Diplomarbeit Diplomarbeit

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Diplomarbeit Diplomarbeit DIPLOMARBEIT Titel der Diplomarbeit „Die Wikinger in Wales“ Verfasserin Yasmin Hrdina angestrebter akademischer Grad Magistra (Mag.) Wien, 2011 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt: A 057 327 Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt: Individuelles Diplomstudium Keltologie Betreuer: Prof. PD Mag. Dr. Raimund KARL Inhalt Einleitung 5 1 Wer waren die Wikinger? 7 1.1 Etymologie 7 1.2 Quellenkunde 9 1.3 Gründe für Wikingerfahrten 11 1.3.1 Ältere Forschung 11 1.3.2 Neuere Forschung 13 1.4 Aktionsradius der Wikinger 16 1.5 Gesellschaft 19 1.6 Sprache 24 1.7 Religion 24 1.7.1 Heidentum 25 1.7.2 Christentum 25 2 Geschichte der Wikinger in Wales 27 2.1 Erste Plünderungen unter Rhodri Mawr (1. Phase) 27 2.1.1 Nordwales 27 2.1.2 Südwales 33 2.2 Hywel Ddas Regierungszeit (2. Phase) 36 2.3 Die Wikinger aus Irland und Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (3. Phase) 43 2.4 Gruffydd ap Cynan (4. Phase) 51 3 Archäologische Funde 69 3.1 Siedlungsbefund 69 3.1.1 Nordwales 70 3.1.2 Südwales 77 3.2 Gräber 79 3.3 Handelsstätten und damit in Verbindung stehende Funde 83 3.3.1 Schifffund 85 3.3.2 Horte 86 3.4 Waffenfunde 88 3.5 Kunst 90 3.5.1 Kreuze 91 3.5.1.1 Nordwales 91 3.5.1.1.1 Kreuz von Maen Achwyfan 92 3.5.1.1.2 Kreuz von Penmon 93 3.5.1.2 Südwales 96 3.5.1.2.1 Kreuz von Carew 96 3.5.1.2.2 Kreuz von Nevern 97 3.5.1.2.3 Kreuz von St. David’s 97 3.5.1.2.4 Kreuz von Penally 98 3.5.2 Hogbacks 98 3.5.3 Anderes 99 3.6 Inschriften 99 4 Sprachliche Hinterlassenschaften der Wikinger in Wales 103 4.1 Ortsnamen 103 4.2 Lehnwörter 111 4.2.1 Lautwandel, denen die Lehnwörter unterzogen wurden 113 4.2.1.1 Akzentuierung 113 4.2.1.2 Bestimmte Lautkombinationen 114 4.2.2 Darstellung der Quantitätsunterschiede am Beispiel der Langvokale 114 4.2.3 Phoneminventare 115 4.2.3.1 Konsonanten 115 4.2.3.2 Vokale 116 4.2.4 Umlaute 117 5 Literatur 119 5.1 Skandinavischer Einfluss auf die walisische Literatur 119 5.1.1 Branwen ferch Llyr (Branwen, Daughter of Llyr) 120 5.1.2 Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed (Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed) 123 5.1.3 Breuddwyd Rhonabwy (The Dream of Rhonabwy) 124 5.1.4 Arymes Prydein Vawr (The Great Prophecy of Britain) 129 5.1.5 I Drahaearn a Meilyr (Elegy on Trahaearn and Meilyr) 131 5.2 Wales in der altnordischen Literatur 131 5.2.1 Jómsvíkinga Saga (The Saga of the Jomsvikings) 131 5.2.2 Orkneyinga Saga (The History of the Earls of Orkneys) 134 5.2.3 Egils Saga Skallagrímssonar (Egil’s saga) 135 5.2.4 Heimskringla (The Chonicle of the Kings of Norway) 140 5.2.4.1 Haralds saga Hárfagra (The Saga of Harald Fairhair) 140 5.2.4.2 Hakónar saga Góða (The Saga of Hakon the Good) 141 5.2.4.2 Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar (The Saga of Olaf Tryggvason) 141 5.2.4.4 Haralds saga Sigurðarsonar (The Saga of Harals Sigurdsson) 141 5.2.5 Njáls Saga (Njal’s saga) 142 Conclusio 145 Abstact in English 147 Abkürzungsverzeichnis 149 Literaturverzeichnis 151 Eidesstattliche Erklärung 165 Lebenslauf 167 Einleitung Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, einen Überblick über die bisherigen Forschungsergebnisse zu geben und im besten Fall auch neue Erkenntnisse zu liefern. Die Arbeit soll den neuesten Stand der Forschung darstellen