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The Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons: The Wars of King Alfred 865-899
In this compelling military and political history of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom, Paul Hill explores England’s birth amidst the devastation and fury of the Danish invasions of the ninth century. He provides insight into the English response to the new challenges of warfare in these years of turbulence and danger.
Alfred the Great, youngest son of King Æthelwulf, took control of the last surviving Anglo-Saxon kingdom, bringing Wessex and the ‘English’ parts of Mercia together into a new ‘Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons’. This is a story of betrayal and of vengeance, of turncoat oath-breakers and loyal commanders, of battles fought and won against the odds.
But above all, this is the story of how England came into being.
Warfare in Alfred’s England changed from attritional set-piece battles to a grander strategic concern. This is explored, demonstrating how defence-in-depth fortification networks were built across the resurgent kingdom in the wake of Alfred’s victory at Edington in 878. The arrival of new Danish armies into England in the 890s would lead to campaigns quite unlike those of the Great Heathen Army of the previous generation.
This is a human, as well as a military story: how a king demonstrated his right to rule was important. Alfred sought to secure the succession on his son Edward, who led his own forces as a young man in the 890s. But not everybody was happy in Alfred’s England. Despite the ever-present threat from the Danes, the greatest challenge facing Alfred arose from his own kin, centred deep in the heart of ancient Wessex. Alfred knew very well that his was not the only branch of the family who claimed a right to rule.
Alfred the Great, youngest son of King Æthelwulf, took control of the last surviving Anglo-Saxon kingdom, bringing Wessex and the ‘English’ parts of Mercia together into a new ‘Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons’. This is a story of betrayal and of vengeance, of turncoat oath-breakers and loyal commanders, of battles fought and won against the odds.
But above all, this is the story of how England came into being.
Warfare in Alfred’s England changed from attritional set-piece battles to a grander strategic concern. This is explored, demonstrating how defence-in-depth fortification networks were built across the resurgent kingdom in the wake of Alfred’s victory at Edington in 878. The arrival of new Danish armies into England in the 890s would lead to campaigns quite unlike those of the Great Heathen Army of the previous generation.
This is a human, as well as a military story: how a king demonstrated his right to rule was important. Alfred sought to secure the succession on his son Edward, who led his own forces as a young man in the 890s. But not everybody was happy in Alfred’s England. Despite the ever-present threat from the Danes, the greatest challenge facing Alfred arose from his own kin, centred deep in the heart of ancient Wessex. Alfred knew very well that his was not the only branch of the family who claimed a right to rule.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
280 pages, ebook
Published January 1, 2022
About the author
Paul Hill
128 books3 followersLibrarian Note:
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There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 15, 2022
NB: free ARC received in exchange for honest review
Solid account of the rise of the 'Danish' threat in 9th century England, and the wars fought in the lifetime of Alfred the Great - including those of his predecessors as King of Wessex. It's not always a simple tale to tell. As with most academically rigorous histories of poorly documented periods, there are often multiple possible versions of what happened and where, and a lot of the details are either in doubt or simply unknown. Nonetheless, the prose is readable and the author does a good job of explaining the possible interpretations and the one that they believe is most likely.
If you have an interest in the period and want something that delves a bit deeper than a 'popular history' account, this is a solid offering to check out.
Solid account of the rise of the 'Danish' threat in 9th century England, and the wars fought in the lifetime of Alfred the Great - including those of his predecessors as King of Wessex. It's not always a simple tale to tell. As with most academically rigorous histories of poorly documented periods, there are often multiple possible versions of what happened and where, and a lot of the details are either in doubt or simply unknown. Nonetheless, the prose is readable and the author does a good job of explaining the possible interpretations and the one that they believe is most likely.
If you have an interest in the period and want something that delves a bit deeper than a 'popular history' account, this is a solid offering to check out.
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April 9, 2022I read this as an ARC from Netgalley.com.
In The Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons, Paul Hill walks you from the leaders leading up to and then through the lifetime of King Alfred the Great. I felt that Hill is the kind of author who not only knows what he's talking about, but he can also convey information in such a way that even a layperson can easily understand what is happening in this confusing time period. I appreciated that Hill would include theories from different schools of thought when if came to identities of people close to Alfred, or troop movements.
All in all, I found it a fairly easy read and would recommend this to anyone looking to learn about this time period.
In The Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons, Paul Hill walks you from the leaders leading up to and then through the lifetime of King Alfred the Great. I felt that Hill is the kind of author who not only knows what he's talking about, but he can also convey information in such a way that even a layperson can easily understand what is happening in this confusing time period. I appreciated that Hill would include theories from different schools of thought when if came to identities of people close to Alfred, or troop movements.
All in all, I found it a fairly easy read and would recommend this to anyone looking to learn about this time period.
March 20, 2023
The rise of a unified English isle. Paul Hill explains the rise of an Anglo-Saxon kingdom that would eventually unite all of the English Isle into a world power. Well worth the time and reasonable cost for this book.
March 8, 2022
Paul Hill is one of those special authors who is deeply entrenched in the work he is doing but also realizes just how confusing reaching back into history can be. It makes for a very entertaining read in The Kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons.
Hill takes you step by step through the time just before and during the life of Alfred the Great. Along the way, we are introduced to many characters who are cloaked in the mist of history. Hill is adept at making sure to separate fact, conjecture, and just straight fiction. He keeps the reader engaged with witty observations and more importantly, the deft touch of a teacher rather than a lecturer. I laughed out loud multiple times when Hill admits how confusing it can be to figure out if these historical figures are the same people or separate people with the same name. Scholarly works can often veer into a dry restatement of facts. Hill avoids those pitfalls and keeps this interesting.
Hill adds a bit of fun and it makes for a very readable book. This is a scholarly book so don’t expect it to read like a novel.
(Full review at: http://historynerdsunited.com/2022/03...)
Hill takes you step by step through the time just before and during the life of Alfred the Great. Along the way, we are introduced to many characters who are cloaked in the mist of history. Hill is adept at making sure to separate fact, conjecture, and just straight fiction. He keeps the reader engaged with witty observations and more importantly, the deft touch of a teacher rather than a lecturer. I laughed out loud multiple times when Hill admits how confusing it can be to figure out if these historical figures are the same people or separate people with the same name. Scholarly works can often veer into a dry restatement of facts. Hill avoids those pitfalls and keeps this interesting.
Hill adds a bit of fun and it makes for a very readable book. This is a scholarly book so don’t expect it to read like a novel.
(Full review at: http://historynerdsunited.com/2022/03...)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews