The Arrival of In Britain of Hengist And Horsa

 

In 449, the Angles Saxons and Jutes were invited to Britain by King Vortigern who wanted help against the Picts, a vicious Northern tribe. Help had been sought elsewhere on the continent by the Britons but they found help was in short supply. A contributing factor in that was the increasingly menacing threat of Attila and the Huns. And so Vortigern turned to the Germanic tribes for assistance and, led by two brothers Hengist and Horsa, they heeded the call

In return for fighting the Picts, Vortigern offered his "guests" territories in which to settle. If he thought that would bring peace, he was badly mistaken. The Germanic tribes initially did as they were asked, attacking the Picts and defeating them in battle. But soon after, Hengist and Horsa turned on the Britons, rather predictably, and attacked them viciously. However, the Britons did fight back and Horsa was killed at the Battle of Aegelsthrep in 455.

After a period of relative calm in the mid to late 5th century, the Britons turned on each other in a series of civil wars and in the 470s, Hengist forced the Britons to surrender Kent before he turned his attentions Westward where he advanced ruthlessly. He was eventually defeated in battle and executed in the aftermath.

The Battle of Bannockburn: A Calamity for Edward II

 In 1314, at the Battle of Bannockburn, England and ,in particular, king Edward II suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Robert The Bruce and his Scottish army. The following is an extract taken from the Life of Edward II describing the English retreat; "Thus, while our people fled following in our king's footsteps, lo! A certain ditch entrapped many of them and a great many of our army perished in it.

The king came to the castle thinking to find refuge there, was repulsed by those inside as if he were the enemy. The drawbridge was raised and the gate closed." The retreat had proved to be as farcical as the battle itself for the English. The English army had heavily outnumbered the Scots but this had made very little difference as the English suffered catastrophic losses with the Scots comparatively unscathed.

Ultimately, Edward II would lose his throne in 1327, mainly due to his excessive favouritism of people like Piers Gaveston and then, in his final years, the Despensers who only had their interests in mind when it came to their relationship with the king. However, even though it was some years prior to the deposition, the military disaster at Bannockburn did nothing for Edward's reputation and can be viewed as a contributing factor towards his final fate.

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.Battle of Bannockburn 1314

In 1314, at the Battle of Bannockburn, England and ,in particular, king Edward II suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Robert The Bruce and his Scottish army. The following is an extract taken from the Life of Edward II describing the English retreat; "Thus, while our people fled following in our king's footsteps, lo! A certain ditch entrapped many of them and a great many of our army perished in it.
The king came to the castle thinking to find refuge there, was repulsed by those inside as if he were the enemy. The drawbridge was raised and the gate closed." The retreat had proved to be as farcical as the battle itself for the English. The English army had heavily outnumbered the Scots but this had made very little difference as the English suffered catastrophic losses with the Scots comparatively unscathed.
Ultimately, Edward II would lose his throne in 1327, mainly due to his excessive favouritism of people like Piers Gaveston and then, in his final years, the Despensers who only had their interests in mind when it came to their relationship with the king. However, even though it was some years prior to the deposition, the military disaster at Bannockburn did nothing for Edward's reputation and can be viewed as a contributing factor towards his final fate.

The Demon Countess of Anjou

 

According to legend, The Plantagenets, the dynasty that ruled England for more than 300 years, was descended from the devil. Gerald of Wales tells the colourful tale of the demon countess who the Plantagenets were descendants of...

"there was a certain countess of Anjou, of remarkable beauty, but of an unknown nation, whom the count married solely for beauty, who was in the habit of coming very seldom to church, and there manifested no devotion in it, she never remained in the church until the celebration the mass, but always went out immediately after the gospel.

she was eventually noticed by the count; and when she had come to the church, and was preparing to depart at her usual hour, she saw that she was kept back by four soldiers at the command of the count; leaving behind her two little sons, she took up under her arm the two others, and in the sight of all flew out through a lofty window. And so this woman, was never afterwards seen there."

This obviously ridiculous tale, however colourful it may be, is outdone by the dynasty that was supposedly spawned by this demon countess. The fact of the matter is that, no matter how imaginative medieval chroniclers were in their writing, and they were certainly imaginative, this was a case of the truth being stranger than fiction. The story of the Plantagenet kings, whether it be the sorrowful tale of Bad King John, the chivalric heroics of Edward III, the brilliance of Henry V and so on could never be outdone. In fairness to Gerald, he died in the first quarter of the 13th century so he would not be able to grasp how influential this dynasty would become. In his own time though, he bore witness to the horrors of John's reign and no doubt he must have seriously questioned, at the very least, what made John the man he was. Certainly, some of John's actions were demonic like.