und zwar nicht nur über einen Teilaspekt der Kontakte zwischen Wikingern und Walisern, also z. B. nur über Archäologie, sondern alle wichtigen Bereiche, d. h. Geschichte, Archäologie, Linguistik und Literatur, behandeln und vergleichen, wie stark der Einfluss der Wikinger in den verschiedenen Bereichen war und ob sich Schlüsse daraus ziehen lassen. Um dies gut darstellen zu können, wird die Arbeit in verschiedene Kapitel unterteilt, die sich je mit einem dieser Schwerpunkte befassen. Diesem Hauptteil der Arbeit geht ein einführendes Kapitel voraus, das einen kurzen Abriss der Wikingerzeit gibt und erklärt, wer die Wikinger waren. Danach folgt das erste Kapitel des Hauptteils, das die Geschichte der Wikinger in Wales schildert. Besonderes Augenmerk liegt hier auf den immer wiederkehrenden Bündnissen zwischen walisischen Königen und Wikingern und deren Bedeutung für die Geschichte und Entstehung der walisischen Königreiche. Das nächste Kapitel befasst sich mit den archäologischen Hinterlassenschaften der Wikinger in Wales und v. a. mit der Frage, ob es eine dauerhafte Siedlung dieser in Wales gab oder nicht, bzw. welche Orte dafür in Frage kommen würden und warum. Das nächste Kapitel behandelt die sprachlichen Kontakte der Wikinger und Waliser. Darin werden altnordische Ortsnamen in Wales, sowie altnordische Lehnwörter im Walisischen besprochen. Das letzte Kapitel des Hauptteils befasst sich mit Literatur und zwar mit der walisischen Literatur, die von der altnordischen beeinflusst wurde, aber auch mit der altnordischen Literatur, die von der walisischen beeinflusst wurde oder deren Handlung in Wales stattfindet. 5 6 1 Wer waren die Wikinger? Den Begriff Wikinger hat jedes Kind schon einmal gehört; zumindest seit es die Zeichentrickserie Wickie und die starken Männer gibt, die regelmäßig von verschiedensten Fernsehsendern wiederholt wird. Dieser kleine Junge und dessen Abenteuer sind wohl das Erste, das den meisten zu den Wikingern einfällt. Weitere Assoziationen wären, dass die Wikinger brutale Wilde waren, die Kirchen überfielen, plünderten und zerstörten, und dass sie erfolgreiche Krieger waren, die Helme mit Hörnern trugen und Schiffe mit Drachenköpfen lenkten. Doch all das sind nur Klischees, die sich im Laufe der Jahrhunderte um die Wikinger gebildet haben. Wer die Wikinger wirklich waren und wie sie lebten, wird in diesem Kapitel erläutert. 1.1 Etymologie Der erste Beleg für das Wikingerwort stammt aus den ae. Gedichten Widsið und Exodus aus dem 8. Jahrhundert und zwar ist es darin in der Form wīcing (m) belegt. Seit dem 10. Jahrhundert gibt es Belege für afries. witsing (m), wising (m) und an. víkingr (m). Daraus entwickelte sich später engl., norw., dän. und schwed., viking (m), wiking (m). Ins Deutsche wurde das Wort wiking erst im 19. Jahrhundert aus dem Skandinavischen übernommen. 1 Die Bedeutung des Wortes variiert etwas. Während die Übersetzung des Altenglischen wīcing „Pirat, Seeräuber, Plünderer“ ist, lautet sie im Altnordischen und Altfriesischen „Freibeuter, Räuber, Bösewicht.“ In der Skaldendichtung wird des Öfteren von Wikingern berichtet und zwar in der Bedeutung von „einem weite Strecken zurücklegender Seekrieger“ und dies in durchaus positivem Kontext. Kendrick behauptet, dass die Bezeichnung víkingr auch von den Skandinaviern selbst verwendet wurde und dass es eine große Ehre war, als solcher bezeichnet zu werden. Ferner wird auf mehreren Runensteinen und in Sagas von Männern berichtet, die eine Wikingerfahrt machten, 2 beispielsweise in der Egils saga Skalla-Grímssonar : „Bj ǫrn var farmaðr mikill, var stundum í víking, en stundum í kaupferðum […].