Anglo-Saxon England

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Oct 19, 2024

In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle we have not only an account of Anglo-Saxon history but also an attempt at identity creation which served part of the mission to forge a new united English identity from the disparate collection of tribes and kingdoms that was the base of Anglo-Saxon society. Even taken with a hefty spoonful of salt, it is nevertheless one of the single most important texts produced from the Anglo-Saxon period and continues to inform the narrative of English history up to the present day.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Alfred: the Great? Oct 05, 2024

We look back on the achievements of King Alfred and ask: how do we define someone as 'great'?

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Alfredian Renaissance (Part 2) Sep 21, 2024

One day, when he was a boy, the future Alfred the Great, along with his brothers, was pulled aside by his mother, Osburh. She showed them a book filled with English poetry and promised that she would give it to whichever one of them could learn it by heart the fastest. The young Alfred, smaller than all his brothers, was enchanted by the decorated capital letter on the book’s first page. He immediately took the manuscript from his mother and took it to his tutor who helped him to swiftly memorize the poetry. Upon returning to Osburh, the boy recited the poems for her, and she happily gave the book of poetry to him.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Alfredian Renaissance (Part 1) Aug 31, 2024

In addition to his military and political achievements, King Alfred also undertook an ambitious plan for intellectual revival meant to restore learning and piety to his new kingdom. In this episode, we meet the men who helped him undertake this massive task.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Alfred: King of the Anglo-Saxons Aug 17, 2024

Although he had no way of knowing it, in 878 Alfred secured for Wessex over a decade of peace from Viking attack. In that time, Alfred would set about remaking his kingdom so that it could withstand any future invasions. This program would see innovations on many fronts which would provide greater security for the English people, a more reliable military force, and the emergence of a new polity which had at its core not the old ethnic kingdoms but a new conception of a single English kingdom. Behind this political and military innovation was an ideological basis which saw Viking invasion as divine punishment for impiety. To this end, Alfred spearheaded a program of intellectual and spiritual renewal which ran alongside and supported his vision of a more secure kingdom. This rebirth of Latin and Old English learning, the so-called Alfredian Renaissance, will be the focus of the next two episodes. In today’s episode, we will focus on Alfred’s military and political achievements. Between them, these episodes will demonstrate why Alfred remains the only English king to have the appellation ‘the Great’.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Great Summer Army Aug 03, 2024

As discussed in the previous episode, the Viking invasion of England can be roughly divided into two phases, that which occurred prior to the arrival of the Great Summer Army in 871 and that which occurred after. In late 870, the Norse were at a crossroads. They had recently conquered East Anglia, but their leadership was crumbling. Ivar had departed, probably for Ireland, and it was not clear how they should continue their raiding. To the south were London and the Kingdom of Wessex which presented tantalizing possibilities for further loot, but it was difficult to maintain momentum.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Sons of Ragnar Jul 19, 2024

The Great Heathen Army that devastated England in the 860s and 870s was, tradition claims, spear-headed by three of the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok. As discussed last time, legend had it that they invaded to avenge their father’s execution at the hands of King Ælle of Northumbria. It is not clear how true this is. But it does serve to lead us into a consideration of three of the most prominent Vikings in Anglo-Saxon history.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Ravaging of Heathen Men Jul 06, 2024

Viking activity in England evolved over time. What began as small-scale raids on vulnerable monasteries gradually evolved into attacks on key trading settlements and, ultimately, into full-blown invasion. It is incorrect to suggest that Viking activity was always the same. Rather it became larger and more ambitious as time passed.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Beginning of the Viking Age Jun 22, 2024

The Viking looms large over the early medieval period as a whole, despite only erupting onto the scene in the late eighth century, several centuries after the period is usually thought to have begun. They were such a disruptive force that inspired such profound spiritual and cultural shock among the states of Europe that they are even given their own sub-period – the Viking Age – within the larger period of the Early Middle Ages. But who were the Vikings? And what prompted their dramatic interventions into history?

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Early Anglo-Saxon England Jun 08, 2024

After just under 70 episodes, we come to a point that I have always imagined as the dividing line in this series: the Norse invasions. What is coming is a huge undertaking, so I wanted to take the opportunity to look back on where we have been; to highlight key themes and to clarify my stance on the term ‘Anglo-Saxon’.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Surrey: The Frontier Kingdom May 25, 2024

Surrey, much like Hwicce and Lindsey, has a history that can only be told by looking askance at sources. What emerges, though, is a frontier kingdom that was often subject to the vicissitudes of fate.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Dark Ages by Everything, Everywhere Daily May 10, 2024

Everything, Everywhere Daily talks about the Dark Ages and whether they really were all that dark.

