The Earls Of Mercia

Author : Stephen Baxter
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 384 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2007-12-06
Category : History
ISBN : 9780191528217

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The Earls of Mercia by Stephen Baxter Pdf

This book constitutes a major reappraisal of the late Anglo-Saxon state on the eve of its demise. Its principal focus is the family of Ealdorman Leofwine, which obtained power in Mercia and retained it throughout an extraordinary period of political upheaval between 994 and 1071. In doing so it explores a paradox: that earls were extraordinarily wealthy and powerful yet distinctly insecure. The book contains the first extended treatment of earls' powers in late Anglo-Saxon England and shows that although they wielded considerable military, administrative and political powers, they remained vulnerable to exile and other forms of political punishment including loss of territory. The book also offers a path-breaking analysis of land tenure and the mechanics of royal patronage, and argues that the majority of earls' estates were held from the king on a revocable basis for the duration of their period in office. In order to compensate for such insecurities, earls used lordship and religious patronage to construct local networks of power. The book uses innovative methods for interpreting the representation of lordship in Domesday Book to reconstruct the affinity of the earls of Mercia. It also examines how the house of Leofwine made strategic use of religious patronage to cement local power structures. All this created intense competition between the earls of Mercia and their rivals for power, both at court and in the localities, and the book explores how factional rivalry determined the course of politics, and ultimately the fate of the late Anglo-Saxon state.

Author : Stephen Baxter,Stephen David Baxter
Publisher : Oxford University Press on Demand
Page : 382 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2007-12-06
Category : History
ISBN : 9780199230983

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The Earls of Mercia by Stephen Baxter,Stephen David Baxter Pdf

Focusing on the family of Ealdorman Leofwine, which retained power throughout an extraordinary period of political and dynastic upheaval, Stephen Baxter reassesses fundamental elements of late Anglo-Saxon government and society, offering a fresh interpretation of the structure of the late Anglo-Saxon polity and the origins of the Norman Conquest.

Author : M. J. Porter
Publisher : CreateSpace
Page : 306 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2015-09-25
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1517540232

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The King's Earl by M. J. Porter Pdf

Part 5 in the epic Earls of Mercia series Ealdorman Leofwine, bereaved and betrayed by the new Danish king of England, hides away from the politics of the Witan, desperate to forget his past links with Cnut and his father, Swein, only Cnut won't let his most trusted ealdorman go quite so easily. He knows that for his fledgling kingship to survive, he needs the old guard from the previous king's reign to add legitimacy to his own. His new men, the men who've followed him from Denmark, know how to conquer, but not how to rule the English. And Cnut has his eye on an even bigger prize. Leofric, left reeling by the murder of his older brother and with an aging father, and dying mother, turns his own thoughts to how he can uphold his family's position against the sudden and magnificent rise of the family of Godwin, the newly promoted Earl of Wessex, one of the men involved in the death of his brother. As much as he feels ambivalent towards the new king, he knows his family's position needs to grow or risk losing even more. His father has sacrificed too much to allow a usurper to claim the position at the Witan that is rightfully his. With Cnut's view increasingly focused on conquering and ruling the Scandinavian lands, with dangerous arguments between the Scandinavian men threatening the stability of the Crown, can the House of Leofwine survive the kingship of the new Danish king and keep its place at the heart of early eleventh century politics, whether they want it or not?

Author : M. J. Porter
Publisher : Earls of Mercia
Page : 326 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2017-08-22
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 1549555421

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The Earl of Mercia by M. J. Porter Pdf

Leofric, eldest son of Earl Leofwine, thought he'd done enough to assure himself of his father's position when he died. But events outside England constantly distract King Cnut, and instead of his prized earldom, Leofric finds himself as Sheriff of Worcester, a position of strength and power, but heaped with the responsibilities of his father without the title to go with it. Admired by many, his advice is sought by the king, queen, and would-be-queen, whilst he's despised by Earl Godwine; the king's greatest English ally, related to King Cnut by a tenuous family relationship. As events force Cnut ever further away from England, and his own ambitions grow so that he sees himself as more emperor than king, Leofric must find his own path through the intrigue of the court, through the murky relationship between Cnut's two wives, three sons and daughter, as he tries to determine just what it is his king wants from him before he'll grant him the title of earl and how, if he gains it, he'll keep it in the face of the ambitions of Earl Godwine. Only as Cnut turns his attention back to Leofric's beloved England, threatened by internal discord, does Leofric understand how much his king truly needs his support, and find a way to achieve his life-long ambition, to become, just as his father was, The Earl of Mercia. Covering the period from 1026-1031, The Earl of Mercia is the sixth (main series) full-length novel in the epic Earls of Mercia, charting the House of Leofwine from its humble beginnings in 991 throughout the final years of Anglo-Saxon England.