King Aethelwulf: Father of Alfred The Great

 In the late 830s, Aethelwulf became king of Wessex, succeeding his father, Egbert. The Viking threat to the Anglo Saxon kingdoms during Aethelwulf's near two decade long reign was growing ever more sinister and Aethelwulf would suffer defeats in battle against them and areas like London and Kent would be ravaged by vicious Viking attacks. Aethelwulf, however, was surrounded by capable and proactive advisers including a bishop by the name of Swithun, who would later be made a saint. Wishing to ensure that the Vikings were kept at bay as much as physically possible, Swithun demanded that the king respond to the raids as swiftly as possible. Aethelwulf was described as being a mild mannered man and it would seem that warfare went against his natural instincts. He was certainly a man who preferred times of peace where he could perhaps enjoy more leisurely pursuits.

But for Bishop Swithun and the other advisers, they knew that the Viking threat had to be dealt with forcefully and they did their best to ensure that the king was kept on his toes by constant and firm reminders of what it took to govern a kingdom. Another man close to Aethelwulf, Ealstan, took it upon himself to not only ensure that the army was kept in good order as well making significant financial contributions to the crown. Ealstan was accused of being a greedy man but his contributions were vital nonetheless Aethelwulf may not have been perfect in terms of his character but he deserves credit for having advisers around him that could help provided strong resistance against the Vikings.

In the late 840s, around the half way point of Aethelwulf's reign, his youngest son Alfred was born who, on two occasions during his childhood, was sent to Rome. On the second occasion, Aethelwulf accompanied his son and ,on the way back, he would take back to Wessex Judith of Flanders, daughter of Charles The Bald, the king of West Francia and future Holy Roman Emperor. On his return to Wessex, Aethelwulf had found his son Aethelbald had gone into rebellion against him, with the assistance of Ealstan and others, and aimed to deprive his father of the crown. However, support for Aethelbald was in short supply and in the end Wessex was divided into two with father and son getting a half each. 

The episode with his son may have demonstrated that Aethelwulf was not an overly ruthless man. Aethelbald perhaps should have been put in his place a little bit more. But what it also demonstrated is that Aethelwulf had a reasonably unified nobility behind him, crucial in this day and age were the wars against the Vikings had only just begun. Aethelwulf was also praised for his treatment of the church and his general, day to day governance of his kingdom seems to have been sensible enough. So it was into this world that young Alfred was born. Things would be tougher during his reign then it had been during his father's rule but Aethelwulf had certainly set a good example of kingship to not only Alfred but to his other four sons, all kings themselves, as well. Even if it wasn't an example they wished to follow.

History For Kids: Tommy's History Adventures!

 Tommy’s History Adventures: Tommy And 1066

Tommy is a 10 year boy who lives with his Mum and Dad and his two sisters. In most ways, Tommy is like most other children his age. He likes going to the park and playing with his friends. He likes watching cartoons and he likes eating ice cream. Tommy also really likes History. It’s this last interest that makes Tommy a little bit different. Not that he likes History, lots of children like History although many don’t as well! No, what makes Tommy different is that he has a superpower! 

When you think of superpowers, you might think of a person who can fly or make themselves invisible. But Tommy’s superpower is that he can travel back in time! All he has to do is say the year and place he wants to visit and with a hop, skip and a jump, he gets taken back in time to that exact year and that exact place. For example, if Tommy wanted to see the Great Fire Of London in 1666, all Tommy would have to do is say London, 1666 and his Superpower would know exactly where to take him. Isn’t that cool? But don’t worry. Tommy is always safe. Nobody in the past knows he’s there and he can’t be hurt by anything that’s happened as he has a special protective pod to protect him. So, if he visited London in 1666, the fire wouldn’t be able to hurt him. And Tommy also has a special watch which he can set to however long he wants to stay in the year he visits. So, if he wanted to spend an hour in 1666, he’d set the timer on his watch to one hour. Although one hour doesn’t sound like a lot, events would move quicker than they normally do in real time so Tommy and whoever went with him could see as much as possible. Cool, eh?

Tommy has two friends called Tammy and James. They both know about Tommy’s superpower but are the only other children in the world, apart from Tommy’s sisters, who Tommy has told. As Tommy’s Dad said, if Tommy told everyone, then everybody would be asking Tommy to take them back in time and Tommy wouldn’t have time to do anything else! Tommy knew he could trust both Tammy and James not to blab his secrets to anyone else as they had all been best friends for years.

This is Tammy, who is one of Tommy’s best friends!

One day, Tommy, Tammy and James were walking home from school. They were talking about the day they had. In the morning, they had Maths and English, after break Science and Geography and, after lunch, their favourite subject, HISTORY! Today, they had been learning all about the Battle of Hastings. Tommy asked the others if they thought King Harold II had really been hit in the eye with an arrow.

“Hmm, I’m not sure,” said Tammy, “Seems unlikely to me”.

“Well,”interjected James, “ William The Conqueror did have a lot of archers so it’s definitely possible!”

They argued all the way back to Tommy’s house which was the closest to the school. Tommy’s Mum invited Tammy and James in for a drink and a snack. They were both very hungry and, whatsmore, they wanted to continue their boisterous argument! So, they accepted and sat down on the sofa with their snacks and watched TV. Tommy’s favourite programme was on and he sat watching that contentedly but both Tammy and James were STILL arguing! This time they were arguing over whether… 

This is James who is Tommy’s other best friend!