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Lindsey: The Vanished Kingdom May 08, 2024

The great professor of Anglo-Saxon history, Simon Keynes, once called Lindsey a ‘kingdom without a history’. This is because there is no written evidence from the kingdom itself and only a tiny amount written about it from contemporaries. However, there is some evidence in the form of archaeology which has shed valuable light on aspects of Lindsey’s history. In today’s episode, we will ask how accurate it is to say that Lindsey is a kingdom without a history.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Hwicce Apr 26, 2024

This episode we will be looking at one of the most elusive of the small kingdoms which proliferated in early Anglo-Saxon England. The Hwicce were located mainly in what is today Worcestershire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire. Their history is extremely patchy, but from what can be said they offer a unique view of the emergence and downfall of a tribal kingdom caught between the worlds of the Britons and the Anglians.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Kingdom of Essex (Part 2) Apr 04, 2024

With the death of Sighere in 688, Essex’s tendency for pagan reaction came to an end. This did not mean that the kingdom was left in peace, however.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Kingdom of Essex (Part 1) Mar 20, 2024

The kingdom of the East Saxons was one of the mid-sized early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and the last in our survey of the construct made by later historians called the ‘Heptarchy’. A kingdom repeatedly wracked by pagan reaction, Essex's early history is one filled with religious upheaval and intrigue making it an explosive send-off to the Heptarchy.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Rebuilding and Downfall Mar 01, 2024

Following Cædwalla’s death in 688 Sussex seemingly did not regain its independence. As with the early history of Sussex, the kingdom’s history post-688 is again one of long stretches of obscurity occasionally broken by flashes of insight.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Sussex and the Struggle for Wight Feb 10, 2024

Last time I discussed the origin myth of Sussex and how this compares to the archaeological record for early Saxon presence in the southeast of England. According to legend, the final notable date of early South Saxon history was 491 with Ælle’s and Cissa’s victory over the Britons of Andredes cester. We saw how these later legends do not line up with the archaeological record which indicates that Saxons only occupied all of what became Sussex by the 470s. This time, we jump ahead two hundred years to look at the earliest recorded history of Sussex and its struggle with Wessex for control of the Isle of Wight.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Early Sussex Jan 24, 2024

Let us turn south from East Anglia and head back towards the English Channel. Down here, to the southwest of Kent, lies the region of Sussex. Among the oldest Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Sussex nevertheless has a storied history. This episode we will begin with the legend of its founder and the archaeological evidence which casts light on the shadows cast by myth.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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A Warning to the Curious Jan 10, 2024

I wanted to wrap up my look at East Anglia with one of my favourite pieces of fiction that involves Anglo-Saxon East Anglia. It's another ghost story, but at the end I go into some of the actual history that informed the story. Hope you enjoy!

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Danish East Anglia Dec 27, 2023

In 869, when the Norse killed Edmund, East Anglia was left prostrate before them. Later legend tells us that they had demanded Edmund yield half of his kingdom to them, a demand the king obviously refused, for which he paid with his life. Precisely what the Norse did in East Anglia after killing Edmund is shrouded in mystery, as it is in all of what would become known as the Danelaw.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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A Ghost Story for Christmas Dec 20, 2023

Something a bit different for this festive season.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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St Edmund and the Fall of East Anglia Dec 15, 2023

(Apologies that this episode is a bit late. I recently started a new job and have been forced to rework my recording schedule. Going forward the episodes will be back to their usual schedule.)

Following the major shifts in international power that occurred in the late 820s following the fall of Beornwulf and the ascendency of Ecgberht of Wessex, East Anglia entered its final period of independence. It did so under the leadership of a new king who seemingly had little connection to the realm’s historical dynasty. This didn’t stop him and his heirs from presiding over about four decades of seeming peace and prosperity before calamity finally struck again.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Mercian East Anglia Nov 29, 2023

Following the execution of Æthelberht II, Offa did in East Anglia what he had already done to the Hwicce: he assumed direct control. Thus began a period of Merican control in East Anglia. This is a period that is poorly served by primary evidence but it is nevertheless possible to reconstruct a loose history of this turbulent period.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Dark Years Nov 16, 2023

Following the fall of the Wuffingas dynasty in 749, East Anglia entered a period of political uncertainty. Such uncertainty often breeds instability, but in the case of East Anglia it became significantly more perilous with the ascendency of Offa of Mercia, a king who if you will recall sought to establish a Mercian empire through seizing unprecedented levels of control over his subject kingdoms. Dynastic instability could not have come at a worse time for the East Anglians.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The End of the Wuffingas Nov 01, 2023

The rule of the Wuffingas dynasty in East Anglia came to an end in 749. Despite this, though, the end of the Wuffingas’ monopoly on power was not characterized by disruption or upheaval. Instead, the final two kings of the Wuffingas line, Ealdwulf and Ælfwald, presided over an extended period of relative stability and prosperity, a fact marked by both kings reigns lasting for multiple decades. Besides this, copious archaeological evidence remains which demonstrates that during their time at the head of the East Anglian kingdom the realm experienced marked economic growth through the expansion of international trade and the use of coinage.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Æthelhere and Æthelwold Oct 18, 2023

