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The Dragon and the Raven by G. A. Henty
STUDY GUIDE BY NICKI TRUESDELL
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Order the book here: The Dragon and the Raven by G. A. Henty
Listen to a free audio version here.
How to use this study guide:
This Study Guide is designed to be used in a variety of situations by homeschool families or in a homeschool co-op setting. It may be used by an individual student or a group of students. It’s suitable for upper elementary and high school (as well as parents who would like to learn along with their children!).
I like to read stories like this one aloud to my children, and then have everyone participate in the discussions and activities (according to their ages and abilities). We typically read 1-2 chapters per day (or listen to a quality audio version), look at and mark up the maps, visit a link or two, watch a video clip, or explore other books. Use the “Think and Do” sections for further research and fun activities. (You’ll notice that some chapters don’t have this section; I tried not to overwhelm with frivolous content.)
Of course, you’ll want to do some kind of costuming, eat some Saxon or Viking foods, listen to their languages, and play historic games. At the end of this guide, I’ve included links to additional resources that you might want to add. Please consider purchasing through my affiliate links to allow me to provide more free study guides like this one!
(If you haven’t already, download my free study guide to Beric the Briton. It tells the story of the British people before this tale.)
This guide is a gift for {nickitruesdell.com} subscribers. Please do not forward this PDF. However, I’d love it if you shared a link to my site!
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If your family uses this guide, I’d love feedback! Comment on my site, email me, or post on my social media pages. I look forward to your input!
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Optional resources to use with this guide:
This DVD is one hour of a reenactment-style documentary of Vikings, without being too violent or gory. You do get a sense of what the Vikings are capable of without seeing too much that is disturbing. I showed it to all my children. Parents may want to preview it for their own families. (Order here)
Norse Myths by the D’aulaires is a beautifully illustrated guide to the Viking beliefs. I recommend it for extra study or a read-aloud beginning in Chapter 8. It leads to great discussion of the contrast between the Christian Saxons and the heathen Vikings. (Order here)
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Before we begin, let’s explore a brief history of the English-speaking people.
Most mildly educated Americans think of Queen Elizabeth when they think of England, or Great Britain. But we aren’t just mildly educated, are we??
No…this guy isn’t all there is to Britain, either.
Forget the proper Brits, their tea drinking, and their impressive accent for a while. Because their ancestors weren’t quite… how shall we say… proper.
Not at first, anyway…
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These are the original British, or Britons, also known as… Barbarians
You see, waaaay back before the first century A.D., these Britons were living happily on their own private island, hunting, fishing, and basically surviving.
Until… 55. B. C., when Julius Caesar, the Emperor of Rome, turned his gaze toward the Island of Britain… He tried to conquer Britain but did not succeed.
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Rom was trying to conquer the world, and to them, this is what it looked like:
Though Julius Caesar did not conquer Britain, in 41 A.D. the Emperor Claudius came to the throne of the Roman Empire and sent a large army (20,000 soldiers) to Britain.
The Britons (or Celts) were a primitive people compared to the Romans.
They were not organized or disciplined fighters. Guerilla warfare was the only method of fighting they knew. They were not prepared to fight trained soldiers from a successful, world-conquering army… …until one day…
the Roman army slaughtered all the Celtic priests on their Holy Island. And the Barbarians rose up to fight.
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The lady in this statue Is Boudicca – Queen of the Iceni tribe.
In retaliation for the lives of the priests, Boudicca led her band against the Romans, and burned several towns, including London. The Iceni and other tribes fought, but eventually lost. They finally gave up and made peace negotiations with their new Roman rulers.
(Read Beric the Briton by G.A. Henty and download my free study guide for the whole, exciting story!) This statue is right near Westminster in London – the only statue in London dedicated to someone who destroyed the city.
This is Roman Britain. Can you tell how the names are very … Latin??
Do you see London? It was called “Londonium.” Rome ruled Britain for 300 more years. You can still see Roman ruins all over Britain today, like the roads, the baths, the bridges, and the amphitheaters.