…William The Conqueror was really the rightful king which is what caused the Battle of Hastings to be fought in the first place. Tommy was used to their squabbling but their loud talking was interrupting his programme, He turned the volume up and tried to ignore his friends. 

When the programme was over, Tommy got up.

“Right,” he said, “There’s only one thing for it. We’re going back in time!” 

For the first time in about an hour, Tammy and James finally shut up!

“Are you sure, Tommy?”asked James,”Will your Mum let us?”

Tommy’s Mum didn’t like Tommy going back in time. She worried he might get stuck there! Also, Tommy’s 

sisters, Amelia and Paige, didn’t have superpowers and became very jealous of Tommy when he used his time travelling ability which caused a lot of arguing! But even Tommy’s Mum knew she couldn’t let her son waste his superpower so she allowed him to use it once a month AS LONG AS one of her or Tommy’s Dad went with him.

“Yes, that’s fine.” Tommy’s Mum said when he asked her if he could go,”But Tammy and James can’t go!”

Tommy’s Mum didn’t like Tammy and James going as they weren’t her children. But this caused a lot of protest from Tommy’s two friends.

“My mum doesn’t care if i get lost or stuck or whatever!” Tammy argued. “She’s too busy at the betting shop!”

“And my Dad allows me to do anything!” James chirped up. After twenty minutes of arguing, Tommy’s Mum relented.

“But,” she said,”We’ll have to wait for your dad so one of us is here to watch Paige and Amelia!”

“Maybe they’ll want to come?” Tommy suggested.”I’ll go ask.”

Tommy asked if the girls wanted to come on this exciting journey. Neither girl said a word. Instead, in response, they both threw heavy books at Tommy which narrowly missed him. Tommy’s Dad came home from work at 4:30 PM and was instantly excited at the thought of going back in time. Tommy’s Dad was much more excitable than Tommy’s Mum and it was normally he who took Tommy on his incredible adventures.

“Remember, one hour and you must be back for dinner. It’s a school night!” Tommy’s Mum said. Tommy, his Dad, Tammy and James went into the back garden where they formed a line by holding hands. They then did a HOP! A SKIP AND A JUMP AND SHOUTED ENGLAND, 1066! The world started to spin. They were now going back in time!

Round and round they spun. The further back in time Tommy’s superpower had to go, the more it made him and his companions spin. And the Battle of Hastings was nearly a 1,000 years ago so that meant a lot of spinning. Eventually, they began to slow down and they landed with a thump. After taking a minute to get their bearings, Tommy, his Dad, Tammy and James looked around.

“Where are we?” James asked.

To answer his friend’s question, Tommy looked down at his watch which, apart from telling and controlling the time when he was in the past, could also tell Tommy where his exact location was.

“York,” he replied to James, “Or just outside of York.”

“Why are we in York? Thought we were going to Hastings?” Tommy’s Dad said, scratching his chin and looking bemused.

Tommy thought for a moment. 

“In 1066, there wasn’t just one battle in England. In fact, there wasn’t just two battles. There were THREE!”

“THREE!” Tommy’s Dad exclaimed!

“Yes! People know all about William The Conqueror and Harold II and Hastings but there was another man who thought he could or should be king of England. That was King Harold Hardrada of Norway!”

Harold Hardrada was a powerful and mighty king. His name Hardrada means “Hard Ruler” and It’s said that he was 7 feet tall! Hardrada had seen and done a lot of things in his life, travelling far and wide. Now he wanted to become king of England. Whether his right to become king of England was actually strong enough was something that WASN’T going to bother him!

King Harold II knew he had big problems. He was expecting an invasion from William, Duke of Normandy but knew he couldn’t ignore the danger from Hardrada. What made things worse for Harold II was that Hardrada was being helped in his invasion of England by Harold II’s own brother Tostig!

“So, in September 1066,” Tammy said, as they stood in a wet and soggy field in Yorkshire,” King Harold of England was in a really bad position! He faced invasions from both the North with Hardrada coming from Norway and William coming from the South, crossing the English channel”.

“Yes,” Tommy replied,” Harold knew he needed help in seeing off both dangers and he relied on two of his Northern nobles to try and beat Hardrada. The battle we are going to see first is called the Battle of Fulford and is one that not many people know about”.

After waiting for another couple of minutes, two armies began to appear, as if by magic, in front of Tommy’s eyes. At the same time, a bubble surrounded Tommy, his Dad and Tammy and James to shield them from all the flying arrows but still let them see the fierce fighting. On one side was the English army, on the other the Norwegians, led by Hardrada.

The battle began and was fought ferociously. It looked as though the English army were going to win!

“Hardrada’s going to lose!” Tommy’s Dad shouted!

“Oh no, he isn’t,” Tommy replied,” He’s got reinforcements!”

What the English didn’t know is that not all the men in Hardrada’s army had disembarked from their ships. As a result, they were late arrivals to the battle. 

“Look!” James said, pointing at some men marching in the distance. These were members of Hardrada’s army! As soon as they arrived, the course of the battle was changed and the English were defeated. If he didn’t know before, Harold II knew he had problems now!

