Northumbria more successful?

[Lindseyman]

Kings up to 840AD

Bernicia

Ethelwald 789-811
Ethelwulf 811-829 (son of Ethelwald)
Ethelberht 829- (son of Ethelwulf)

Deira

Elfwine 788-821
Elfnoth 821-839(son of Elfwine)
Elfred 839-

Lindsey

Osbald 792-814
Oswulf 814-820 (son of Osbald)
Oswine 820- (brother of Oswulf)

Rheged

Riderch 791-815
Artgal 815- (son of Riderch, brother in law of Ethelwulf)

 

[Lindseyman]

Deira and Bernicia carried on being prosperous right through the 830s and 840s although there were increasing Norse raids on their west coasts and some settlement as well(the west coasts had never been the priority that the East coasts had been so the warning beacons were patchy and ill maintained). However as long as they paid their taxes no one worried too much (very bad move in the long run!).

Lindsey on the other hand started to have problems. Oswine's sons all died for various reasons (only one under suspicious circumstances and everyone suspected that he had been killed by the husband of one of his many lovers) and his only daughter had died in child birth, her daughter not surviving very long either.

As Oswine physically declined there began to be a power struggle between 3 claimants to the throne. Eadric who was Thegn of Lincoln and Master of the Kings Household, Leofwine, Thegn of Nottingham who traced descent back to Osred's eldest daughter and finally Waltheof Thegn of Leicester who again claimed descent from Osred. All 3 were evenly matched in power and forces and Oswine managed to keep them in check whilst his mental facilities remained intact even though his health declined rapidly.

However when Oswine died in 842 civil war broke out not aided by Mercia and Deira nibbling at the edges! After a 5 year struggle Leofwine came out on top. However his success was mainly due to Danish Mercenaries, led by Ragnar, whom he settled in the north of Lindsey in coastal land that was cut off by the Wolds to the south and marshes to the north west (near OTL Grimsby). Over the next ten years there was increased Danish settlement in this area and they began to take over more and more of what is North Lincolnshire OTL.

 

[Lindseyman]

The situation in Lindsey went from bad to worse. Leofwine, in 854, tried to reign in Ragnar and the Danes but met an unfortunate hunting accident. He was succeeded by his son Wulfstan who was even more beholden to the Danes and in addition was rather a weak and easily led man. More and more land was seized by the Danes and any noble who rode to Lincoln to complain met with accidents or just disappeared.

In 860 Ragnar got tired of even the pretence that Wulfstan was King and seized the throne for himself. He invited more Danes over and they started raids against the other English kingdoms using Lindsey as a base of operations. Deira was having to fight now on two fronts against the Norse in the west and the Danes in the east and it wasn't being too successful against either although it was at least maintaining the appearance of keeping its territorial integrity.

 

[Lindseyman]

Events in Alba and the North

King Uen son of Óengus of Fortriu, his brother Bran, Áed mac Boanta "and others almost innumerable"were killed in battle in battle against the Norse in 839. The resulting succession crisis seems, if the Pictish Chronicle king-lists have any validity, to have resulted in at least four would-be kings warring for supreme power.
Cionaoath's reign is dated from 843, but it was probably not until 848 that he defeated the last of his rivals for power. The Pictish Chronicle claims that he was king in Dál Riata for two years before becoming Pictish king in 843, but this is not generally accepted. In 849, Cionaoath had relics of Columba, which may have included the Monymusk Reliquary, transferred from Iona to Dunkeld.
The reign of Cionaoath also saw an increased degree of Norse settlement in the outlying areas of modern Scotland. Shetland, Orkney, Caithness, Sutherland, the Western Isles and the Isle of Man, and part of Ross were settled as were the old Kingdom of Alt Clud and much of western Rheged and Deira. The links between Cionaoath's kingdom and Ireland were weakened, those with southern England and the continent almost broken. In the face of this, Cionaoath and his successors were forced to consolidate their position in their kingdom, and the union between the Picts and the Gaels, already progressing for several centuries, began to strengthen. By the time of Donald II, the kings would be called kings neither of the Gaels or the Scots but of Alba.
Cionaoath died from a tumour on 13 February 858 at the palace of Cinnbelachoir. The annals report the death as that of the "King of the Picts", not the "King of Alba". The title "King of Alba" is not used until the time of Cionaoath's grandson Domnall mac Causantín and Constantín mac Áeda.
Cionaoath left at least two sons, Constantin and Áed, who were later kings, and at least one daughter. This daughter married Urien, king of Rheged, Constantine the Wise being the result of this marriage.

Kings of Bernicia
Ethelberht 829-847
Ethelwald II 847-862
Ethelfrith 862-866
Constantine 866-

Kings of Rheged
Artgal 815- 846
Urien 846-866
Constantine 866-

Kings of Deira
Elfred 839-861
Elfstan 861-866
Aelle 866-

The Kings of Bernicia and Rheged effectively lost control of Alt Clud in the late 840s although taxes were still collected until the mid 850s. Then taking advantage of the distractions being caused by the Danes the Norse effectively became independent and there was nothing that Urien nor Ethelwald could do about it but maintain control on what they had left.

