The British History Podcast

299 – The Shape of Power

Ealdormen… Thegns… Ceorls. These were the  important cogs in the machine of government. They had powerful roles, and held powerful spaces within anglo saxon culture. And it’s time we get to know these roles like the back of our hand. You see, as you might have guessed, we’re on the cusp of a new season of the BHP.  And for those of you who know your history, you’ll know that things for the Anglo Saxons are going to get… well… rough. Click here to be able to read the full rough transcript.

298 – Uptown Ceorl

Long ago there was a settlement that had been occupied and farmed by the British and the Anglo Saxons for centuries. In fact, by the time that the Scandinavians arrived on the island, this village known as Wharram Percy was already well established, and had been inhabited continually for centuries. And it held strong for centuries more, even though it was located perilously close to the Scandinavian stronghold of Jorvik, and even after the arrival of the Great Heathen Army. In fact, this little village could well have been part of the very same lands that were shared out by Halfdan himself. Wharram Percy survived it all. Support the Show

The Halloween Special

I love Halloween. I think it might be my favorite holiday, and it’s not really because I like spooky things. I actually kind of hate horror movies. The reason I love Halloween is because in the pantheon of modern holidays it stands out. Most holidays in the western world have been rebranded and repackaged to fit a christian theme or a specific nation. It’s traditional to go to church on Christmas and Easter, even if bunnies and fat men in red suits don’t get mentioned even once in the bible. But Halloween is different. There’s no awkward attempt to justify its existence. Halloween is an out of the closet pagan holiday, and it /feels/ pagan. It feels old. And that’s because it is. And I love that. Support the Show

295 – The Return of England

You know the pieces on a chessboard? There’s the knight, and the queen, and the castle….and then there’s the bishop. There’s a reason why a game that simulates medieval power strategy has a piece called the bishop. Bishops had power. And it was a power that didn’t flow from the monarchy. And in britain, it wasn’t a power that necessarily had to be aligned with the monarchy either. We’re going to see this over and over again on the island - if you were trying to rule Britain, holy men were often a wildcard in your hand of ambitions. And the more powerful the holy man, the bigger the potential upset. Support the Show

293 – The Beacons are Lit

When we left off, AEthelstan had recently died, Olaf had returned from Dublin and been crowned King of Jorvik (which meant that the Kingdom of Jorvik was back). The English Fyrd was still recovering from the bloodbath at Brunanburh. And the English Navy were currently sailing up and down the French Coast shouting “Liberte, Fraternite, Piracy” And for the new 18 year old King Edmund, the political problems were only the tip of the iceberg. There were also the personal struggles. The preceding few years had resulted in all of his foster brothers leaving the Court. Which wouldn’t have been so bad were it not for the fact that AEthelstan had died, and now the young king was without a father figure and mentor… and all that now remained of his childhood Court was Edmund’s 16 year old brother Eadred. Which meant that, much like Alfred, Edmund was coming into his reign under a cloud of tragedy and abandonment. Basically, 939 was a tough year.

292 – King in the North

How we understand any event comes down to what angle we are able to view it from. And the story of AEthelstan is no exception. On the one hand, it is easy to see AEthelstan as one of the greatest kings in English history, one to place on our shelf of real-life legends along with his grandfather. And for good reason… much like Alfred, AEthelstan wasn’t content to just hold his throne and maintain the status quo. He strived to restructure the very foundations of his kingdom. Support the Show

290 – This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land

Brunanburh had been a titanic struggle. The Anglo Saxon Chronicle speaks of how the fighting lasted from morning to night, until “the field grew dark with the blood of men.” Blood spilled from warriors of no less than four separate kingdoms. The scribes speak of how the ground was littered with men impaled upon spears. This was human devastation on a scale that hadn’t been on the island in living memory. And now the Scots, Northmen, and Strathclyde Britons were fleeing the field… but this wasn’t over. Support the Show

288 – Extracurricular Activities

I wonder if King Rudolph of France resented his crown. I mean, seeking the crown probably seemed like a good idea at the time but the whole thing had been turning out to be an enormous headache. And it all started when Rudolph’s father in law (Robert) rebelled against King Charles and drove him into Lorraine. Pretty soon thereafter, Robert got himself crowned as King of the Franks. And that’s not too bad… a father in law who was King of the Franks? Sounds great. The trouble, though, was that Charles was still out there, and he had allies. One was Rollo, the Viking Duke of Normandy. But it didn’t stop there, Charles also had the Lotharingians. And sure enough it wasn’t long before Charles came screaming back into France supported by a Lotharingian army… and while Charles was no match for the Frankish military and he was forced to flee the field with what was left of the Lotharingian men… they still managed to deal a serious blow to the new ruling order of France. Because King Robert of the Franks lay dead in the field. Support the Show

