RJP81_p5rcKiTybhAQkn-780xYAcGV09IGbCziDueR9xm9jctQzmtgfaPNMGY76eY/s800/Alvar-Promo-graphic+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xE28tprA9aIbS_SDQfJEKQka751hFrvFLKeJabyjvU8qAkihZPjPRBLDPkp-I-a0Shk9CEOS7-RJP81_p5rcKiTybhAQkn-780xYAcGV09IGbCziDueR9xm9jctQzmtgfaPNMGY76eY/s320/Alvar-Promo-graphic+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Find all my books (fiction, nonfiction and short stories) <a href="http://viewauthor.at/Annie-Whitehead" target="_blank">HERE</a></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-38270046488788422021-04-13T01:41:00.000-07:002021-04-13T01:41:20.387-07:00When Monks go Off-message<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">History is a serious business, in the main. We look at documents, chronicles, diaries, in order to analyse reigns, policies, wars, social deprivation...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Sometimes though, history - specifically that recorded by monks - can make us chuckle. Reading the <i>Anglo-Saxon Chronicle</i>, which I do on a regular basis, I never fail to smile when I see the entry for the year 776. It tells of a battle fought at Otford, but it doesn't say who won, and it also informs us that "marvellous adders were seen in Sussex."</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEOvACqf6JSyennT9sKGS_p0OcXQViWpvKd8EKA7k6DNE2MNCjUQkeYMwM0I7q2PEvMYooJhIpAXfMehEYTQPmPmZ2j8avmnwxSHDAyP0AvxweeWlptJwXKGxVP9PVNyoR5im5-YZzAI/s375/Medieval+CV.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEOvACqf6JSyennT9sKGS_p0OcXQViWpvKd8EKA7k6DNE2MNCjUQkeYMwM0I7q2PEvMYooJhIpAXfMehEYTQPmPmZ2j8avmnwxSHDAyP0AvxweeWlptJwXKGxVP9PVNyoR5im5-YZzAI/s320/Medieval+CV.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Later on in the pre-Conquest period, in 1058, the earl of Mercia, Ælfgar, was banished for a second time. He wasn't away for long, returning as he had after his first banishment with the help of the Welsh. This time though he also had a Norwegian fleet with him, commanded by Harald Hardrada, but we don't know if this was a planned invasion, or just an attempt to restore Ælfgar to his earldom in Mercia, because as this point the <i>Chronicle</i> says that it was all "too tedious to relate." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It kind of skews the image of monks, with heads bent over their writing desks, diligently expending their best efforts in the pursuit of accurate recording of events. And in that vein, I am grateful to the <a href="https://anglandicus.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Anglandicus</a> blog for bringing to my attention the case of the Irish monk with an almighty hangover. A ninth-century copy of a Latin Grammar has a marginal gloss in Ogham script which apparently translates as <i>Latheirt</i> and has been defined thus: "Ale [Lait] + killed [ort], i.e. ale has killed us, that is ale drinking." So it would seem that the monk was hampered in his endeavours by a hangover. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAosAzod31E35N2EkytTSb9969r_njnLdbNo_oyIwqE_y1jjR96Lt5hjAOK0rAdmS6_VVIrHO9JiBPy9ONyJsmK22Tb6XSqquNDo942SEihPzcbbUFkxKYxQs9eVDgbaHM6zl-vUDqY4/s226/monk.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAosAzod31E35N2EkytTSb9969r_njnLdbNo_oyIwqE_y1jjR96Lt5hjAOK0rAdmS6_VVIrHO9JiBPy9ONyJsmK22Tb6XSqquNDo942SEihPzcbbUFkxKYxQs9eVDgbaHM6zl-vUDqY4/s0/monk.jpeg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It gets worse...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I'm currently writing the follow-up to my novel, <a href="http://mybook.to/ComeththeHour" target="_blank">Cometh the Hour</a>, and as I always do, I checked my reference books for details about the Anglo-Saxon way of life. I was thrown a little off-topic though when I came across a reference to a particular craftsman, cited for having advanced through his abilities. This man had made a name for himself as a craftsman, specifically a metal-worker, and had risen from being a monk, to an abbot and then a bishop. "It was at this stage </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">he disappeared, as did the gold and jewels provided to make a new crown for the king (Edward the Confessor) and the bishop’s treasury."[1]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Well, I had to find out more...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The man in question was called Spearhafoc (Sparrowhawk), and this might have been a nickname, referring to the sharp eyes he'd need for his metal work. He began his career as a monk at Bury St Edmonds, but in around 1047 he was appointed abbot of Abingdon by King Edward the Confessor. There's a suggestion in the chronicle of that abbey that some bribery might have been involved, but by fair means or otherwise, he was made bishop of London in 1051. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">There was a bit of a hitch, however. Robert of Jumièges, the recently appointed archbishop of Canterbury, when presented with the king's writ and seal which made clear that Spearhafoc should be consecrated as bishop of London, stated that this had been forbidden by the pope. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">After trying a second time to persuade the archbishop and having again been refused, Spearhafoc simply went back to London and squatted there with, apparently, the king's full permission, "all that summer and autumn." [2]</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XvF-rw_bNfptF4g-mr2V-_60Hw4-sRi_G6HNKohAsf3AaCP0GwaZV1yFOYVqid8AUVhIbCDLWTN74Oe8kPy4klKWdDH3lvdugY1J-i7bnV7qzHxqGI9lT8cZhgB9RBInEpVe2Q9000Q/s2048/1+King+Edward+depicted+in+the+Bayeux_Tapestry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1380" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XvF-rw_bNfptF4g-mr2V-_60Hw4-sRi_G6HNKohAsf3AaCP0GwaZV1yFOYVqid8AUVhIbCDLWTN74Oe8kPy4klKWdDH3lvdugY1J-i7bnV7qzHxqGI9lT8cZhgB9RBInEpVe2Q9000Q/s320/1+King+Edward+depicted+in+the+Bayeux_Tapestry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><p><span style="font-size: large;">But 1051 was quite a tumultuous year, which saw the banishment of the powerful Godwine family with whom Spearhafoc seems to have allied, and we are told that straight away after he'd exiled them, the king expelled Spearhafoc from the bishopric of London and Spearhafoc was never heard of again. </span></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Sounds like a straightforward case of politics, bickering, and clashes of interest. Certainly, Goscelin of St Bertin, an eleventh-century Benedictine chronicler, extolled Spearhafoc's skills in goldsmithing. The <i>Abingdon Chronicle</i> also mentioned that he was marvellous at working gold and silver. So it does seem as if these talents helped propel him to high office and yes, craftsmen could advance. However, the <i>Abingdon Chronicle</i> also mentions that when Spearhafoc left London, he took with him a store of gold and gems which the king had given him to make an imperial crown [3] and it appears he also took valuables from the diocesan stores.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">As historian John Blair has said, there seems very little other than Spearhafoc's skills as a craftsman that might have recommended him to the king, and I can just imagine him, thwarted, frustrated and under orders to quit the country, deciding to take with him whatever he could stuff into his bags.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">None of these stories helps my research, but I do enjoy them, and they are a reminder that even monks' patience can sometimes snap!</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCh1H0LzW-Va4VA0nwJ9YWAAtfASyBn71i80YwFpTSQ5DGPFzj3DuLBChI397DL0xpTmlXvVe7gt9CGjNWVItabl9veL4x0hzx1z-VcoahDJrBXxTDBnlKa8_vbVB5jOjCm0RMr4_LDfQ/s2048/860291_10200715776962907_1596723999_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCh1H0LzW-Va4VA0nwJ9YWAAtfASyBn71i80YwFpTSQ5DGPFzj3DuLBChI397DL0xpTmlXvVe7gt9CGjNWVItabl9veL4x0hzx1z-VcoahDJrBXxTDBnlKa8_vbVB5jOjCm0RMr4_LDfQ/s320/860291_10200715776962907_1596723999_o.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My own photo of a visiting Sparrowhawk</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">[1] Anglo-Saxon Crafts - Kevin Leahy p 172.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">[2] ASC (C-F) 1042-1087 E 1048 (1051)</span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">[3] Chronicon monasterii de Abingdon, 1.462–3)</span></div><div><br /></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-66718522120096917032021-02-21T16:00:00.001-08:002021-02-22T01:22:59.447-08:00Murder in Saxon England<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">There were laws against killing people in times of peace, of course there were, and the punishments were severe, although I'll save the details for another blog post. Suffice to say that one did not murder with impunity. But there are some notable, high-profile cases which either went unpunished, or weren't murders at all. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Firstly, and sadly, there seem to be a lot of documented cases of child killings and female killers. But as I’ll try to show, they should perhaps be taken with a large pinch of salt. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Children</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In the seventh century, a Mercian king, Wulfhere, allegedly had two sons who had been baptised by St Cedd. This so offended their father that he ‘killed them both with his own hands.’ The problem with this story is that the boys, if they even existed, had a sister who was allowed to live, and became a holy woman, living as a nun on her father’s estates. It hardly seems compatible with an anti-Christian child killer.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Then we have the strange case of Abbess Cwoenthryth, who arranged to have her little brother killed and was discovered when a dove dropped a message on the altar of St Peter’s in Rome, alerting the pope to the crime. To avoid being discovered, she chanted a psalm backwards and her eyes fell out. Now, there is slightly more evidence for the existence of this brother, Cynehelm or Kenelm, but he wasn’t a child; he simply pre-deceased their father the king and, tellingly, this abbess had a long-running argument with the Church about her abbey lands, so this might be why she received such a bad press.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">There’s another recorded murder of a young man, but there may be some truth in the story. He was supposedly killed for objecting to the marriage of his mother to a contender for the Mercian throne, and he may very well have been caught up in a dynastic dispute. This young man was Wigstan, and it's possible to visit the site where in all likelihood, his bones were laid to rest, in the crypt at the church in Repton which is named after him.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSxfenT0BOEz6GJ8G4QEKlv3lmhDSP_YM_OogsOT9GajyjAq_I1AOvPYuEbVnpvprHsahIumf9hnIvTKQwbUd0rONH77EcGz7cmqLH5ufEfx12LCv4JyVKqYFXZaB9JDBXi2lBlbvt0M/s2048/21.+The+Crypt+at+Repton.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSxfenT0BOEz6GJ8G4QEKlv3lmhDSP_YM_OogsOT9GajyjAq_I1AOvPYuEbVnpvprHsahIumf9hnIvTKQwbUd0rONH77EcGz7cmqLH5ufEfx12LCv4JyVKqYFXZaB9JDBXi2lBlbvt0M/s320/21.+The+Crypt+at+Repton.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My photo of the crypt at St Wystan's<br />Church, Repton</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Murderesses</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">A murder which certainly happened was that of Edward the Martyr, who was allegedly killed by, or on the orders of, his stepmother, Ælfthryth. I’m not convinced, because she too was given a rather bad press, but there’s no disputing the fact that Edward died and her son, Æthelred (the 'Unready') then became king.</span></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mb6VhydHswdU_c2dkXWGO0R0BMFz61-xQ4b3uVo1DafOrYTNCLwJ3zo0Idwf7Mce8zx-rgWl2PIEOSiDZCgrFLgmb_-j0WuP3lNvzvzVg0-3bzb3uOmIyY8ik2EYO44DpaHIbwFpazo/s861/800px-A_Chronicle_of_England_-_Page_072_-_Edward_Murdered_at_Corfe.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mb6VhydHswdU_c2dkXWGO0R0BMFz61-xQ4b3uVo1DafOrYTNCLwJ3zo0Idwf7Mce8zx-rgWl2PIEOSiDZCgrFLgmb_-j0WuP3lNvzvzVg0-3bzb3uOmIyY8ik2EYO44DpaHIbwFpazo/s320/800px-A_Chronicle_of_England_-_Page_072_-_Edward_Murdered_at_Corfe.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Depiction of Edward's visit to his stepmother<br />where he was allegedly killed on her orders</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Another woman accused of murder was a Northumbrian princess, Alhflæd, who was married to the son of her father’s rival and, according to the Venerable Bede, arranged her husband’s killing. We are not told why, or whether she was punished, only that around Easter time, she killed her husband Peada, who was the son of Penda of Mercia. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We do know of a later murderess who, jealous of her husband the king’s advisers, poisoned one of those counsellors and accidentally killed her husband along with him. She was punished, banished abroad (ending up briefly at the court of the Emperor Charlemagne) and was supposedly the reason why kings’ wives in Wessex from that point on were never called ‘queen’. But this story of Eadburh, daughter of Offa of Mercia, is one which I've explored in depth in my books and there's a little bit more to this story than meets the eye...