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I can see why this got a Writer of the Week award as it is good stuff.t I like the writing style and bits of Chronicle dropped in along with other 'sources', it also feels like the right level of detail as well. I do like an AAR where the author is confident enough to just say little is recorded of a battle and not ram in every detail, it also fits the style well as of course not everything was written down and much that was written will have been lost.
On the story, overall it looks like Eadmund was a solid enough king and certainly had more success than failure. Let us hope his heirs do indeed live up to that legacy.
On the story, overall it looks like Eadmund was a solid enough king and certainly had more success than failure. Let us hope his heirs do indeed live up to that legacy.
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Thank you! Upon trying to write the prologue, I wanted to use sources to explain what had happened, and it just stuck. I think it makes it feel more authentic, like it actually happened.
Regarding the battles, it is true that much of these battles also have little information game-wise. As you're probably aware, battle results for the AI are undoubtedly not shown to the player, and so the only evidence I have of important figures fighting, such as Alfred, is from his memories and my screenshots alone. As you said, however, it adds more to the story that we don't know what occurred. There are some cases where I've chosen to omit information of these battles, such as the Battle of Thetford, so that it more accurately follows the recordings of sources such as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Thank you for reading
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IV. Hammer of the Danes (901–907)
IV — HAMMER OF THE DANES (901–907)
Beornwulf, King of the East Angles
While Beornwulf was not neglected by his father, it is apparent that he did not receive the same care and attention as his brother, Beorn. While this had granted the boy much freedom in his early life—save for his marriage to Glismod of Saxony—it was assumed by many that Beornwulf's fate was to not rule a kingdom. This had changed in February of 898, when his brother had succumbed to the wounds he had received at the Battle of Northampton. The next Witenagemot in June had declared Beornwulf as the next-in-line to the throne. Beornwulf was a devout Christian. Being tutored in the court of Wessex, It is claimed by West Saxon Bishop and Historian Æthelhard that the boy, in his youth, had taken a particular interest into the sermons and teachings of the Church, and had aimed to guide the young Ætheling into God’s embrace.
Upon Eadmund’s passing in the Winter of 901, Beornwulf was crowned King of the East Angles on the 25th of December. While the young monarch had the support of his vassals, the same cannot be said for his clergymen. Bishop Swithelm of Dommoc vehemently opposed Beornwulf’s ascension to the throne, taking personal offence to his coronation on Christmas Day. It is scarcely understood why these two men detested one another, with little knowledge of Swithelm himself being the biggest hurdle in the struggle for the pursuit of knowledge. What is known, however, is that the Bishop had taken to referring to the King as an agent of Satan in his sermons, determined to destroy the realm and gift it to the godless pagans of the North.
Upon Eadmund’s passing in the Winter of 901, Beornwulf was crowned King of the East Angles on the 25th of December. While the young monarch had the support of his vassals, the same cannot be said for his clergymen. Bishop Swithelm of Dommoc vehemently opposed Beornwulf’s ascension to the throne, taking personal offence to his coronation on Christmas Day. It is scarcely understood why these two men detested one another, with little knowledge of Swithelm himself being the biggest hurdle in the struggle for the pursuit of knowledge. What is known, however, is that the Bishop had taken to referring to the King as an agent of Satan in his sermons, determined to destroy the realm and gift it to the godless pagans of the North.
On the 22nd of November, 902, Swithelm was executed by Beornwulf on the grounds of treason. This was controversial among many in the realm, as the verdict was handled and issued by the Witan, and not a religious court. While this had stirred much debate regarding the rights and privileges of the clergy—and many expressed agreement in Swithelm’s claims about the young King—there were little repercussions for the execution of the Bishop, with there being no official response from Pope Adrian II about such a decision. There remains little surviving evidence of Swithelm’s execution. During this period, a series of Viking raids occurred in East Anglia, being the most likely culprit for the destruction of key documentation regarding Swithelm’s existence. However, it is not unlikely that Beornwulf and his Witan had taken this opportunity to destroy any documentation the Church had on such a controversial event. In chronicles, Swithelm’s execution is undermined by Ulf and Beornwulf’s victory at the Battle of the Shrieking Pits in July of 902, with the Viking’s defeat assumed to have restored the common folk’s trust in the King.