“ 3 („Bjorn Brynjolfsson was 1 Vgl. Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm: Deutsches Wörterbuch. Vierzehnten Bandes I. Abteilung 2. Teil. Wenig – Wiking. Bearbeitet von der Arbeitsstelle des Deutschen Wörterbuches zu Berlin. Leipzig: Verlag von S. Hirzel, 1960. S. 1640. 2 Vgl. Robert Ferguson: The Hammer and the Cross. A New History of the Vikings. London: Allan Lane, 2009. S. 3f. und T[homas] D[owning] Kendrick: A History of the Vikings. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1930. S. 1. und Heinrich Beck/Dieter Geuenich [Hgs. u. a.]: Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde von Johannes Hoops. Zweite, völlig neu bearbeitete und stark erweiterte Auflage. Mit Unterstützung der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Göttingen unter fachlicher Beratung von Prof.h Dr. H. Ament/Prof. Dr. Th. Andersson [u. a.] und readaktioneller Leitung von Priv.Doz. Dr. Rosemarie Müller. Herausgegeben von Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Heinrich Beck/Prof. Dr. Dieter Geuenich [u. a.]. Vierunddreißigster Band. Wielbark-Kultur – Zwölften. Berlin/New York: Walter de Gruyter, 2007. S. 56ff. 3 Finnur Jónsson [Hg.]: Egils Saga Skallagrímssonar. Nebst den grösseren Gedichten Egils. Halle a. S.: Max Niemeyer, 1894.Kap. 32, S. 99. 7 a man of outstanding talents and a great seafarer. He divided his time between viking raids and trading voyages.“ 4) Es scheint fast so, als ob erst durch den Vormarsch des Christentums in Skandinavien die negative Konnotation des Wortes entstanden ist. 5 Die Herleitung des Wortes konnte noch nicht vollständig geklärt werden. Es gibt jedoch mehrere Theorien dazu: 6 1) von an. vîg „Kampf;“ die Bedeutung wäre dann „Kämpfer“ 2) von an. vík „Bucht;“ die Bedeutung wäre dann „Buchtenlagerer“ 3) von ae. wíc „Lager“ abgeleitet, das von dem lat. vicus „bewohnter Ort“ stammt; die Bedeutung wäre dann „Leute aus dem Lager“ 4) von Viken (Bucht im Oslofjord); die Bedeutung wäre dann „Bewohner von Vik“ 5) von an. víking (f) „Reise von zuhause“ und an. víkja „entweichen;“ mit der Bedeutung „einer, der von zuhause entweicht, sich in der Fremde aufhält“ Als Wikinger bezeichnet man heute meist die gesamte Bevölkerung Skandinaviens in der Zeit zwischen dem Ende des 8. und der Mitte des 11. Jahrhunderts. Ursprünglich war diese Bezeichnung jedoch nur für den Teil der skandinavischen Bevölkerung gedacht, der zu kriegerischen, eroberungstechnischen oder plünderischen Seefahrten aufbrach. Das heißt, es wurden damit fast ausschließlich Männer benannt. 7 Es ist nicht bekannt, ob auch Frauen an den Plünderfahrten der Wikinger teilnahmen. Es ist aber, laut Simek, davon auszugehen, dass dem nicht so war. Denn von Frauen im Zusammenhang mit Wikingerzügen, erfährt man in den Quellen erst etwas, wenn es um die erste Überwinterung der Skandinavier in Frankreich im 9. Jahrhundert geht. 8 Auch Madsen hält es für unwahrscheinlich, dass Frauen an den Wikingerfahrten teilnahmen und zwar deshalb, weil er der Meinung ist, dass es für die Wikinger nicht notwendig war ihre Frauen mitzunehmen, da sie sich im neueroberten Land eine (neue) Frau suchen konnten.