“This is incredible!” Tommy’s Dad exclaimed. “It was during these exact moments that the course of this country’s history could have changed forever!” The children all nodded fervently in agreement. They were still processing what they had seen at Fulford when the scene in front of them changed. They were now standing near a river with a bridge crossing it. 

“Where are we now?” James asked.

“This must be Stamford Bridge!” Tammy responded excitedly.

“Where the Chelsea football team play?”

“NO!” Tammy laughed.”Where the Battle between Hardrada and Harold II was fought!”

After Hardrada’s victory at Fulford, Harold knew he had to respond quickly otherwise the King of Norway, with the help of Tostig, might make his army even bigger and capture towns across the North of England. Harold II gathered his men and marched up north.

The armies of Harold II and Hardrada fought fiercely. Both sides knew what was at stake. If Harold II won, he would then only have Duke William as his rival. If Hardrada won, he might be able to have himself crowned king of England! Eventually both Hardrada and his ally Tostig would die in the fighting and Harold II won the battle.

“Wow! That’s the end of Hardrada!”Tommy's dad said.

“Yep,”Tommy replied,”As brave a warrior as he was, it wasn’t meant to be for him that year.”

As Tommy, his Dad, Tammy and James watched on, they could see the English army were exhausted. They’d not only had to fight a hard battle but the march from the south to the north of England would have been tiring in itself. What they would hope for now was a nice, long period of rest.

But they wouldn’t get it! Soon, the English king had some unwanted news. Duke William had finally landed in England. This left Harold II with a problem. Did he give his men the rest they badly needed? Or did he go and meet the danger posed by William head on.

“The course of English history rested on this decision!”Tammy said excitedly.

“Ooh, yes.” Tommy’s Dad responded,”I wonder what he’ll do?” 

They soon had their answer. Harold and his men began their long march South where they would meet Duke William at Hastings. Tommy, his Dad, Tammy and James watched as the soldiers marched off into the distance before, suddenly, the scene in front of them changed again. This time they were stood on top of a hill.

“We’re at Hastings!” Tommy exclaimed excitedly. He didn’t even need to check his watch to know this. He knew that the English army had the advantage as they were at the top of the hill and Duke William’s Normans would have to charge up the hill to try and break through the enemy lines.

“Look, it’s King Harold!” James said, pointing to a man riding on his horse, in front of his men. He was shouting words of encouragement to his soldiers as they prepared to give battle. And soon, the fighting had begun!

The Normans charged up the hill time and time again and the loud clangs of swords rang through the air. 

“They’re not getting anywhere, are they?” Tommy’s Dad said in wonder as he watched the Normans being repulsed over and over again. He was right, the Normans made little progress for hours and hours (remember, time moved forward quicker for our Time Travellers then it did for the men in the battle). As the battle wore on, something caught Tommy’s eye. Some of the Normans appeared to be agitated. James had seen this also .

“Are they retreating?”He asked, pointing at some men who appeared to be leaving the battlefield.

“No,” Tommy responded,”At this point, a rumour had gone round that Duke William had died. He hadn’t and he had to make it known by lifting up his helmet!”

It was getting late in the day now and still the battle was a stalemate.

“Looks like the Normans are giving up now!” Tommy’s Dad shouted as it appeared that the Normans had really begun to retreat.Tommy’s dad didn’t know as much about History as his son.

“Oh no, they’re not!” Tommy replied. 

The Normans, sick and tired of trying the same tactic over and over again, had tried a different idea. To lure the English from their safe position on top of the hill, they pretended to flee the battle in large numbers. And the tactic worked, as Tammy explained.

“On seeing some of the Normans riding away,” she said,”some members of the English army, going against what King Harold had told them, broke away from the rest of the army and pursued the Normans.”

But it was a dastardly trick! The Normans doubled back and encircled the men who had been following them. Realising their mistake, the English tried to rejoin the rest of the army that had stayed in position. But it was no good.

“Look,” Tommy’s Dad shouted, “They’re all falling into a ditch!” The Normans had a dug a secret ditch that hindered the English escape. And now the rest of the English army joined in, desperate to help their countrymen. It was chaos! Duke William, at this point, ordered his archers to unleash a volley of arrows which came raining down on the English, including King Harold and…..BLEEP! BLEEP! BLEEP! Tommy, his Dad, Tammy and James all started at the noise.

“It’s my watch, our one hour is up!” Tommy said.

“Has it been an hour already? Time flies when you’re having fun!” Tommy’s Dad said excitedly.

“Time does fly when you come back in time thanks to this watch.”

Tommy, his Dad, Tammy and James all held hands, shouted HOME! And with a hop, skip and a jump, they arrived back at Tommy’s house.

Tommy’s Mum was waiting for them in the living room. 

“How was it?” She asked.

The four all burst into excited chatter as they told of the incredible things and people they had seen.

“Sounds fantastic,” she replied, barely stifling a yawn. Still buzzing, Tommy sat down at the dinner table, ready for some food. Time travelling was hungry work! Tommy’s Mum had offered Tammy and James some dinner but they decided to go home. 