During this same period, the political landscape in England was changing. The Norse King of Mercia, Hastein, had passed away in July of 901, with the future of the realm mirroring that of their northern brethren. Hastein's first son, Ragnarr, had managed to convince Mercia’s Thing to declare him King on the 31st of August, 901, outplaying his brothers Húnþjófr and Starkaðr. His marriage with Iliana of Frisia had granted the grizzled monarch a loose alliance with King Högni.
During this same period, the political landscape in England was changing. The Norse King of Mercia, Hastein, had passed away in July of 901, with the future of the realm mirroring that of their northern brethren. Hastein's first son, Ragnarr, had managed to convince Mercia’s Thing to declare him King on the 31st of August, 901, outplaying his brothers Húnþjófr and Starkaðr. His marriage with Iliana of Frisia had granted the grizzled monarch a loose alliance with King Högni.
King Ragnarr 'One-Eye' of Mercia
Anglo-Saxon historian and monk Hildred writes as such:
"This alliance, sealed by the marriage of Ragnar to Iliana—Hogni's daughter—had created an opportunity that cradled the heathens of Mercia amidst the swirling tempest of chaos which had been created in the Great Heathen Army's wake. This marriage stood as a meticulously calculated stratagem to fortify Ragnar's position in Mercia, primarily against the spectre of retaliation by the likes of Alfred the Younger..."
— Hildred's 'A History of Mercia and its People, written c. 1045
Ælfred of Wessex had also passed in November of 903, slain by bandits while travelling through Normandy. His first son and successor, Ælfred the Younger, had a different approach to foreign relations. While he shared the same desire as his father – uniting the Heptarchy under one crown – Ælfred, in contrast to his father, openly declared his ambitions. While the West Saxon King supposedly preferred to unite the crowns of the south peacefully, and even offered generous tax and fyrd exemptions, he was still invariably denied by Beornwulf.
"This alliance, sealed by the marriage of Ragnar to Iliana—Hogni's daughter—had created an opportunity that cradled the heathens of Mercia amidst the swirling tempest of chaos which had been created in the Great Heathen Army's wake. This marriage stood as a meticulously calculated stratagem to fortify Ragnar's position in Mercia, primarily against the spectre of retaliation by the likes of Alfred the Younger..."
— Hildred's 'A History of Mercia and its People, written c. 1045
Ælfred of Wessex had also passed in November of 903, slain by bandits while travelling through Normandy. His first son and successor, Ælfred the Younger, had a different approach to foreign relations. While he shared the same desire as his father – uniting the Heptarchy under one crown – Ælfred, in contrast to his father, openly declared his ambitions. While the West Saxon King supposedly preferred to unite the crowns of the south peacefully, and even offered generous tax and fyrd exemptions, he was still invariably denied by Beornwulf.
Alfred 'the Younger' of Wessex
It is unknown what Ælfred’s plans were for the incorporation of East Anglia, but it is not impossible that he would invade the realm of the East Angles to realise his ambitions. This openness of his desire, much unlike his father, had strained the two Kingdom’s relations. For much of the early 9th-century, There was a distinct lack of cooperation between East Anglia and Wessex, possibly due to the intentions of the West Saxons.
As a result, East Anglia marched to war against the Danes alone in early-January of 905, with designs on the borough of Leicester. Following the successful capture of the settlement, Beornwulf fought at Kettering against a weakened Northumbrian army. Years of civil war and indecision on who would lead the Norse kingdoms had shattered the once-powerful image of the Danes, the Battle at Kettering a glaring example of their decline. While this was an effortless victory for the East Angles, it is said that this was the battle which cost Beornwulf his left leg. Myths describe a Dane by the name of Þorfinn who severed Beornwulf’s leg clean off his body, slicing through his horse’s flanks. It is told that the East Anglian King was only saved from death by three of his Thegns – the amount of warriors required to bring down a man of such legendary strength.
Following the Battle of Kettering, the East Angles were able to capture much of the eastern coast uninterrupted, with a small skirmish fought between Beornwulf’s force of 1,000 men, and the Jarl of York’s force of eight hundred. A decisive factor in the war was a third party – Norse Mercia, under the leadership of Ragnarr – had decided to take advantage of Northumbria’s dire situation. Under the command of the Jarl of Derby, Húnþjófr, Mercian leiðangr had taken to ravaging the western coast of Northumbria, successfully capturing Haukr’s residence in Kendal, stripping the land’s surroundings of its wealth. Perhaps understanding the futility of his situation, Haukr had sued for peace in October of 906, with Beornwulf reclaiming Leicester for the Anglo-Saxons. By the winter of 907, Ragnarr had become Overlord of the Northumbrian realm, with Haukr serving as a mere puppet of the Mercian King’s will. It must not be mistaken, however, that this had restored the influence of the Danes in England. East Anglia, with their Saxon allies, outnumbered both Mercia and Northumbria’s levies by a ratio of almost 2:1, and it can be argued that Mercia’s overlordship of Northumbria had further diminished the strength of the Norse realms through conflict.