</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Assassination attempts </span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In seventh-century Northumbria, King Edwin was establishing his supremacy when an assassin was sent from the south to his court, hiding a poisoned blade under his cloak. Lunging forward, he made a rush for the king and was only prevented from killing Edwin by the bravery of Edwin’s thegn, who put himself between the assailant and the king, although Edwin nevertheless sustained an injury. The thegn was somewhat less fortunate.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And this leads me nicely onto the second batch of recorded deaths, which I think warranted more investigation...</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Convenient Deaths</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In 946 King Edmund was murdered, supposedly either in a brawl, or by a robber who’d been previously banished but returned, evidently with a score to settle. Investigation by historians though suggests that this was more than likely a political murder arranged by members of a rival court faction. *</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">His sons, Eadwig and Edgar, eventually became kings, one after the other. Trouble was, there were still rival factions at court, so much so that for a while the country was split, with one half supporting one son, the other supporting the other. And then, around two years after the partition, the elder son, still only a teenager, died. There’s absolutely nothing anywhere in the records to say how, or where, but it was very timely for his enemies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">This wasn’t the first time the country had been split. Those boys’ father had become king after the death of King Athelstan. When his father died, he left Mercia to Athelstan, and Wessex to Athelstan’s half-brother who, conveniently, was dead within the month. Again, no record of foul play.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We’re starting to get a pattern though. In the latter part of the period, England endured a renewal of the Viking incursions only this time they weren’t raiding, they were conquering. Cnut had come to stay, and after a series of bloody but ultimately indecisive battles, it was agreed that the country would be jointly ruled by him, and his English adversary, Edmund Ironside. Guess what? Edmund was dead within the month. This time, slight record of foul play, with some later sources suggesting he was murdered whilst on the privy.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjTqJ0C3B4_42IdadjW0iC2BR_M3I5Jb3c77NkbgKHCs-c_UzCuJEVH7EG3fzLDjxYaV950Uu_NZaVAEjSgdKl7C5ddfMYmp5qLh7Kfl0s4oG_b2urPcsZO-rniXcFHXDXUC4J1LXJKM/s656/Edmund_Ironside_-_MS_Royal_14_B_VI1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="656" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjTqJ0C3B4_42IdadjW0iC2BR_M3I5Jb3c77NkbgKHCs-c_UzCuJEVH7EG3fzLDjxYaV950Uu_NZaVAEjSgdKl7C5ddfMYmp5qLh7Kfl0s4oG_b2urPcsZO-rniXcFHXDXUC4J1LXJKM/s320/Edmund_Ironside_-_MS_Royal_14_B_VI1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Depiction of Edmund Ironside</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Of course, it is possible that Ironside died from wounds sustained in the last battle, but this wasn’t recorded either, even though I’m fairly certain that cause and effect would have been understood: you get wounded in battle, you die a short time later, the wounds are probably what killed you.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">What I love about studying this period, and writing about it, is that we have two avenues of exploration: The later, Anglo-Norman chroniclers, who tend to over dramatize and exaggerate, giving us sordid stories about child killers and evil women, and the more contemporary sources who give us minimal information and seem sometimes to ignore the obvious.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Diving down these paths on the search for the truth is good fun, but often inconclusive. Still, it's all perfect fodder for the novelist and always interesting to wonder about motive, for both the killings and the reporting of them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">[A version of this article appeared on <a href="https://pamlecky.com/2020/10/05/stepping-back-into-saxon-england-blog-tour/" target="_blank">Pam Lecky's Blog</a> in October 2020]</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQt-Ah2ydlz8D7XNFlgcgDGwE_XhFxCArhetIgZxQFzVkIcx_dNNxqjQlRn57G3e25ubfmu5WFss4PYPXdB-C9B6AeD1xeuo0pTtyD6iIKlKVsaOzj8Jp1DPLZTF9CykfjVuXxPcDOlw/s1024/All+books+Fic+%2526NF+excl1066+%25281%2529.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQt-Ah2ydlz8D7XNFlgcgDGwE_XhFxCArhetIgZxQFzVkIcx_dNNxqjQlRn57G3e25ubfmu5WFss4PYPXdB-C9B6AeD1xeuo0pTtyD6iIKlKVsaOzj8Jp1DPLZTF9CykfjVuXxPcDOlw/s320/All+books+Fic+%2526NF+excl1066+%25281%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">You can read more about all these characters in my books <i><a href="http://mybook.to/MerciaRiseandFall" target="_blank">Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom</a></i> and <i><a href="http://mybook.to/WomeninPower" target="_blank">Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England.</a></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The family of King Penda feature in my novel <i><a href="http://mybook.to/ComeththeHour" target="_blank">Cometh the Hour</a></i> and its sequel which is currently in draft form, and the young kings Eadwig and Edgar, and the alleged murderous stepmother Ælfthryth, all appear in my novel <i><a href="http://mybook.to/AlvartheKingmaker" target="_blank">Alvar the Kingmaker</a> </i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*For more on the murder of King Edmund, check out my story in <i><a href="https://books2read.com/BetrayalAnthology" target="_blank">Betrayal</a> </i>which is FREE to download!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDWLDa0GWcT48x76ZQeDToU59j4y2smq97-eEe2IxTZEnlTUsBUuZIXuFvOAlUiuF5gERlXfHlcVz2sVg8Fe8d5uDLLeFsCo2to3ys5My9ZfMwxzv3oC7rE9rlcIVLffnDWzI8fWaGR8/s1600/Betrayal+HNS+quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDWLDa0GWcT48x76ZQeDToU59j4y2smq97-eEe2IxTZEnlTUsBUuZIXuFvOAlUiuF5gERlXfHlcVz2sVg8Fe8d5uDLLeFsCo2to3ys5My9ZfMwxzv3oC7rE9rlcIVLffnDWzI8fWaGR8/w400-h225/Betrayal+HNS+quote.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-72261556778621077752021-01-28T05:12:00.000-08:002021-02-01T00:54:18.246-08:00An A-Z (almost) of Anglo-Saxon Women<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">My new book details the lives of over 100 women, some of whom had their careers well documented and some of whom were barely mentioned, leaving me quite a bit of detective work to do. Often I’ve been asked why I’m so drawn to these women and I think it’s because they defy assumptions about their lives. So, in light-hearted vein, I’d like to present:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>An A-Z (almost) of Anglo-Saxon Women</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">A is for Æthelburh, a little-known queen regent who got cross and burned a town to the ground. She also had the servants trash the royal hall to prove a point to her husband about the dangers of valuing material things.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">B is for Burhs. These are the defensive towns which Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, built. Æthelflæd ruled a kingdom and was instrumental in forcing out the invading Vikings.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">C is for Cynethryth. She is the only queen (that we know of) who had coins minted in her own name and with her own image.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIloYPdH9oMz1eWYvnWp6BXSolJjwfOgeSzZxXPacmrabNoXsxNQK4P_OAfRT3SHDBxfTPi5Nq2iYCKl6NhgeQHWEtJ3qkWdNununW-9IzQYxlyzXc2VaFVTYoWlQf4a4mqyJpIdaHSE/s2048/12.+Cynethryth+Coin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIloYPdH9oMz1eWYvnWp6BXSolJjwfOgeSzZxXPacmrabNoXsxNQK4P_OAfRT3SHDBxfTPi5Nq2iYCKl6NhgeQHWEtJ3qkWdNununW-9IzQYxlyzXc2VaFVTYoWlQf4a4mqyJpIdaHSE/s320/12.+Cynethryth+Coin.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Replica of Cynethryth's coin from my own collection</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">D is for Domneva. She tricked a king into giving her land to build an abbey.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">E is for St Edith of Wilton. She was a nun and a princess, and a bishop told her off for her snappy dress sense. She ignored him.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jTbZaSe_wWcBkJELWeZJK8_CX4SZj71R7WdywtV5fzfq5x-qFPoJ4HQTezhsua7DcCVt9ejTtlMmIdFJPGyDX4q9n8_B57YXmTI5H_JfTXz79wKpy-Xg77P3f-UaQ6Q5mL4_-p4Z29I/s225/Edith_of_Wilton+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jTbZaSe_wWcBkJELWeZJK8_CX4SZj71R7WdywtV5fzfq5x-qFPoJ4HQTezhsua7DcCVt9ejTtlMmIdFJPGyDX4q9n8_B57YXmTI5H_JfTXz79wKpy-Xg77P3f-UaQ6Q5mL4_-p4Z29I/s0/Edith_of_Wilton+%25281%2529.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edith of Wilton - <br />public domain image</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">F is for Fladbury, the site of an abbey and possibly named after Ælfflæd, daughter of King Oswiu of Northumbria. Her testimony was used to secure the throne for a king after a succession dispute.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">G is for Godiva. She most likely didn’t ride round Coventry naked, but she belonged to a powerful family and she lived to a ripe old age.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2lDvngG6QpJ-gngGJZel_YK7k8bRAbu8f9T9dm-s-ho3Ha5WICPJjaiZGF9sLXl2YPPSuwda7eeHQ8UJJJ_fpaH2ESOE2Mo5-gZyyGG5J1IwzBRnyWXUFIFdIIZnHyLodXgQjaimmN0/s2048/25.+Godiva+Statue+%25231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2lDvngG6QpJ-gngGJZel_YK7k8bRAbu8f9T9dm-s-ho3Ha5WICPJjaiZGF9sLXl2YPPSuwda7eeHQ8UJJJ_fpaH2ESOE2Mo5-gZyyGG5J1IwzBRnyWXUFIFdIIZnHyLodXgQjaimmN0/s320/25.+Godiva+Statue+%25231.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Godiva in Coventry<br />My own photo</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">H is for Hild. She founded Whitby Abbey where her nuns produced books, and she educated no fewer than five future bishops.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBj3pe-RB22YR_sJlXYfwjTRcHEXmUY3mlNfC03BwHryNPYiCC755ld_VmGrmeNMw0NnrKhYAPZMl0HMGlkstDmemd8_IVorFjOral9aQT3TPo08tNxWsAuPOCzi8xu9joFLHMKFiMkE/s472/Hilda_of_Whitby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBj3pe-RB22YR_sJlXYfwjTRcHEXmUY3mlNfC03BwHryNPYiCC755ld_VmGrmeNMw0NnrKhYAPZMl0HMGlkstDmemd8_IVorFjOral9aQT3TPo08tNxWsAuPOCzi8xu9joFLHMKFiMkE/s320/Hilda_of_Whitby.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Hild - public domain image</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I is for Iurminburg, wife of a Northumbrian king. She was accused of stealing a reliquary from St Wilfrid and dancing around with it in triumph while Wilfrid languished in prison.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">J is for Judith of Flanders. She married a king of Wessex, and when he died she married his son. When he died, her father put her under the watch of a bishop, but she eloped and married again!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtx-RgpS31WKMNZo9YBgaioc7cuRtn9fRybQ_r-p9X01aoGJ10idC7ToT_tJoOIqK4SSmgtZ_EoMb23zIGoHPnyq-DBrqnsDXV6enp45vfLW_UlhGFaBU8cVRqqoDHKVNasSlTj-S2_c/s434/Balduin_Judita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="379" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtx-RgpS31WKMNZo9YBgaioc7cuRtn9fRybQ_r-p9X01aoGJ10idC7ToT_tJoOIqK4SSmgtZ_EoMb23zIGoHPnyq-DBrqnsDXV6enp45vfLW_UlhGFaBU8cVRqqoDHKVNasSlTj-S2_c/s320/Balduin_Judita.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Public Domain image of Judith with her<br />third husband, Baldwin of Flanders</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">K is for Kenelm. His sister, a princess and abbess, was accused of arranging his murder, and when she cast a spell to avoid discovery, her eyeballs fell out. Apparently.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">L is for Lyminge, an abbey founded by Æthelburh, a Kentish princess who married a Northumbrian king. Endearingly, we know that she had a nickname, Tate, which comes to us from the pages of Bede’s History of the English People.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">M is for St Margaret. She married the Scottish king, Malcolm Canmore, but she was descended from the Anglo-Saxon royal family (her father was briefly declared heir to the throne in 1066) and her daughter married Henry I of England, thus bringing the Anglo-Saxon and Norman blood lines together.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfWK9wsHgj0FyovvsBXAYE01_RhPTfm21Gh1TfXyiBjL-Jr46jSoEiGjMGMlXCg75bVitxHaIAn0lRRlOP7_y1JipkPpqPP9rxbwRpvlbqsJ2WkJD6A8vOY-Ivck3ECpqnXY6t7Gop3M/s2048/21.