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Anglo-Saxon England is a podcast looking at the history of Anglo-Saxon England, beginning with the end of Roman Britain and ending with the Norman Conquest. We will not only talk about the history but also the literature, culture, and historiography of the Anglo-Saxon period. This show strives to offer an accessible but scholarly rigorous overview that will appeal both to beginners and to experts.
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The Wanderer Anglo Saxon History, mythology, and religion
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The Wanderer Anglo Saxon History, mythology, and religion
Frank Docherty
The Wanderer. This is a podcast for Anglo-Saxon Heathenism, history and mythology. We will discuss subjects such as Yggdrasil, the world tree, the Anglo Saxon Runes, The people who were alive at the time when Heathenism was the only religion open to them, how the people worshipped their gods, and which gods were most popular to different sections of Anglo Saxon Society. This is a PayPal link if anyone wants to donate a dollar or a pound to help keep the podcast going. If you would like to su ...
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A weekly podcast about all things pre-conquest England!
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Do the Anglo-Saxons still have relevance? Do they really matter? I’d like to posit that they do, and in this podcast, we'll be hearing directly from the Anglo-Saxons themselves in order to better understand who these people were and how they viewed the world around them. Join me, as we read from Bede's Ecclesiastical History, Alfred's Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Beowulf, and more.
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This is the story of how a new country and culture emerged from the chaos of the Dark Ages; and the story of the period that laid the foundations of modern England. Now forms the first 21 episodes of The History of England Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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An audio book series following the fates of three young warriors. The 9th Century is growing old and the great Pagan host of the Vikings has conquered the Saxon lands. All except for the final kingdom: Wessex. In the fight that follows, who will emerge with their life, and who's cause will be just? A new episode will be released on 10.10.16
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Monsters abound in Anglo-Saxon literature. One type of monster that shows up again and again is the cannibal. Heroes such as Beowulf and Andreas face humanoid monsters that threaten to literally consume their victims.
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A common feature of early Anglo-Saxon history, at least as presented by Bede, is what is called ‘pagan reaction’. Since Bede was writing an ecclesiastical history, that is a history of the Church, reactions against the spread of Christianity of course greatly disturbed him. Usually, these reactions took the form of kings who aggressively reversed t…
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English in the Byzantine Armed Forces: The Varangian Guard and Anglo-Saxon Ethnic Consciousness One of the most interesting episodes in Byzantine military history and in medieval English history is the Anglo-Saxon participation and service in the Varangian Guards regiment from the late 11th to the early 13th century. Byzantine army became increasin…
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The burial at Sutton Hoo is one of the enduring symbols of Anglo-Saxon England, but who is the man that is often said to be buried there? In this episode we take a look at the life of one King Raedwald and the famous burial that may be he enduring legacy. Credits – Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&l…
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In the days of King Alfred the Great, when the moon was full and its pale light bathed the land in an eerie glow, a terror stalked the kingdom of Wessex. The people whispered tales of bloodthirsty creatures, half-human and half-beast, that roamed the countryside under the curse of the werewolf. As the legend grew, fear gripped the hearts of village…
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n the annals of history, the swords of the Anglo-Saxons stand as both artifacts of exquisite craftsmanship and vessels of profound symbolism. These blades, hailing from a time when metallurgy was an art form and weaponry held cultural significance, offer a gateway into the values, warfare techniques, and societal norms of the early Germanic tribes …
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Medieval Mallorca1346Jaume Ferrer, Mallorcan navigator set sail on 10th August to sail along the coast of Africa to Senegal and, perhaps, even to Niger. His journey is depicted in the Catalan Atlas. 1348 Palma was devastated by one of the most virulent of all strains of the Black Death that erupted during the Middle Ages and there were more than 5,…
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Of all the early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, East Anglia has probably the richest legendary history. While the historicity of this history is of course questionable, I believe that it is important to discuss it since it serves to situate the East Anglians (as well as their heirs the Mercians) in a larger North Sea cultural zone, but also because it links…