Recommended publications
  • Hopewell and Edwards
    Early Medieval Settlement and Field Systems at Rhuddgaer, Anglesey ANGOR UNIVERSITY Hopewell, David; Edwards, Nancy Archaeologia Cambrensis PRIFYSGOL BANGOR / B Published: 01/12/2017 Peer reviewed version Cyswllt i'r cyhoeddiad / Link to publication Dyfyniad o'r fersiwn a gyhoeddwyd / Citation for published version (APA): Hopewell, D., & Edwards, N. (2017). Early Medieval Settlement and Field Systems at Rhuddgaer, Anglesey. Archaeologia Cambrensis, 166. Hawliau Cyffredinol / General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. 06. Oct. 2021 Peer reviewed manuscript accepted for publication in Archaeologia Cambrensis 166 (2017) Early medieval settlement and field systems at Rhuddgaer, Anglesey DAVID HOPEWELL1 and NANCY EDWARDS2 INTRODUCTION Settlements dating to the period c. AD 400–1100 in Wales are still comparatively rare discoveries, although the number is gradually increasing. Apart from elite sites, notably hillforts in the earlier part of the period, they are often only recognized as a result of radiocarbon dating as diagnostic artefacts are usually rare.
    [Show full text]
  • Wales: River Wye to the Great Orme, Including Anglesey
    A MACRO REVIEW OF THE COASTLINE OF ENGLAND AND WALES Volume 7. Wales. River Wye to the Great Orme, including Anglesey J Welsby and J M Motyka Report SR 206 April 1989 Registered Office: Hydraulics Research Limited, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX1 0 8BA. Telephone: 0491 35381. Telex: 848552 ABSTRACT This report reviews the coastline of south, west and northwest Wales. In it is a description of natural and man made processes which affect the behaviour of this part of the United Kingdom. It includes a summary of the coastal defences, areas of significant change and a number of aspects of beach development. There is also a brief chapter on winds, waves and tidal action, with extensive references being given in the Bibliography. This is the seventh report of a series being carried out for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. For further information please contact Mr J M Motyka of the Coastal Processes Section, Maritime Engineering Department, Hydraulics Research Limited. Welsby J and Motyka J M. A Macro review of the coastline of England and Wales. Volume 7. River Wye to the Great Orme, including Anglesey. Hydraulics Research Ltd, Report SR 206, April 1989. CONTENTS Page 1 INTRODUCTION 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 COASTAL GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY 3.1 Geological background 3.2 Coastal processes 4 WINDS, WAVES AND TIDAL CURRENTS 4.1 Wind and wave climate 4.2 Tides and tidal currents 5 REVIEW OF THE COASTAL DEFENCES 5.1 The South coast 5.1.1 The Wye to Lavernock Point 5.1.2 Lavernock Point to Porthcawl 5.1.3 Swansea Bay 5.1.4 Mumbles Head to Worms Head 5.1.5 Carmarthen Bay 5.1.6 St Govan's Head to Milford Haven 5.2 The West coast 5.2.1 Milford Haven to Skomer Island 5.2.2 St Bride's Bay 5.2.3 St David's Head to Aberdyfi 5.2.4 Aberdyfi to Aberdaron 5.2.5 Aberdaron to Menai Bridge 5.3 The Isle of Anglesey and Conwy Bay 5.3.1 The Menai Bridge to Carmel Head 5.3.2 Carmel Head to Puffin Island 5.3.3 Conwy Bay 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 7 REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY FIGURES 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Anglesey Plants and the Flora Group in 2014: Ian Bonner
    Anglesey Plants and the Flora Group in 2014: Ian Bonner (As appeared in the Welsh Bulletin of the BSBI No.95 February 2015) Before the first indoor meeting at Treborth in March Pat Denne used the 9597 records added in 2013 to update the map showing the total taxa recorded in each of the 800 monads. Andrew Dixon made an electronic version of it available for subsequent reference. At the meeting it was again agreed to concentrate effort on collecting monad data toward the Atlas 2020, a future county flora and keeping the Rare Plant Register up to date. Barry Wrightson kindly agreed to take over the circulation of information about recording days and the coordination of bookings. Over the weekend of 26-27th April Professor John Richards and Dr Tim Rich led a Taraxacum workshop at Treborth, which included field visits to parts of Anglesey and Caernarfonshire. Some 39 taxa were noted on Anglesey, of which 26 were new VC records and will be published in Plant Records in due course. This illustrates the need for targeted recording of difficult taxa to back up basic monad coverage in the run-up to Atlas 2020. Atriplex species (Oraches) on coastal strandlines come into this category. They featured in the 2013 Report and Paul Green came up in early September to assist and make collections. Based on further work this year, it appears that as well as six species, the Anglesey coast may have a complex of four different hybrids. Material is now with the BSBI Referee for the genus. Atriplex portulacoides (Sea-purslane) is one that is easy to spot.
