Ethelred: Kingly Conversion to the Monastery
It seems odd to us today that a powerful leader would leave all of his wealth, power, and prestige behind and retire to a...
Alfred: Bringer of Knowledge
Alfred was a warrior king, and a brilliant one at that, but he was also a learned king, one who cared very much about...
Canute: Foreigner in a Foreign Land
With the death of Edmund II, the people of Britannia were ready and willing to support a foreigner as their liege lord.
It probably wasn’t...
Harald Harefoot and Hardacanute: The End of the Danish Line
By the time that Canute died, the people of England were tired. They were tired of fighting. They were tired of conquest. They were...
Gildas: The Monk Who Began the Historical View
With the coming of the Battle of Badon Hill we have the first of our “official” historical sources for the period of Arthur’s life:...
William of Normandy: A Disputed Crown
Let us return now to William of Normandy. He was the Duke of Normandy, a province of great import and military strength at that...
Northumbria: Battleground of Christianity
An undercurrent running through all of this talk of Christianity and conversions is the two forces at work Christianizing the Island: Celtic and Roman.
Pope...
Celtic Influence on Arthurian History
Readers of Arthurian literature are no doubt familiar with the Celtic shimmerings throughout. Famous examples are the knights Kay (originally Cei) and Gawain (originally...
Bronze Age Cremation Pits Discovered
Sometimes, archaelogists have to wait to deliver good news. Theories are all well and good, but results are needed to back them up. Well,...
Edwin’s Lasting Legacy
In the previous article, we have seen how ambition got the better of Edwin, King of Northumbria.
However, Edwin did leave a lasting legacy.
His conversion...