Author : M. J. Porter
Publisher : Lulu.com
Page : 176 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2015-06-25
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 132631470X

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Swein by M. J. Porter Pdf

Before his encounter with Ealdorman Leofwine on his fateful trip to Shetland, King Swein first had to wrestle Denmark from his father's kingship and make his own name as a warrior of great renown. This side story to the Earls of Mercia series tells of the early years of King Swein's reign, his first raid on England, his encounter with Ealdorman Leofwine and his quest to once and for all kill Olaf of Norway, culminating in the mighty sea battle of Svolder in 999. Swein, the Danish King is a companion novella to the epic Earls of Mercia series and should perhaps be read following Ealdormen, book 2 of the Earls of Mercia series.

Author : Annie Whitehead
Publisher : Amberley Publishing Limited
Page : 497 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2018-09-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9781445676531

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Mercia by Annie Whitehead Pdf

The extraordinary history of Mercia and its rulers from the seventh century to 1066. Once the supreme Anglo-Saxon kingdom, it was pivotal in the story of England.

Author : M. J. Porter
Publisher : Lulu.com
Page : 234 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2017-11-19
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 1326428756

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The King's Earl by M. J. Porter Pdf

Ealdorman Leofwine, bereaved and betrayed by the new Danish King of England, hides away from the politics of the Witan, desperate to forget his past links with Cnut and his father, Swein, only Cnut won't let his most trusted ealdorman go quite so easily. He knows that for his fledgling kingship to survive, he needs the old guard from the previous king's reign to add legitimacy to his own. His new men, the men who've followed him from Denmark, know how to conquer, but not how to rule the English. And Cnut has his eye on an even bigger prize.

Author : M. J. Porter
Publisher : CreateSpace
Page : 290 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2014-06-02
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 1499735286

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Ealdorman by M. J. Porter Pdf

Ealdorman - The Earls of Mercia Series England: The Second Viking Age Five ealdormen bestride King Aethelred II's Witan offering wise counsel whilst serving their King as his representative in the old Saxon Kingdoms, united now for nearly fifty years. Leofwine, newly created ealdorman of the Hwicce is chosen to represent his King on a vitally important diplomatic mission, but when tragedy befalls him he must fight for his survival and hold his own amongst men who call him friend but see him as a threat. Leofwine: wily diplomat or pandered invalid? As the Viking raiders grow ever more determined to take what is not theirs, forming alliances with the Norman Dukes and the Irish Kings, can Leofwine navigate the twisted paths of loyalty and self-interest to enable his King to fight for glory and self-respect?

Author : MJ Porter
Publisher : Boldwood Books Ltd
Page : 335 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2022-02-16
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781802807479

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Son of Mercia by MJ Porter Pdf

The start of a brand new series from bestselling author MJ Porter for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Matthew Harffy. 'Immediate and personal' Bestselling author Matthew Harffy 'No lover of Dark Age warfare is going to be disappointed. Son of Mercia is personal, real, fascinating and satisfying.' S.J.A. Turney 'If you love history, fiction, adventure and great stories, grab a copy of Son of Mercia. You won’t regret it!" Eric Schumacher Tamworth, Mercia AD825. The once-mighty kingdom of Mercia is in perilous danger. Their King, Beornwulf lies dead and years of bitter in-fighting between the nobles, and cross border wars have left Mercia exposed to her enemies. King Ecgberht of Wessex senses now is the time for his warriors to strike and exact his long-awaited bloody revenge on Mercia. King Wiglaf, has claimed his right to rule Mercia, but can he unite a disparate Kingdom against the might of Wessex who are braying for blood and land? Can King Wiglaf keep the dragons at bay or is Mercia doomed to disappear beneath the wings of the Wessex wyvern? Can anyone save Mercia from destruction? 'MJ Porter recounts a sensitive, reluctant hero's coming-of-age within a Dark Age realm riven by chaos and conflict' Bestselling author Matthew Harffy ‘Refreshing... I was reluctant to put the book down’ Historical Novel Society Readers are spell-bound by Son of Mercia!: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'So real I felt I was there!... A page-turner' Reader review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Wonderful to read and hard to put down' Reader review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I found the pages flying by... A great book' Reader review