Following Anna’s death at the hands of Mercian invaders in 653, East Anglia was left entirely at the mercy of King Penda and his forces. Having been put on the back foot by the dramatic events of the Mercian invasion, the East Anglians scrambled for any stability in the storm. They turned, hopeful for respite, to Æthelhere, brother of the slain king.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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King Anna and His Children Oct 04, 2023

Following Penda’s attack in 635, East Anglia became a pawn in the emerging cold war between Mercia and Northumbria. Keen to check the growing power of the midland kingdom, Oswald of Northumbria was eager to support a new ruler in East Anglia who might manage to check Penda’s obvious ambitions to overlordship of southern England. His gaze soon settled on a nephew of Raedwald by the name of Anna.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Pagan Reaction Sep 20, 2023

A common feature of early Anglo-Saxon history, at least as presented by Bede, is what is called ‘pagan reaction’. Since Bede was writing an ecclesiastical history, that is a history of the Church, reactions against the spread of Christianity of course greatly disturbed him. Usually, these reactions took the form of kings who aggressively reversed the policies of their Christian predecessors by ending royal patronage of the Church in favour of support for traditional practitioners of pagan religiosity.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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King Raedwald and Sutton Hoo Aug 30, 2023

The burial at Sutton Hoo is one of the enduring symbols of Anglo-Saxon England, but who is the man that is often said to be buried there? In this episode we take a look at the life of one King Raedwald and the famous burial that may be he enduring legacy.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Legendary Kings of East Anglia Aug 16, 2023

Of all the early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, East Anglia has probably the richest legendary history. While the historicity of this history is of course questionable, I believe that it is important to discuss it since it serves to situate the East Anglians (as well as their heirs the Mercians) in a larger North Sea cultural zone, but also because it links some of the most famous works of Old English literature to the history of this small kingdom.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Earliest East Anglians Aug 02, 2023

East Anglian history poses a particular problem for historians of Anglo-Saxon England. The Kingdom of East Anglia was one of just four kingdoms still in existence when the Great Heathen Army landed in England in 865, but hardly anything written records have survived from its time as an independent kingdom, most likely due to its having suffered the bulk of the Army’s initial onslaught which seemingly destroyed the kingdom’s major religious and administrative centres.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Resources Jul 19, 2023

With Kent wrapped up, and while I’m working on the next part of the podcast, I wanted to do another patron request episode. I have been asked to talk a bit about good books and resources for studying Anglo-Saxon history. This episode will be more free form than others, I just going to go through what for me are some of my go to resources. Some of these are academic books, so when they are likely to be expensive I will say so and I will try to suggest good alternatives where possible.

Resources recommended in this episode:

- A Guide to Old English by B. Mitchell and F. C. Robinson

- http://www.oldenglishaerobics.net/

- https://www.memrise.com/

- English Historical Documents: Volume 1: c.500–1042, edited by D. Whitelock

- Councils and Synods: with other documents relating to the English Church, vol. I, part I: A.D. 871–1066, edited by D. Whitelock, M. Brett and C. N. L. Brooke.

- The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles by M. Swanton

- Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People (Oxford Medieval Texts), transl. and ed. B. Colgrave and R. A. B. Mynors

- The Complete Old English Poems (The Middle Ages Series), transl. C. Williamson

- https://oldenglishpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/

- The Anglo Saxon Literature Handbook by M. C Amodio

- Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary by J. R. R. Tolkien

- https://esawyer.lib.cam.ac.uk/about/index.html

- The Anglo-Saxons, ed. J. Campbell

- The Anglo-Saxon World by N. J. Higham and M. Ryan

- The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England by M. Morris

- The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England, ed. M. Lapidge, J. Blair, S. Keynes, and D. Scragg

- The Church in Anglo-Saxon Society by J. Blair

- The Coming of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England by H. Mayr-Harting

- Signals of Belief in Early England: Anglo-Saxon Paganism Revisited, ed. M. Carver, A. Sanmark, and S. Semple

- Alfred the Great: War, Kingship and Culture in Anglo-Saxon England by R. Ables

- Alfred the Great: Asser's Life of King Alfred and Other Contemporary Sources, transl. S. Keynes and M. Lapidge

- Aethelstan: The First King of England by S. Foot

- Aethelred the Unready by L. Roach

- Edward the Confessor: Last of the Royal Blood by T. Licence

Credits -

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The End of Kent Jul 05, 2023

The history of Kent as a kingdom ends in the year 825. In one sense it was the result of Mercia's destruction of its native dynasty, but in another it saw the return of a legitimate Kentish dynasty to Canterbury.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Kent Under Mercia Jun 21, 2023

Following the death of Wihtred Kent entered a period of instability which left it open to the expanding ambitions of Mercia. What followed was almost 50 years of on and off Mercian overlordship which saw Kent invaded and restructured several times. In that time, the once great kingdom was brought to its knees.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Wihtred Jun 07, 2023