Deira also lost control of its west coast although the Thegn of Devachester retained control and thrived. He officially was still a subject of the King of Deira but that was at best a polite fiction. Elfred also had to accept losing a large portion of the south of Deira to Ragnar in 860 after losing the Battle of Thornein 857AD


Britain in 860AD.

 

[Lindseyman]

In the 860AD campaign season, Ragnar swung south and west into Mercia. He harried through the East of the realm and finally forced Burgred into battle in August at Evesham(he had been hoping just to weather the storm). Burgred was decisively beaten and ended up with just the western rump of Mercia comprising of some of OTL Shropshire, Staffordshire Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Avon(Bristol and Bath).
In 861 Ragnar turned his attention to Wessex and defeated Ethelbald at Malmesbury and Chippenham but neither victory was in the least decisive so in future years Ragnar contented himself with mounting raids into Mercia, Wessex and Deira and terrorising East Anglia. He left Lundin alone although there were suspicions (later confirmed) that Lundin was paying a massive amount of tribute (Ragnar was wise enough not to kill the goose that lay golden eggs!)

 

[Lindseyman]

864AD-876AD The Years of Tears

In 864AD a massive Danish Fleet landed troops in Lindsey. It was led by Ivar the Boneless, Guthrum and Halfdan. Ragnar welcomed them with open arms as they were all close kin. The fleet sailed on to harry Wessex (Deira's and Bernicia's coastal defences were still strong) and East Anglia.

In 865 Mercia finally fell and Burgred fled to Wessex. The Danes contented themselves with plundering Mercia, the one or two raids they mounted into Powys soon convinced them that Rhodri was in full control and not to be provoked.

Then in 866AD the entire army struck North. In two battles at Fulford and Catterick the Deiran Army was destroyed and at Catterick the Kings of Deira(Elfstan) ,Bernicia(Ethelfrith) and Rheged (Urien) were slain. However Constantine of Rheged who was now King of both Bernicia and Rheged managed to defeat the Danes at Durham with the aid of the remnants of the Deiran Army now led by Aelle (Elfstan's nephew). The Danes withdrew south of the Tees but Aelle was not able to hold onto more than a small rump of Deira. Eorforwic surrendered without a fight.

In the years 867-869 the Danes consolidated their hold on Eastern Deira (Halfdan now styled himself Jarl of Jorvik) and in 869 finally killed Edmund the Martyr of East Anglia (by the Blood Eagle).

870-874 the whole island was raided and plundered. Elfred in Wessex had to buy them off, Constantine of Rheged beat one or two raids but paid tribute and Aelle in Deira hung on by the skin of his teeth. In 874 the Army split in two, the Northern portion led by Halfdan moved to finish off Deira and Rheged, the southern portion led by Guthrum moved to finish off Wessex. First Guthrum occupied Lundin and then struck west. He defeated Elfred at Chippenham and Sarum. Elfred was reduced to hiding with a few of his household troops in the Somerset marshes for four years.

Similarly in the north Halfdan rapidly occupied what was left of Deira but couldn't bring Aelle or Constantine to battle so contented himself with plundering the countryside. All seemed lost for the Saxons as Aelle and elfred were both in hiding and Constantine could not stop Halfdan raiding Rheged at will.

Britain in 876AD

 

[Lindseyman]

The final ignomony for the Saxons occurred in 876AD when Rhodri Mawr achieved the recapture of Devacaster and promptly renamed it Caerlion. Despite several attempts in later years Welsh it had become and Welsh it remained. This was the absolute nadir of Saxon fortunes and the Frankish Court had resigned itself to the fact that England was now Danskjord and would be used as a base for further and larger raids on Neustria and Brittany.

 

[FleetMac]

Wait, so now we have a Welsh Northumbria in Rheged, a Danish "England", and I'm guessing a much smaller/nonexistent Scotland? Where did THIS come from?

 

[Lindseyman]

The more things change the more they stay the same
There ARE still two Anglo-Saxon Kings at large and Elfred isn't going to be that different to OTL Alfred.

 

[Sulemain]

Didn't Northumbria have quite a well developed economy due to it's sophisticated coinage?

 

[Lindseyman]

Didn't Northumbria have quite a well developed economy due to it's sophisticated coinage?

It did unfortunately after the reign of Aldfrith(in OTL about the turn of the 8th century up to 714) it also had a well developed ability to change kings every few years so stability went out of the window. By the time things settled down again the Vikings happened.

 

[Lindseyman]

Wait, so now we have a Welsh Northumbria in Rheged, a Danish "England", and I'm guessing a much smaller/nonexistent Scotland? Where did THIS come from?

Despite what would be its protestations to the contary (as it does have a continuous history since the Romans left) Rheged is now as Brythonnic as Wessex EXCEPT for the naming traditions of its major families (and its peasants).