“Thanks for that Tommy!” James said enthusiastically.

“Yeah,” Tammy chipped in,” I think that was my favourite adventure yet!”

“You say that every time!” Tommy replied grinning. After saying bye to his two friends, Tommy began to get stuck into his dinner which his Mum had ready early, as she did every time Tommy went on an adventure.

“Where’s your father?” Tommy’s Mum muttered. As she said this, Tommy heard a slow, rumbling noise coming from the living room. Tommy’s Dad was snoring the house down! 

“For goodness sake!” Tommy’s Mum muttered as she went to wake him. Grinning, Tommy carried on eating and started to daydream about all that he had seen that day.

Edward II's Deposition And Death

 In January 1327, Queen Isabella and her ally Roger Mortimer held a remarkable parliament. In the months prior, Isabella and Mortimer had arrested King Edward II, Isabella's husband, and killed his closest allies,  the Despensers, in brutal fashion. Edward was being kept in captivity at Kenilworth Castle where it was said his living conditions were relatively comfortable. However, his time as king was about to be brought to an end. The Earl of Lancaster as well as the Bishops of Winchester and Lincoln held a secret meeting with the king to try and persuade him of the benefits of surrendering his crown to his 14 year old son, Prince Edward. First, they played on the king's piety and conscience by implying that the king could expect religious rewards if he were to give up his crown. They also made it plain that it would benefit England as a country were Edward to surrender his throne and they claimed there would be a return to peace and stability in the land. Gentle persuasion was not the only tactic used by the two bishops and Earl. They also employed threats such as the possibility of Prince Edward being disinherited also if king Edward did not comply. Reluctantly, the king realised he had very little option. He was, after all, a prisoner of Isabella and Mortimer and they now held all the cards. However, Edward's deposition would not bring about the peace that the bishops and Earl had effectively promised.

Arriving at Kenilworth Castle soon after was the Bishop of Hereford, a key supporter of Isabella and Mortimer, along with a number of knights, barons, abbots and bishops from across the country. Edward, on seeing them, was evidently overwhelmed with emotion and fainted. After some assistance, the king recovered himself somewhat and faced the bishop of Hereford who addressed the king and told him that it was his duty to hand over the crown and that if Edward did not do so, then another man would be elected not only in Edward's stead but also, as the Earl of Lancaster and Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester had told the king, in place of the young Prince Edward. Homage to the king from the nobility was then renounced and other formalities took place before Edward was officially declared to be no longer king. His son was now King Edward III. Isabella and Mortimer, now regents for the young boy king, would do very well for themselves financially.

As for Edward II, he remained in the custody of the Earl of Lancaster. The former king's upkeep was maintained by a relatively generous pension paid to him by the treasury. Edward is said to have borne his troubles manfully and complained little although he despaired that his estranged wife not only refused to visit him but also prevented the young king from seeing his father also. Whilst Edward bemoaned his pitiable situation, Isabella remained unmoved. Fearful of Edward becoming too familiar with his keeper, the Earl of Lancaster, Isabella had her husband carted around the country. First of all, he was taken to Corfe Castle, then to Bristol before he was eventually settled at Berkeley where Edward's life would become much harder and where it would also meet its end. Meanwhile, Isabella and Mortimer's power continued to grow at an alarming rate and anyone who dared to challenge them could expect confiscation of money and property and possibly death as well.

Edward's guards at Berkeley were certainly of a harder disposition then those at Kenilworth had been. They taunted the former king and placed a crown of hay upon his head. Edward remained steadfast despite these provocations. It was clear though, that while Edward remained alive, he was still a threat to the self serving and power mad pair Isabella and Mortimer. The two regents were making new enemies all the time and Edward was a clear figurehead for potential rebellions. Whilst Edward was alive, there was every possibility he could be set free and restored to power. And so, one night in September 1327, Edward II died at Berkeley Castle. The most famous story that has circulated around Edward's death is that he was killed by a red hot poker which is unlikely but there is certainly an air of mystery surrounding the death of the former king. Whilst Edward had been a poor king, it is hard not to feel some sympathy with him. Isabella and Mortimer's regency was no better than Edward's reign had been and it could be said that Edward was far less malicious. However, their time would be short and in 1330, Isabella and Mortimer were brought crashing down to earth by the now maturing 17 year old Edward III who had his mother exiled in disgrace and Roger Mortimer hanged.

Vlad The Impaler: History's Greatest Monster?

WARNING: CONTENT CONTAINS DETAIL SOME READERS MAY FIND UPSETTING OR DISTURBING. THE FOCUS OF THIS BLOG POST IS LESS ON HISTORICAL FACT AND MORE ON TALES THAT CIRCULATED ABOUT VLAD THE IMPALER. SOME OF THE TALES WILL BE, UNFORTUNATELY, FACT, OTHERS THE FALSEHOOD OF VLAD'S ENEMIES THAT SERVED AS PROPAGANDA. AND THERE WILL BE SOME STORIES THAT MAY HAVE TRUTH IN THEM BUT WERE GROSSLY EXAGGERATED.