King Wihtred, the king who restored Kentish independence, had a long but largely mysterious reign. However from what survives we can tell that his rule marked a final restoration of Kent as a free power able to negotiate with other kingdoms on its own terms. Wihtred also left a law code which allows us to see how markedly Kentish society had changed within the space of one hundred years from that which Augustine and the missionaries encountered in 597. In this episode we will consider Wihtred's reign as well as the evidence provided by his laws to build a picture of Kent at the close of the seventh century.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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War, Occupation, and Liberation May 24, 2023

The late 680s in Kent are another of those periods that have become quite familiar to us in our study so far: a period of upheaval following on the heels of war. In this case, the war was fought between Kent and the Gewisse between 686 and 688. It began, apparently, when Cædwalla invaded Kent in 686 and saw the subjection of Kent until his abdication in 688. After this date, though, Kent was further subjugated by its neighbors and did not truly regain independence until at least 692. No one alive at the time could have known, but the period 686 to 692 was just a foretaste of the dynamics which would shape the rest of Kentish history.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Hlothhere and Eadric May 10, 2023

After the death of Ecgberth in 673, the throne of Kent passed to his younger brother Hlothhere. There is some debate as to whether Hlothhere succeeded Ecgberht immediately or after an interregnum. While this may suggest some instability in Kent in the 670s, when seen as part of the kingdom’s larger political history it is clear that the line of Eorcenberht had now fully established its grip on the Kentish throne. However, the uncertainty that greeted Hlothhere’s reign was an ominous foretaste of troubles to come.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Kentish Royal Legend Apr 26, 2023

With the death of Eadbald, we find ourselves square in the middle of a complicate textual history regarding the foundation legend of the monastery of Minster-in-Thanet. The various narratives which make up this history are all collectively known as the ‘Kentish royal legend’ or sometimes as the ‘Mildreth legend’ after St Mildreth (sometimes Mildred), the great-granddaughter of King Æthelberht who was the first abbess of the royal monastery on the island of Thanet. Despite being mainly concerned with the foundation of Minster-in-Thanet, the legend also contains a lot of details and family legends about the descendants of King Æthelberht, making it a potentially rich source for the history of Kent in the 7th C. However, as the title ‘legend’ should make clear, the story contains much that is supernatural and many of its components are difficult to corroborate as historical facts.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Reaction and Retrenchment Apr 12, 2023

Despite Æthelberht’s official adoption of the new Christian creed, he seems to have been largely unsuccessful in promoting it among his courtiers. His own son, Eadbald, refused to adopt the faith. Upon his father’s death in 616 his pagan heir ascended to the throne of Kent. So began Kent's 'pagan reaction', a time in which the Church at Canterbury lost its influence over the rulers of the kingdom. It would bounce back, but only in a reduced form with its ability to achieve its ambitions curtailed.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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King Æthelberht of Kent Mar 29, 2023

Any list of the most consequential Anglo-Saxons would need to include King Æthelberht of Kent. As the king who welcomed the Augustinian Mission in 597 and gave them his protection Æthelberht was personally responsible foe the start of England’s official conversion to Christianity; an event which would have massive cultural and political implications for later generations. At least that’s the traditional narrative. To what extent is Æthelberht’s reputation deserved? As I will show in this episode, much of what he pioneered vanished soon after his death and consequently it seems that his actual importance to early Anglo-Saxon England is somewhat overstated by later hagiography.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Jutes and Franks: The Beginnings of Kent Mar 15, 2023

Kent consists of a small spur sticking out of the south-eastern tip of England. To its north lies the mouth of the River Thames and to its south it the English Channel. As the closest point between Britain and mainland Europe, Kent has always been an entry point into the British Isles. This means that it has often been a hub of international trade and communication, but it also means that it has one of the most vulnerable parts of England to invasion. The Kingdom of Kent that emerged here would serve as the entry point for wealth and new ideas to flow into England. The earliest history of Kent is mysterious, but what we can say demonstrates some of the major trends that shaped the course of Kentish history.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Trade and Towns in Anglo-Saxon England Mar 01, 2023

As historians we thrive on the material culture of the past. You don’t need to be an historical materialist to recognize that without material culture our understanding of history is severely limited. Objects are the raw material from which we make history. What then do objects tell us about the early development of Anglo-Saxon history and society? When we look at this we can chart the material evolution of Anglo-Saxon England from a migrant society of farmers to a kingdom with towns and villages. At the centre of this development lies trade.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Boniface and the English Missions Feb 15, 2023

The period of West Saxon consolidation under Ine had major implications not just for Wessex but for peoples elsewhere in Britain and even on the Continent. One man who embodies the international impact of Ine’s reign is Boniface, a West Saxon who devoted his life to missionary work in what is today Germany and Austria. A product of Wessex’s western expansion, Boniface’s eventful life brought him into contact with popes and kings and saw him leave an indelible mark on many of the peoples and countries of Europe’s Germanic centre.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Aldhelm Feb 01, 2023