+St+Margaret%2527s+Shrine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfWK9wsHgj0FyovvsBXAYE01_RhPTfm21Gh1TfXyiBjL-Jr46jSoEiGjMGMlXCg75bVitxHaIAn0lRRlOP7_y1JipkPpqPP9rxbwRpvlbqsJ2WkJD6A8vOY-Ivck3ECpqnXY6t7Gop3M/s320/21.+St+Margaret%2527s+Shrine.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrine to St Margaret, Dunfermline Abbey<br />My photo</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">N is for Northampton. A woman known as Ælfgifu of Northampton married King Cnut, who sent her to rule Norway on behalf of their son. She then fought successfully for her other son to become crowned king of England.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">O is for Osthryth. A rather sad tale here, for she was married off to her father’s enemy and was subsequently murdered by the nobles in her new home.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">P is for Pega, the sister of the hermit St Guthlac. One legend says the devil took on her appearance to tempt Guthlac to eat before sunset, contrary to his vows, but Guthlac actually entrusted no one but her with the task of tending to his body when he died.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Q is for Queen, which was allegedly not a name given to the wives of Wessex kings, on account of one of them accidentally poisoning her husband whilst attempting to murder his counsellor.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">R is for Rhianfellt, a princess of the British kingdom of Rheged. Her children by a future king of Northumbria married into the family of their father’s enemies. The son became king after his father, while the daughter was accused of murdering her husband.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">S is for Seaxburh. A very special woman indeed, who is the only one ever to be included on a Regnal List. A rarity, but a queen nevertheless.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">T is for Tawdry. The word, meaning shoddy or of bad quality, came from St Æthelthryth, or Audrey. On her feast day, the market would become swamped with inferior souvenirs.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYEw3oyShLzbcVR93e13zgPmg1u9LgZEc9KkPP_6M1QgnbUwst-iUOG85G3pmYOSH_QRWDIKEDVo50uyOwQ5lzjcCaIRgeGqNLFdgslLKWwoPEHdKNEvRG4Q-YJJFkZ1RZxfI-lnGzKc/s1067/Aethelthryth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYEw3oyShLzbcVR93e13zgPmg1u9LgZEc9KkPP_6M1QgnbUwst-iUOG85G3pmYOSH_QRWDIKEDVo50uyOwQ5lzjcCaIRgeGqNLFdgslLKWwoPEHdKNEvRG4Q-YJJFkZ1RZxfI-lnGzKc/s320/Aethelthryth.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Æthelthryth</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">U is for Uhtred of Bamburgh (not the Bernard Cornwell character). His wife was a daughter of Æthelred the Unready, and Uhtred was killed by her sister’s husband. I wonder how this affected the relationship between the sisters, although sadly we’ll never know.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">V is for Vikings. There are many stories but one dramatic (and anachronistic) tale records how one brave abbess deliberately cut off her nose and exhorted her nuns to do the same, so that they would not be ‘tempting’ for the marauders.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">W is for Wulfrun. A high-status woman who was taken hostage by the Danes, and after whom the town of Wolverhampton is named.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFwgwIm-FsKRexrMrhCU0Ax0XJ51oeR8hcam6U7qtKOLW9oZcZGa-qdtYtzdJnZY0BLli0yzMaHWRVqjqXziLhLn6SdGf71wgyJn4yL4q3Lpd56inrGqEH5fPgtuIcKnOmA9OSOa4XbE/s1080/24.+Wulfrun+Statue+by+Aethelred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFwgwIm-FsKRexrMrhCU0Ax0XJ51oeR8hcam6U7qtKOLW9oZcZGa-qdtYtzdJnZY0BLli0yzMaHWRVqjqXziLhLn6SdGf71wgyJn4yL4q3Lpd56inrGqEH5fPgtuIcKnOmA9OSOa4XbE/s320/24.+Wulfrun+Statue+by+Aethelred.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Wulfrun in Wolverhampton<br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lady_Wulfrun_statue.jpg" target="_blank">Attribution Link</a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Y is for Ymme, the wife of a king of Kent. One of a number of women who are mentioned only once by name. Tracking these women down is not always easy.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">There is no X and there is no Z. They simply didn’t form part of the Old English alphabet. I hope no one minds though, because I think there are plenty of interesting Anglo-Saxon women in the rest of the alphabet!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAOuGcjGY6FDGbJt0fsSzlNDBNMWrAZAmQsFbXritThQwX9o7gmpRpFiyottIlaIIJWkOh8Xwy8ciuyhymf9tTwMZ3OVkxeW8qFmx65q72Om-_xPop2LUAfi4mnM9iH5nfP8SKz722Zw/s2048/Women+Screenshot+cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1283" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAOuGcjGY6FDGbJt0fsSzlNDBNMWrAZAmQsFbXritThQwX9o7gmpRpFiyottIlaIIJWkOh8Xwy8ciuyhymf9tTwMZ3OVkxeW8qFmx65q72Om-_xPop2LUAfi4mnM9iH5nfP8SKz722Zw/w125-h200/Women+Screenshot+cover.png" width="125" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England is published by Pen & Sword Books and is available on their <a href="https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Women-of-Power-in-Anglo-Saxon-England-Hardback/p/17769" target="_blank">website</a>, in book shops and from <a href="http://mybook.to/WomeninPower" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[A version of this article appeared on <a href="http://kristiedean.com/guest-post-annie-whitehead/" target="_blank">Kristie Dean's Website</a> in 2020]</span></p>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-12887682722165782882021-01-21T06:03:00.000-08:002021-01-25T01:01:51.953-08:00Many Ælfgifus - Some Anglo-Saxon Ladies who Shared a Name<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I was recently interviewed on BBC Radio Northampton where we chatted about a lady known as Ælfgifu of Northampton. During the pre-recording chat, it became clear that there was some confusion over the name. I told the presenter that I wasn’t the least surprised, as there are no fewer than eight ladies with that name featured in my new book. I thought I’d take this opportunity to introduce them. (The name, incidentally, translates as Elf-gift, which I think is rather beautiful.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ælfgifu, daughter of Edward the Elder</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">We don’t know a great deal about her but I do feel rather sorry for her. She and her sister, Eadgyth, were, apparently, both sent to Germany so that the future emperor, Otto, could choose one of them as his bride. He married Eadgyth – it was, apparently, ‘love at first sight’ – and Ælfgifu married another prince. What Ælfgifu felt about being rejected by Otto, we can only surmise. Of course, Otto might not have been every young girl’s dream, in which case Ælfgifu might have considered that she’d had a lucky escape. It must have rankled though, being declared less attractive than her sister.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUTi6D-jcwQzBHTrONtp7VsGhbKFNSQwtECk90Jsh27lUNqeacDvpHpEWjKlaXSsj4YspaY56GrflGDDyV9A2gUqqREl3t3ctrGftSL0gAU5QQoPjqNew1R0vfL5G53wyfAaQxFQeGHA/s320/Edward_the_Elder_-_MS_Royal_14_B_VI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUTi6D-jcwQzBHTrONtp7VsGhbKFNSQwtECk90Jsh27lUNqeacDvpHpEWjKlaXSsj4YspaY56GrflGDDyV9A2gUqqREl3t3ctrGftSL0gAU5QQoPjqNew1R0vfL5G53wyfAaQxFQeGHA/s0/Edward_the_Elder_-_MS_Royal_14_B_VI.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Depiction of Edward the Elder</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">King Edmund was the son of Edward the Elder and a half-brother of the Ælfgifu mentioned above. He became king at around the age of eighteen and his first wife, Ælfgifu, bore him two sons, both future kings. Her identity is debateable and her background unknown. She wasn’t married for long. Her son Eadwig (I’ll come back to him) was probably born around 940, and his younger brother Edgar around 943. King Edmund himself died in 946 – the victim of a brawl, or perhaps a political assassination – having married again, so his first marriage must have ended not long after Edgar’s birth. Ælfgifu is known as Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury, and it would be easy to assume that she retired to Shaftesbury Abbey in the manner of a number of previous queens, but the short-lived nature of her marriage and the young age of her children suggest another scenario. It is plausible that she died in childbirth, either in labour with Edgar or with a subsequent pregnancy in which both mother and child died. If she did indeed die in childbirth then she cannot have been a nun at Shaftesbury, but merely a benefactor. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ælfgifu the Harlot</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">In 955 Edmund’s brother, who’d succeeded him, died and was in turn succeeded by Edmund’s son, Eadwig (see, I told you I’d come back to him). Life at court got rather interesting when Eadwig, still only a teenager, married a young woman named Ælfgifu. Many of you will know the story of how he was found in bed on his coronation day with his wife, and her mother. Depending on which version one reads, the mother was banished and/or hamstrung in punishment, or she threatened the abbot who found them, and who was himself subsequently banished, that she would have his eyes put out if he ever returned. The young couple’s marriage was annulled two years later, on the grounds that they were too closely related. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvDdhNoqcq_jB-NT966aB0TYrj1EwLnD-Xvu09nmtNOf8CEnY3Qefzra2iLdoYfEkXT60VHBZH7q7QnY50ZEvf8vTH-yd0oMAjg6U8gZQElrKuuOOoUE4w3vWWZnMNpT0fHdLPqZ_ewE/s573/Aelfgifu-mortimer+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvDdhNoqcq_jB-NT966aB0TYrj1EwLnD-Xvu09nmtNOf8CEnY3Qefzra2iLdoYfEkXT60VHBZH7q7QnY50ZEvf8vTH-yd0oMAjg6U8gZQElrKuuOOoUE4w3vWWZnMNpT0fHdLPqZ_ewE/s320/Aelfgifu-mortimer+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mortimer's depiction of the <br />scandalous bedroom scene</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">However, Ælfgifu is presumed to be the same woman who left a will, in which she’s identified as being descended from the brother of Alfred the Great. This being so, she was descended from the branch of the royal family that had risen up in rebellion. Ælfgifu’s marrying the king might have been seen as an attempt to strengthen those claims. It’s not a theory which I whole-heartedly embrace but it does seem that there was a lot of political manoeuvring at court and I suspect Ælfgifu was an innocent caught up in the turmoil. She was certainly welcomed back to court by Eadwig’s brother when he became king. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ælfgifu of York - Possibly</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">That brother of Eadwig’s had a son, known to history as Æthelred the Unready. His first wife’s identity is a bit of a mystery. The chronicler John of Worcester said that she was called Ælfgifu, and that she was the daughter of an ealdorman called Æthelberht. But there is no evidence of this woman’s father; no ealdorman named Æthelberht is recorded elsewhere. Roger of Wendover said that she was a ‘woman of low birth’, while Ailred of Rievaulx, writing in the mid-twelfth century, said that she was the daughter of a man named Thored, but he didn’t name her. It is possible that Æthelred was married first to a woman named Ælfgifu and then to the daughter of Thored, but it is generally accepted that this was one woman and, combining the two versions, that she was Ælfgifu, daughter of Thored. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGprIn8b3L2nGpv7AX-EXwMjQDnRxrNqcvUqEROUgs7vSeek_zgp0otqpkLbV0B9wmQnjulqxpG8klJ3g-KvINaS1NaaKdd-YQT7vo6rkaU70i1bW2LZ2XOmueccJbrPd7VINUroqL0Nw/s320/Aethelred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGprIn8b3L2nGpv7AX-EXwMjQDnRxrNqcvUqEROUgs7vSeek_zgp0otqpkLbV0B9wmQnjulqxpG8klJ3g-KvINaS1NaaKdd-YQT7vo6rkaU70i1bW2LZ2XOmueccJbrPd7VINUroqL0Nw/s0/Aethelred.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Æthelred the 'Unready'</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">We don’t hear much from her as she didn’t witness any charters and is otherwise unnamed in the sources. What she did do, though, is have at least nine children, (one of whom was also called Ælfgifu, whose husband was murdered by her sister’s husband, which must have made for awkward family Christmases)! She must have lived until the eleventh century, for her youngest son, Edgar, did not appear on charter witness lists until 1001. We do not know exactly how old the royal children would typically have been when they first appeared on the witness lists, but we do know that they were sometimes still babes in arms. It is not known what happened to Ælfgifu and it is possible that she died at around the same time, for King Æthelred got married again in 1002...