| July 15 |  |
Editor says, what if the "moment when Englishness came of age" (to quote Michael Livingston) had been ruined? Please note that the opinions expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of the author(s). This story was published in the August 2012 edition of Changing the Times Magazine.
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In 937 AD, on this day at Brunanburh a great northern force of Norse-Celtic warriors defeated the national army of Æthelstan King of England in the greatest battle fought since the Saxons set foot in the British Isles over five centures before.
Olaf III Guthfrithsson wins the Battle of NationsAmong the carnage was buried the corpes of no less than five kings and seven earls, but perhaps more significantly, the romantic dream of a united Britain ruled by the house of Alfred. Instead, the result was the establishment of a federation of English, Norse, Welsh and Celtic Kingdoms, bitter enemies whose war-bands had fought in separate units under a "conflict of banners" and united only in their opposition to the English saxons.
The architect of this catastrophe was Æthelstan himself. His false pledges of friendship to Owen and Constantine II respectively the native Kings of Strathclyde and Scotia had been rejected. When the Saxons declared war, they turned to the Norse Kings of York, Dublin and the Hebrides. Then Olaf III Guthfrithsson (pictured) emerged as the victorious military leader, following up the famous victory at Brunanburh with an all-out invasion of the Danish-settled East Midlands.
Entry posted by Todayinah Editor
© Alternate Historian, 2004-.Story Tags
Permalinks: Post, Day. Browse Thread: Generals Source: Wikipedia Labels: English, Britain, Brunanburh, Battle of the Nations, Norse. Editor says, in reality Æthelstan won but died two years later at the age of only forty. Olaf III Guthfrithsson then invaded the Danelaw. But the true historic significance of the battle (despite the short-term reversals) is considered to be "moment when Englishness came of age".
~ More Celtic in the language could have changed things with Spain as English could have included a few more of the basics of what became Spanish. We could say tu for you, and on from there.
But, it is funny how some of the very old rivalries slightly resemble Premier League rivalries.
~ This would have given the Normans, and subsequent would-be invaders, a much easier time---kind of like how Irish disunity helped the English conquer the place.
~ Normandy might be the center of William's rule rather than London. The isles would be targets for imperialism from the continent.
© Today in Alternate History, 2013-. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