Author : William Dugdale
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 464 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 1977
Category : Baronetage
ISBN : STANFORD:36105120227066

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The Baronage of England by William Dugdale Pdf

Author : Ann Williams
Publisher : A&C Black
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 2011-11-03
Category : History
ISBN : 9781441121189

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The World Before Domesday by Ann Williams Pdf

Ann Williams' important new book discusses the dynamics of English aristocratic society in a way that has not been explored before. She investigates the rewards and obligations of status including birth, wealth, the importance of public and royal service and the need to participate in local affairs, especially legal and administrative business. This period saw the birth of a 'lesser aristocracy', the ancestors of the English gentry, the power-house of society and politics in the late medieval and early modern periods. Going on to examine the obligations and rewards of lordship and the relations between lords and their men, Williams illustrates how status was displayed and covers the importance of the manorial house, which was at once a home, an estate centre and a symbol of authority and the insignia of rank in weaponry, clothing and personal adornment. The growing gap between the highest rank of society and the lowest, fuelled by underlying economic developments is also covered. In conclusion she considers some of the occupations which symbolized and perpetuated lordly power. Though the upper levels of aristocratic society were swept away by the Norman settlement, the 'lesser aristocracy' had a much higher rate of survival and it was this group who began the manorialization of English society, familiar from the late medieval period.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : BRILL
Page : 717 pages
File Size : 42,6 Mb
Release : 2020-04-28
Category : History
ISBN : 9789004421899

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The Land of the English Kin by Anonim Pdf

This volume draws together a series of papers that present some of the most up-to-date thinking on the history, archaeology and toponymy of Wessex and Anglo-Saxon England more broadly. In honour of one of early medieval European scholarship’s most illustrious doyennes, no less than twenty-nine contributions demonstrate the indelible impression Barbara Yorke’s work has made on her peers and a generation of new scholars, some of whom have benefitted directly from her tutorage. From the identities that emerged in the immediate post-Roman period, through to the development of kingdoms, the role of the church, and impacts felt beyond the eleventh century, the rich and diverse character of the studies presented here are testimony to the versatility and extensive range of the honorand’s contribution to the academic field.

Author : M. J. PORTER
Publisher : Lulu.com
Page : 324 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2014-08-03
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1291725040

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Ealdormen (the Earls of Mercia Book 2) by M. J. PORTER Pdf

Leofwine, Ealdorman of the Hwicce, has proved himself in battle and won the support of his King, Aethelred II, but the spectre of Swein of Denmark, the man who partially blinded him five years before, has suddenly become a harrowing reality. As the Viking raids intensify, conflict at the King's Witan and amongst his Councillors grows and Leofwine finds himself still treading a difficult path between loyalty and the twisted self-interests of the men the King surrounds himself with. Can Leofwine weather more storms and grow his own power base, or will his King, once and for all, lose patience with his broken Ealdorman?

Author : Frederic William Maitland
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 554 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 1897
Category : Feudalism
ISBN : ONB:+Z338775703

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Domesday Book and Beyond by Frederic William Maitland Pdf

Author : Martyn Whittock,Hannah Whittock Hannah Whittock
Publisher : The Crowood Press
Page : 172 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 2016-08-31
Category : History
ISBN : 9780719820502

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1018 and 1066 by Martyn Whittock,Hannah Whittock Hannah Whittock Pdf

The Norman Conquest of 1066 and the Viking Conquest by Cnut in 1016 both had huge impacts on the history of England and yet '1066' has eclipsed '1016' in popular culture. This book challenges that side-lining of Cnut's conquest by presenting compelling evidence that the Viking Conquest of 1016 was the single most influential cause of 1066. This neglected Viking Conquest of 1016 led to the exiling to Normandy and Hungary of the rightful Anglo-Saxon heirs to the English throne, entangled English politics with those of Normandy and Scandinavia, purged and destabilized the Anglo-Saxon ruling class, caused an English king to look abroad for allies in his conflict with over-mighty subjects and, finally, in 1066 ensured that Harold Godwinson was in the north of England when the Normans landed on the south coast. As if that was not enough, it was the continuation of the Scandinavian connection after 1066 which largely ensured that a Norman victory became a traumatic Norman Conquest.