    [Show full text]
  • A Welsh Classical Dictionary
    A WELSH CLASSICAL DICTIONARY DACHUN, saint of Bodmin. See s.n. Credan. He has been wrongly identified with an Irish saint Dagan in LBS II.281, 285. G.H.Doble seems to have been misled in the same way (The Saints of Cornwall, IV. 156). DAGAN or DANOG, abbot of Llancarfan. He appears as Danoc in one of the ‘Llancarfan Charters’ appended to the Life of St.Cadog (§62 in VSB p.130). Here he is a clerical witness with Sulien (presumably abbot) and king Morgan [ab Athrwys]. He appears as abbot of Llancarfan in five charters in the Book of Llandaf, where he is called Danoc abbas Carbani Uallis (BLD 179c), and Dagan(us) abbas Carbani Uallis (BLD 158, 175, 186b, 195). In these five charters he is contemporary with bishop Berthwyn and Ithel ap Morgan, king of Glywysing. He succeeded Sulien as abbot and was succeeded by Paul. See Trans.Cym., 1948 pp.291-2, (but ignore the dates), and compare Wendy Davies, LlCh p.55 where Danog and Dagan are distinguished. Wendy Davies dates the BLD charters c.A.D.722 to 740 (ibid., pp.102 - 114). DALLDAF ail CUNIN COF. (Legendary). He is included in the tale of ‘Culhwch and Olwen’ as one of the warriors of Arthur's Court: Dalldaf eil Kimin Cof (WM 460, RM 106). In a triad (TYP no.73) he is called Dalldaf eil Cunyn Cof, one of the ‘Three Peers’ of Arthur's Court. In another triad (TYP no.41) we are told that Fferlas (Grey Fetlock), the horse of Dalldaf eil Cunin Cof, was one of the ‘Three Lovers' Horses’ (or perhaps ‘Beloved Horses’).
    [Show full text]
  • Welsh Kings at Anglo-Saxon Royal Assemblies (928–55) Simon Keynes
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Apollo Keynes The Henry Loyn Memorial Lecture for 2008 Welsh kings at Anglo-Saxon royal assemblies (928–55) Simon Keynes A volume containing the collected papers of Henry Loyn was published in 1992, five years after his retirement in 1987.1 A memoir of his academic career, written by Nicholas Brooks, was published by the British Academy in 2003.2 When reminded in this way of a contribution to Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman studies sustained over a period of 50 years, and on learning at the same time of Henry’s outstanding service to the academic communities in Cardiff, London, and elsewhere, one can but stand back in awe. I was never taught by Henry, but encountered him at critical moments—first as the external examiner of my PhD thesis, in 1977, and then at conferences or meetings for twenty years thereafter. Henry was renowned not only for the authority and crystal clarity of his published works, but also as the kind of speaker who could always be relied upon to bring a semblance of order and direction to any proceedings—whether introducing a conference, setting out the issues in a way which made one feel that it all mattered, and that we stood together at the cutting edge of intellectual endeavour; or concluding a conference, artfully drawing together the scattered threads and making it appear as if we’d been following a plan, and might even have reached a conclusion. First place at a conference in the 1970s and 1980s was known as the ‘Henry Loyn slot’, and was normally occupied by Henry Loyn himself; but once, at the British Museum, he was for some reason not able to do it, and I was prevailed upon to do it in his place.
    [Show full text]
  • Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
    Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Owain ap Hywel (b. before 929, d. 988) David E. Thornton https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/51404 Published in print: 23 September 2004 Published online: 23 September 2004 Owain ap Hywel (b. before 929, d. 988), king of Deheubarth, was the son of Hywel Dda, descendant of Rhodri Mawr of Gwynedd, and Elen ferch Llywarch (d. 929) of Dyfed. Owain ruled the kingdom of Deheubarth, in south Wales, jointly from 950 and singly from about 954 until his death in 988. His father Hywel had possibly annexed Dyfed on account of his marriage into the ruling dynasty, and, on the death of his cousin Idwal Foel in 942, had added Gwynedd and other parts of north Wales to his kingdom. On Hywel's own death in 949 or 950 the southern portion of this kingdom fell under the collective rule of his sons, including no doubt Owain, while the northern portion was contested by the sons of Idwal Foel, Iago and Ieuaf. The two groups fought at Nant Carno (in Arwystli) in 950, which was a victory for the sons of Idwal and perhaps thus secured their position in the north. The latter were sufficiently strong in 952 to take the fight into Dyfed twice. In 954 Owain and his brothers retaliated and the two groups met at Llanrwst (in the Conwy valley, Gwynedd). The sons of Idwal were the victors; they slew Owain's brother Edwin, and afterwards raided Ceredigion. It is not wholly clear at what point Owain came to dominate Deheubarth as opposed to sharing power with his brothers.