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The Anglo-Saxons believed in supernatural creatures such as Elves and Dwarves and giants ("Etins") who often brought harm to men. It is likely that they believed in Wyrd (German "werden"), usually translated as "fate," although the modern term fate does little justice to the true meaning of Wyrd. Being a Germanic people, the Anglo-Saxons worshiped …
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East Anglian history poses a particular problem for historians of Anglo-Saxon England. The Kingdom of East Anglia was one of just four kingdoms still in existence when the Great Heathen Army landed in England in 865, but hardly anything written records have survived from its time as an independent kingdom, most likely due to its having suffered the…
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With Kent wrapped up, and while I’m working on the next part of the podcast, I wanted to do another patron request episode. I have been asked to talk a bit about good books and resources for studying Anglo-Saxon history. This episode will be more free form than others, I just going to go through what for me are some of my go to resources. Some of t…
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Eadric Streona, (“The Acquisitor”) Eadric also spelled Edric, (died 1017), ealdorman of the Mercians, who, though a man of ignoble birth, was advanced to the revived office of ealdorman by the English king Ethelred II whose daughter Eadgyth Eadric married. Little is known of Eadric’s origins. His appointment to the office of ealdorman in 1007 was p…
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The history of Kent as a kingdom ends in the year 825. In one sense it was the result of Mercia's destruction of its native dynasty, but in another it saw the return of a legitimate Kentish dynasty to Canterbury. Credits – Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mun…
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Hel and her kingdom In Germanic mythology, Hel is a figure associated with the realm of the dead, also known as Helheim. Hel is the daughter of the trickster god Loki and the giantess Angrboda. She is described as having a half-living, half-dead appearance, with one side of her body appearing normal and the other side being decaying or skeletal. He…
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Following the death of Wihtred Kent entered a period of instability which left it open to the expanding ambitions of Mercia. What followed was almost 50 years of on and off Mercian overlordship which saw Kent invaded and restructured several times. In that time, the once great kingdom was brought to its knees. Credits – Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmun…
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King Wihtred, the king who restored Kentish independence, had a long but largely mysterious reign. However from what survives we can tell that his rule marked a final restoration of Kent as a free power able to negotiate with other kingdoms on its own terms. Wihtred also left a law code which allows us to see how markedly Kentish society had change…
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I realise tat Loki isnt part of the Anglo Saxon Pantheon, but I felt is is only right to remember him when we can. The Fenris wolf is also a good subject to talk about, as ihe is one of the most destructive beings in the cosmos, and can bring about chaos. The world tree, Yggdrasil is also an important part of Germanic mythology and goes through mor…
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The late 680s in Kent are another of those periods that have become quite familiar to us in our study so far: a period of upheaval following on the heels of war. In this case, the war was fought between Kent and the Gewisse between 686 and 688. It began, apparently, when Cædwalla invaded Kent in 686 and saw the subjection of Kent until his abdicati…
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After the death of Ecgberth in 673, the throne of Kent passed to his younger brother Hlothhere. There is some debate as to whether Hlothhere succeeded Ecgberht immediately or after an interregnum. While this may suggest some instability in Kent in the 670s, when seen as part of the kingdom’s larger political history it is clear that the line of Eor…
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With the death of Eadbald, we find ourselves square in the middle of a complicate textual history regarding the foundation legend of the monastery of Minster-in-Thanet. The various narratives which make up this history are all collectively known as the ‘Kentish royal legend’ or sometimes as the ‘Mildreth legend’ after St Mildreth (sometimes Mildred…
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Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, also known as Anglo-Saxon paganism or Anglo-Saxon polytheism, is a modern reconstructionist pagan religion that seeks to revive and reconstruct the pre-Christian spiritual beliefs and practices of the Anglo-Saxon people. This form of Heathenry is based on the historical records of the Anglo-Saxons, including the Anglo-Saxon C…
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Despite Æthelberht’s official adoption of the new Christian creed, he seems to have been largely unsuccessful in promoting it among his courtiers. His own son, Eadbald, refused to adopt the faith. Upon his father’s death in 616 his pagan heir ascended to the throne of Kent. So began Kent's 'pagan reaction', a time in which the Church at Canterbury …