Vlad The Impaler is one of the most memorable figures in all history but for all the wrong reasons. His penchant for having people impaled is truly ghastly but to make matters worse, this wasn't the only form of execution Vlad used. Stories circulated about different methods of execution that Vlad concocted which were all cruel in the most inhumane way. He slaughtered over 20,000 Ottoman Turks and even nearly killed their Sultan, Mehmed II. And it wasn't just prisoners of war Vlad targeted. Men, women, young and old were victims of his brutality. Here, we'll look at some of the stories told that detailed Vlad's cruelty. In many of them, his viciousness seemed to be born on a whim as perfectly innocent people fell victim to his rage. However, it must be said that some of these stories were written by Vlad's enemies a few years after his death so we have to take it all with a pinch of salt. Whilst some of the tales are clearly false or at least heavily embellished, other cases are historically proven.

Gaining control of Wallachia in 1456, Vlad had villages across Transylvania burned to the ground with men, women and children all perishing. Some of the survivors were brought back to Wallachia and allegedly impaled. It was said that Vlad then had 400 young boys, from noble families sent to his land to learn the language, burned alive. Vlad was also not averse to using psychological torture. Some ambassadors sent to him from Hungary and surrounding regions were kept in lodgings filled with large wooden stakes, evidently for their impalement in case of some treachery on their part. The envoys were kept in this fearful state for some weeks.

Vlad's depravity seemed to know no bounds and one particularly malicious act was when he held a funeral service for one of his victims whilst he was still alive. Vlad made the man dig his own grave before having him beheaded. On one occasion, Vlad had a gypsy arrested for stealing and he ordered that he should be hanged by his companions. When they refused, the thief was boiled alive in a pot with the rest ordered to eat his flesh. When some Italian ambassadors arrived in Vlad's lands, they greeted him by removing their hats although leaving their caps on underneath. When Vlad asked why this was, they said it was simply their custom. In response, Vlad nailed the caps to their head. One of Vlad's mistresses told him she was pregnant. When this was found not to be the case, he had her disembowelled. 

But, of course, impalement is the execution that Vlad will be forever remembered for. On one occasion, after attacking Transylvania, Vlad took the ordinary citizens of one town and had them impaled. The ghoul then sat down to enjoy his lunch in the midst of such terrible suffering. Vlad's brutality left even experienced men of war flabbergasted. Mehmed II and his Ottomans were on the march against Vlad when they stumbled on a truly horrifying sight. Thousands upon thousands of Ottoman men, women and children impaled on wooden stakes. Mehmed was said to have been stunned at what he saw.

Nonetheless, Vlad is and was regarded by some as being a strong ruler, a capable military leader and a man who took a particularly hard line with his enemies. It may be this last factor why some many stories of Vlad's incredible violence circulated after his death.

Who Was Attila The Hun?

 

Attila The Hun is remembered now as the scourge of the Roman Empire, in both the east and west but very few people know much about the man himself. An insight into Attila is given by a man named Priscus who was a part of a group of envoys sent by the Eastern Roman Emperor to meet with Attila, hoping to make peace with him and put an end to the Huns devastating and destructive raids. In the late 4th century, the Roman historian Marcellinus wrote a very unflattering description of the Huns. According to Marcellinus, the preparation of food that the Huns eat was primitive with the meat part of their diet consumed half raw. Unsurprisingly, they were fierce warriors. As the Huns joined battle with their enemy, they would ring the air with various battle cries and would rely on sudden movements rather than particularly organised battle plans to overwhelm their enemy. As a result, warfare with the Huns was especially chaotic. Attila of course is the most famous of the Huns’ leaders. He came to power alongside his brother on the death of their uncle in 434. They ruled jointly for over a decade. During that time, the Huns attacked the Persian empire before firmly turning their attentions towards the Romans. Attila’s brother died in 445, leaving Attila as sole king. In the late 440s, Attila raided deep into the heart of Byzantine territory where his activities were described by one chronicler…”The barbarian nation of the Huns, which was in Thrace, became so great that more than a hundred cities were captured and Constantinople almost came into danger and most men fled from it. ... And there were so many murders and blood-lettings that the dead could not be numbered. Ay, for they took captive the churches and monasteries and slew the monks and maidens in great numbers.” It wasn’t all plain sailing for Attila on his path of destruction. In 451, he was defeated in battle by the Western Romans. However, Attila was not one to be deterred by one mere setback and the following year he caused huge destruction across Italy. It must have been a huge relief for many when Attila died in 453. So when Priscus and his fellow envoys made their journey to meet Attila, there must have been some trepidation. At 3 o'clock one afternoon, the envoys were invited to dine with Attila. The envoys made their gestures of respect to Attila who was sitting on a couch in the middle of his encampment before taking their own seats. Sitting on the couch with Attila was his eldest son who kept his eyes fixed firmly downwards, apparently in fear of upsetting his father. Attila’s youngest son would enter the camp later on and evidently he appeared to be the favourite as Attila treated him with affection. The reason for this favouritism was that, according to one of the Huns sitting near Priscus who happened to overhear Priscus speaking and who understood Italian, Attila had heard a prediction that his family would one day be exiled and would only be restored thanks to this youngest son. Sitting on Attila’s right hand side were the most important in his ranks whilst those of less renown sat on his left, alongside the Roman envoys. Shortly before the food was brought out, Attila was offered some wine and it was here that he made a toast in honour of those present who had served him most nobly. The men, on hearing their name, would rise and wait for Attila to take a deep sip before returning the favour. The food that was brought out was lavish, more so than usual Hunnic custom,and wide ranging although Attila had a more simple meal of some meat presented to him on a wooden platter which was, in the words of Priscus, another example of his self discipline. His goblet was also wooden although the goblets of everybody else were either golden or silver. His clothing was basic with everything kept free of expensive and unnecessary adornments. As the feast wore on, those inside the camp gradually became more and more raucous, laughing at the buffoonery of two individuals who had been brought in for the occasion. The one person inside the camp who did not join in the laughter was Attila himself who remained impassive. For Priscus and his fellow envoys, this must have been a remarkable meeting. Despite Attila’s seeming humility, he was still the man who had wrought such carnage across Europe and the effects of this embassy would have been limited to say the least. You would not blame Priscus if he was happy to get out of there as quickly as possible

