In a literary sense, the Danish conqueror of England died many deaths: accounts range from an old man dying in his bed to supernatural intervention by a vengeful saint.
Tag Archives: danish conquest
Emma of Normandy: A Resilient Queen
The deaths of both husbands, multiple exiles, multiple conquests, hostile children and step-children – you name it, Emma survived it, sometimes coming back stronger than before.
King Cnut’s Awkward Family Gathering? A Look at the Thorney Abbey Liber Vitae
Did Cnut the Great attend a large gathering with each rival side of his royal family — including both of his wives?
The Death and Exhumation of Harold Harefoot
Perhaps no royal body suffered a fate worse than that of Harold I, otherwise known as Harold Harefoot. Harold died on this day (March 17th) in 1040. His body was exhumed several months after his death and, depending on which source you consult, was thrown into a fen, thrown into the Thames, publicly beheaded, or some combination of these.
New Publication! Æthelred the Unready and William of Malmesbury
Is there any hope for Æthelred in mass media, or is he doomed to play the fool forever?
St. Brice’s Day and the Danish Conquest
Did the St. Brice’s Day Massacre lead to the Danish Conquest of England?
The End of Æthelred: On this day in 1016, King Æthelred II Died
“He ended his days on St. George’s Day, and he had held his kingdom with great toil and difficulties as long as his life lasted.”
The Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Normandy: When, if at all, did it take place?
Æthelred’s plan was to invade Normandy and capture Duke Richard II.
The Anglo-Saxon Magna Carta: Æthelred the Unready’s Agreement of 1014
Using the restoration agreement of 1014 as a starting point, it is possible to make sense of one of the most dramatic eras in English history, when King Æthelred not only had to fend off massive Viking invasions, but also had to navigate through dangerous factions, disloyal subjects, and an open rebellion by his own son.
Brandon M. Bender 