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But the world was about to change. In 367 A.D. Picts, Scots, and Saxons from Europe all fell together on Britannia. Rome tried to fight them off on behalf of Britons. But after years of battles in Britain and throughout Europe, Britain was drained of its Roman defenders and British soldiers.
In 410 A.D. Rome lost its power.
“With invaders flooding Britain in the wake of the Roman withdrawal, a legendary figure stepped forward to lead Britons against the Teutonic surge.” (Warfare History Network)
“There looms, large, uncertain, dim but glittering, the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Somewhere in the Island a great captain gathered the forces of Roman Britain and fought the barbarian invaders to the death. Around him, around his name and his deeds, shine all that romance and poetry can bestow.” (Winston Churchill)
Who was this great man?
Arthur. Perhaps you’ve heard of Arthur and his knights?
Eventually, though, the Saxons conquered. Once again, the Britons became subjects to another master. The British Island was safe from invaders from the east, so the Saxons continued to pour in and settle.
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The Saxons were cruel; their name is derived from “Seax,” meaning short sword. Their lifestyle and culture were the “Germanic system” – the family was the unit, and tribe was the whole. The foundation of the Germanic system was blood and kin. The great transition which we witness among the emigrants is the abandonment of blood and kin as the theme of their society and its replacement by local societies and lordship based on ownership of land. Fighting for life and foothold against men as hard pressed as themselves, each pioneering band fell inevitably into the hands of the bravest, most commanding, most fortunate war-leader. Settlements must be founded. These must be guarded, and who could guard them except the bold chieftains who had gained them over the corpses of their former owners? And so, KINGS arose in Britain.
Over the next few hundred years, there was a long and intricate rivalry for leadership between the Anglo-Saxon kings.
By the way: how do we know all of this? Thanks to the establishment of the Christian church, monks kept detailed logs of events in Britain. The Venerable Bede contributed greatly to compiling and continuing these records. We now have this record in a book called the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. (You can even purchase a copy on Amazon!)
Oh, but the world was again on the verge of great change…
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In Scandinavia the Vikings were fitting out their long-boats for sea. In 793, on a January morning, the wealthy monastic settlement of Lindisfarne, off the Northumbrian coast, was suddenly attacked by a powerful fleet from Denmark. They sacked the place, devoured the cattle, killed many of the monks, and sailed away with a rich booty in gold, jewels, and sacred emblems… Measure for measure, what the Saxons had given to the Britons was meted out to the English after the lapse of four hundred years.
By 865 Viking raids had turned into conquering raids. The Vikings would be paid off to leave, and then not leave. They demanded land and food. They continued to raid further inland, murdering and plundering. The Vikings were a constant threat, from both land and sea. And this is where our story opens…
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FIGURE 1: MAP 1
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FIGURE 2: MAP 2
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FIGURE 3: MAP 3
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Chapter 1. The Fugitives 871 A.D.
Meet the Characters
Edmund – a young Saxon Thane, and the hero of our story
Eldred – Edmund’s father – an ealdorman
Egbert – a freeman who serves Edmund and his father
Ethelred – King of Wessex
Prince Alfred – brother of King Ethelred
Ethelwulf -Prince Alfred’s father
Geography
The story opens in the Fen country (link). In Map 1 on the previous page, you will see the area known as “The Wash.” This is the Fen Country.
On Map 1 locate the kingdoms of Mercia, Northumbria, Essex, Wessex, and East Anglia.
Locate the Humber river.
FIGURE 4: THE FEN COUNTRY Vocabulary
Danes - There are several names for the Vikings, and in this story, the term Danes is used most often. This is because the Vikings came from the Danish lands known Denmark.
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Saxons - the current ruling inhabitants of Britain; they invaded and conquered England, found a civilization introduced by the Romans. Their way of life was primitive, but they had expensive ornaments and vessels. ealdorman - (from Old English ealdorman, lit. "elder man"; plural: "ealdormen") is a term used for a high-ranking royal official who oversaw one or more shires. The title dates from the sixth century and was in use up to the time of King Canute. Their position was a combination of administrator, judge and military commander. Ealdormen were the predecessors of the later English earls. (Wiki) thane – (in Anglo-Saxon England) a man who held land granted by the king or by a military nobleman, ranking between an ordinary freeman and a hereditary noble. serfs - Serfdom is the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism. It was a condition of bondage, or slavery. In this story, the serfs are the Britons, who became the slaves of the Saxons. There were three times as many serfs as freemen in this story. freemen - The lowest social rank in the Middle Ages were the peasants, or freemen.