</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">...To a woman named Emma, but who was given the English name of Ælfgifu. As if this wasn’t confusing enough! And after Æthelred the Unready died, Emma married again. Her husband was King Cnut, who already had a wife/concubine:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ælfgifu of Northampton</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This Ælfgifu came from a powerful Mercian family. Her father was ealdorman of Northumbria, her uncle founded Burton Abbey and her grandmother founded Wolverhampton. Ælfgifu’s father was murdered and her brothers were blinded and generally Æthelred the Unready mistrusted the family, as well he might. For at some point, possibly around 1013, Ælfgifu married Cnut, the son of the invader, Swein Forkbeard. She had two sons by Cnut, and they were given Danish names - Swein and Harold - as if recognised as potential heirs, but when Cnut became king, he married Emma and also had a son with her, who was named Harthacnut.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLg0prpmlVG7Y2zHTv3Q6NEkk6wPkvs1yUhlj7vjrAU84iB18bCUj13lNS_M48vORn8uy2yoHHGZyCh4KLpCyDZb7vTGODxdTZjZcVMttTUUdVIiFnLcrwmFVVpYesz-KTY8HNOzGqf8/s248/emma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLg0prpmlVG7Y2zHTv3Q6NEkk6wPkvs1yUhlj7vjrAU84iB18bCUj13lNS_M48vORn8uy2yoHHGZyCh4KLpCyDZb7vTGODxdTZjZcVMttTUUdVIiFnLcrwmFVVpYesz-KTY8HNOzGqf8/w206-h320/emma.jpg" width="206" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Queen Emma, or yet another<br />Ælfgifu!!!</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Emma, with her credentials as an English queen, was no doubt important to Cnut, but so too was Ælfgifu of Northampton, and Cnut had a task for her to perform. Cnut had an empire to rule, and Harthacnut was sent to Denmark while in 1030, Ælfgifu and her son Swein were sent to Norway, there to rule for Cnut. The regency in Norway may have been hugely symbolic, and it is telling that the period was remembered in Scandinavian history as ‘Ælfgifu’s time’, but for various reasons it wasn’t hugely successful. Swein died in 1035, but so too did Cnut.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now a (rather unseemly at times) battle began as Emma and Ælfgifu fought for their sons to succeed. You can read all about these fraught years in my new book but the upshot was that Ælfgifu was successful in the short term and Harold ‘Harefoot’ became king. Sadly though he died in 1040. We don’t know what happened to Ælfgifu after this, but there is a French twelfth-century story which speaks of a woman named Alveva and it’s possible that she lived out her years as an exile in southern France.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">By 1066, another Harold was on the throne. He had a wife/concubine who’s known to history as Edith Swanneck, and one of her children was a daughter named Ælfgifu.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ælfgifu the Unlucky</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">But the last Ælfgifu I want to talk about is one I’ve nicknamed ‘unlucky’. You’ll recall that Ælfgifu of Northampton’s brothers were blinded. They weren’t the only ones and in 993 a man named Ælfgar suffered the same fate. His wife was another woman named Ælfgifu. When Ælfgifu of Northampton’s father was killed and her brothers blinded, another man was named as being deprived of all his property. With a little bit of detective work I was able to say with some degree of certainty that this man was the second husband of our last Ælfgifu, which means that her first husband was blinded and the second was deprived of all his property. Given that it’s clear the name Ælfgifu seems to have been given only to noblewomen, I think this one must have expected a slightly more comfortable and uneventful life!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1eL9oW5XMorihSR_-1Vkw3ic8gm1O5vTz4-sNASxP7bxeHXyQHHYvNcrfW67XMM8gQMjdUwPAxFEPpnsKnuSaClb4MeYQQbuL_GJoqnKmaIh9jywl6fP3vuNpAAX8SMmga2dNoXzBlr4/s2048/Women+Screenshot+cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1283" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1eL9oW5XMorihSR_-1Vkw3ic8gm1O5vTz4-sNASxP7bxeHXyQHHYvNcrfW67XMM8gQMjdUwPAxFEPpnsKnuSaClb4MeYQQbuL_GJoqnKmaIh9jywl6fP3vuNpAAX8SMmga2dNoXzBlr4/w125-h200/Women+Screenshot+cover.png" width="125" /></a></div>Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England is published by Pen & Sword Books and is available on their <a href="https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Women-of-Power-in-Anglo-Saxon-England-Hardback/p/17769" target="_blank">website</a>, in book shops and from <a href="http://mybook.to/WomeninPower" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[A version of this article appeared on Sharon Bennett Connolly's <a href="https://historytheinterestingbits.com/" target="_blank">History...The Interesting Bits!</a> site in 2020 and you can read her thoughts on the book <a href="https://historytheinterestingbits.com/2020/06/17/book-corner-women-of-power-in-anglo-saxon-england-by-annie-whitehead/" target="_blank">HERE</a>]</span></div></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-65232041246449679042021-01-14T07:39:00.001-08:002021-01-18T00:46:20.975-08:00Touching the Past<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Recently I was asked about the problems of researching the lives of the women featured in my new book and was able to say that, despite the period once being called the ‘Dark Ages’, we do have a wealth of written evidence: chronicles, the Lives of saints, land charters, and wills. There are also lawcodes, and political tracts such as the Encomium Emmæ Reginæ, commissioned by Queen Emma, wife of Æthelred the Unready and then of King Cnut.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">But is there any physical evidence; is it possible to visit the places associated with these women of power and find the original Anglo-Saxon buildings? I’m very pleased to say that, while they are rare, the answer is yes. I thought I’d take the opportunity to showcase some of them here.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">St Oswald's Priory, Gloucester</span></b></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDDQztT84J3anAVfKCcy0x4GErmFoLp1i00x57OghGfOzQoRhwllKpJrt7BsSwqxxwKrYD7OJgOcqHxvnY21yWV27MIfCXBmBPPtmC3Wc3oSq2nxPOoBhQG-Fr80kEEAEAzQVvPYBTwU/s2048/37.+St+Oswald%2527s+Priory.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDDQztT84J3anAVfKCcy0x4GErmFoLp1i00x57OghGfOzQoRhwllKpJrt7BsSwqxxwKrYD7OJgOcqHxvnY21yWV27MIfCXBmBPPtmC3Wc3oSq2nxPOoBhQG-Fr80kEEAEAzQVvPYBTwU/s320/37.+St+Oswald%2527s+Priory.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Oswald's Priory, Gloucester</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">A place of deep significance for me, as it’s the burial place of Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians and her husband. Æthelflæd is almost unique, being one of only two women to rule an Anglo-Saxon kingdom, and she did it in a time of war, pushing back the invading Vikings. And she was, albeit briefly, succeeded by her daughter. A woman ruler would not succeed another woman ruler until Tudor times. Having written about Æthelflæd in a novel and now two nonfiction books, I was rather overcome with emotion when I visited St Oswald’s.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Minster Abbey, Kent</span></b></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmQLZfga9IuLJ_ugDyWbNOF31Ltb2MWIGDVVjIkjpZk6AEy31n8O__KRrfgqERVd_KoO4rBnU0zv9j8oxGbbuu6crNnLUmcdvlzjyNzPmS8XNk_Tl-Ie-K8PhqsnvmzRH0HW0RUhyf3E/s1536/6.+Minster+Abbey+Saxon+Stonework.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmQLZfga9IuLJ_ugDyWbNOF31Ltb2MWIGDVVjIkjpZk6AEy31n8O__KRrfgqERVd_KoO4rBnU0zv9j8oxGbbuu6crNnLUmcdvlzjyNzPmS8XNk_Tl-Ie-K8PhqsnvmzRH0HW0RUhyf3E/s320/6.+Minster+Abbey+Saxon+Stonework.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minster Abbey, Kent - photo courtesy of the<br />abbey community </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The abbey, known as Minster-in-Thanet, was founded by a lady usually named Domneva or sometimes Domne Eafe. A princess of Kent, she married Merewalh, king of a Mercian subkingdom and possibly a son of the great warlord, King Penda. Her brothers were killed by her cousin, King Ecgberht of Kent. In penance, he is said to have granted her some land on which to build an abbey; as much land as her pet hind could run around. According to the legend, and possibly by divine intervention, the hind ran further than expected and Domneva gained much more land than the king had expected to have to yield. The Saxon brickwork and crypt still stand, and the abbey is still a thriving community.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Winchcombe Abbey, Gloucestershire</b></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYXAXVbByfc4h6frQIi3-jUZtM9VsMWQbeuBfnlRVo4K3zfktgSs0tr2hVPErql808bT9oQi4Nt88B1tZLEgJzTxo6yd7Dm6z4t8vy0GFIdi2NYwMxXVVt4b9dpPPlv37yVo-_4gChCk/s2048/32.+Winchcombe+Abbey+Stones.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYXAXVbByfc4h6frQIi3-jUZtM9VsMWQbeuBfnlRVo4K3zfktgSs0tr2hVPErql808bT9oQi4Nt88B1tZLEgJzTxo6yd7Dm6z4t8vy0GFIdi2NYwMxXVVt4b9dpPPlv37yVo-_4gChCk/s320/32.+Winchcombe+Abbey+Stones.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stones from Winchcombe Abbey, now at Sudeley Castle</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sadly all that remains of this once thriving abbey is a collection of stones, now housed at nearby Sudeley Castle. Winchcombe’s most famous abbess was Cwoenthryth, daughter of King Cenwulf of Mercia, and it’s likely that Winchcombe was used as a royal archive. Legend has it that Cwoenthryth was envious of her little brother and arranged for his murder. Fearful of having her part in the murder discovered, she chanted a psalm backwards as a spell and her eyeballs burst from her head. Dramatic as it all sounds, there is scarcely any evidence for this. There was a man who was possibly her brother, but no evidence that he was murdered, or that he was a child when he died. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Coldingham Abbey, Berwickshire</b></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLELtlZXDoIeqgh3sjFXCtUaMtpPIZPC1cpqqHVQIHv6MpmWBgTgqJROwofksK7bayywWJtFjF65hvfo_2K_SmKeyFGZSxGWb-dF9OvwUmp_sx1fAHYuv6ojWnynlW0e93hMgPP8x2K0/s2048/4.+Coldingham+Priory.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLELtlZXDoIeqgh3sjFXCtUaMtpPIZPC1cpqqHVQIHv6MpmWBgTgqJROwofksK7bayywWJtFjF65hvfo_2K_SmKeyFGZSxGWb-dF9OvwUmp_sx1fAHYuv6ojWnynlW0e93hMgPP8x2K0/s320/4.+Coldingham+Priory.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coldingham Abbey, Berickshire, with the recent<br />dig site in the foreground</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">There aren’t even any stones to be seen here. The existing abbey building dates from much later but Æbbe, the Anglo-Saxon princess and abbess after whom nearby St Abb’s is named, may well have had an abbey at Coldingham and recent excavations appear to have unearthed evidence. I visited the dig site and had one of my ‘historian standing in field gets emotional’ moments. The accompanying photo of the priory shows the dig site to the fore. This area is well worth a visit. St Abb’s, just a couple of miles away, offers fabulous coastal walks and views and it’s thought that the very first abbey, no more than a collection of beehive-shaped huts, was perched on top of the promontory there. Incidentally, parts of Avengers Endgame were also filmed at St Abb’s, so there’s a sort of Viking connection via Thor!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Repton Crypt, St Wystan’s, Derbyshire</b></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQq7Su1Dbl2uixr_YHGdIZUfFWkTldSWAG_KOADhqhGK_2P42A5rIrc2HFszYtDrA8mMh4dw234k5_I4XFdcrtNgDe_qFHNyVJ0MxitRKUlZXrOniCww_ODOk4u7mzLBkY1MePbktV84/s2048/21.+The+Crypt+at+Repton.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQq7Su1Dbl2uixr_YHGdIZUfFWkTldSWAG_KOADhqhGK_2P42A5rIrc2HFszYtDrA8mMh4dw234k5_I4XFdcrtNgDe_qFHNyVJ0MxitRKUlZXrOniCww_ODOk4u7mzLBkY1MePbktV84/s320/21.+The+Crypt+at+Repton.JPG" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crypt at Repton</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Repton is most famous for having been the site where a huge Viking army over-wintered at the height of the invasions. Excavations in the vicarage garden at St Wystan’s revealed the remains of at least 264 people. Research is ongoing about this part of the ‘Great Heathen Army’. The main purpose of my visit though was to see the original Anglo-Saxon crypt, where the bones of several members of the Mercian royal family were laid to rest. It is a stunningly atmospheric place and, like St Oswald’s Gloucester, leaves you feeling a great connection to the people whose lives are chronicled in those ancient documents. St Wystan, or Wigstan, was another apparent murder victim, who seems to have got embroiled in an argument over the succession, when a rival wished to marry his mother. His mother, Ælfflæd, is barely mentioned in the records but, through her parentage and her marriages, she linked royal families. She was the cousin of the afore-mentioned Cwoenthryth (their fathers were brothers who both ruled as kings of Mercia) and she married into a rival branch of the royal house. Her father was King Ceolwulf I and it is possible that Ceolwulf II, the last king of Mercia, was her son. Wigstan’s remains rested at Repton. His mother, little heard of, was so important in the dynastic dispute that blood was fatally spilled.