287 – The Conquest of Scotland

For the last six years, AEthelstan had been ruling in a manner that hasn’t been seen in Britain for generations. Beyond being a warlord, or even a King… AEthelstan was acting more like an Emperor. All of the Anglo Saxon territories were annexed into his new Kingdom of England, the Kings of Wales were now mere members of his Court, and he was receiving tributes and gifts from Scotland, Norway, and Frankia. And the next generation of monarchs were living in his Court. [/s2If] Support the Show

285 – Full Court Press

The Era of AEthelstan is one of contradictions. His behavior, his policies, his wars… pretty much everything that is happening during this period seems to have an element of duality. This man was discussed by scholars of his time in terms of his piety and his generosity both with the church and also with his subjects. And there is plenty of real evidence that AEthelstan was a kind king and role model to those around him, and that he took his role as a ruler seriously and with care. But AEthelstan was also a war leader who was ruthless in his pursuit of victory. And he used his powers of war often, and with great effect. In just a few years he earned a reputation of being a militaristic powerhouse, and it was a reputation well earned. By the end of 927, all of his neighbors had been either violently conquered or had been compelled to submit to his rule through military arms (or at least the threat of it). And many of the actions he took on these campaigns defy what we would understand as the actions of a good person. But he was an effective king, and for the people of England living in the late 920s, he probably was regarded as a very good king. For the first time in generations, Britain was enjoying a period of peace. The war, raids, and internal struggles that had marked this era suddenly came to an end. This can’t be overstated. In the 10th century, if your kingdom was at war, you were at war. Support the Show

283 – The Kingdoms of the Foreigners

Imagine that you went from being a disfavored bastard with little power, to the most powerful English king that had ever existed, in the space of just a few years. Support the Show

281 – England

The last couple of episodes have focused on the political tools that AEthelstan had at his disposal. Marriage alliances, fostering, dynastic cults and diplomatic entreaties were all powerful pieces moving on a huge dark age chess board. And the thing I want you to realize about these things is first, that they took time. A strategic mind - a mind like AEthelstan’s - would see the long game and set his moves accordingly knowing they wouldn’t fully materialize for years to come. The second is that these tools were highly cultural. There’s nothing inherently political about marriage or fostering until a people make it so. By examining the tools that political actors wield we learn something important about the culture and society that underlies it. What it values, and how it prioritizes people and things. And all of these slow, important tools are working constantly in the background throughout AEthelstan’s reign. Support the Show

279 – Dynastic Cults

Want to know something strange? When Edward died, the Irish annals said nothing. Not a mention about his death, nor the circumstances of it. And it’s not like the Irish Annals were disinterested with what was happening in the Anglo Saxon kingdoms. After all, they’re the source for our story about AEthelflaed’s defense of Chester. They were so interested that they told us about the bees. And it’s not like the Irish annals didn’t bother to record deaths of Anglo Saxon figures. For example, they recorded the death of Eadwulf of Bamburgh, a man whose biggest accomplishment in the record seems to be that he was the father of Ealdred (the guy who allied with Scotland and fought against Ragnald… and lost). But the Irish mention his death, and ignore the King of the Anglo Saxons… Support the Show

277 – King AEthelstan: Say Yes to the Dress

It’s important to hit the ground running when you start a new job. Especially if it is one that carries a lot of responsibility. When you’re new, people are often trying to work out who you are and how you’ll fit into the system, and the best way to put people at ease is to work diligently to get up to speed as quick as possible. Support the Show

275 – King Edward the Almost First King of England

The story of Edward is undeniably odd. There are events that are at best, unexplained and at worst look potentially horrible. But he’s also a man of contradiction, because the one thing we haven’t talked about is the one thing you’re probably not expecting. He was an effective king. Support the Show

273 – I Do… Do I?

Last episode we talked about the rapid growth of AEthelflaed’s power, Edward’s militarizing AEthelflaed’s borders, Edward visiting her at her capital city and bringing his army with him… the fact that she died shortly thereafter and Edward ordered his army to occupy the city… and then the signs of rebellion coming out of Northern Mercia, and Edwards eventual capture and disinheriting of his niece, AElfwynn Second Lady of Mercia. Judging by your e-mails, you found that series of events as suspect as I did. Support the Show

