The Anglo-Saxon Kingship: A Different Sort of Succession
We sometimes take for granted the hereditary or divine right of kings, handed down to us from (we suppose) ancient times. The fact of...
A Clash of Beliefs: Religion in Anglo-Saxon Britain
Imagine if you will a loyal Saxon warrior on his knees in prayer, to the goddess of the harvest for plentiful food or to...
Columba and the Loch Ness Monster
With news that a scientist thinks the Loch Ness Monster is nothing more than hot air, it is time to reexamine the origins of...
Wergild: Anglo-Saxon Social Structure in One Word
The code of laws given to us by Ethlebert, first lord of Kent and third overlord of Saxon England, introduced the term wergild, which...
Edwin: Northumbria’s Shining Star
Northumbria was the largest of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, comprising the former lands of Bernicia and Deira. As such, it wielded more than just geographical...
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...
Life in Anglo-Saxon England
Put yourself in the shoes of a member of a Germanic tribe living in England in the turbulent first millenium A.D.
If you’re a warlord,...
Ceorl: What’s in a Word?
When we hear the word churl today, we think of an oaf or a loathsome person, one who has little education or manners. The...
The Gododdin: Heroic Defeat and Arthur
The Germanic “settlers” were pushing the Britons ever westward and northward. The Britons were desperate, having lost their dux bellorum, Arthur. They held out....
The Saxon House
Naturally, when the talk turns to life as a Saxon, one question that comes to mind is this: “What about the daily life?” Much...