Ethelstan: Or, the Battle of Brunanburgh, a Dramatic Chronicle

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Walter Bower. ”Scotichronicon". In The Battle of Brunanburh. A Casebook. Ed. Michael Livingston. University of Exeter Press. 2011. pp. 138–139 Few medieval texts refer to a known place, although the Humber estuary is mentioned by several sources. John of Worcester's Chronicon (early 12th C), [35] Symeon of Durham's Historia Regum (mid-12th C), [72] the Chronicle of Melrose (late 12th C) [75] and Robert Mannyng of Brunne's Chronicle (1338) [76] all state that Olaf's fleet entered the mouth of the Humber, while Robert of Gloucester's Metrical Chronicle (late 13th C) [77] says the invading army arrived "south of the Humber". Peter of Langtoft's Chronique (ca. 1300) [78] states the armies met at “ Bruneburgh on the Humber”, while Robert Mannyng of Brunne's Chronicle (1338) [76] claims the battle was fought at “ Brunesburgh on Humber”. Pseudo-Ingulf (ca. 1400) [79] says that as Æthelstan led his army into Northumbria (i.e. north of the Humber) he met on his way many pilgrims coming home from Beverley. Hector Boece's Historia (1527) [80] claims that the battle was fought by the River Ouse, which flows into the Humber estuary.

When Edward died in 924, he controlled all of England south of the Humber. [11] The Viking king Sihtric ruled the Kingdom of York in southern Northumbria, but Ealdred maintained Anglo-Saxon rule in at least part of the former kingdom of Bernicia from his base in Bamburgh in northern Northumbria. Constantine II ruled Scotland, apart from the southwest, which was the British Kingdom of Strathclyde. Wales was divided into a number of small kingdoms, including Deheubarth in the southwest, Gwent in the southeast, Brycheiniog immediately north of Gwent, and Gwynedd in the north. [12] Early life [ edit ] Statue in Tamworth, Staffordshire of Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, with her young nephew Æthelstan Wood, Michael (2001). In Search of England: Journeys into the English Past. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-23218-1. The Chronica de Mailros (1173–4) repeats Symeon of Durham's information that Anlaf arrived with 615 ships, but adds that he entered the mouth of the river Humber. [40] Anonymous. ”Annals of Clonmacnoise". In The Battle of Brunanburh. A Casebook. Ed. Michael Livingston. University of Exeter Press. 2011. pp. 152–153 He was also a very good military leader. In 926 Athelstan conquered Northumbria, and in the same year he had his sister Edith marry Sihtric, king of Jorvik (York). Sihtric died the next year, allowing Athelstan to take the city of York. Edith was married again to the Holy Roman Emperor, and two other sisters sent to France and Brittany.Athelstan set up a system of authority through ealdormen. These men were essentially mini kings who governed large areas in the name of and under the authority of the king. Many of these ealdormen had Danish names, meaning they had earlier led Danish armies. Athelstan retained them. Below them were the reeves – noble landowners – who were charged with governing a town or estate. The reeves also had requirements of charity. Landowners had to pay a certain amount to the poor and free one enslaved person per year. Athelstan also had several foster sons, including Louis, Alan II (the Duke of Brittany), and Hakon (the son of Harald Fairhair, King of Norway). His court was supposed to be an extremely cosmopolitan one by Saxon standards. Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Death and Aftermath This causes conflict among Ragnar’s supporters, in particular with Floki, who is very committed to the Viking gods and sees the threat posed by Christianity. So, at the end of season three Floki murders Athelstan. Eadmer of Canterbury's Vita Odonis (very late 11th century) is one of at least six medieval sources to recount Oda of Canterbury's involvement in a miraculous restitution of Æthelstan's sword at the height of the battle. [31]

Downham, Clare (2021). "A Wirral Location for the Battle of Brunanburh". Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire. 170: 15–32. doi: 10.3828/transactions.170.5. S2CID 239206076. Livingston, Michael (2021). Never Greater Slaughter: Brunanburh and the Birth of England. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781472849373. Edward's heir Athelstan (reigned 925-39) was also a distinguished and audacious soldier who pushed the boundaries of the kingdom to their furthest extent yet. In 927-8, Athelstan took York from the Danes; he forced the submission of king Constantine of Scotland and of the northern kings; all five Welsh kings agreed to pay a huge annual tribute (reportedly including 25,000 oxen), and Athelstan eliminated opposition in Cornwall. William of Malmesbury wrote of him two hundred years later ' The firm opinion is still current among the English that no one more just or learned administered the state.' Athelstan, who was the eldest son of King Edward the Elder and Ecgwynn was born in 895 during the latter years of the reign of his grandfather, King Alfred the Great. Very little is known about Athelstan's mother. Some sources describe her as a "common law wife". There are reasons to suspect that she was of low social status for a prince's wife. The marriage or relationship of Edward and Ecgwynn appears to have come to end before Edward became king. King Athelstan

Is Athelstan Based on a Real King?

Parker, Joanne. ”The Victorian Imagination". In The Battle of Brunanburh. A Casebook. Ed. Michael Livingston. University of Exeter Press. 2011. pp. 400–401 Foot, Sarah, "Where English becomes British: Rethinking Contexts for Brunanburh", in Barrow, Julia; Andrew Wareham (2008). Myth, Rulership, Church and Charters: Essays in Honour of Nicholas Brooks. Aldershot: Ashgate. pp.127–144. Downham, Clare (2007). Viking Kings of Britain and Ireland: The Dynasty of Ivarr to AD 1014. Dunedin Academic Press. ISBN 978-1906716066. a b Robert Mannyng of Brune. ”Chronicle". In The Battle of Brunanburh. A Casebook. Ed. Michael Livingston. University of Exeter Press. 2011. pp. 126–133