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Researching her life, and others like her, was fascinating for me, and being able to visit associated sites such as this one is a spine-tingling experience. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Other than churches, the Anglo-Saxons didn’t build much with stone, preferring wooden buildings which, alas, do not survive. There is something about stone, and its permanence, which gives such a strong feeling of being able to touch the past.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: georgia; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9A3_t32yycSe1XUNspUjT-6ntzZaAd8952TsY3BugyigAf44LaWrFJ7H_sEmyrgrSG8WyZPQid5_aq4K0JyqwfKnOrihI0WYdyUE9U0NR6uuOG5jaS-CXw8TlFiguOLAUxmArunRO6Yc/s2048/Women+Screenshot+cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1283" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9A3_t32yycSe1XUNspUjT-6ntzZaAd8952TsY3BugyigAf44LaWrFJ7H_sEmyrgrSG8WyZPQid5_aq4K0JyqwfKnOrihI0WYdyUE9U0NR6uuOG5jaS-CXw8TlFiguOLAUxmArunRO6Yc/w125-h200/Women+Screenshot+cover.png" width="125" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England is published by Pen & Sword Books and is available on their <a href="https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Women-of-Power-in-Anglo-Saxon-England-Hardback/p/17769" target="_blank">website</a>, in book shops and from <a href="http://mybook.to/WomeninPower" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[A version of this article appeared on the <a href="https://www.natalieisahistorybuff.com/post/touching-the-past-guest-blog-post-by-annie-whitehead" target="_blank">Natalie is a History Buff</a> Site in 2020 and you can read her thoughts on the book <a href="https://www.natalieisahistorybuff.com/post/women-of-power-in-anglo-saxon-england-by-annie-whitehead" target="_blank">HERE</a>]</span></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-13651621538075886302021-01-07T07:36:00.002-08:002022-02-08T03:47:54.601-08:00Two Abbesses, Two Synods: Hild and Ælfflæd of Whitby<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The oft-quoted ‘Get thee to a nunnery’ seems to suggest that in such an establishment there will be piety, chastity, and quiet contemplation. All these are true, but perhaps our idea of a nunnery is of a slightly austere building or buildings, where holy sisters spend their days in prayer and hard work. This is also true, but in the seventh century there was much more going on at the nunneries than one might imagine.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0Yi5ZnsvUw43_i9HNCm0s0MvmIQu9ZrvoIK8_mUc-huKeW4Wa-aVHiwMw9ew9bwCJ3iKPNnnQnqzMO1bYAeruQRc0LTqVzYKnN3O3UL3P9FrogdHposXyhd-jJDbMbDQjiS7WTw856g/s1080/Hild+and+Aebbe+for+blog+post+on+two+abbesses.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0Yi5ZnsvUw43_i9HNCm0s0MvmIQu9ZrvoIK8_mUc-huKeW4Wa-aVHiwMw9ew9bwCJ3iKPNnnQnqzMO1bYAeruQRc0LTqVzYKnN3O3UL3P9FrogdHposXyhd-jJDbMbDQjiS7WTw856g/s320/Hild+and+Aebbe+for+blog+post+on+two+abbesses.png" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><p>In fact, at first glance, it seems to have been very different indeed. An Irish abbot of Iona visited Coldingham Abbey where, according to Bede, he found the members of the community, men and women alike, sunk in slothful slumbers or else ‘they remained awake for the purposes of sin. The cells which were built for praying and for reading were haunts of feasting, drinking, gossip, and other delights; even the virgins who were dedicated to God put aside all respect for their profession and, whenever they had leisure, spent their time weaving elaborate garments with which to adorn themselves as if they were brides.’ Gosh!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4QLFPwK6TgZK_2cZhR4R2nO-l8bIEwA_nottre3_RHbz6dcK_p5PPH2vGhqh9_JRlFVXpPPNBfYw4291Adv0byAeSkCSZpZTGoEblKlua_754WvHecx4ELZTfVfQAcpToa5_XLHuarY/s2048/4.+Coldingham+Priory.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4QLFPwK6TgZK_2cZhR4R2nO-l8bIEwA_nottre3_RHbz6dcK_p5PPH2vGhqh9_JRlFVXpPPNBfYw4291Adv0byAeSkCSZpZTGoEblKlua_754WvHecx4ELZTfVfQAcpToa5_XLHuarY/s320/4.+Coldingham+Priory.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coldingham Priory with the possible original <br />site of the A/S abbey in the foreground<br />my photo</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Perhaps it should first be explained that there was nothing unusual about there being men and women at Coldingham as it was one of a number of ‘Double Houses’. Contact between the two sexes in the double monasteries probably varied widely. We know, for example, that the two houses at Wimborne in Dorset were separated by high walls, while at Coldingham, it seems, conditions were relaxed to the point where it created scandal. Evidence suggests that at Whitby, there was a ‘bigger minster’ with other buildings and outlying areas which might equate to the later granges. It is probable that in fact the earlier princess-abbesses all ruled double houses, rather than all-female communities.</p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And princess-abbesses is almost exclusively what they were. Abbesses were royal, they were powerful, and they were influential. Two in particular attended major synods and influenced policy. They were related, too, and were members of the ruling house of Northumbria.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">One of the most famous, and indeed one of the earliest, of those abbesses was <b>Hild</b>. Whitby was her monastery, and it was into her care that the infant Ælfflæd, daughter of King Oswiu and his wife, Eanflæd, was given when she was promised to the Church after a major battle in which her father was victorious. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgds5xfJ0bRlBDdlGJUxIAWVQ_COUaL7T-kCQnJVuXHnJyOOlLgGorStLFqZQN9ckk5ZNXMW34ZxGFlUAhYI1JPF-LkA1oAOtfVbBXJnhLfqPV21nW6dxJgQY8rlYK7eaLnbYs9IviCUdg/s472/Hilda_of_Whitby.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgds5xfJ0bRlBDdlGJUxIAWVQ_COUaL7T-kCQnJVuXHnJyOOlLgGorStLFqZQN9ckk5ZNXMW34ZxGFlUAhYI1JPF-LkA1oAOtfVbBXJnhLfqPV21nW6dxJgQY8rlYK7eaLnbYs9IviCUdg/s320/Hilda_of_Whitby.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">St Hild of Whitby - public domain</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Hild’s mother was said to have had a dream in which she was searching for her missing husband, but could find no trace of him. In the middle of her search, however, she found a necklace under her garment and, as she looked at it, the necklace spread a blaze of light and the dream, Bede concluded, ‘was truly fulfilled in her daughter Hild; for her life was an example of the works of light, blessed not only to herself but to many who desired to live uprightly.’ </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Hild’s path to the religious life was originally to have taken her abroad, where her sister had gone to be a nun, but she was persuaded by Bishop Aidan to found the monastery at Hartlepool. In this she broke the tradition of English noblewomen going abroad to fulfil their religious vocations. It was at Hartlepool that she took custody of the infant Ælfflæd, but two years later Hild founded the monastery of <i>Streaneshealh</i> on land which King Oswiu had gifted to the Church. It has usually been identified as Whitby. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJchjzATuCYRlfCB113W53QmzFwaLsy_aUfm1QvNE54anRNntqy1v1iODhPBg88iB3Q1b03QJhOHDx16KZMnMEvzROBQflEendczaHB0v0TLKxNCklT-x7EOQDZvqvPLVrjycvuiJ4Jw/s570/Bede.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJchjzATuCYRlfCB113W53QmzFwaLsy_aUfm1QvNE54anRNntqy1v1iODhPBg88iB3Q1b03QJhOHDx16KZMnMEvzROBQflEendczaHB0v0TLKxNCklT-x7EOQDZvqvPLVrjycvuiJ4Jw/w244-h320/Bede.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bede - public domain image</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We learn much about Hild from Bede, including the fact that she was so beloved by all that they called her ‘mother’, but not whether she was ever married before taking the veil. He says that she was thirty-three when she became a nun. He does not call her a virgin, but then neither does he tell us of any husband. What we are told, however, is that she was highly educated and influential. No fewer than five future bishops are said to have been educated by her and the likelihood is that she assembled a vast library at Whitby. Styli and book-clasps found during excavations show that a great deal of writing was undertaken there. Excavation at Whitby also revealed that far from being a small site, consisting of a few cells, it was in fact a major settlement and it was the venue for the synod in 664 which decided once and for all which of the Christian traditions would take precedence and settled the calculation method for the date of Easter. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvdGR0vMZYdkuARXX-cVNbZ7iJrCG3Hd-l4AhKbgg0ARjyS0-lqTbCsxiMl4IncNKqrmuUOpEo6YACEcuaCqwBuQVTMXGrCynmr5cFq3odQvdEI-aim53c4ondeAHEIGD9lBDDqhkkSs/s2048/2.+Whitby+Abbey+%25231+by+David+Satterthwaite.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvdGR0vMZYdkuARXX-cVNbZ7iJrCG3Hd-l4AhKbgg0ARjyS0-lqTbCsxiMl4IncNKqrmuUOpEo6YACEcuaCqwBuQVTMXGrCynmr5cFq3odQvdEI-aim53c4ondeAHEIGD9lBDDqhkkSs/s320/2.+Whitby+Abbey+%25231+by+David+Satterthwaite.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Whitby Abbey - photo by and courtesy of <br />David Satterthwaite</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The synod was convened and presided over by King Oswiu. Also in the Roman camp were Wilfrid, the bishop who had been sponsored by Queen Eanflæd and educated by Hild, and Queen Eanflæd, who sent her chaplain, Romanus, as her representative. Oddly, Hild was in the other camp, along with Colman, the bishop of Lindisfarne, despite her having been brought up in the Roman tradition, and she was particularly hostile towards Bishop Wilfrid, apparently attacking him with ‘venomous hatred’. There might, of course, have been some personal animosity which went unrecorded. Wilfrid certainly had the ability to rub people up the wrong way.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Hild survived for many years after the synod but was struck down ten years later by the illness which eventually killed her. Bede tells us that she died at the age of sixty-six – having been in pain for several years – so she spent exactly half her life as a nun. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">She was also known for her encouragement of Cædmon the poet. Despite having received no formal training he was able to compose religious songs and poems. One night while he was tending the cattle he dreamed that someone was standing by him, telling him to sing, which he did, in praise of God. The next day he told his master the reeve of the gift he had received, and together they went to Abbess Hild who received him into the holy community. In the earliest days of the conversion process it is perhaps astonishing that it was Hild, a woman, who was responsible for the education of bishops. Her sympathetic encouragement of Cædmon and her reputation as ‘mother’ to all who knew her reveal a learned yet gentle woman. Her attendance at the synod of Whitby, however, shows a woman also of determination.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Ælfflæd</b>, like her predecessor and relative Hild – they were second cousins – was also a powerful abbess and politically influential too.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Ælfflæd had been entrusted to Hild’s care when she was still a tiny infant, moving with her from Hartlepool to Whitby. By the time she succeeded as abbess, her brother Ecgfrith was king of Northumbria. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We know that she was an educated woman. A letter survives in which she wrote to the abbess of the monastery at Pfalzel near Trier in Germany commending a nun who was on pilgrimage with the words, ‘We commend to your highest holiness and customary piety, strenuously with all diligence, N, the devoted handmaid of God and religious abbess’, evidence that she was competent in Latin and that she had contacts on the Continent. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Ælfflæd also had close associations with St Cuthbert. Bede relates how she was seriously ill and at the point of death. ‘How I wish I had something belonging to my dear Cuthbert’ she said, believing that she would then be healed. Not long afterwards, someone arrived with a linen cincture (girdle) sent by Cuthbert. She wore it and, two days later, she was completely well. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5xc_qz9mwCjpQ_xOqlC8N-xdyrNdK6J9FFuwdG_IM1h5NSM2z6jvfL8AESHqq74d9lus6UtxaAM4tbP8I0zWlUeVB7zLDN995XIPY63hcxjTcHoidPMI5JrzD8DGoqyNBMIi9kSUzOs/s620/Title+page%252C+Bede%2527s+Life+of+Cuthbert.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5xc_qz9mwCjpQ_xOqlC8N-xdyrNdK6J9FFuwdG_IM1h5NSM2z6jvfL8AESHqq74d9lus6UtxaAM4tbP8I0zWlUeVB7zLDN995XIPY63hcxjTcHoidPMI5JrzD8DGoqyNBMIi9kSUzOs/s320/Title+page%252C+Bede%2527s+Life+of+Cuthbert.