Michael Lapidge called Aldhelm the first English ‘man of letters’ on account of his vast learning. Bede said of him that he was ‘most learned in every respect’ and that he was both a mast of style as well as possessing an unrivalled knowledge of both classical and patristic writings. Aldhelm’s writings set the standard for Anglo-Latin literature that would continue to be imitated up to the time of the Norman Conquest. Indeed each of his works inspired Latin and Old English imitators who through their engagement with Aldhelm’s legacy advanced the development of Anglo-Saxon intellectual history. Therefore, although he is not well known today, Aldhelm’s influence was truly immense, greater perhaps even than Bede’s.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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King Alfred, before He was Great Jan 18, 2023

It’s probably no exaggeration to say the Alfred the Great is one of the most, if not the most, famous Anglo-Saxon of them all. The only British monarch given the epithet ‘the Great’, the traditional account of his life is one of a scholar forced into the role of a war leader who defied the odds to save and unite not just his people, but all the English. Indeed, Alfred is usually cast as the man who saved England, without whom all of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms would have fallen to Scandinavian invasion. However, it is not just for his military successes that Alfred is remembered. He was also celebrated as a wise king who cared deeply for law, religion, and learning. The revival of Latin and Old English learning that is called by scholars the ‘Alfredian Renaissance’ is usually attributed to Alfred’s vision of a just and pious English nation which he sought to realise by gathering to himself the learned man of Britain, Ireland, and the Continent. It is important to be wary, though, of mythmaking and the ‘great man’ interpretation of history. While Alfred was without question a great leader, we must take a step back and look at his life with dispassionate eyes so that we can cut through the layers of legend to reach the core of the man who saved England.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Bonus Sample: The Ascension (Christ II) Jan 11, 2023

Much like the Advent Lyrics, the second Christ poem, which I will refer to as ‘The Ascension’ is focused on another key moment from the Christian story; the ascension of Christ 40 days after the Crucifixion. The poem is one of four written by the mysterious poet Cynewulf who drew on a wide array of scriptural and extra-biblical sources in the creation of this piece. The Ascension is the Exeter Book’s longest poem, even with a leaf missing from part way through the poem.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Three Royal Brothers Jan 04, 2023

Æthelwulf’s will attests to his desire that upon his death Wessex would pass into the hands of his sons. This desire was fulfilled when his eldest surviving son Æthelbald became king following his father’s death in 858. The years that passed between this accession and the rise of the youngest son, Alfred, to the throne in 871 would see a complex detente form between the four brothers as Wessex rapidly passed from one to another. Histories of Wessex tend to overlook the years between Æthelwulf and Alfred, preferring to focus instead of Alfred, his father, and his grandfather to give the sense of a simple progression of a united Wessex developing into a united kingdom of England. However the reigns of Alfred’s three older brothers deserve to be discussed in detail since it is under them that several key factors in Alfred’s reign fully emerge into West Saxon history such as the transition from Scandinavian raiding into Scandinavian conquest and the alliance with Mercia, both of which would bear fruit in Alfred’s reign and shape the earliest form of the kingdom of England.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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King Æthelwulf Dec 21, 2022

Æthelwulf, father of Alfred the Great, was perhaps the most innovative king Wessex had seen since the reign of Ine. Although he would dedicate much of his reign to securing the throne, through the dual impact of intense Viking raiding and personal hubris his experiment would finally explode in his face casting a permanent shadow on his legacy but also setting the scene for the rise of his mighty son.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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King Ecgberht the Conqueror Dec 07, 2022

In 786 King Cynewulf was murdered throwing Wessex into disorder. In the midst of the feuding that followed King Offa of Mercia moved in to secure the West Saxons’ passivity by elevating a puppet to the throne. He did this in the form of his son-in-law Beorhtric. This manoeuvre did not go unchallenged, though, and Beorhtric faced opposition from at least one West Saxon nobleman, Ecgberht, who warred against Beorhtric but wa ultimately driven into exile in Francia for his troubles. Upon Beorhtric’s death in 802, Ecgberht would return from his exile and claim the West Saxon throne, and so would begin a period in which the political map of southern England was changed forever as Ecgberht led a reconquest of all the lands south of the Thames and secure West Saxon pre-eminence in southern England.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Bonus Episode Unlocked: Anglo-Saxon Poetics Nov 30, 2022

What is Old English poetry? How does it work? In this unlocked bonus episode I walk you through the ways that Anglo-Saxon poets created their work and how this distinctively English art form worked. For more of these cultural bonus episodes go to the shows Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/anglosaxonengland

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The West Saxons' Dark Eighth Century Nov 23, 2022

Following Ine’s abdication in 726, the rest of the eighth century was a time of uncertainty for Wessex. It is a period that is not well served by the primary evidence, and we don’t really get detailed accounts of the kingdom’s history again until the rise of Ecgberht in 802. It is a period in which Wessex was often threatened by the ascendant power of Mercia to the north and by internal instability as new dynasties vied for the throne. I have called it the ‘dark’ eighth century and that is a deliberate play on the dual meanings of the word dark. Traditional historiography has tended to see this period as one of West Saxon decline sandwiched between the revolutionary reigns of Ine and Ecgberht, in that sense it could be seen as a dark age for Wessex, although as I will argue in this episode that traditional narrative is overly simplistic and underplays the achievements of the kings who ruled in these decades. The other meaning of dark is of course referring to something mysterious and that certainly describes these decades quite well. The kings and their undertakings are mysterious to us and that makes these decades into a puzzle that must be solved. I will attempt to do so here.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Bonus Sample: Anglo-Saxon Christianity (Part 2) Nov 16, 2022

