The Battle of Brunanburh

[Josquius]

I'm really getting into all this Anglo-Saxon stuff since reading Cornwell's viking books...they're good.

That's a different issue: the comparative fame of Alfred vs. Aethelstan. I was thinking more on the lines of "memorable decisive battles".

There is no *single* battle of Alfred's reign which is commemmorated in the same way as (say) Hastings.

Also, the issue was more the defining of the boundaries of England than a "clear" victory in the competition with the Vikings - don't forget about King Canute!  Though he was a Viking who "won" England, he really did not change much.   

True.
Even the burning the cakes thing when in hiding in the marshes isn't mentioned in schools these days.
The story of him watching the spider is though.
Which is odd.

[Malthus]

The "Ring" are arm ring. Usually made out of silver and were the wealth of the man carrying them. So a viking raider would carry his wealth in the form of rings on the for arm. Rings were gained as part of plunder, pillage and valour. So a man with many rings would be considered a valiant and successful man. Ring-giver would be the man who had the wealth to hand out silver rings and the inclination to reward valour.

These days, we call that a 'year end bonus'. 

[Malthus]

I'm really getting into all this Anglo-Saxon stuff since reading Cornwell's viking books...they're good.

That's a different issue: the comparative fame of Alfred vs. Aethelstan. I was thinking more on the lines of "memorable decisive battles".

There is no *single* battle of Alfred's reign which is commemmorated in the same way as (say) Hastings.

Also, the issue was more the defining of the boundaries of England than a "clear" victory in the competition with the Vikings - don't forget about King Canute!  Though he was a Viking who "won" England, he really did not change much.   

True.
Even the burning the cakes thing when in hiding in the marshes isn't mentioned in schools these days.
The story of him watching the spider is though.
Which is odd.

Yeah, I'm a big fan of the new Cornwell series, too. They really are good.

It's awakened my interest in that era, of which I know very little.

[Valdemar]

I'm really getting into all this Anglo-Saxon stuff since reading Cornwell's viking books...they're good.

That's a different issue: the comparative fame of Alfred vs. Aethelstan. I was thinking more on the lines of "memorable decisive battles".

There is no *single* battle of Alfred's reign which is commemmorated in the same way as (say) Hastings.

Also, the issue was more the defining of the boundaries of England than a "clear" victory in the competition with the Vikings - don't forget about King Canute!  Though he was a Viking who "won" England, he really did not change much.   

True.
Even the burning the cakes thing when in hiding in the marshes isn't mentioned in schools these days.
The story of him watching the spider is though.
Which is odd.

Yeah, I'm a big fan of the new Cornwell series, too. They really are good.

It's awakened my interest in that era, of which I know very little.

I find, as with many such books he should have stopped at three, not extending the series for profit, I only read until I think 4, but it is already a tad weak compared to the first.

And Viking, apart from specifying that the rings are for arms, not fingers, I fail to understand that you aren't saying the same as I did?

V

[Agelastus]

...
Even the burning the cakes thing when in hiding in the marshes isn't mentioned in schools these days.
The story of him watching the spider is though.
Which is odd.

That story relates to Robert Bruce, as far as I am aware.

[Oexmelin]

IIRC, the BBC series on the History of Scotland mentionned it, from the perspective of the Scots: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hG01ZzlKxI

[Malthus]

IIRC, the BBC series on the History of Scotland mentionned it, from the perspective of the Scots: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hG01ZzlKxI

Heh, that looks very interesting - I'll have to check out the BBC online shop.

[Maximus]

...
Even the burning the cakes thing when in hiding in the marshes isn't mentioned in schools these days.
The story of him watching the spider is though.
Which is odd.

That story relates to Robert Bruce, as far as I am aware.

Yea I was going to say