Angles - The Angles were one of the main Germanic peoples who settled in Great Britain in the post-Roman period. They founded several of the kingdoms of Anglo- Saxon England, and their name is the root of the name England. (See East Anglia on Map 1),
The story
The Saxons are under attack from the warring Danes from across the sea. The Saxon kingdoms are not united, which could lead to their defeat by this enemy. Some of the Saxon kingdoms even join the Danes in battle.
Edmund’s father, an ealdorman, returns. At present, the Danes have made a treaty and have departed to the north side of the Humber,
“The Danes are ever receiving reinforcements from Mercia, and scarce a day passes but fresh bands arrive at Thetford, and I fear that ere long East Anglia, like Northumbria, will fall into their clutches. Nay, unless we soon make head against them they will come to occupy all the island, just as did our forefathers.”
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“But the serfs (Britons, barbarians) are not of a fighting race, and fell almost without resistance before our ancestors when they landed here.”
“We know that the people conquered by our ancestors were unwarlike and cowardly; but it would be a shame indeed were we Saxons so to be overcome by the Danes…”
“Not as tall or as strong as we Saxons; they fought stoutly against the Romans; having no occasion to use arms, they lost their manly virtues after the Romans left and were easy prey to the first comers;”
Think and do: FIGURE 5:OSBURH, MOTHER OF ALFRED
1. Notice how the Saxons imitated and borrowed the Roman lifestyle in Britain, including the churches, Abbots, and monasteries. 2. Draw a diagram of kingdoms and kings from chapter 1. 3. Look up information on Alfred’s family. Notice how many names begin with Æthel. This prefix means “noble.” 4. Watch the Vikings DVD. 5. So much of what we know about primitive cultures is because of the work archaeologists do. Discuss archaeology and how important it is to us today. You can even simulate an archaeological dig with your children with these ideas from archaeological.org. 6. Research the weapons of the Danes and draw one or two. 7. Draw a battle scene.
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Chapter 2: The Battle of Kesteven
Geography
On Map 1, locate the area of Kesteven, which is generally in the area of Lincoln, Nottingham, and Stanford.
Vocabulary poling – to propel (a boat) by pushing a pole against the bottom of a river, canal, or lake. buckler - a small, round shield held by a handle or worn on the forearm. scimitar - a short sword with a curved blade that broadens toward the point, used originally in Eastern countries.
The Story
The Saxons receive news of a Danish force; they prepare to march.
They are armed with swords, sickles, iron fastened to oars, shields made of platted osiers covered with skin; swords and axes.
The Danes (Vikings): carried large shields, large enough to float on if thrown into the sea. After death a warrior was carried to his grave on his buckler made a shield wall. They wore helmets; common men wore helmets of leather. The leaders wore helmets of iron or copper, and all wore coats of mail. The Danes were well armed with sword, battle-axe, bow and arrows. Some swords were short and curled like a scimitar; others were long and straight and wielded with both hands.
Their appearance: They were tall and dark with long hair and long mustaches. Saxon historians speak of them as black pagans. (On the other hand, Northmen, being Scandinavians, were as fair as the Saxons themselves.)
The battle ensues, and the Saxons are victorious. The Danes had fortified their camp before advancing. But bad news comes: major reinforcements have joined the Danes.
The Saxons are hopeless, and ¾ run away. The remainder choose to fight and die rather than willingly give over their freedom to the Danes. Edmund’s father is
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The Saxons fight successfully for hours but are tricked in the end and all are killed, including Edmund’s father. Egbert flees the final battle and joins Edmund in retreat.