The Origins of The Peasants Revolt

A 14th century writer John Trevisa gave his views on the character of English people during the Middle Ages. Trevisa described people in the south as being mild mannered but his views on those in the north was altogether less flattering. According to John, Northerners were less stable and more cruel. However, John's views should be taken with a pinch of salt. John himself was a Southerner, originally from Cornwall, so perhaps a little biased. Secondly, and more importantly, the Peasants Revolt of 1381 was a rebellion that began in Kent and Essex and exploded into a fireball of rage that was largely restricted to the South, although there were outbreaks of violence as far north as Yorkshire. This rather puts paid to John's opinion that Southerners were more easy going than their Northern counterparts. England in the medieval period could be a volatile place, wherever you happened to live.

England, in the previous centuries, had seen long periods of instability, notably during the reigns of kings Stephen, John, Henry III and Edward II. So, it is possible one may assume that civil unrest was a part of England's national identity during the middle ages. However, the outbreak of the Peasants Revolt cannot simply just be attributed to the nature of the English population at the time. There were different causes for it and, when studied in closer detail, the frustrations of the men and women of Kent, Essex and other areas becomes more understandable.

The king at the time of the Peasants Revolt was the young Richard II, just 14 years old in 1381. However, trouble had been brewing long before Richard had come to the throne in 1377. In the late 1340s, during the reign of Richard's grandfather Edward III, the Black Death struck England where, as it had done throughout Europe and beyond, it wreaked havoc It's estimated that a third of England's population was killed by the disease. Villages, towns and cities were decimated as, in some areas, barely enough people were left alive to bury the dead. The rich had a better chance of surviving the outbreak as they could escape to one of their country estates where the worst of the Plague could be avoided. It was the more common folk in towns and cities who were particularly affected.

However, with the disaster came unexpected opportunities for those who had been used to toiling for very little reward. Labourers were now in high demand due to their lack of numbers. This meant they could reasonably expect to ask for higher wages for their services. Edward III, though, became increasingly concerned by this sudden inflation of wages as he found his nobles were being forced to pay more to those they were employing, meaning they had less finances available for Edward's military campaigns in France. Labourers who were seen as overreaching and perhaps even greedy began to be persecuted and many were thrown into prison. In 1349, with the plague still rampant, the king passed a statute attempting to lower labourers wages back to the levels they were before the outbreak of the Black Death. In 1351, Edward went one step further and passed the Statute of Labourers which more clearly defined the wages that could be expected by people in different lines of work, ranging from those working in the fields to carpenters, tailors and shoemakers. 

The efficiency of Edward's government meant that the king's coffers continued to fill. However, there is absolutely no question whatsoever that this would have caused tremendous resentment across the population. Whilst Edward was still in his pomp in the 1350s, he could still keep a firm grip on his kingdom. But as he began to near old age, his grip would slacken and, by the 1370s, the country began to fall apart as the king's health declined. England began to lose control of the wars in France as the French king Charles V began to reverse the earlier English victories. Defeats and losses of territories in France would have not only affected the economy but also the nation's morale. With the old king nearing his end, England found itself in an increasingly precarious position. Edward had started what would become known as The Hundred Years War with France and his military aggression paid off with some great victories at Crecy and Poitiers among others. But now the tables had turned. England was now very much at risk of a French invasion. The mood among the common population at this time must have been fairly grim. Prospects of a brighter future for them financially, that the Plague had unexpectedly presented them with,had been firmly dashed by Edward III and now their homes and lives were threatened by a potential foreign invasion. In the years following Edward III's death, 3 poll taxes were imposed on the country just to cheer them even further. This would be the straw that broke the camel's back.