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Any list of the most consequential Anglo-Saxons would need to include King Æthelberht of Kent. As the king who welcomed the Augustinian Mission in 597 and gave them his protection Æthelberht was personally responsible foe the start of England’s official conversion to Christianity; an event which would have massive cultural and political implication…
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Anglo-Saxon Heathenry and the future Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, also known as Anglo-Saxon paganism, is a modern revivalist movement that seeks to reconstruct the religious and cultural practices of the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon people. It is based on historical research and archaeological evidence, as well as personal experiences and spiritual insights…
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Kent consists of a small spur sticking out of the south-eastern tip of England. To its north lies the mouth of the River Thames and to its south it the English Channel. As the closest point between Britain and mainland Europe, Kent has always been an entry point into the British Isles. This means that it has often been a hub of international trade …
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The most famous Old English battle poem, The Battle of Maldon, commemorates a very different sort of conflict: a battle that took place in 991 during which the ealdorman of Essex, Byrhtnoth, allowed his ofermod (‘pride’ or ‘overconfidence’) to get the better of him. Byrhtnoth, the leader of his loyal veterans and local Anglo-Saxon troops, permitted…
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As historians we thrive on the material culture of the past. You don’t need to be an historical materialist to recognize that without material culture our understanding of history is severely limited. Objects are the raw material from which we make history. What then do objects tell us about the early development of Anglo-Saxon history and society?…
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The period of West Saxon consolidation under Ine had major implications not just for Wessex but for peoples elsewhere in Britain and even on the Continent. One man who embodies the international impact of Ine’s reign is Boniface, a West Saxon who devoted his life to missionary work in what is today Germany and Austria. A product of Wessex’s western…
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Muspelheim is a realm in Norse and Germanic mythology and is one of the Nine Worlds that make up the universe. It is located in the south and is often described as the world of fire. The name Muspelheim comes from the Old Norse words "mus" meaning "fire" and "pel" meaning "world". In Norse and germanic mythology, Muspelheim is the land of the fire …
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Michael Lapidge called Aldhelm the first English ‘man of letters’ on account of his vast learning. Bede said of him that he was ‘most learned in every respect’ and that he was both a mast of style as well as possessing an unrivalled knowledge of both classical and patristic writings. Aldhelm’s writings set the standard for Anglo-Latin literature th…
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In Anglo-Saxon mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, one of the Nine Realms. It is ruled over by the god Woden, and is the destination of the souls of warriors who die in battle, known as einherjar. The einherjar is chosen by Woden and his valkyries, who are female figures who decide who shall live and who shall die in…
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It’s probably no exaggeration to say the Alfred the Great is one of the most, if not the most, famous Anglo-Saxon of them all. The only British monarch given the epithet ‘the Great’, the traditional account of his life is one of a scholar forced into the role of a war leader who defied the odds to save and unite not just his people, but all the Eng…
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Much like the Advent Lyrics, the second Christ poem, which I will refer to as ‘The Ascension’ is focused on another key moment from the Christian story; the ascension of Christ 40 days after the Crucifixion. The poem is one of four written by the mysterious poet Cynewulf who drew on a wide array of scriptural and extra-biblical sources in the creat…
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Founded by nut the great, the Danish ruler of England in the early 11th century, the Huscarls were modelled upon the Joms Vikings although new research has found that the Joms Vikings weren't as disciplined as was thought, and the Saga was probably embellished. Cnut established them as a permanent body of professional warriors, They were 3000 stron…
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Æthelwulf’s will attests to his desire that upon his death Wessex would pass into the hands of his sons. This desire was fulfilled when his eldest surviving son Æthelbald became king following his father’s death in 858. The years that passed between this accession and the rise of the youngest son, Alfred, to the throne in 871 would see a complex de…
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Apart from high policy and legislation, the business of government lay with the local authority, and the local authority was the local assembly of freemen. The local unit was the tun or township, the village, the group of households whose members occupied the surrounding land and settled such of their affairs - as a required settlement in the town'…
