The Death of Anglo-Saxon England

Old Duffer's Book Corner

Reviewed by Charles Vasey

N.J.Higham for Alan Sutton

If (like me) the hordes of Egberts, Egfriths and Egnogs that constitute Anglo-Saxon history confuse you this book is for you. It covers the collapse of the Cerdingas and then the collapse of their state. The text (supported with genealogical trees) opens with the mess that surrounded the accession of Aethelred the Unraed (the death of Edward the Martyr). Damaged by murder and strife in the royal house the book then moves to the Danish interregnum where a very large part of the English polity transferred its loyalty rather than was conquered. The return of Edward the Confessor and the careful plotting constitutes the third section of the book. Edward's failure to support the remaining athelings leaves space for Harold Godwineson. The final section covers the events of 1066 providing a convincing explanation of why Earls Edwin and Morcar could provide no leadership for the realm. The author is pretty irritated that William won, and argues he was lucky, but that's the way the kingdom crumbles.

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