 

[idumea]

Very interesting, I think you are capturing the incredible flux of how these "kingdoms" could shift allegiance in mere years very well.

 

[The Professor]

Despite what would be its protestations to the contary (as it does have a continuous history since the Romans left) Rheged is now as Brythonnic as Wessex EXCEPT for the naming traditions of its major families (and its peasants).

So sort of like OTL South Wales?

 

[Lindseyman]

So sort of like OTL South Wales?

You might think that but I couldn't possibly comment

 

[Lindseyman]

In 877AD Ragnar finally died. There was some dispute between Guthrum and Haldan about who should succeed but Halfdan won that argument. From then on everything seemed to go badly for the Danes. Guthrum took over in the North and Halfdan the south.

The next year, in the seventh week after Easter, around Whit (May 878AD), Elfred gave up his guerrilla war in Somerset and rode to 'Egbert’s Stone' east of Selwood, where he was met by "all the people of Somerset and of Wiltshire and of that part of Hampshire which is on this side of the sea (that is, west of Southampton Water), and they rejoiced to see him". Elfred's emergence from his marshland stronghold was part of a carefully planned offensive that entailed raising the Fyrds of three shires. This meant not only that the king had retained the loyalty of ealdormen, royal reeves and king's thegns (who were charged with levying and leading these forces), but that they had maintained their positions of authority in these localities well enough to answer his summons to war. Elfred's actions also suggest a system of scouts and messengers built up during his four years in Somerset.

Elfred won a decisive victory in the ensuing Battle of Eddington, which may have been fought near Westbury, Wiltshire. He then pursued the Danes to their stronghold at Chippenham and starved them into submission. One of the terms of the surrender was that Halfdan convert to Christianity. Three weeks later the Danish king and 29 of his chief men were baptised at Elfred's court at Aller, near Athelney, with Elfred receiving Halfdan as his spiritual son.

The "unbinding of the chrism" took place with great ceremony eight days later at the royal estate at Wedmore in Somerset, after which Halfdan fulfilled his promise to leave Wessex. Whilst at Wedmore, Elfred and Halfdan divided England between them. The boundary between Elfred's and Halfdan's kingdoms was to run from the Thames, to Luton; from there extend in a straight line to Bedford; and from Bedford follow the Ouse to Watling Street.

By terms of the treaty, both agreed to Lundin regaining its independence (at least for the time being). Both were satisfied with the arrangement, admittedly Elfred more than Halfdan. However they underestimated Guthrum’s reaction and completely forgot about Constantine and Aelle!

 

[altwere]

Nicely done.

 

[Lindseyman]

Map of Britain according to the Treaty of Wedmore

Both Elfred and Halfdan are in for a surprise!

 

[Lindseyman]

Guthrum had been preparing an army to invade Rheged and was about to march north when he recieved the news about the Battle of Eddington. His fury at the news shocked even the Danes. He ranted on for hours about how he had had Elfred bottled up in the Somerset Marshes unable to do anything then Halfdan takes over and Elfred gets an army and wins!!!

He had calmed down and then he received word about Chippenham, the surrender and Halfdan's conversion to Christianity. The amy was split; one quarter to remain in Deira under Ivar to keep an eye on Rheged and Aelle's tattered remnants and the remaining three quarters to march south to defeat Elfred and depose Halfdan (not necessarily in that order!).

Guthrum marched south at speed (equalled in OTL by Harold Godwinson's march from York to Hastings) and met Halfdan in battle at Bedford. It was to say the least one sided as Halfdan had not been expecting him(as he had thought that Guthrum would be in Rheged) and Guthrum won easily with Halfdan being killed in the battle. Guthrum was hailed as king and immediately swung west to deal with Elfred.

 

[Lindseyman]

Elfred met Guthrum in battle first at Paulerspury on Watling Street. This battle was inconclusive and battle was rejoined at Towcester a few days later and then again at Northampton a few days later still. Neither side could force an advantage and in the end Guthrum and Elfred met at Rugby and basically signed the treaty that had been signed by Elfred and Halfdan earlier in the year except Guthrum did not convert.

However Guthrum then received completely unexpected new from the North. Ceolwulf, Aelle's son had led a raid by the remnants of the Deiran Army and had surprised Ivar at Stamford Bridge, killing him and most of the Jorvik leaders. In the ensuing chaos all of Deira had risen in rebellion and Jorvik had surrendered to Ceolwulf who had proclaimed his father King of Deira.

Guthrum gathered the remnants of his army and marched north. However Ceolwulf was joined by Aelle and Constantine with the Rheged Army and they met Guthrum in battle at Nottingham. Guthrum's exhausted army was heavily defeated and Guthrum was captured. He had to agree to everything north and west of the Trent becoming the reestablished Kingdom of Deira. He was left with the rest of Danskjord.


Britain after the Treaty of Nottingham 878AD