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Saxnot also appears in the Old Saxon Baptismal Vow of the 9th century alongside Woden and Thunear. "I renounce all the deeds and words of the devil, Thunear, Wōden and Saxnōt, and all those fiends that are their companions." Based on the date of the Baptismal Vow it appears that Saxnot remained an important deity to the Saxons.…
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Æthelwulf, father of Alfred the Great, was perhaps the most innovative king Wessex had seen since the reign of Ine. Although he would dedicate much of his reign to securing the throne, through the dual impact of intense Viking raiding and personal hubris his experiment would finally explode in his face casting a permanent shadow on his legacy but a…
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In 786 King Cynewulf was murdered throwing Wessex into disorder. In the midst of the feuding that followed King Offa of Mercia moved in to secure the West Saxons’ passivity by elevating a puppet to the throne. He did this in the form of his son-in-law Beorhtric. This manoeuvre did not go unchallenged, though, and Beorhtric faced opposition from at …
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The Theft of Mjolnir Thor's Hammer Of all the strange Norse tales that survived, the theft of Mjolnir Thor's hammer must be the funniest and somehow awkward. Many questions might come to mind, like who dared to steal Mjolnir or how Thor retrieved Mjolnir back. This blog post on BaviPower would retell the story in the most concise way. One day, Thor…
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What is Old English poetry? How does it work? In this unlocked bonus episode I walk you through the ways that Anglo-Saxon poets created their work and how this distinctively English art form worked. For more of these cultural bonus episodes go to the shows Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/anglosaxonengland Credits – Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmu…
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Following Ine’s abdication in 726, the rest of the eighth century was a time of uncertainty for Wessex. It is a period that is not well served by the primary evidence, and we don’t really get detailed accounts of the kingdom’s history again until the rise of Ecgberht in 802. It is a period in which Wessex was often threatened by the ascendant power…
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This week, I conclude my look at the form of Christianity that came to be practiced in England across the Anglo-Saxon period. In this episode I look at beliefs about death, the afterlife, and the end of the world. https://www.patreon.com/posts/anglo-saxon-part-74741793?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator Lea…
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Anglo-Saxon England
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Early Medieval Cornwall: Interview with Author John Fletcher
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In this episode I interview author and historical reenactor John Fletcher about his book 'The Western Kingdom: The Birth of Cornwall'. It's an accessible and fascinating history of Cornwall in the early middle ages and well worth picking up if you are at all interested in the history of south-western Britain or in Cornwall since it really dives int…
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This week, I begin a two part wrap up of our look at the major themes of Old English literature by looking at the form of Christianity that came to be practiced in England across the Anglo-Saxon period. This and the next episode are actually recordings of two chapters from my PhD thesis which aimed to provide an overview of the theology and practic…
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The Fortification of Asgard A certain smith arrived at Asgard one day and offered to build the gods a high wall around their home to protect them from any who might wish them ill. The smith (certainly a giant himself) said he could complete his work in a mere three seasons, but demanded a steep compensation: the hand of the goddess Freya in marriag…
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Of all the kings of Wessex prior to the reign of King Alfred, Ine is the one with probably the greatest reputation. This rests mostly on the respect afforded to his law code by King Alfred in the preface to his own collection of legal rulings. There Alfred explicitly set himself in a tradition following from Moses and Ine in making laws for his peo…
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Upon the abdication of Centwine in 685 the Gewisse were thrown into chaos. From the forests on their eastern frontier came news of an exiled noble massing an army to press his claim to the throne. He had already cut his teeth on the South Saxons by driving out their king and facing a revolt by his nobles, but now he was looking to return home to se…
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The Anglo-Saxons prised wisdom. It permeated every aspect of their culture and they created an elaborate literature of wisdom meant to convey both profound truths and practical knowledge. In this bonus episode we take an overview of Old English wisdom literature; its characteristics and subjects, and we also talk a bit about gnomes. Learn more at P…
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The period between Cynegil’s baptism in 636 and the rise of Cædwalla in 685 is one in which the political history of the Gewisse becomes extremely complicated. This is because the political structure of the Gewisse that had developed by this time was one in which any male heir of Cerdic was entitled to claim the throne. Thus while the Anglo-Saxon C…
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