    [Show full text]
  • Menai West (2013)
    www.cefas.defra.gov.uk EC Regulation 854/2004 CLASSIFICATION OF BIVALVE MOLLUSC PRODUCTION AREAS IN ENGLAND AND WALES SANITARY SURVEY REPORT Menai Strait West December 2013 Cover photo: South Western entrance to the strait © Crown copyright 2013 Current Cefas sanitary survey reports and reviews are available on our website at: http://www.cefas.defra.gov.uk/our-science/animal-health-and-food-safety/food- safety/sanitary-surveys/england-and-wales.aspx Contacts For enquires relating to this report or further For enquires relating to policy matters on information on the implementation of the implementation of sanitary surveys in sanitary surveys in England and Wales: Wales: Simon Kershaw Jayne Griffiths Food Safety Group Tim Polisi Bwyd/Food Policy Team Cefas Weymouth Laboratory Asiantaeth Safonau Bwyd Barrack Road /Food Standards Agency The Nothe Llawr 11, Ty Southgate/ Weymouth 11th Floor, Southgate House, Dorset Wood Street, DT4 8UB Caerdydd/Cardiff CF10 1EW +44 (0) 1305 206600 +44 (0) 029 2067 8908 [email protected] [email protected] Statement of use This report provides a sanitary survey relevant to bivalve mollusc beds within Menai Strait West, as required under EC Regulation 854/2004 which lays down specific rules for official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption. It provides an appropriate hygiene classification zoning and monitoring plan based on the best available information with detailed supporting evidence. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas) undertook this work on behalf of the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Report prepared by David Walker, Rachel Parks, Fiona Vogt, Owen Morgan.
    [Show full text]
  • In Search of the Dark Ages in Search of the Dark Ages
    IN SEARCH OF THE DARK AGES IN SEARCH OF THE DARK AGES Michael Wood Facts On File Publications New York, New York Oxford, England For my mother and father IN SEARCH OF THE DARK AGES Copyright © 1987 by Michael Wood All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the pub­ lisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Wood, Michael. In search of the Dark Ages. Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Great Britain—History—To 1066. 2. England— Civilization—To 1066. 3. Anglo-Saxons. I. Title. DA135.W83 1987 942.01 86-19839 ISBN 0-8160-1686-0 Printed in the United States of America 10 987654321 CONTENTS Acknowledgements 6 Introduction 7 Genealogy Table 10 CHAPTER 1 13 Boadicea CHAPTER 2 37 King Arthur CHAPTER 3 61 The Sutton Hoo Man CHAPTER 4 77 Offa CHAPTER 5 104 Alfred the Great CHAPTER 6 126 Atheistan CHAPTER 7 151 Eric Bloodaxe CHAPTER 8 177 Ethelred the Unready CHAPTER 9 204 William the Conqueror Postscript 237 Book List 243 Picture Credits 244 Index 245 Acknowledgements I must first thank the staffs of the following libraries for their kindness and helpfulness, without which this book would not have been possible: Corpus Christi College Cambridge, Jesus College Oxford, the Bodleian Library Oxford, the Cathedral Library Durham, the British Library, Worcester Cathedral Library, the Public Record Office, and the British Museum Coin Room. I am indebted to Bob Meeson at Tamworth, Robin Brown at Saham Toney and Paul Sealey at Colchester Museum, who were all kind enough to let me use their unpublished researches.
    [Show full text]
  • Edgar and the Eight Kings, AD 973: Textus Et Dramatis Personae David E
    Edgar and the eight kings, AD 973: textus et dramatis personae David E. Thornton The purpose of the paper is to examine in detail the alleged submission by Welsh, Scottish and Scandinavian rulers to the English king Edgar at Chester in 973, and particularly the claim made in a number of Anglo- Norman chronicles that these rulers rowed Edgar up and down the River Dee as part of this submission. All relevant texts (both explicit descrip- tions and possible allusions) will be presented and analysed, and the identities of the Celtic and Scandinavian rulers will be considered. The paper will argue that the rowing episode is a post-Conquest fictional embellishment based on earlier Old English material, and that the meet- ing at Chester in 973 was a `peace summit' rather than a straightforward submission. One of the more colourful episodes in the relations of tenth-century English kings with their Celtic neighbours is the submission of various Scottish, Welsh and Scandinavian rulers to Edgar `Paci®cus' at Chester, shortly after his coronation as king of England at Bath on Whit Sunday (11 May) 973. Accounts from the twelfth century and later state that these rulers not only submitted to Edgar's lordship but also rowed him up and down the River Dee. Modern scholarly opinion on this episode has varied: while some historians have denied that the accounts of the submission in 973 had any basis in fact, others have accepted them as wholly historical.1 I propose to re-examine the submission of 973 by presenting all the texts (both pre- and post-Conquest) which refer to it and discussing the identity of the kings who allegedly took part.