This week, I conclude my look at the form of Christianity that came to be practiced in England across the Anglo-Saxon period. In this episode I look at beliefs about death, the afterlife, and the end of the world.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/anglo-saxon-part-74741793?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator

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Early Medieval Cornwall: Interview with Author John Fletcher Nov 09, 2022

In this episode I interview author and historical reenactor John Fletcher about his book 'The Western Kingdom: The Birth of Cornwall'. It's an accessible and fascinating history of Cornwall in the early middle ages and well worth picking up if you are at all interested in the history of south-western Britain or in Cornwall since it really dives into the political, cultural, and military history of the region.

Find John at: https://www.instagram.com/authorjohnfletcher/

Find the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Kingdom-Birth-Cornwall/dp/1803990007

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Bonus Sample: Anglo-Saxon Christianity (Part 1) Nov 02, 2022

This week, I begin a two part wrap up of our look at the major themes of Old English literature by looking at the form of Christianity that came to be practiced in England across the Anglo-Saxon period. This and the next episode are actually recordings of two chapters from my PhD thesis which aimed to provide an overview of the theology and practices of the Church in late tenth-century England, so it is specifically focused on that period, but places its insights into a larger context of the sources for these beliefs and practices.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/anglo-saxon-part-74136473?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator

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King Ine the Lawmaker Oct 26, 2022

Of all the kings of Wessex prior to the reign of King Alfred, Ine is the one with probably the greatest reputation. This rests mostly on the respect afforded to his law code by King Alfred in the preface to his own collection of legal rulings. There Alfred explicitly set himself in a tradition following from Moses and Ine in making laws for his people. This is high praise and surely must attract the interest of readers. Who was this Ine? Why were his laws so notable? And does the reality live up the expectation set by Alfred’s praise? In this episode we will seek to answer these questions and discover that Ine’s legacy is decidedly more complicated that a surface reading of Alfred’s preface would suggest.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Cædwalla: The King from the Forest Oct 12, 2022

Upon the abdication of Centwine in 685 the Gewisse were thrown into chaos. From the forests on their eastern frontier came news of an exiled noble massing an army to press his claim to the throne. He had already cut his teeth on the South Saxons by driving out their king and facing a revolt by his nobles, but now he was looking to return home to seize the opportunity of an empty throne. His name was Cædwalla and though he would reign for only three years, they would be some of the most transformative years in the history of Wessex. But that transformation would be a bloody one and would draw the people of the south west into the violent contest that was Anglo-Saxon power politics thereby remaking them and eventually England as a whole.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Bonus Sample: Anglo-Saxon Wisdom Oct 04, 2022

The Anglo-Saxons prised wisdom. It permeated every aspect of their culture and they created an elaborate literature of wisdom meant to convey both profound truths and practical knowledge. In this bonus episode we take an overview of Old English wisdom literature; its characteristics and subjects, and we also talk a bit about gnomes.

Learn more at Patreon for $3 a month:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/anglo-saxon-72879399?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator

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Gewissan Unrest Sep 27, 2022

The period between Cynegil’s baptism in 636 and the rise of Cædwalla in 685 is one in which the political history of the Gewisse becomes extremely complicated. This is because the political structure of the Gewisse that had developed by this time was one in which any male heir of Cerdic was entitled to claim the throne. Thus while the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is committed to presenting a unified dynasty linking King Alfred to Cerdic, it cannot totally hide the fact that the political situation among the Gewisse was extremely fraught, particularly on occasions when internal power politics spilled over into the realm of international relations.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Bonus Sample: Old English Heroism Sep 21, 2022

'Heroic’ isn’t a term the Anglo-Saxons used, rather it refers to a general type of poetry dealing with heroes, men who live by a code and put their lives at risk upholding said code while performing marvellous deeds. The heroic ethos in Old English literature is not just one thig, rather it’s a collection of related ideas and tendencies that together form a tapestry we call ‘heroism’. In this episode I want to look at the two main streams of heroism that we find in scholarship, namely secular heroism and Christian heroism.

Hear the full episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/old-english-72294461?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator

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The People of Gewisse Sep 13, 2022

Our first secure historical date for the people who became the West Saxons occurred at some point in the 630s when a missionary called Birinus baptised their king, Cynegils, at his royal palace near Dorchester on Thames. According to traditions which circulated among later generations of West Saxons they already had a century of history prior to this date, but this history as it has come down to us is often vague and contradictory. In this episode I will go over that history.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Bonus Sample: Why is Old English Poetry So Depressing? Sep 07, 2022

Now available on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/anglosaxonengland)

Old English poetry can be grim, but why? And is it as grim as it seems? In this second bonus episode I consider why so much Old English poetry is focused on death and loss and look at the deeper cultural tendencies that shaped the Anglo-Saxon's attitudes to life and joy.