Think and Do
1. Think about how some of the Saxons were willing to die for their country, while others ran to safety? Is one better than the other? Why do you think they chose what they did? Was Edmund’s father right to send him away from the battle to “continue the family line?” 2. Read about how the Anglo Saxons became Christians. Who was Saint Patrick? 3. Draw or describe a monastery. Why did monasteries double as “inns?” Why were the monasteries targets of the Danes? Start with this link on why Saxon Monasteries were different from Medieval monasteries. 4. Describe the differences between the Danes and the Northmen. 5. Draw a warrior based on their dress description from this chapter. 6. Research Viking weapons/shields.
FIGURE 6: VIKING SHIELDS
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Chapter 3: The Massacre at Croyland Vocabulary capon – a domestic chicken law of primogeniture – The status of being the firstborn child among several children of the same parents, the result of which is the right to succeed to the estate of an ancestor to the exclusion of younger siblings or other relatives.
The Story
Edmund and his faithful friend must flee ahead of the ravaging Danes, so they go to warn the abbot at Croyland. Those who can flee, do, and the rest await their death. As the travelers flee, they see behind them the death and destruction left in the path of the Danes.
After much travel, they reach the country of the West Saxons and meet with King Ethelred and his brother, Prince Alfred.
FIGURE 7: A SAXON HALL
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Edmund is granted an audience with the King and his brother, bestowed lands for his service as Thane, given the title of ealdorman in place of his father, and became the right hand of Prince Alfred.
Think and Do
1. Consider reading the book The White Horse King. It is an excellent biography of King Alfred and is suitable as a read-aloud or for high school reading. 2. What did Prince Alfred think of the East Anglians dying willingly in battle? 3. Do some research on food and customs of the Anglo Saxons. Start here with Food in the Anglo Saxon Period, Anglo Saxon recipes, Anglo Saxon life (this link is full of fun stuff!), and clothing of the Early Middle Ages. 4. Research the duties of an ealdorman. What are Edmund’s privileges? What are his responsibilities?
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Chapter 4: The Invasion of Wessex February 871 A.D.
Geography
Locate the Thames River, town of Reading, Ashdown
The Story
With news of the Danes getting closer to Wessex, the people begin to ready for battle and for the protection of their citizens.
As an ealdorman, Edmund has the responsibility to care for his people and defend them from enemies. He chooses an old Roman fortification to rebuild and house the people in case of attack.
Old Sarum is a great example of this: is the site of the earliest settlement of Salisbury in England. The photo above is a model of Old Sarum. After the Romans, the Saxons used the site as a stronghold against marauding Vikings and under them it ranked among the most considerable towns of Wessex (the Kingdom of the West Saxons). It was a frequent residence of Egbert of Wessex, who has been called "the first king of all England", as he helped to make Wessex such a powerful kingdom that England was eventually unified around it.
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This important ancient site remains abandoned today, but it's open to the public. Sideview of earthworks of Old Sarum, showing the massive scale.
Old Sarum ruins
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The Danes arrive, and the Saxons go out to meet them in battle. The Saxons are victorious at Ashdown, but at the battle of Merton, the Danes won the day, and the Saxon king Ethelred was mortally wounded.
On April 23, 871, Alfred ascends the throne as King. He is frustrated by the lack of order in the Saxon fighting ranks, and the constant loss in battle against the Danes. The Saxons are also disheartened and lose their will to fight.
The Saxons and the Mercians buy their safety from the Danes. This is only a temporary respite, as Alfred knows.
Edmund devises a plan to build a ship, or even a fleet to fight the Danes on the ocean.
Think and Do
1. Read about how the Saxons regularly rebuilt old Roman fortifications as a defense against the Danes (link). 2. King Alfred introduced a national defense system by the formation of “burhs” or “burghs,” the meaning of which meant “fortress” or castle. The meaning gradually changed from “fortress” to “fortified town” to simply “town.” The word “burhs” later changed to Burg, Bury, then Borough, which are evident in many modern British and American place names. In Britain, any such place name is an immediate indication that signifies that a Burh was once built in the area. Think of cities or towns near you that end in with “bury” or “boro” or “borough.” 3. Read about Alfred and the creation of the British Navy.
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Chapter 5: A Disciplined Band 875 A. D.