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Title page of Bede's Life of St Cuthbert -<br />public domain image</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In 684 she summoned Cuthbert to discuss the possibility of his becoming a bishop. At the meeting she asked him how long her childless brother, Ecgfrith, would remain on the throne, and who should rule after him. Cuthbert replied that she knew the identity of his successor who lived over the sea on an island. She realised that he was referring to Aldfrith, her illegitimate half-brother. The following year, in 685, Ecgfrith died and was indeed succeeded by Aldfrith. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">At first glance it seems hard to argue that Ælfflæd was in any way flexing her political muscles here, because it was she who asked Cuthbert about the succession, and it was Cuthbert who hinted at Aldfrith’s name. However, it has been argued that in asking the question, the abbess was testing Cuthbert’s loyalty to her family. She certainly had political ‘clout’: after the battle at Nechtanesmere in which Ecgfrith was defeated by the Picts, the former bishop of the Picts, Trumwine, was expelled and lived under Ælfflæd’s command at Whitby. Cuthbert remained a friend and, sensing that his end was near, he made a tour of his diocese and visited ‘that most noble and holy virgin Ælfflæd’. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Like Hild before her, she had been hostile to Bishop Wilfrid and her influence was such that when Aldfrith also fell out with Wilfrid, the archbishop of Canterbury, a champion of Wilfrid’s, urged peace to be made between the two men, and wrote not only to the king, but to the abbess, too. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Her influence was felt at the end of Aldfrith’s reign, too. Aldfrith’s son and eventual successor, Osred, was only about eight years old when his father died. Aldfrith was initially succeeded by a man named Eadwulf who, according to one chronicler, ‘plotted to obtain the kingship.’ </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In 705 at the synod of the River Nidd, Ælfflæd’s testimony was of paramount importance. At the synod Ælfflæd, having clearly had a change of heart about Wilfrid, testified in his favour, saying that on his deathbed, Aldfrith had urged that his successor should come to terms with Wilfrid. An agreement was reached, with the archbishop giving his advice while ‘Abbess Ælfflæd gave them hers.’ </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Whilst the main focus of the synod was the settling of the affairs of Wilfrid, the author of the <i>Life </i>of Wilfrid said that Osred was able to rule because of the support of, <i>inter alia</i>, Abbess Ælfflæd. It is clear that she was in a position of huge influence and her presence at Aldfrith’s deathbed indicates a strong relationship between the two members of the royal family. She is mentioned in both the <i>Lives</i> of Cuthbert and Wilfrid, but obviously had secular as well as religious power.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZBA0vD2m89fuZxbxv7j5OOGpdVrhwIH5xHgtD5N4mBn_ThVFAajojpwgRBAVeKbSdVoEcktEljaBF_U6HtRKIlrZDkdTWCiViIqg9_3c9VBoB4WI6jzrZFOy-8j2_lRhS-33Xxx9e1Y/s374/StWilfrid.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="252" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZBA0vD2m89fuZxbxv7j5OOGpdVrhwIH5xHgtD5N4mBn_ThVFAajojpwgRBAVeKbSdVoEcktEljaBF_U6HtRKIlrZDkdTWCiViIqg9_3c9VBoB4WI6jzrZFOy-8j2_lRhS-33Xxx9e1Y/s320/StWilfrid.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">St Wilfrid - Wiki commons image<br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:StWilfrid.jpg" target="_blank">Credit link here</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Generally, the abbesses began to lose something of their power and status with the decline of the double houses. The last specific reference to such an establishment was in a letter of 796 and monasteries gradually began to be ruled by priests. Possibly it was the priests attached to the monasteries who had greater direct roles in pastoral care. Later abbesses came into direct conflict with the Church which sought to lessen their wealth and influence. But it should not be forgotten that in the early days, it was women who were entrusted with managing these huge estates and who were responsible for the spiritual welfare of their human flocks.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_vmgH2FIm06_z2kkLweOGp8P7uamFPzsPjLaqTM1RgQwgXK7ckuNUk2p5bNlNvEHy7U8UX8ZxxqDjrFNXm_gEb8busdYPKBvarUzdceke8VnIuzG_LhcqhmWIdBqp5hKhy3Ja_VTM9A/s2048/Women+Screenshot+cover.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1283" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_vmgH2FIm06_z2kkLweOGp8P7uamFPzsPjLaqTM1RgQwgXK7ckuNUk2p5bNlNvEHy7U8UX8ZxxqDjrFNXm_gEb8busdYPKBvarUzdceke8VnIuzG_LhcqhmWIdBqp5hKhy3Ja_VTM9A/w125-h200/Women+Screenshot+cover.png" width="125" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">You can read more about Hild, Ælfflæd, and indeed the supposedly scandalous abbess of Coldingham, Æbbe, in Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England, available from <a href="https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Women-of-Power-in-Anglo-Saxon-England-Hardback/p/17769" target="_blank">Pen & Sword Books </a>and <a href="http://mybook.to/WomeninPower" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and in book shops.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[A version of this article appeared on <a href="https://historylair.com/" target="_blank">History Lair </a>in September 2020]<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The women also play small but significant roles in my latest novel, <a href="http://mybook.to/TSOF" target="_blank">The Sins of the Father</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNv2jcBWljehysDaHh17WjStUehxKtxhUW8_dQH2H5CeTU76SH89SoCklzMoR6wrPM54lJJ2y-sl6wjil7DkGyss4liFuRsHto6D78T3i6oaEmbubyXKxnMREg013BAoXEDlLM9V2FtjthYyLjGbOXjZ36txzdmJnZKmCDQViaAGy4bRpVR9jmO_rh/s800/SinsFather-Promo-graphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNv2jcBWljehysDaHh17WjStUehxKtxhUW8_dQH2H5CeTU76SH89SoCklzMoR6wrPM54lJJ2y-sl6wjil7DkGyss4liFuRsHto6D78T3i6oaEmbubyXKxnMREg013BAoXEDlLM9V2FtjthYyLjGbOXjZ36txzdmJnZKmCDQViaAGy4bRpVR9jmO_rh/s320/SinsFather-Promo-graphic.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div><br /></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-25651690441310505122021-01-04T00:58:00.000-08:002021-01-04T00:58:11.387-08:00Finding Mercia<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The Anglo-Saxons can feel very remote. It’s nearly 1000 years since that period ended with Harold’s defeat at Hastings, and the Angles, Saxons, Jutes and others had first made their mark on England some 600 years before that. Luckily we have some written sources for the period - Bede’s <i>Historia Ecclesiastica</i>, and the <i>Anglo-Saxon Chronicle</i> for example - and we have archaeological evidence. And there is certainly a wealth of it, including famously the Staffordshire Hoard and the Sutton Hoo burial. So many of the buildings though, because they were made of wood, perished, just like the ship at Sutton Hoo. Archaeologists often only find post holes, from which, admittedly, they are able to reconstruct the great halls and smaller buildings.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">So it’s a rare bonus when we find stone buildings from the period. They are almost always churches rather than secular dwellings, but they can still link us to individuals. And in Deerhurst, Gloucestershire, you get a ‘two-fer’(two-for-one): St Mary’s Priory Church and Odda’s Chapel.</span></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNOrvyuItSNkVVdkUeZfR4jzq1YTqbzAOLJGhyphenhyphen47cOznzDHfQy1npORL1sDef3xKe2p_jlTcUUflK8I7FzP5x2ebf6o8vj_87AC3vUAhfrKJJUYFc9zXumVV3E-Ynm0pFOkDObmhB_W0/s2048/DSCF4595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNOrvyuItSNkVVdkUeZfR4jzq1YTqbzAOLJGhyphenhyphen47cOznzDHfQy1npORL1sDef3xKe2p_jlTcUUflK8I7FzP5x2ebf6o8vj_87AC3vUAhfrKJJUYFc9zXumVV3E-Ynm0pFOkDObmhB_W0/s320/DSCF4595.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The interior of St Mary's [my photo]</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">These are especially significant for me because I mainly write about the Mercians, and Gloucestershire was in Mercia. Deerhurst, though, was originally in the kingdom of the <i>Hwicce</i>, a people whose origins are obscure. Indeed, we are not even entirely sure where the Mercians came from, or what their name means.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">It derives from Myrcne, meaning people of the march, or border. But it might be a name used by others to describe them and we’re not even sure whether it means the border between England and Wales, or between Mercia and the northern kingdom of Northumbria. What is certain is that aside from their core lands, north and south of the River Trent, they expanded by absorbing smaller kingdoms and tribes, such as the <i>Hwicce</i>. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">From the outset, the Mercians were different. Not because they absorbed other kingdoms (although they may have done it less forcefully than others), but because they continued to recognise these tribes and erstwhile monarchies; in the seventh century, Osric of the <i>Hwicce</i> was styled ‘sub-king’. In the later period, Mercian ealdormen tended to be leaders of local areas, rather than appointed by the king. One of the most famous Mercians, King Penda, remained resolutely pagan when all about him were converting to Christianity, although he was religiously tolerant, allowing Christian preachers to spread the Word in Mercia. Mercians retained a sense of national identity, despite their tribal make-up, and even after Mercia had been absorbed into the greater kingdom of Wessex and no longer had kings, they still had a voice; in three succession disputes, the Mercians voted for the winning candidate.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps the most famous Mercian leader was Æthelflæd. She had Mercian blood through her mother, and her father was Alfred the Great, king of Wessex, but her husband was a Mercian, a mysterious man named Æthelred, and it is thought that he might have had links with the <i>Hwicce</i>.</span></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEGolE0i5Oi8MT3-e9JPDAAHGCUQlsPoqR9jYjCvCEz6ICb-lwfFg74sUknyQgkZ19nPU7pIjCe6d0LgOfqvYQs0zonHu2bzanh0VX3j4_j4b-Mct4u1QkvEiVTqBvUQkjvIuGIMtzVs/s2048/DSCF4562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEGolE0i5Oi8MT3-e9JPDAAHGCUQlsPoqR9jYjCvCEz6ICb-lwfFg74sUknyQgkZ19nPU7pIjCe6d0LgOfqvYQs0zonHu2bzanh0VX3j4_j4b-Mct4u1QkvEiVTqBvUQkjvIuGIMtzVs/s320/DSCF4562.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">St Oswald’s Priory in Gloucester, <br />where Æthelflæd was buried [my photo]</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Deerhurst Priory Church was in the very heart of </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Hwicce</i><span style="font-family: georgia;"> lands, and it’s perfectly possible that Æthelflæd and her husband worshipped in this church, which is still used today. To sit in that ancient building, where people have worshipped for over 1000 years, is really to feel a connection to the past. Æthelflæd was never a queen, but after her husband’s death she continued to work alongside her brother the king of Wessex, to fight back against the invading ‘Vikings’ and limit their expansion.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">After her death, her daughter was deposed and Mercia was absorbed into Wessex. But many Mercians were wielders of great power. Eadric Streona was one such, although he changed sides so much during the wars between Edmund Ironside of Wessex and Cnut that he is notorious rather than famous. Lady Godiva was a Mercian, too, although whether you believe the story of her naked horseback ride is up to you. (I don’t!)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">There had been earlier powerful women in Mercia. The wife of King Offa (he who famously built the dyke) was Cynethryth, the only known woman to have coins minted in her name. Another was King Cenwulf’s daughter, a powerful abbess who took on the might of Canterbury and Rome and fought to keep control of her abbeys. She lost the abbeys in Kent, but held onto Winchcombe, in her family’s heartlands. Yet she paid a price; it was said that she arranged the killing of her brother. It’s a rather unbelievable tale, involving a dove dropping a message on the altar of St Peter’s in Rome, saying where the body was hidden, and of her eyes falling out when she tried to cast a spell, but it’s a good tale nonetheless.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">A very short walk from the priory church is Odda’s Chapel. In 1675 a tree fell down in the orchard outside a half-timbered manor house, revealing an inscription stone embedded in its roots. The stone recorded - in Latin - the founding of a chapel by Odda in remembrance of his brother, Ælfric, who had died in 1053. In the nineteenth century renovations to the house revealed the chapel, which had been incorporated into the later building.