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The End of Mercia Aug 31, 2022

Following the Battle of Ellendun, Mercia entered an uncertain new phase in its history. No longer the supreme power in England, it was forced to regroup and rebuild amid dynastic strife and encroaching threats from without. It would survive for only a further half century after Beornwulf's death, but rather than being solely a time of decline, that last fifty years saw the emergence of something new which was brutally snuffed out before its time.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Collapse of the Mercian Supremacy Aug 16, 2022

The Mercian Supremacy collapsed within just five years of Coenwulf's death, a dramatic reversal of fortune. Why did this happen and what role did the political instability which gripped Mercia at this time play in the course of events? This episode, follow me as we look at how something as successful as Mercia could come crashing down in such a short span of time.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Coenwulf: The Last Mercian Overlord Aug 03, 2022

In this episode we look at the reign of the last king of the Mercian Supremacy: Coenwulf. We look at how he rebuilt a fractured Mercian dominion in the wake of Offa's death, how he struggled to incorporate the Church into his overlordship, and how a 10th C legend about his son's death was used to explain the whole collapse of the Mercian supremacy that had been a fact of Anglo-Saxon politics for almost 200 years at the time of his death.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Tamworth: Aachen-on-Tame Jul 20, 2022

Tamworth in Staffordshire proudly announces it's history as 'capital of the kingdom of Mercia' to all who visit. In this episode we look at the history of the town and how it's origins as a major royal site rest decisively with King Offa, who cemented its place in history as the heart of Mercia.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Offa and the Dream of Empire Jul 06, 2022

Offa of Mercia is one of the great figures of Anglo-Saxon history. Casually known in English textbooks, his true greatness is often only alluded to. He was a great visionary king who aspired to remake the political system of Mercia, to centralise it, and even to found an empire in Britain.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Athelbald the State Builder Jun 22, 2022

Athelbald of Mercia was yet another Anglo-Saxon king to return from exile and rejuvenate a stagnating kingdom. More than any king we've discussed so far, he fundamentally altered the way politics in his kingdom worked through daring use of royal power to cement the position of the king of Mercia as a legal warrior diplomat at the head of an economic powerhouse. It ended in betrayal from within, but at its peak he ruled gloriously as the de facto overlord of southern England.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Heirs of Penda Jun 09, 2022

After Penda's death in 655, Mercia faced a grim future. Cowed by a dominant Northumbria and ruled by a puppet king there seemed to be little hope for the people of march. But, in the shadows, nobles plotted with Penda's second-born. The puppet was killed and when Oswiu's attention was elsewhere, they raised their banner in rebellion to expel the Northumbrian officials and set Wulfhere on the throne to rule them as a free people. Wulfhere would rebuild his father's supremacy and use the tools open to him as a Christian to parley simple military dominance into permanent overlordship. But prestige is fleeting and when the energy that set Wulfhere on the throne dissipated, the heirs of Penda began to lose authority until finally a new dynasty stepped in to take up the mantle of kingship.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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King Penda May 25, 2022

Penda's career is one of the most dramatic in Anglo-Saxon history yet very little is known about him apart from what others tell us about him. In this episode I cut through the uncertainty to give you a glimpse of this man, what he accomplished, and how he not only helped forge a singular Mercian identity but also set the stage for future Mercian supremacy.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Origins of Mercia May 11, 2022

Mercia, the kingdom which grew out of the English Midlands, dominated England south of the Humber from the 620s until its final fall in the late 800s. It was a military and cultural powerhouse for much of that time, yet its origins are mysterious, even more mysterious than those of the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. In this episode, we begin our look at the history of Mercia by considering its origins in the distant past of legend and using archaeological and literary analysis to chart its history up to its entry on the historical stage.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Northumbrian Collapse Apr 26, 2022

The collapse of Northumbria in the ninth century was a result of long standing crises being compacted by the sudden arrival of a new threat the likes of which they could not have imagined. The memory of Northumbria would echo down the centuries, but as the smoke cleared a whole world had come to an end and the future seemed more ominous than ever.