The British Isles in the Winter of 907 AD
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Beornwulf takes the fight to the Danes! This was a shorter-than-usual chapter, but I think it sets the scene nicely for the stage of England during the rest of Beornwulf's reign, and really puts his character and his relationships with everyone around him on display. As always, tell me what you think about this chapter, I'm always keen to know more.
I'm also finally catching up to where I am currently! I've paused the game so I don't go too far ahead, but I'm currently in 1005. 100 more years, and I'll have caught up. Stay tuned!
I'm also finally catching up to where I am currently! I've paused the game so I don't go too far ahead, but I'm currently in 1005. 100 more years, and I'll have caught up. Stay tuned!
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The victory of the Vikings is good, but the breakdown in relations with Wessex is worrying. Inter-Saxon warfare is the last thing that England needs.
Why did the bishop hate the religiously devout king?
Why did the bishop hate the religiously devout king?
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Indeed, especially when the Vikings are tearing themselves apart! In-game, receiving a letter twice as two different kings that Wessex coveted my lands was worrisome. In fact, it carried the most opinion malice!
To be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely sure. I was even trying to sway this Bishop to make sure he endorsed me. Quite literally a month before he said something along the lines that we need more openness and communication if we want to work more effectively. If I had to assume, it may be because of opposing traits. Beornwulf, while a zealot, is a sadist, so that sinful trait may also carry an opinion malice. I'll do a bit of revision on that area to provide a reason.
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We've still got a few sizable powers in the Isles. Plus Sweden, if Sweden overseas is powerful.
Will be interesting to see if Alba keeps up their conquest of Ireland. If so, they'll outnumber everyone else.
Will be interesting to see if Alba keeps up their conquest of Ireland. If so, they'll outnumber everyone else.
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Aye, Britain has changed since Eadmund's time. Sweden, much like their friends in the Danelaw, are much weaker as a result of the succession of multiple sons. The splitting of the royal demesne has made them significantly weaker than before. However, the Scandinavian realms do rebound in the 11th century, so that's something to look forward to!
Interesting events transpire in Ireland. Scotland has a very difficult time keeping Ireland, especially from the Vikings. Leinster, in particular, becomes a right thorn in the side to the Scottish.
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So Beornwulf is called "Hammer of the Danes," eh? Well, that doesn't bode well for the Norse or the Danes. (The long history of the Norse incursion in England and beyond seems to be playing out somewhat accurately for you as the Norse infighting and inheritance issues always seem to undercut their territorial ambitions.)
However, Danish King Þorolfr from my AAR has an opinion about Beornwulf's nickname:
I'm sure he's not happy to see what Danish expansionism has come to in your timeline. But he's in the 8th Century, so about a century behind you. Don't mind him, too much. He's probably jealous that Beornwulf has such a great nickname. The nicknames Þorolfr acquires in his time won't be nearly as mighty.
However, Danish King Þorolfr from my AAR has an opinion about Beornwulf's nickname:
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I was inspired by the likes of Charles Martel and Edward Longshanks to provide him with the posthumous epithet "Hammer of the Danes." Has a nice ring to it, I'd like to believe! Aye, the Norse are too busy fighting themselves to see the looming threat of the Angles approaching ever closer.
I certainly understand the shock of Þorolfr. If I were him, a man named "Hammer of the Danes" would take me a little aback, too. I wonder what he would think of this whole debacle in England?
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If I were to crawl into Þorolfr's head (which is a very messed up place in a very different universe), I think his mind would be boggled by it. First, the concept of Norse lands in England, Ireland, and Scotland would be foreign to him immediately. Þorolfr lives before the Viking Age, but just on the cusp of it, so even raiding is more difficult than what it would be later. Certainly, he would be happy to see the results of expansionism but not so happy to see the Danes taking it on the chin by the Angles. In his timeline, Þorolfr is primarily fighting other Norse peoples to establish Danish supremacy in Scandinavia. For him, England is a far away exotic land. He'd certainly be disappointed to see the Danes losing. He's definitely a proto-nationalist.