Geography
Locate Bristowe, Sherborne,
Vocabulary jarl – a Scandinavian noble ranking immediately below the king phalanx- a body of troops or police officers, standing or moving in close formation.
The Story
Edmund and Egbert decide to form an army of boys and men who do not have wives or children and teach them to fight with some order. He and his men joined King Alfred to battle, but there were few others prepared to fight. Edmund decides to take his small band and use guerilla warfare on the Danes.
Think and Do
1. Research “wedge formation” in battle. Draw a diagram of what this might look like on the battlefield.
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Chapter 6: The Saxon Fort
Geography Locate Exeter, River Exe, Poole, Wareham, Isle of Wight, Swanage Bay
Vocabulary parapet - a protective wall or earth defense along the top of a trench or other place of concealment for troops. fosse - a long narrow trench or excavation, especially in a fortification. faggot - a bundle of sticks or twigs bound together as fuel war engines – also called siege engines; device that is designed to break or circumvent heavy castle doors, thick city walls and other fortifications in siege warfare, such as a battering ram or catapult
The Story
As Edmund’s people take refuge in the new fort, he and a small band go out to spring a surprise battle on the Danish camp. They are successful in killing many of the leaders, and then sneak back to the fort.
The Danish army, led by King Uffa, approaches with the banners flying the Black Raven. A great battle ensues.
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The raven banner (Old Norse: hrafnsmerki; Middle English: hravenlandeye) was a flag, possibly totemic in nature, flown by various Viking chieftains and other Scandinavian rulers during the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. The flag, as depicted in Norse artwork, was roughly triangular, with a rounded outside edge on which there hung a series of tabs or tassels. It bore a resemblance to ornately carved "weather-vanes" used aboard Viking long ships.
(Now you know where the Raven in the title comes from!)
The Saxons win the battle at Sherborne, but in other parts of Wessex things are not so good. Many Saxons flee to France.
King Alfred is desperate to defeat the Danes, and a chance comes when he learns of a great Danish fleet near the coast. The Saxons take their ships to sea and defeat this Viking hoard.
Think and Do 1. Research Viking burial mounds and note how the dead are buried in a sitting position, back to back in rows. 2. Study catapults. Build a model of one or draw your own.
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Chapter 7: The Dragon 878 A.D.
Geography
Locate Gloucester, South Wales, Wiltshire, Chippenham on the Avon, Devonshire, Kynwith, Somerset, Hampshire, Sussex, Kent, Sandwich, Yarmouth
Vocabulary
Burhed – King of Mercia who gave up and left for Rome, where he died.
Ceowulf – the next King of Merica, appointed by the Danes flotilla – a fleet of ships or boats
The Story
Wessex is again ravaged by the Danes, and the people either flee to France or hide in the forests. Edmund decides it is time to take his vessel, the Dragon, to sea.
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They sail straight to the Thames and up toward London, attacking and defeating several Danish ships. When this battle is over, they sail to Sandwich to repair the ship and take on new sailors.
As they sail and look for more Danes to conquer, the Saxon vessel is blown in a storm and forced to take refuge in Bamborough Castle.
Bamburgh Castle -The oldest part of the castle dates to 547 A. D. Its original purpose was to be the Royal capital fortification for the kingdom of Northumbria because of its prime location towering 150 feet above the shoreline.
Think and Do
1. Research Viking and Saxon ships, their similarities, and their differences. (link) 2. Look up Sutton Hoo. 3. Consider constructing a model Viking ship with this video tutorial.
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Chapter 8: The Cruise of the Dragon Geography
Locate the North Sea, Norway
Vocabulary
boom - a floating beam used to contain oil spills or to form a barrier across the mouth of a harbor or river
fiord/fjord - a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs, as in Norway and Iceland, typically formed by submergence of a glaciated valley.
The Story
After escaping a Danish blockade, the Dragon is again out on the sea. They stop a Danish vessel, and in the capture, they meet Jarl Siegbert and his daughter. It is providential that they show mercy.
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King Alfred is in hiding, but no one knows where. He has retreated to the Isle of Athelny.