Credits -

Sound effects created by Michael Ghelfi Studios:

https://michaelghelfi.com/

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Alcuin of York Apr 14, 2022

Even as its glory days slipped into the past, Northumbria was still able to produce one last great mind who would have a profound impact on the rest of the world. Alcuin of York came from an obscure family but would go on to find success in the court of Emperor Charlemagne as one of his advisors and teachers. Here he would help formulate new standards for education that would shape the future of Western education.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Lindisfarne Gospels Mar 30, 2022

This episode, ahead of the big episode on the Northumbrian collapse, we take a break from politics to look at one of the most important artefacts from Anglo-Saxon England: the Lindisfarne Gospels. It is my hope that this episode will give you a grounding in the history and features of this remarkable manuscript. I think you will agree that the details of its creation enhance the splendour of this already dazzling piece of craftmanship and devotion.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Rise and Fall of the Leodwaldings Mar 11, 2022

After Osred's death in 716, Northumbria entered a period of political upheaval which eventually saw the emergence of a new dynasty to claim the throne. This family, descendants of Leodwald, quickly achieved prominence during a period of peaceful foreign relations and cultural dynamism. But just as quickly as they rose, equally quickly they fell back into the bloody feuding which typified Northumbrian politics at this time and thus brought to an end the first brief interlude of peace in Northumbria's gradual decline.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Aldfrith and the Fall of the Aethelfrithings Feb 23, 2022

This week we look at fallout of Nechtansmere and the end of Athelfrithing domination of Northumbrian politics. Ironically, this coincided with one of the more famous kings of the dynasty, famed for his wisdom and piety. But wisdom and piety cannot save a crumbling powerbase or end subjugation to external powers.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Venerable Bede Jan 10, 2022

This week we meet the single most important Anglo-Saxon scholar of them all. Bede lived an extremely quiet life, but his intellectual world was fantastically productive. He produced works which provided the the framework for all subsequent English scholarship and fully established the Anglo-Saxons on a world stage as a people capable of producing excellent scholarship.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Saints of Northumbria Dec 30, 2021

This week we step back from royal politics to look at some of the main saints to emerge from Northumbria in the 7th C. We also look at how the distinctive culture that these people fostered set the scene of the flourishing of intellectual activity that would become known as the Northumbrian Golden Age.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Oswiu and Ecgfrith Dec 08, 2021

Following the death of Oswald, Northumbria was reduced to a fragmented vassal of Mercia. But that was changed under the leadership of Oswald's brother, Oswiu. Oswiu reunited Northumbria and led it to a new period of power and hegemony... that all came crashing down very quickly and left the king reeling. Under him and his son, Ecgfrith, Northumbria's decline began; not because they were weak kings, quite the opposite, but because in the personality driven world of Anglo-Saxon politics, eventually even a strong king will be overwhelmed by events and glory forever slip from his grasp.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Oswald, King and Martyr Nov 03, 2021

After the death of Edwin, Northumbria was thrown into chaos by the ravages of Cadwallon who swiftly deposed the kings who rose to replace him. But, in 633, a young Northumbrian noble returned from exile in western Scotland and defeated the rampaging Welsh king. He soon established himself as a new overlord of the Northumbrians and exerted great political and religious power across Britain. He was Oswald, the first great saint-king of Anglo-Saxon England.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Edwin of Northumbria Oct 25, 2021

This week we begin a miniseries on the Kingdom of Northumbria from the early 7th to the mid 9th C. We start with a look at one of the most famous Northumbrian kings: Edwin. The first Christian king and a ruler who established Northumbria's place as one of the most powerful kingdoms in Anglo-Saxon England.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The Augustinian Mission Oct 11, 2021

After last week's absence, we return with a new chronological episode as we continue our journey. This week we turn to the beginning of the conversion of England. We meet a lot new figures and finally come to the first definite date in Anglo-Saxon history: 597. It's the start of a fundamental change which will totally reshape Anglo-Saxon England and influence the future of England as a whole.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Kingdoms and Kingship in Anglo-Saxon England Sep 28, 2021

In this episode we take a big picture look at the working and development of Anglo-Saxon kingship. This is the first of two episodes meant to help you better follow what is coming in the podcast by introducing you to the history, ideas, and sources of Anglo-Saxon kingship.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Anglo-Saxon Paganism Sep 20, 2021

This week we take a dive into the mysterious and often complicated world of Anglo-Saxon paganism. We discuss what we mean by 'paganism' today and look at the ways people have attempted to reconstruct the beliefs of the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxons. The results may be unexpected, but they are guaranteed to be interesting.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Adventus Saxonum Sep 13, 2021

In this episode we begin our discussion of Anglo-Saxon history proper with the arrival of the Saxons. Where did they come from? How many people settled in Sub-Roman Britain? And what happened to the Britons when they did? It's a complicated topic but it's also one of the most important events in the history of Britain. Afterwards the island would never be the same again.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Gildas: The Last Romano-Briton Sep 08, 2021

This week we take a look at the work and thought of the main written source for sub-Roman Britain and the Saxon migration: Gildas. We discuss the problems we have trying to reconstruct his biography and look in depth at the uniquely Roman worldview of this sixth-century British monk.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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Sub-Roman Britain Aug 30, 2021

The second part of our look at the work the Saxons' encountered. In this episode we focus on the culture of sub-Roman Britain and the political fragmentation that paved the way for the arrival of the Saxons.

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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The End of Roman Britain Aug 30, 2021

In this first episode, we begin a two part look at the Britain encountered by the Saxons in the mid-fifth century. We discuss the reasons for and the results of the collapse of Roman society in Britain. Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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