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I suppose it goes to show how the world quickly evolved in the Dark Ages. I hadn't considered the difficulties of the trip through the North Sea onto the eastern coast of England. Exotic seems to be an interesting word to describe England.
It also appears the Scandinavian realms, at least, in game, suffer the same issues in the 10th and 11th centuries as they do in the late-8th. I suppose, however, that this, too, happens to the feudal kingdoms of western and central Europe.
And indeed, the Danes aren't having the best of times in England. Currently, in this story, England has changed much since the 870s. Observing the game map in 901, then comparing it to 907 shows the drastic change, mostly in favour of the Anglo-Saxons. Þorolfr, judging by his description, certainly wouldn't be a happy fellow!
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First off, another excellent chapter and a wonderful nickname for a ruler who I have very high hopes of. What is a little personal sadism as long as he is hammering the Danes (and others) out of England?
A couple of points did call to me;
A couple of points did call to me;
As Adrian II died in 872 it would be far more alarming if he had many a response (official or otherwise) to an event that happened in 902!
That is an evocative and unnerving name for a battle, the kind which has no winners but only survivors.
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Exactly! It's all for the sake of England!
Haha, yeah I suppose! Adrian II, in this time, really decided to not kick the bucket. Upon checking, Pope Adrian in my game lived until March of 907!
I was researching about areas around Norfolk to name this battle, and there's supposedly some rather big holes in the ground outside of Aylmerton. These holes, supposedly, were the site of iron ore pits which they mined between the 9th and 11th centuries. Upon reading further, legend has it there that "...the tall phantom of a woman in white is said to wander around these pits, sometimes peering into them, but all the while wringing her hands and moaning or shrieking. " With that unnerving myth, I think it's an even more interesting site for a battle.
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Pope Adrian II was born somewhere around 792, this would make him 115!
Far more relevant in universe is the effect it would have on popular Catholic culture. Catholic dogma holds that St. Peter was endowed with the papacy sometime in the middle of Christ’s 3 year ministry somewhere around 26-29 AD, and thereafter held it until his execution by Nero in 64 AD as part of the scapegoating of Christians for the Great Fire of Rome, for a total of 37-38 years. In our world, no pope since has reigned as long, with the closest being Pope Pius IX’s reign of 32 years. This has given rise to a popular belief, completely unsupported by dogma or canon law, that it is not possible for a pope to reign as long as Peter unless something like the end of the world was happening.
Here though, Adrian has not only reached an age like the patriarchs, but he’s reigned a solid 40 years. There’s probably peasants all across Europe panicking thinking that this is the herald of Armageddon.
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That is really interesting to hear! Something even more curious, is that in-game, the reason Adrian passed is because he took his own life. So, in theory, if that hadn't happened in the game, he would've reigned for a longer time, and been much longer-lived (may have been because he had the melancholic trait)! There was another Pope in this game, which reigned for a total of 37 years, but no one else currently has been able to get to Adrian's reign of 40 (In A.D 1005).
The current Pope is 110, however, and his predecessor was 102. Unsure if that carries any further meaning, however.
Thank you for sharing this piece of information. This is both interesting and amusing.
I do wonder, though, with Adrian's passing, what would happen next? Seeing as no other Pope has been able to reach that mark.
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V. Wessex ascendant (908–914)
V. WESSEX ASCENDANT (908–914)
Arnd, Duke of Saxony
By the spring of 908, the political situation in England was rapidly evolving, and Beornwulf was in desperate need of reliable allies. While the East Angles had proven themselves militarily capable — albeit wholly unable to defend themselves from the vikings — the realm did not have the funds necessary to fight in a sustained conflict. As their allies of convenience, the West Saxons became increasingly belligerent, Beornwulf looked beyond the seas for continental connections.
The East Angles, by 908, had common interests with the Saxons of Germany. Not only were the two dynasties blood-related – with the Duke of Saxony being Beornwulf’s cousin – the two realms both sought external security. As the Carolingians’ dynastic feud engulfed central and western Europe, East Francia, particularly, had lost much in the wars which had consumed the Carolingian successor states.