This is what it looks like today
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FIGURE 8: KING ALFRED'S MONUMENT, ATHELNY ISLAND, SOMERSET
The Dragon sails once more to find Danish enemies and is blown far from Britain in a storm. They find themselves on the banks of Norway. In an effort to find fresh meat, Edmund and 2 men go ashore, where Edmund is captured and the other two are killed.
Think and Do
1. Edmund tells the maiden that his religion “enjoins us to have pity on our enemies.” Look up a Bible verse that teaches this. 2. Consider the differences in the Christian Saxons and the heathen Norsemen. What is each group fighting for? 3. What does Jarl Siegbert mean when he says “until Woden has called me to join his warriors and feast in his halls.” 4. Begin reading Norse Myths. 5. Edmund and his band take the spoils back to Wessex to sell and bury the gold and other valuables for later. The burying of treasure to hide from the enemies was a long tradition. Watch this video of one such discovered hoard.
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Chapter 9: A Prisoner
Vocabulary augury – a sign of what will happen in the future; an omen. Franks – the early French
The Story Edmund is first a slave, and then is freed once he meets with Jarl Seigbert who he let go back in Britain.
Think and Do 1. The author says that the Saxon and Norse tongues were so similar that Edmund could understand his captors. Listen to The Lord’s Prayer being spoken in Old Anglo Saxon. 2. Explore some old Norse culture: try some recipes, play the game of Hnefatafl, or try this special type of knitting called nalbinding. Look inside a Viking home.
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Chapter 10: The Combat The Story
Edmund and Freida have a good discussion about Christian virtues, and about how even a Christian man must protect and defend his home and family.
Edmund must fight a duel with Sweyn, and defeats him, leaving Sweyn with one arm only.
Before being freed and leaving Norway, Edmund promises that he will see Freda again someday.
A Viking penny with an image of Thor’s hammer with a “Hand of God” resting on top on the reverse, and a drawn bow and arrow (possibly a misrepresentation of a ship) on the front. Cast out of silver. Made in 920 at the mint of Regnald, the Viking king at York. Currently held at the British Museum. (source)
Edmund and his fellow Saxon captives return home to find that the Danes have continued their plunder and massacre, his own home is in ruins and his people are in hiding, and the Saxons have abandoned their Christian religion.
Think and Do
1. Take a virtual tour of famous Viking sites in Norway. 2. See this actual Viking ship unearthed in Norway.
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Chapter 11: The Isle of Athelney
Geography
Locate the Parrot river, Egbertesstan (Brixton), forest of Selwood, Ethandune (now Edington)
Vocabulary
Guthorn – Danish King
The Story
Edmund seeks Alfred on the Isle of Athelney and finds him hiding as a common Saxon.
It was during his time in Exile that the famous story of the burnt cakes happened. Read about it here.
Alfred feels that the Saxons may be desperate enough to rise up once more in battle. They begin planning for a battle in the Spring, and the island becomes a busy place of making new weapons and shields.
Finally, in April, King Alfred gathers his troops in the open and fights the Danish army. The Saxons are victorious! This is known now as the Battle of Edington.
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In the English countryside near the battle site, a white horse now exists:
Think and Do
1. Consider the wisdom of Alfred in sparing the Danish king and his surviving people. Instead of seeking revenge, which would be a natural inclination, he thinks about the future of Britain and its people. The author makes a great point: “Great were the rejoicings in the Saxon camp that night. Seldom, indeed, has a victory had so great a decisive an effect upon the future of a nation as that of Ethandune. Had the Saxons been crushed, the domination of the Danes in England would have been finally settled. Christianity would have been stamped out, and with it, civilization, and the island would have made a backward step into paganism and barbarism which might have delayed her progress for centuries.” This is just one of the reasons Alfred is remembered as “The Great.”
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Chapter 12: Four Years of Peace Geography
Locate France and Holland, and the rivers Maas, Scheldt, Somme, and Seine.
Locate Dover, England.
Vocabulary
Athelstan – formerly King Guthorn, now a Christian witenagemot - an Anglo-Saxon national council or parliament
The Story
At the witenagemot, history is made as Alfred and Athelstan settled the new boundaries of their kingdoms. The Danes who chose not to convert to Christianity were ordered to leave, which they did.