In part 2, we'll look at the early years of Richard II and the outbreak of the revolt.

5 Famous Battles In Medieval History

5. Battle of Hastings 1066

The following is a description of how the English and Norman armies prepared for the Battle of Hastings, as told by the chronicler William of Malmesbury. "The English passed the night drinking and singing, without sleep, before, in the morning, proceeding against the enemy without delay. All on foot, they were armed with battle axes and covered themselves in front by the juncture of their shields. This formed an impenetrable wall which would have secured their safety had not the Normans induced them to open their ranks by a feigned retreat. On the Norman side, they passed the night before the battle confessing their sins and receiving communion. The infantry formed the Norman vanguard while their cavalry was divided and placed in the rear. The Duke declared aloud that God would favour his side." As William implied, the battle may well have gone the way of the English had part of their army not broken their ranks in order to pursue the Normans who they perceived to be fleeing the battlefield. It seems likely that the Norman retreat was a plan formed by Duke William, perhaps with a bit of desperation, in order to break the stubborn and united English army. Feigned retreat or not, the Normans who were "fleeing" the battle doubled back and massacred those who were pursuing them and it was at this phase of the Battle of Hastings that the course of English history changed forever.

4.Battle of Edington 878

In 878, Alfred The Great triumphed over the Vikings at the Battle of Edington. The Vikings were led by a man named Guthrum who was king of East Anglia. After his defeat, Guthrum converted to Christianity. During the battle, the Anglo Saxons marched forwards in a tight knit group with their shields forming a solid protective barrier which proved effective in holding off the Viking attacks. Alfred's men, after repelling wave after wave of Viking onslaughts, then began to take control of the battle as they began to cut down many of the Viking warriors. Seeing the battle was going against them, the Vikings began to retreat. Alfred pursued them and this led to a fortnight long siege which ended with the Vikings desperately seeking for mercy and handing over hostages to Alfred as part of the agreement and, to seal the deal, Guthrum converted to Christianity.

3.Battle of Tinchebray 1106

 The Battle of Tinchebray, fought in 1106, was a decisive victory for king Henry I of England over his brother Robert Curthose as Henry seized control of Robert's Duchy of Normandy. Henry, Robert and their brother William were sons of William The Conqueror who passed on the crown of England to William, the third born son who became king William II. Robert, the first born son (a fourth son of The Conqueror  died young in 1070) only received Normandy as his inheritance due to the deeply troubled relationship he had with his father and Henry only received money, albeit a substantial sum. However, circumstances would change and William II died in 1100 in a mysterious hunting "accident". With Robert still to return to the west after the first crusade, this presented Henry with a golden opportunity and he became king of England. However, Henry would not be satisfied with that. He wanted Normandy. Having persuaded the pope of Robert's misrule over Normandy, Henry had legitimised his cause and at Tinchebray, he took his chance. The numbers killed in the battle were relatively low but the key moment came when Robert was captured in the midst of the fighting which gave Henry the victory. Robert would remain Henry's prisoner for the rest of his long life. He died only a year before his youngest brother in 1134, aged in his early eighties. For Henry, this was a complete triumph for a man whose inheritance from his father had looked relatively unpromising.

2.Battle of Bannockburn 1314

In 1314, at the Battle of Bannockburn, England and ,in particular, king Edward II suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Robert The Bruce and his Scottish army. The following is an extract taken from the Life of Edward II describing the English retreat; "Thus, while our people fled following in our king's footsteps, lo! A certain ditch entrapped many of them and a great many of our army perished in it. The king came to the castle thinking to find refuge there, was repulsed by those inside as if he were the enemy. The drawbridge was raised and the gate closed." The retreat had proved to be as farcical as the battle itself for the English. The English army had heavily outnumbered the Scots but this had made very little difference as the English suffered catastrophic losses with the Scots comparatively unscathed. Ultimately, Edward II would lose his throne in 1327, mainly due to his excessive favouritism of people like Piers Gaveston and then, in his final years, the Despensers who only had their interests in mind when it came to their relationship with the king. However, even though it was some years prior to the deposition, the military disaster at Bannockburn did nothing for Edward's reputation and can be viewed as a contributing factor towards his final fate.

1.Battle of Crecy 1346

Edward The Black Prince was born in 1330, the eldest son of King Edward III. His nickname is either derived from a suit of armour he wore or from the reputation he gained later in life for being a ruthless warrior who was capable of being particularly brutal, most notably evidenced by his sack of the town of Limoges which had surrendered to the French. Much earlier in his career, when he was just 16, The Black Prince established himself as a brilliant warrior at the Battle of Crecy. At one point in the battle it looked like the young Prince was in danger of being overwhelmed and potentially killed or captured. Concerns grew among the English army and a message was brought to Edward III regarding the plight of his son. Even though the king was urged to send reinforcements to help The Black Prince, he told the messenger that he instead trusted the Prince to "earn his spurs" and this he did. The young Edward fought outstandingly well, far beyond the capability of many men much older then he, and Crecy proved a remarkable triumph for both him, Edward III and England.