271 – How to Break a Kingdom in Six Months

For the last several years, the Anglo Saxons had been on a true war footing. AEthelflaed and Edward had been showing skill and audacity in the field, and it had paid dividends. Under their leadership, the Anglo Saxon kingdoms of the south had been taking the fight to the Danish controlled lands and were seizing massive portions of key territories. But the Northmen weren’t about to take this assault on their newly won lands lying down. Scandinavian fleets from across the sea, as well as large armies surging from the Five Boroughs and Northumbria, were mustering to challenge the Anglo Saxon gains in the south. Support the Show

269 – The Western Front

Wessex and Mercia have had a busy decade. Both kingdoms militarized their borders, fought off invasion forces, and even took the offensive and marched into neighboring kingdoms. And even though the Chronicle is mysteriously tight lipped on all of these fights, it’s clear that way more than just construction work was going on at all of the burhs. There were battles being waged. Battles that largely went unrecorded for some reason… but battles nonetheless. We know this because other sources from that time tell us that real blood, sweat, and tears were going into the acquisition and defense of these border shires. Support the Show

267 – The Southern Expansion

O potent elfleda! Maid, men’s terror! You did conquer nature’s self; worthy The name of man! More beauteous nature’s form of A woman; but your valour shall secure Man’s higher name. For name you only need Not sex to change: unconquerable queen, King rather, who such trophies have obtained! O virgin and virago both farewell! No caesar yet such triumphs hath deserved As you, than any, all, the Caesar’s more renowned! That’s a translation of a Latin praise poem for AEthelflaed. It was included in the writings of the 12th century scribe, Henry of Huntingdon. Support the Show

265 – The Battle of Tettenhall; and Zombies, maybe.

There is so much that the Chronicle hides from us after the death of Alfred. Edward’s apple seems to have fallen fairly far from the tree, because the record his court produces during his reign is spare even by Anglo Saxon standards. But even with all of its contradictory statements and black holes, the Chronicle couldn’t hide the fact that a storm was coming. Support the Show

iPhone Podcasts: Enabling Continuous Play

I can't believe I have to do this... but this is the world we live in now.

262 – AEthelred and AEthelflaed

A year after Edward took the throne - in year 901, while he was still fighting AEthelwold’s rebellion - something strange appeared in the Charters. This event doesn’t get discussed in the Chronicle. But these Charters reveal that in 901, there was an enormous gathering of the important political figures of Wessex. This gathering took place in Southampton, and the charters reveal that (with the exception of the Bishop of Worcester), all of the Bishops of Kent, Sussex, and Wessex were present. This council was also attended by AEthelweard, Edward’s younger brother, as well as Edward’s two sons… AEthelstan (his eldest son, and the son of Ecgwynn), and the infant Aelfweard (the newborn son of Edward’s new wife, AElfflaed). Accompanying Edward to this meeting was his household, his thegns, and important figures from Winchester. There is a lot of interesting things going on at this meeting, as revealed in the witness lists of these charters. One of them is that, the infant AElfweard (the child of Edward’s new marriage) was listed above AEthelstan, Edward’s first born. Support the Show

260 – King Edward’s Forgotten Love Life

Sometimes life comes at you fast. So much happens in such a short space of time that you barely have a chance to take note of where you’re at and, only after it’s all passed, only /then/ do you have a chance to say “oh my god, what /was/ all of that?” I wonder if that’s what Edward’s life was like in late 902. The death of his father, the push for the Crown, his elevation, the subsequent rebellion, the fight with the Danes of East Anglia and Northumbria (with the aid of his cousin), the construction of his mother’s abbey and the completion of his father’s abbey… and finally the death of his mother. It was a lot. But here’s the thing. That’s not all of it. That’s just the stuff I’ve told you about so far. Support the Show

258 – The Rise of King Edward I of Wessex

On October 26th, 899, Alfred the Great died. He left behind his wife, Eahlswitha, as well as his grown children. I imagine that the loss of Alfred was probably quite difficult on all of them. It’s always hard to lose a family member. But for Edward… the designated heir… what must that have been like? I mean, look at it from Edward’s perspective. Edward was probably somewhere in his 20s at this point, was an AEtheling, and was the designated heir to the throne. His whole life had been in preparation for this moment. All the tasks and responsibilities handed down to him, all the charters and meetings with ealdormen, all the military appointments and time in the field. All of it was building up to /this/. Support the Show

257 – Political Accommodation Within The Danelaw

Things in Britain are changing rapidly. In Scotland the MacAlpin dynasty is rising, and with it comes the merging of the Scottish and Pictish cultures. A similar blending is happening in the Anglo Saxon regions. As we’ve see in the last few episodes - cities are changing, economies are emerging. And the sudden appearance of new placenames - some which are Danish and others that are a blend of Danish and Old English - tell us that cultures are changing too. Support the Show