The area settled by Athelstan eventually became known as the Danelaw. The Danelaw roughly comprised 14 shires: York, Nottingham, Derby, Lincoln, Essex, Cambridge, Suffolk, Norfolk, Northampto n, Huntingdon, Bedford, Hertford, Middlesex and Buckingham.
Alfred spends the peaceful years restoring order, rebuilding Wessex, rebuilding churches, and enacting laws. Many of the Saxon kingdoms were united either in friendship or marriage, all acknowledging the supremacy of Alfred.
After four years of peace, Danish ships are seen again, and Alfred and his men go out to meet them. The Saxons are again victorious. Alfred asks Edmund to take the Dragon along the coast to harry any other Danish ships. When he does, he is tossed in a storm to the coast of France.
Think and Do
1. Research the Danelaw. Read about how it changed Britain. 2. Think about what the French governor tells Edmund, “…if every country in Christendom would unite against their common foe, and send a quota of ships and men, we would drive the Black Raven from the seas…” Imagine the difference if the countries had united. Does it make you think of other times and events in later history?
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FIGURE 9: MAP 4 - FRANCE
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Chapter 13: The Siege of Paris Geography
In France, locate Havre, Rouen, Paris, Abbeville, the Marne river.
Vocabulary
Charles III (the Fat) - Crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope John VIII in 881, and great-grandson of Charlemagne
Siegfroi – King of the Danish fleet
Goslin – archbishop of Paris
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The Story
Before Edmund and his vessel can return to Britain, they are trapped in France by the arrival of a great Danish fleet up the river. They proceed to Paris, which is on an island in the river.
Figure 10: Charles III (the Fat)
The Danes keep their promise and lay siege to the city, coming back day after day to destroy the walls and try to enter the city.
Think and Do
1. Research Charles the Fat and his lineage.
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Chapter 14: The Repulse of the Northmen The Story
The Saxons are able to wreak havoc on the Danish fleet by setting them on fire during the night. But the peace lasts only a month while the Danes recovered and prepared to battle the city again. This time they are even more fierce and evil, using the bodies of Frankish people and cattle to fill the moat around the city.
They also repeatedly harass the monastery of St. Germain.
Think and Do
1. Research the church of St. Germain.
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Chapter 15: Friends in Trouble Geography
Locate Mont Martre, Burgundy, the river Rhine, and the river Elbe.
Vocabulary mangonels - a military device for throwing stones and other missiles
The Story
The Danes continue to ravage the countryside and attack Paris repeatedly. Finally, Charles III sends a Frankish force to assist, and soon followed himself with a larger force.
French historians of the time described the desolation of the Vikings:
“They destroyed houses, and razed monasteries and churches to the ground, and brought to their death the servants of our holy religion by famine and sword or sold them beyond the sea. They killed the dwellers in the land and none could resist them.”
“The Northmen ceased not to take Christian people captive and to kill them, and to destroy churches and houses and burn villages. Through all the streets lay bodies of the clergy, of laymen, nobles, and others, of women, children, and suckling babes. There was no road nor place where the dead did not lie; and all who saw Christian people slaughtered were filled with sorrow and despair.”
“Thereupon the rage of the Northmen was let loose upon the land. They thirsted for fire and slaughter; they killed Christian people and took them captive and destroyed churches; and no man could resist them.”
“The Northmen, however, made raids in their accustomed manner beyond the Scheldt, and laid waste all things with fire and sword, and totally destroyed churches, monasteries, cities and villages, and put the people to slaughter. After the holy Easter festival, the collection of the tribute began, and churches and church property were ruthlessly plundered.”
But like many other victims of the Viking assaults, Paris made peace with the Danes and history was made.
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The story takes a sudden turn when Edmund learns that the Danish maiden Freda has been kidnapped. Her father, hearing of Edmund’s part in the battle of Paris, sends for Edmund, asking his assistance.
Think and Do
1. Read about Rollo the Viking and the future of Paris (and France). (link) Rollo’s descendants would be William the Conqueror and the Normans, who would invade England. How interesting is it that Viking descendants would again conquer England and rule? 2. Think about the massive numbers of Danes attacking all around Europe. Look at this timeline and the map below to see their long-lasting piracy.