    [Show full text]
  • Historical Writing in Medieval Wales
    Bangor University DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Historical writing in medieval Wales Jones, Owain Award date: 2013 Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 01. Oct. 2021 HISTORICAL WRITING IN MEDIEVAL WALES OWAIN WYN JONES Dissertation submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Bangor University 2013 I SUMMARY This study focusses on the writing of history in medieval Wales. Its starting-point is a series of historical texts in Middle Welsh which, from the second quarter of the fourteenth century, begin to appear together in manuscripts to form a continuous history, termed the Welsh Historical Continuum. The central component of this sequence is a translation of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s influential history of the Britons. The main questions of the first part of the thesis are when and why these historical texts were first combined, and to what degree this Welsh historiographical phenomenon reflects broader European trends.
    [Show full text]
  • Thirty-Seventh Generation Count Giselbert of Darnau (Count Giselbert of Was Attending a Council There
    Thirty-seventh Generation Count Giselbert of Darnau (Count Giselbert of was attending a council there. The pope may even have Massgau38, Count Gainfroi39, Duke Mainier of Austria40_) was offered the imperial crown, but it was declined. Louis the born 845. Count of the Maasgau. Stammerer was said to be physically weak and outlived his father by only two years. He had relatively little impact on politics. He was described "a simple and sweet man, a lover He married Ermengarde of Lorraine (Emperor of peace, justice, and religion". In 878, he gave the counties 38 39 Lothar I , Irmengard of Hesbain _). Count Giselbert of of Barcelona, Gerona, and Besalú to Wilfred the Hairy. His Darnau and Ermengarde of Lorraine had the following child: final act was to march against the Vikings who were then the scourge of Europe. He fell ill and died on 10 April or 9 36 1. Count Regnier I "Long-Neck" of Hainaut was born April 879 not long after beginning his final campaign. On his 850. death, his realms were divided between his two sons, Carloman and Louis. Ermengarde died 846. Adelaide died October 18, 900. Duke Otto of Saxony (Count Liudolf of Saxony38_) Otto or Oddo (c. 851 – 30 November 912), called the Illustrious (der Erlauchte) by later authors, was the Duke of Saxony from 880 to his death. He was the younger son of Liudolf, Duke of Saxony, and his wife Oda, and succeeded his brother Bruno as duke after the latter's death in battle in 880. His dynasty, named after his father, is called the Liudolfing.
    [Show full text]
  • Isle of Anglesey Landscape Strategy (Update, 2011)
    Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn The Isle of Anglesey County Council Ynys Môn The Isle of Anglesey Anglesey Landscape Strategy Update 2011 ISLE OF ANGLESEY COUNCIL LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA UPDATE 2011 TACP 10 Park Grove Cardiff CF10 3BN 2 Contents 1.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 5 2.0 Landscape Character Areas............................................................................. 7 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 1: HOLYHEAD MOUNTAIN .............................. 8 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 2: HOLY ISLAND............................................. 11 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 3: INLAND SEA............................................... 15 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 4: NORTH WEST COAST............................... 19 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 5: NORTH WEST ANGLESEY........................ 23 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 6: AMLWCH AND ENVIRONS ........................ 28 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 7: PARYS MOUNTAIN .................................... 32 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 8: DULAS BAY HINTERLAND ........................ 35 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 9: RED WHARF BAY ...................................... 39 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 10: PENMON AND PUFFIN ISLAND .............. 43 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 11: EASTERN MENAI STRAIT ....................... 47 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 12: EAST CENTRAL ANGLESEY................... 52 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 13: WESTERN MENAI STRAIT ...................... 57 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AREA 14: NEWBOROUGH ......................................
    [Show full text]