The East Angles, by 908, had common interests with the Saxons of Germany. Not only were the two dynasties blood-related – with the Duke of Saxony being Beornwulf’s cousin – the two realms both sought external security. As the Carolingians’ dynastic feud engulfed central and western Europe, East Francia, particularly, had lost much in the wars which had consumed the Carolingian successor states.
Central Europe, c. 914
What the East Franks had been left with, by the early-10th century, were remnants of the Duchy of Saxony. This was, for the Saxons, undesirable, as the East Frankish King had to consistently rely on the Liudolfings’ support for the defence of the realm.
While the Saxons’ support for the East Angles became less official following Eadmund’s passing, this had changed in late-907 with Beornwulf and his wife, Glismod’s familial visit to Minden in October. There, the embers of alliance were reignited as a result of both common interest and a duty to one’s kin. In the spring of 908, the strength of the bonds holding this alliance together were tested as the Saxons waged war on the Wends for lands east of the Elbe.
Little is understood of the East Angles’ contribution in the first of many wars the Saxons waged against the Wends during the 10th century, but it is known that Beornwulf had committed a sizable force in support of this conflict – with knowledge of the first, and supposedly, only battle fought by the East Angles in eastern Germany recorded in a tome written by Beornwulf himself. The book, much like his father’s recording of the Battle of the Fens, describes the strategy involved, and the composition of Beornwulf and his opponent, a King Patryk of the Wends’ army at his defeat sometime in the winter months.
While the Saxons’ support for the East Angles became less official following Eadmund’s passing, this had changed in late-907 with Beornwulf and his wife, Glismod’s familial visit to Minden in October. There, the embers of alliance were reignited as a result of both common interest and a duty to one’s kin. In the spring of 908, the strength of the bonds holding this alliance together were tested as the Saxons waged war on the Wends for lands east of the Elbe.
Little is understood of the East Angles’ contribution in the first of many wars the Saxons waged against the Wends during the 10th century, but it is known that Beornwulf had committed a sizable force in support of this conflict – with knowledge of the first, and supposedly, only battle fought by the East Angles in eastern Germany recorded in a tome written by Beornwulf himself. The book, much like his father’s recording of the Battle of the Fens, describes the strategy involved, and the composition of Beornwulf and his opponent, a King Patryk of the Wends’ army at his defeat sometime in the winter months.
Unfortunately, much of the knowledge the book held was lost in 942, as an invading force of Northmen sacked Dunwich. While a great deal of the book’s contents were burned, the little that remains comments on Beornwulf’s own overconfidence, and the amount of Wends which befell his own forces outside of Halberstadt in the Winter months. The King, Beornwulf, was wounded in this battle, whereupon he made his return to East Anglia in June of 909.
Upon his return, he had arranged a marriage between his only child, Wulfgyth, and Aimery of Poitiers, the half-brother of Duke Ramnulf of Aquitaine, and a subsequent negotiation of mutual military support between the two realms.
This diplomatic victory for the realm was short-lived, as tragedy struck the royal household the following year. Beornwulf’s wife – Glismod – had died in childbirth, and the babe a stillborn.
Upon his return, he had arranged a marriage between his only child, Wulfgyth, and Aimery of Poitiers, the half-brother of Duke Ramnulf of Aquitaine, and a subsequent negotiation of mutual military support between the two realms.
This diplomatic victory for the realm was short-lived, as tragedy struck the royal household the following year. Beornwulf’s wife – Glismod – had died in childbirth, and the babe a stillborn.
An air of melancholy surrounded the palace in the following months, only interrupted by the King’s hastily organised marriage to Æthelthryth of Kent in April of the same year. Beornwulf’s second marriage was, according to Bishop and friend of the King, Stawell, “...loveless, and out of convenience.” As quickly as the embers of Beornwulf’s Saxon alliance had been rekindled, it was snuffed out in an instant. The death of Glismod – the Saxon Duke’s sister – had created a distance between the two realms which neither wanted to cross.
Despite the tragedy, the East Angles had defeated a Viking raid on Elmham in September, recovering much of their plunder from the Cathedral. While the affiliation of the Viking warband is unknown, this had encouraged Beornwulf to wage war on the Northmen of Mercia and Northumbria.
