England in the 9th Century On 12th June 918, Athelflaed, Lady of Mercia, died in Tamworth, in the heart of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia. She was a respected military commander, and a queen in all but name. But who was she, and what was Mercia? At the opening of 9th century, Mercia was oneContinue reading “Æthelflæd, Lady of Mercia”
Tag Archives: Anglo-Saxon
The Battle of Maldon
On a clear day I stood on the shore of the Blackwater estuary in Essex. Across a tidal causeway was Northey Island, and sheltered in the inner estuary was the town of Maldon. It was here, on the 11th August 991, that Maldon earned its place in history. The Battle of Maldon saw the destructionContinue reading “The Battle of Maldon“
“No Man Am I, You Look Upon a Woman”: Women in the Northern World
I was 14 when I saw The Two Towers in the cinema, and I never forgot it. The narrative leads inexorably to the Rohirrim, who even then I recognised as something from England’s ancient past. They wore mail, fought with spears and round shields, lived in wooden halls and had fantastically Old English soundingContinue reading ““No Man Am I, You Look Upon a Woman”: Women in the Northern World”
The Time for Fated Men: Destiny & Free Will in the Northern World
People Linked by Destiny Some months ago, I was explaining the Law of Surprise to a friend. The law is a device in the world of Andrej Sapkowski’s The Witcher, and runs like this. Let us say that I am beset by bandits on the road. You hear my cries for help and, skilledContinue reading “The Time for Fated Men: Destiny & Free Will in the Northern World“
Alfred the Great, King of Wessex
In my final undergraduate year, I studied the work of JRR Tolkien, and it acted like a violent intellectual catalyst, for it was here that I first discovered Old English, Icelandic and Scandinavian literature, mythology, poetry and history. It was a gateway into a previously hidden world, and I was instantly hooked. I ransackedContinue reading “Alfred the Great, King of Wessex”
An Arrow to the Knee: Skyrim & the Northern World
Glossary DLC – An acronym for Downloadable Content, this is additional content released by a studio after the game’s release Dungeons & Dragons –abbreviated to ‘D&D’, this is a cooperative tabletop role-playing game. One person is the Dungeon Master, controlling the world, the enemies and its inhabitants, while the others play as characters in theContinue reading “An Arrow to the Knee: Skyrim & the Northern World”
Sagas from the Sea 