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Chapter 16: Freda
Geography
Forest of Ardennes, Verdune, Metz, Liege, Aix, Moselle river, Maas river.
The Story
Edmund devises a plan to rescue Freda from Sweyn, and travels to find her. He makes secret contact with Freda to let her know that he will save her.
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Chapter 17: A Long Chase Geography
Calais, The English Channel, Spain, Mediterranean Sea, Land’s End, Bay of Biscay, Bay of Cadiz, Rome (Italy), Marseilles, Provence, Genoa, Sicily, the Tiber river, Palermo,
Vocabulary
Hasting – a Viking chieftain
Pope – Pope John VIII (Link)
The Story
Edmund and his crew chase the Danish galley through the Mediterranean all the way to Rome.
Think and Do
1. Trace the route that Edmund through Europe on the Viking map of the Mediterranean. 2. Research the Pope of this time and find out what other world problems he faced.
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Chapter 18: Freda Discovered
Vocabulary patois - the dialect of the common people of a region, differing in various respects from the standard language of the rest of the country.
The Story
Edmund and his band finally reach the encampment of Sweyn and plan an attack that will help free Freda.
Think and Do
1. Once again, discussion arises about how the Christian world should unite against the Vikings. Consider how many centuries might have been different if they had?
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Chapter 19: United Geography
Locate Boulogne, Weald of Kent, Milton, Farnham
The Story
Edmund rescues Freda and they pledge to get married. Edmund asks Freda to learn to know the Christian God, and her father agrees to do the same. They are happily welcomed back to England.
Several smaller Viking attacks continue, and Alfred and the Saxons are overall successful. Alfred leads an army to London to recapture it from the Danes. After suffering many more losses, the Danes give up England and sail for France.
Alfred has begun to make many lasting changes to Britain in government, education, and civilization.
“During his reign England had made immense advances in civilization, and in spite of the devastate wrought by the Danes occupation of Wessex during the early years of his reign, and the efforts required afterwards to oppose them, the wealth and prosperity of the country vastly increased during his reign. Abbeys and monasteries had multiplied, public buildings had been erected, towns rebuilt and beautified, and learning had made great advances. The laws of the country had been codified and regulated, the administration of justice placed on a firm basis.”
It’s amazing that Alfred could simultaneously fight Vikings during his entire reign, while uniting the Saxon kingdoms, chronicling Britain’s history, improving education, writing a new legal code, and advancing Christianity.
Alfred the Great Penny
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Think and Do
1. Think about these extension activities on Alfred the Great. 2. Consider watching Monarch (Season 1 Episode 1 – available on Amazon). It’s a great series about the British monarchs, and episode 1 is all about our time in this study. 3. Read more and explore Alfred and the Saxons. 4. Trace the modern royal family of Britain back to Alfred the Great on this family tree. 5. Again, I recommend reading The White Horse King (mentioned in the beginning of this guide). But if you don’t have time, read this Wikipedia entry on Alfred the Great. 6. Read and research the Anglo Saxon Chronicle and consider ordering a copy for your home library.
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Additional Resources
• If you or your students found this study exciting, you might enjoy seeing current archaeological finds via the Early British Kingdoms Facebook page. • I keep an updated Pinterest Board with some of the links in this study, as well as many more on all things pertaining to Alfred, the Vikings, and the Saxon people. • Check out my entire post on using G. A. Henty books for world history. • Look for my next study guide on Wulf the Saxon by G.A. Henty, featuring the Saxon people during the invasion of William the Conqueror and the Normans. Subscribe to my newsletter at nickitruesdell.com for updates.
Recommended activities for comprehension or presentation
• Dress in costumes and re-enact the story on video. Create a mini-movie to share with your family, or even share on YouTube. • Created an illustrated version of the story for (or with) younger students. • Make a Lego stop-action movie of the story. • Write a research paper after studying one of the topics in this story more in- depth, such as Celtic tribes, Nero, the Roman empire, or persecuted Christians of the early church.
Read my blog post on Making History Fun for more ideas!
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