While the Viking raid on Elmham Cathedral may have been a scapegoat for a reclamation of the borough of Nottingham, it was a strategic move to fight the Danes at this very moment. With the West Saxons’ capture of Worcester and Hereford sometime during the Saxons’ war with the Wends, the Danes were in complete disarray, as Haukr attempted to unshackle himself from Mercian overlordship. This had begun a conflict which had shattered the organisation of the two realms, as banditry and lawlessness ran rampant in Northumbria and western Mercia – spurring on more ambitious vassals to declare outright independence from the two crowns.
Despite the tragedy, the East Angles had defeated a Viking raid on Elmham in September, recovering much of their plunder from the Cathedral. While the affiliation of the Viking warband is unknown, this had encouraged Beornwulf to wage war on the Northmen of Mercia and Northumbria.
While the Viking raid on Elmham Cathedral may have been a scapegoat for a reclamation of the borough of Nottingham, it was a strategic move to fight the Danes at this very moment. With the West Saxons’ capture of Worcester and Hereford sometime during the Saxons’ war with the Wends, the Danes were in complete disarray, as Haukr attempted to unshackle himself from Mercian overlordship. This had begun a conflict which had shattered the organisation of the two realms, as banditry and lawlessness ran rampant in Northumbria and western Mercia – spurring on more ambitious vassals to declare outright independence from the two crowns.
England in the Summer of 912
Beornwulf, alongside his Aquitanian allies, had captured Nottingham in late-April, with the momentum carrying the two armies to capture Warwick and Stafford in the Winter of 913 with little resistance. There, they made their winter quarters, besieging Chester, the residence of Haukr in the Summer – with Haukr suing for peace in October of the same year. The following month, Beornwulf had appointed a High Reeve of Nottingham to manage his new conquests.
While this was a resounding victory for the East Angles, the West Saxons’ jealousy grew by each year’s passing. Ælfred was desperate for more glory – to live up to his father’s name – and while his conquests in western Mercia had proven himself as an effective leader, the East Angles had made significantly more progress in reconquering the lost kingdoms of the heptarchy. Even with Aquitaine as Beornwulf’s ally, Wessex alone could field more men, and fight in sustained conflict much longer than any army fielded by the East Angles.
By the Spring of 914, West Saxon sources had begun describing Beornwulf not as ‘King of the East Angles,’ but as ‘Lord of the East Angles.’ This shift in recognition from independent ruler to vassal marks the loss of East Anglia’s independence, either under the domination of Wessex, or becoming a vassal of Wessex outright. It is mentioned, however, that Beornwulf was exempt from contributing much to the fyrd and was given many tax breaks from Ælfred, attested by numerous sources in the early-to-mid 10th century.
While this was a resounding victory for the East Angles, the West Saxons’ jealousy grew by each year’s passing. Ælfred was desperate for more glory – to live up to his father’s name – and while his conquests in western Mercia had proven himself as an effective leader, the East Angles had made significantly more progress in reconquering the lost kingdoms of the heptarchy. Even with Aquitaine as Beornwulf’s ally, Wessex alone could field more men, and fight in sustained conflict much longer than any army fielded by the East Angles.
By the Spring of 914, West Saxon sources had begun describing Beornwulf not as ‘King of the East Angles,’ but as ‘Lord of the East Angles.’ This shift in recognition from independent ruler to vassal marks the loss of East Anglia’s independence, either under the domination of Wessex, or becoming a vassal of Wessex outright. It is mentioned, however, that Beornwulf was exempt from contributing much to the fyrd and was given many tax breaks from Ælfred, attested by numerous sources in the early-to-mid 10th century.
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Once more, a shorter chapter than usual, but I believe the ending is perfect to set up the rest of Beornwulf's life. What do you think of Beornwulf as a ruler? Do you think he made the right decision bowing to Wessex?
In any case, I do hope you enjoyed reading. As always, please let me know what you think.
Stay tuned.
In any case, I do hope you enjoyed reading. As always, please let me know what you think.
Stay tuned.
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Once more, a shorter chapter than usual, but I believe the ending is perfect to set up the rest of Beornwulf's life. What do you think of Beornwulf as a ruler? Do you think he made the right decision bowing to Wessex?
In any case, I do hope you enjoyed reading. As always, please let me know what you think.
Stay tuned.
Yes, because from the inside, he's by far the strongest power in England. All he has to do is ensure one of his sons retains all his lands, and the next ruler can usurp the wessex control.
Better still, as the largest vassal, he can make friends with the other vassals, form a faction and demand he become king peacefully. And if they don't, he can declare war, tear the realm apart and get good relations with everyone on his side.
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