</span></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGoeRkWi3E0H5X92UfUvPl2BjsBsVCPgoxj84PRC0tULqGJP8CA__XagOptAGQVzPEIhwlJgngyfVqvTzbyrxA3ep-s7ae-VmDN-zAObP5ss_dzppaGE0Cj0mez9_5ASbc7kM3FI2018/s2048/DSCF4620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGoeRkWi3E0H5X92UfUvPl2BjsBsVCPgoxj84PRC0tULqGJP8CA__XagOptAGQVzPEIhwlJgngyfVqvTzbyrxA3ep-s7ae-VmDN-zAObP5ss_dzppaGE0Cj0mez9_5ASbc7kM3FI2018/s320/DSCF4620.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Odda's Chapel [my photo]</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was thought by some that Odda was related to another influential ealdorman of Mercia, whose name was Ælfhere, and that Odda was his grandson. I’ve researched the life of Ælfhere, who was named as one of the three leading noblemen during King Edgar's reign, for fiction and nonfiction and he seems to have died childless. Odda was more likely to have been related to Æthelweard the Chronicler, ealdorman of the Western shires, who was descended from King Æthelred I, Alfred the Great’s brother. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">From the seventh to the eleventh centuries, Mercia and its inhabitants played a key role in the history and politics of what came to be known as England. Sitting in the priory church, or visiting Odda’s chapel, it is possible to feel a very strong connection to these people who lived so long ago, but left behind something tangible, to remind us that they were there.</span></span></p><div>[<span style="font-family: georgia;">A version of this article originally appeared on the <a href="https://anglosaxonheritage.com/finding-mercia/" target="_blank">Anglo-Saxon Heritage</a> site</span>]</div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-68561678569110756802020-11-11T01:47:00.001-08:002020-11-11T01:47:34.641-08:00A New Look for Alvar the Kingmaker<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://mybook.to/AlvartheKingmaker" target="_blank">Alvar the Kingmaker</a> </i>has had a makeover. When my novel <i><a href="http://mybook.to/To-Be-A-Queen" target="_blank">To Be A Queen</a></i> underwent a similar 'face lift' it was to coincide with the 1100th anniversary of her death and there were lots of events to commemorate that date, including the <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-thelfld-paradox-my-tamworth-litfest.html" target="_blank">Tamworth Literary Festival</a>, where I was a guest speaker.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">There isn't a 'special' anniversary for Alvar, other than that on November 23 955 Edwy - the 'Fairchild' - became king, and that's really the start of Alvar's story. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4zkAwZaSjogl6i0-t81cHDfB_J84ZIcUWjZSxaNM6kemc6vH368jycfxUO7lv8PW69EveS2Tt7P2ctg3K0kMnoQXd-Zr3ic62NaQ0255OiSyi95VvIznd4J35aF_XknFjuvYFi_i83g/s800/Alvar-Promo-graphic+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4zkAwZaSjogl6i0-t81cHDfB_J84ZIcUWjZSxaNM6kemc6vH368jycfxUO7lv8PW69EveS2Tt7P2ctg3K0kMnoQXd-Zr3ic62NaQ0255OiSyi95VvIznd4J35aF_XknFjuvYFi_i83g/w300-h400/Alvar-Promo-graphic+%25281%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, what's 'Alvar' all about? Well, it's based on real events and almost all the characters are real historical figures.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>10th-Century England is rocked by scandal when the young king is caught in bed with his wife - and her mother.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>Nobleman Alvar knows that securing the throne for the young and worthy prince Edgar will brand him an oath-breaker. As a fighting man, he is indispensable to the new sovereign, but his success and power gain him deadly, murderous enemies: Abbot Dunstan, banished, recalled, and in no mood to forgive; Bishop Oswald, the ambitious foreigner who will let nothing stand in his way. They must not discover Alvar’s secret love for the wife of his deputy, whilst Alvar must keep her safe, and serve and protect the queen, who is in love with him and who harbours a dark secret of her own…</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>Civil war erupts, and Alvar once again finds himself the only man capable of setting a new king upon the throne of England, an act which comes at great personal cost. His career began with a dishonourable deed to help a good king; now he must be loyal to a new king, Æthelred, whom he knows will be weak, and whose supporters have been accused of regicide. Can he bring about peace, reconcile with his enemies, and find personal happiness, whilst all the time doing his duty to his loved ones? </i></span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The queen in question is Ælfthryth, who was given a bad press by the chroniclers as having been involved in the murder of her first husband, and of her stepson. She was the mother of Æthelred the Unready, incidentally. So, do I believe the stories about her? Well, maybe some of them. But she had her reasons, as you'll discover.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Alvar, or to give him his real name, Ælfhere, was also a real person, an ealdorman of Mercia and related to royalty. He had a long political career and he really did butt heads with the Churchmen but again, he had reasons for so doing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I didn't have to invent the murders or the convenient 'premature' deaths, nor the reports of that scandal. Add in a couple of tangled love stories and voila! we have Alvar's story.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">But there is also a backstory. And in a new anthology which is out on November 17, I have contributed a short story which tells of the events immediately leading up to the beginning of Edwy's reign.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Betrayal, treachery, treason, deceit, perfidy—all names for the calculated violation of trust. And it’s been rife since humans trod the earth...Read twelve tales by twelve accomplished writers who explore these historical yet timeless challenges."</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAGuQQQmlbGQqJov4Z73nZSYS-LnbwU3ZQAyPe3iDtGxundnAtv7ixQuJgbwVu9arpjaR9khEJEaNuaBdKSD7-x7F8DFqLLFmSuqhz0rRUt0SyzsetHp_NLsZFZ26ZlxQ9ARJQsgSYv8/s1920/106176598_3232703633535222_3167883193599050255_o.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAGuQQQmlbGQqJov4Z73nZSYS-LnbwU3ZQAyPe3iDtGxundnAtv7ixQuJgbwVu9arpjaR9khEJEaNuaBdKSD7-x7F8DFqLLFmSuqhz0rRUt0SyzsetHp_NLsZFZ26ZlxQ9ARJQsgSYv8/s320/106176598_3232703633535222_3167883193599050255_o.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">My story in Betrayal is called <i>Love to Hatred Turn'd</i>, and concerns Dunstan, who features heavily in <a href="http://mybook.to/AlvartheKingmaker" target="_blank"><i>Alvar the Kingmaker</i></a>: <i>Alyeva and Dunstan have grown up together. Dunstan’s calling to serve God and king means he must leave their childhood home, but his path is not easy and she wants to protect him. Dunstan’s ambitious brother will do whatever it takes to further his own career, something that Alyeva learns to her cost. There are powerful factions at court, and murderous plots afoot. Alyeva is entangled in them and she must try to break free and, more importantly, attempt to prevent a killing that will have far-ranging repercussions. In the court of the Anglo-Saxon kings, danger lurks around every corner and the skill is in learning whom to trust...</i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">So, I thought it would be a good time to update the Alvar cover.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Historical Fictioneers have a dedicated </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/394937978177685/" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank">Facebook group </a><span style="font-family: georgia;">which we'd love you to join and so this post is partly to tell you all about that.</span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But really, I just wanted to share the beautiful new book cover*, designed by the very talented Cathy Helms at <a href="http://www.avalongraphics.org/" target="_blank">Avalon Graphics</a>. I hope you like it as much as I do! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYWtdWt5CoA_f00XwJj88g-xXWhHc_w5lgZ7JTYfMCGhBpr-Kbf_hqCqkANVgzuRHmIFgRqQWISCZel7Ig40x2j3v6xPryl8G9pkrqFmPPXKz7TdINqhcQUsv2IbYV3-cJdnz4hyPalk/s1152/Alvar-3D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYWtdWt5CoA_f00XwJj88g-xXWhHc_w5lgZ7JTYfMCGhBpr-Kbf_hqCqkANVgzuRHmIFgRqQWISCZel7Ig40x2j3v6xPryl8G9pkrqFmPPXKz7TdINqhcQUsv2IbYV3-cJdnz4hyPalk/w278-h400/Alvar-3D.png" width="278" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">* Cathy designed the Betrayal cover too</span></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-54314925148216707292020-11-01T02:43:00.001-08:002020-11-01T03:13:48.580-08:00Blōtmōnað - Blood Month<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It's November, or <i>Blōtmōnað</i> as the Anglo-Saxons called it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">(the Old English letters </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>ð</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"> </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">and</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i> þ</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"> </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">are represented </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">in modern English by the combination <i>th</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So, what's Blood-Month all about? </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZcrNv5TpyCknnD84paA_QuyKFXTe4lo0kaglGKBFyUg8kL3XaIOB09ZR1dgLFVJMeQ2b_BSVoxsj8AvKKOw7wMQk1YdjGW6qYfKPa_yIPGzVRPGLR_oZQemEMgYQlEJ5VpAtr9TOIeo/s1600/ploughing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZcrNv5TpyCknnD84paA_QuyKFXTe4lo0kaglGKBFyUg8kL3XaIOB09ZR1dgLFVJMeQ2b_BSVoxsj8AvKKOw7wMQk1YdjGW6qYfKPa_yIPGzVRPGLR_oZQemEMgYQlEJ5VpAtr9TOIeo/s400/ploughing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Unlike the days of the week, where the words are recognisable, the Anglo-Saxon calendar is not so obvious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Days of the Week</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sunday: <i>Sunnenday</i> (Middle English translation of Greek Hemera heliou): the sun's day,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Monday: <i>Monan daeg</i> (Anglo Saxon, monan, moon; daeg, Anglo Saxon, day): the moon's day,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Tuesday: <i>Tiwes daeg</i> (Anglo Saxon Tiw, war god, related to Greek god Zeus): Tiw's day,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Wednesday: <i>Woensdag</i> (Danish, Woen, Woden, Chief Norse god, Frigga's husband; dag, day): Woden's day,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thursday: <i>Thursdaeg</i> (Old English; Thorr, Icelandic, thundergod): Thor's day,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Friday: <i>Frigedaeg</i> (Anglo Saxon; Frige, Frigga, chief Norse goddess, Woden's wife): Frigga's day,<br />Saturday: <i>Saeterdaeg</i> (Anglo Saxon; Saeter, Saturn, Roman god of time): Saturn's day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Looking at the original words, it is easy to see how they developed into the modern names for the days of the week.<br /><br />Not so with the months, however. They weren't so much named after deities, as named for specific seasonal events</span>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Months of the Year</b><br />January: <i>Æfterra Gēola</i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> "After Yule", or "Second Yule"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">February: <i>Sol-mōnaþ</i> ('mud month,' Bede: "the month of cakes, which they offered in it to their gods." Either the cakes looked like they were made of mud due to their color and texture, or literally it was the month of mud due to wet English weather)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">March: <i>Hrēþ-mōnaþ</i> "Month of the Goddess Hrēþ" or "Month of Wildness"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">April: <i>Easter-mōnaþ</i> "Easter Month", "Month of the Goddess Ēostre"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">May: <i>Þrimilce-mōnaþ</i> "Month of Three Milkings"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">June: <i>Ærra Līþa</i> "Before Midsummer", or "First Summer"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Brāh-mānod</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Þrilīþa</i> "Third (Mid)summer" (leap month) I'll come back to this one!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">July: <i>Æftera Līþa</i> "After Midsummer", "Second Summer"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">August: <i>Weod-mōnaþ</i> "Plant month"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">September: <i>Hālig-mōnaþ</i> "Holy Month"<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">October: <i>W</i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>interfyllēð</i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> "Winter full moon", according to Bede "because winter began on the first full moon of that month [of October]."</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">November: <i>Blōt-mōnaþ</i> "Blót Month", "Month of Sacrifice" <br />December: <i>Ærra Gēola</i> "Before Yule", or "First Yule"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What can we deduce from these month names? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Gēola </i>is the same word as ‘Yule’, as seen above,and may also have something to do with the ‘wheel’ of the year. The explanation for <i>Sol-mōnaþ</i> is not universally accepted. Perhaps just as contentiously, Easter is linked with the word ‘east’, where the sun rises on the spring equinox, or with the pagan goddess. <i>Ðrīemilcemōnað</i> or <i>Þrimilce-mōnaþ</i> (May) may suggest that cows could be milked three times a day during this month.<br /><br />With the months representing distinct times of the year and activities associated with them, it's probably no surprise that they were also divided in accordance with the phases of the moon, which meant that there were always a few days left over each year. Thus there was a need for a leap-month, which is where <i>Þrilīþa</i> comes in (<i>Þri</i> - three, <i>līþa</i> or <i>līða</i> - possibly mild, summer.)</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLxWmIrcJuBN8Km-lm5HMDzW33kqd1vhO4TvGUtlsQsDnfsna4bVFL9ojjkPPNhq1TV8OXa1TUafVwthK2btUsmgi-zoSRYroWTykhuWMMbKKmBgdqo_ZbaxaTvJw6F17QzCIzYsMBoM/s1600/Arundel155.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLxWmIrcJuBN8Km-lm5HMDzW33kqd1vhO4TvGUtlsQsDnfsna4bVFL9ojjkPPNhq1TV8OXa1TUafVwthK2btUsmgi-zoSRYroWTykhuWMMbKKmBgdqo_ZbaxaTvJw6F17QzCIzYsMBoM/s400/Arundel155.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An <a href="http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/record.asp?MSID=86&CollID=20&NStart=155" target="_blank">Anglo-Saxon Calendar</a> which shows the 7th November - the beginning of winter</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It has been suggested that the blood month refers to human sacrifice. But Bede, who would have been at pains to point out any non-Christian practices, says in <i>De Temporum Ratione</i> (The Reckoning of Time) that </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Blod-monath is month of immolations, for it was in this month that the cattle which were to be slaughtered were dedicated to the gods."</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">People might have slaughtered their own animals, or received help from kinsmen, otherwise a professional butcher would come their premises. It would have made sense to pay a butcher so that the meat could be quickly salted and hung, thus avoiding deterioration. Payment for the service was perhaps in kind, so that the butchers had meat to sell on.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4IWxm6cFnUnwOsFkWi8G64DPjLX23cY-D3BSnByAG-pyqi-ljHLMePUn9XMlP4FbGH8ZMC-YBqayCLQHzKoIGg5-QSP5m257iRgENQPt122YjmZm7Cx7cczTdFishRYwacj6cDpl_X8/s1600/pig.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4IWxm6cFnUnwOsFkWi8G64DPjLX23cY-D3BSnByAG-pyqi-ljHLMePUn9XMlP4FbGH8ZMC-YBqayCLQHzKoIGg5-QSP5m257iRgENQPt122YjmZm7Cx7cczTdFishRYwacj6cDpl_X8/s400/pig.jpg" width="371" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Man beating an oak tree to release acorns to fatten his pig - from the November page of the<br />
Peterborough Psalter MS 53 p6</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the latter years of the tenth-century, slaughter had to be carried out in the present of two witnesses. With a biblical proscription on the strangulation of animals, the beasts would generally have had their necks cut with an axe. The assumption is that the animals were then bled.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A large animal will take longer to lose its body heat; Anglo-Saxon domestic animals were smaller than our modern breeds, so this will have helped. Meat produced in the summer months would, equally, go bad very quickly and so it makes sense that November would be the traditional month for slaughter. There would, of course, have been no waste, and there is evidence to suggest that marrow, tongue, brain, offal and fats (<i>smeru</i> - grease) were all used. What better to warm you on a cold winter's night than <i>healfne cuppan clœnes gemyltes swices (</i>half a cup of pure bacon fat melted<i>)?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Something to consider if you haven't yet had your Bonfire Night party?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Days of the week: Source - <a href="http://www.design.caltech.edu/erik/Misc/days-of-the-week.html" target="_blank">Caltech</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Months of the Year: Source - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_calendar" target="_blank">Germanic Calendar</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Further Reading: Anglo-Saxon Food Ann Hagen</span></div>
</div>
Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311063131188554905.post-9554983306706453672020-10-16T02:30:00.000-07:002020-10-16T02:30:01.107-07:00Stepping Back into Saxon England - Blog Tour<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">From 1st-15th October, 2020, Helen Hollick and I went on tour, visiting authors and bloggers and taking it in turns to talk about our writing, or the history behind our writing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GgttixeLxv022dlnzi1tZMDVPAduCpN6GyVLJAgqwiZdNAYZwI_4A0b3hLfk9iFQkGm2k-BiV_GUZVat09Z0xW7AB1rtxFiafWGsp8JAiZvuy_Immae1_fFZmWLYnd6Z8CEjs1BucV8/s851/SBSE+Banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GgttixeLxv022dlnzi1tZMDVPAduCpN6GyVLJAgqwiZdNAYZwI_4A0b3hLfk9iFQkGm2k-BiV_GUZVat09Z0xW7AB1rtxFiafWGsp8JAiZvuy_Immae1_fFZmWLYnd6Z8CEjs1BucV8/w400-h148/SBSE+Banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We discussed various aspects of Anglo-Saxon era life, highlighted some of our favourite characters - Ealdgyth, wife of Harold Godwineson AND the king of Wales, Æthelflæd (of course!) and her daughter, King Penda, Queen Emma...</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We also talked about our writing, where the ideas come from, why we love the period, and tried to separate fact from fiction, particularly with regard to Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians and that fateful battle of 1066.<br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">If you missed any of the stops, or you'd like to revisit them, here is the full list of links:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2020/10/stepping-back-into-saxon-england-lady.html" target="_blank">Annie hosted by Helen Hollick:</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2020/10/stepping-back-into-saxon-england-lady.html" target="_blank">Lady Godiva – Who Was She, and Did She Really?</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2020/10/wench-guest-helen-hollick.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Helen hosted by Word Wenches: </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Why Do We Do It?</span></span></a></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://beforethesecondsleep.wordpress.com/2020/10/02/stepping-back-into-saxon-england-who-was-the-lord-of-the-mercians/" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Annie hosted by Lisl Zlitni</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://beforethesecondsleep.wordpress.com/2020/10/02/stepping-back-into-saxon-england-who-was-the-lord-of-the-mercians/" target="_blank">Who Was the Lord of the Mercians?</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://tonyriches.blogspot.com/2020/10/special-guest-post-by-helen-hollick.html" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Helen - hosted by Tony Riches</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://tonyriches.blogspot.com/2020/10/special-guest-post-by-helen-hollick.html" target="_blank">Undoing The Facts For The Benefit Of Fiction?</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://pamlecky.com/2020/10/05/stepping-back-into-saxon-england-blog-tour/" target="_blank">Annie - hosted by Pam Lecky</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://pamlecky.com/2020/10/05/stepping-back-into-saxon-england-blog-tour/" target="_blank">Murder in Saxon England</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://dodgingarrows.wordpress.com/2020/10/06/stepping-back-into-saxon-england/" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Helen - hosted by Derek Birks</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://dodgingarrows.wordpress.com/2020/10/06/stepping-back-into-saxon-england/" target="_blank">King Arthur? From Roman Britain To Saxon England</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://samanthawilcoxson.blogspot.com/2020/10/aethelflaedsDaughter.html" target="_blank">Annie - hosted by Samantha Wilcoxson</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://samanthawilcoxson.blogspot.com/2020/10/aethelflaedsDaughter.html" target="_blank">Æthelflæd's Daughter </a></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigl5ommBBl5MGvQDZ9p6Oqoy-fncgJmct_Vqpyre8s4QEMEeaqMbzseZFzBElpZBa8mXsfQ3KtYDLqkCEKt-h6YvEmEULMInHwRglOkSWAvoIUn095zeLEIVvPtRJChST_x1FKS5AqMrA/s1200/SBSE-2-general.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigl5ommBBl5MGvQDZ9p6Oqoy-fncgJmct_Vqpyre8s4QEMEeaqMbzseZFzBElpZBa8mXsfQ3KtYDLqkCEKt-h6YvEmEULMInHwRglOkSWAvoIUn095zeLEIVvPtRJChST_x1FKS5AqMrA/s320/SBSE-2-general.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><a href="https://cryssabazos.com/2020/10/08/an-anthology-of-authors-with-helen-hollick-anthology-althist-helenhollick/" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Helen - hosted by Cryssa Bazos</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://cryssabazos.com/2020/10/08/an-anthology-of-authors-with-helen-hollick-anthology-althist-helenhollick/" target="_blank">An Anthology Of Authors</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.elizabethjstjohn.com/updates/stepping-back-into-anglo-saxon-england/" target="_blank">Annie - hosted by Elizabeth St John </a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.elizabethjstjohn.com/updates/stepping-back-into-anglo-saxon-england/" target="_blank">Anglo-Saxon Family Connections</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot.com/2020/10/helen-hollick-chats-about-alditha-wife.html" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Helen - hosted by Judith Arnopp</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot.com/2020/10/helen-hollick-chats-about-alditha-wife.html" target="_blank">Alditha: Wife. Widow. Mother.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://www.brookallenauthor.com/blog/roman-remains-did-the-saxons-use-them" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Annie - hosted by Brook Allen</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.brookallenauthor.com/blog/roman-remains-did-the-saxons-use-them" target="_blank">Roman Remains - Did the Saxons Use Them?</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://www.amymaroney.com/2020/10/11/stepping-back-into-saxon-england/" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Helen - hosted by Amy Maroney</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amymaroney.com/2020/10/11/stepping-back-into-saxon-england/" target="_blank">Emma Of Normandy, Queen Of Anglo-Saxon England – Twice</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://sjat.wordpress.com/2020/10/13/penda" target="_blank">Annie - hosted by Simon Turney</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://sjat.wordpress.com/2020/10/13/penda" target="_blank">Penda: Fictional and Historical 'Hero' </a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://rwranniewhitehead.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-battle-begins-by-helen-hollick.html" target="_blank">Helen - hosted by Annie </a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://rwranniewhitehead.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-battle-begins-by-helen-hollick.html" target="_blank">The Battle Begins...</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">And finally: a joint post hosted by both of us </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Annie - <a href="https://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.com/2020/10/in-conversation-with-thelfld-lady-of.html" target="_blank">Casting Light Upon The Shadow</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Helen - </span><a href="https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/2020/10/annie-whitehead-and-helen-hollick-in.html" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank">Let Us Talk Of Many Things</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdCgHLN9FNEkQj5FiwFRpQXuedAnXiMs-3YxXCXY16t1UqFiL8qg-smRKGUbQryDEotPFaKHV_CQRq0q-K0GEfwK7mfnQvS_jHCofErPUzduXDBRjemNmOtTFbt1N5_ZrvyOiHC8MsOM/s1200/SBSE-3-general.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdCgHLN9FNEkQj5FiwFRpQXuedAnXiMs-3YxXCXY16t1UqFiL8qg-smRKGUbQryDEotPFaKHV_CQRq0q-K0GEfwK7mfnQvS_jHCofErPUzduXDBRjemNmOtTFbt1N5_ZrvyOiHC8MsOM/s320/SBSE-3-general.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[With huge thanks also to Cathy Helms of Avalon Graphics for her wonderful banner and promotion graphics]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p></div></div>Annie Whiteheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11028691371545306450noreply@blogger.com0