Rupert Matthews's Blog, page 29

The King's Chalice by Janet Seal - reading notes

The King's Chalice - reading notes

After the death of King Alfred, a small town in Wessex is plunged into conflict and kinship rivalry. A royal prince flees leaving his slave behind. Udda lives in hiding but renders a service to a noble.
From slavery to owning land, the Saxon descendants of Udda are involved in murder and conflict in order to keep what is theirs.
Brutal Danish raids threaten the very existence of the family and the town; tales of brutality and cruelty lingering in the memories and sagas of the times. Each successive ruler struggles to impose his will on the people to whom survival is more important than allegiance. Love and duty collide in the brief lifetime of the Saxon people when invasion, plague and hunger are everyday hazards.
Remarkable events follow the owners of the farm, whose loyalty to their King brings riches and tragedy in equal measure.

CHARACTERS

Genuine Historical Figures in order of appearance

Prince Aethelwold – Nephew of King Alfred, uncle of King Edward

King Edward, son of King Alfred

*Osric Prince Aethelwold’s seneschal

*King Ethelred – buried in Wimborne Minster

*Lady Elise nun at Wimborne taken by Prince Aethelwold

Waergan of Worcester – Saxon noble

Algar of Winchester - Saxon noble, King’s server

Queen Aethelflaed – second wife of King Edward

Prince Aethelstan – son of King Edward, possibly illegitimate, King

*Ecgwina – Prince Aethelstan’s mother, handfast wife of King Edward

Lord Cenwulf, thegn of Dorsetshire

Brihtric, son of Lord Algar of Winchester

*Brihtric, son of Lord Brihtric

Aelfweard – son and heir of King Edward

Prince Edwin – son of King Edward

*Lady Ethelfleda of Mercia

*Earl of Chester’s son

Lady Eadgifu – King Edward’s 3rd wife.

*Frithstan – Archbishop of Canterbury

Alfred, a thegn, supporter of Prince Edwin

*Edith – daughter of King Edward

Edmund – son of King Edward, King 940-946

Eadred – son of King Edward, King 946-955

Edwy –son of King Edmund, King 955-959

Aelfgifu – wife of King Edwy

Edgar – son of King Edmund, King 959-975

Dunstan – Abbot of Glastonbury, then Archbishop

Carwulf – early Sheriff of Dorset

Bishop Wulfric of Salisbury – succeeds Carwulf as Sheriff of Dorset/Somerset

Leofa – thief supposedly banished

Archbishop Odo

Lord Alward succeeded Bishop Wulfric as Sheriff

Lord Sigferth, the King of Northumbria, hostage

Godwin, Earl of Wessex

Elfrida, 2nd wife of King Edgar

Lady Wulfhere, formerly a professed nun ravaged by King Edgar

Prince Edward eldest son of King Edgar, later King 975-978

*Prince Edmund son by King Edgar’s 2nd wife

Prince Ethelred son by King Edgar’s 2nd wife, later King 978-1016

*Ordgar, earl of Devon founder of Horton abbey

Brithric, Keeper of Cranborne Forest

Wulfstan – Queen Elfrida’s dwarf

*Alfhere – lord of Mercia

*Aelfric – son of Alfhere, inherited Earldom of Mercia

Bishop Aelfwold – Bishop of Sherborne, deposed Archbishop of Canterbury

Ealdorman Aethelmaer succeeded Lord Alward as Sheriff

*Ealdorman Aelfric of Exeter, friend of Queen Elfrida, traitor

Thored – Danish leader of raids

*Aelfgin – wife of King Ethelred

Aelfgar – son of Aelfric - hostage

Emma – wife of King Ethelred

Edmund – son of King Ethelred II, later Edmund Ironside King 1016

*Alfred – son of King Ethelred,

Edward – son of King Ethelred + Queen Emma, later King 1042-1065

*Bishop Beorhtwold ealdorman of Dorset

Sweyn – leader of Danes, King 1013-1014

Hugh of Wareham – Sheriff of Dorset

Wulfwen of Canford, a large estate

Cnut – Danish leader then King of England 1016-1035

*Eadric Streone – Earl who married King Ethelred’s daughter

Sigferth and Morcar, Danish peace emissaries

*Bishop Aelfmaer of Sherborne

Earl Godwin – Earl of Wessex

Archbishop Wulfstan

King Harold Ist– reputed son of King Cnut’s first wife King 1035-1040 Harthacnut – Son of King Cnut and Emma, later King 1040-1042

Harold, son of Earl Godwin, Earl of Wessex, later King 1066

Edith daughter of Earl Godwin married King Edward

Odda – temporary Earl of Wessex

Hugh D’Orivalle – first Dean of Wimborne

Almar – farmer at Walford

*Captain Edward of Salisbury, new owner of Canford

*William Chernet owner of Hampreston land

*Aiulf of Hampreston land

*Stigand – Archbishop of Canterbury

*Tostig, brother of King Harold II

The Battle of Lincoln, the rebels prepare to attack

The enemy had, meanwhile, been getting into position to attack. The army of Earl Robert of Gloucester had been marching from the south, along what is now the A1434. This old Roman road met the equally ancient road from Peterborough just south of the River Witham, crossing the river before entering the city beside Thorngate Castle. The city walls here were quite impassable. They stood some 12 feet tall and were made of stone, virtually invulnerable defences by the standards of the time even without the presences of Thorngate. There was no way in there. It had been raining hard over the past few days, and the River Witham was in flood. If Gloucester veered east around the city defences he would be unable to cross the river to climb the hill beyond.
It seems to have been Earl Ranulf who made the decisive move. As the army approached Lincoln he veered off to the left. This made sound tactical sense. The main task of the army was to reach Lincoln Castle and lift the siege. By heading west of the city Ranulf could get to his fortress by the west gate. No doubt Stephen had already realised this, which was why he had his army drawn up where he did. All the sources state that the land on either side of the Fossdyke was marshy and sodden after the recent heavy rains. Getting across this marsh caused Ranulf and Gloucester considerable difficulty. The weight of a knight’s armour at this date was around 60 pounds or so. Although the men were accustomed to wearing such gear for hours on end, it still weighted them down on boggy ground and when walking across mud. None of the sources say that the Fossdyke presented any sort of obstacle at all, so presumably there was a bridge or two to ease the crossing.
Once across the marshy valley bottom, according to Henry of Huntingdon, there was a pause after crossing the valley marsh while Ranulf and Gloucester debated how to go about attacking Stephen’s defensive position. Ranulf wanted to lead the attack himself. “Since it is through me that you face this battle,” Huntingdon records Ranulf as saying, “it is fitting that I myself should bear the brunt of it and be foremost in the attack on this faithless king.”
Robert replied with flattery, and hard-headed realism. “It is fitting that you should have the honour of striking the first blow, both on account of your high rank and your exceeding valour. If it were a question of rank alone, no one has higher pretensioins than myself, the son and nephew of mighty kings; and for valour there are many here would stand among the most renowed to whom no man living can be preferred. But I am actuated by considerations of a very different kind. The king has inhumanly usurped the crown, and by the disorder he has spread has caused the slaughter of thousands and by the example he has set of an illegal seizure of lands has destroyed the rights of property. The first onset ought, therefore, to be made by those he has disinherited with whom the God of Justice will co-operate and make them ministers of just punishment.” In other words, Gloucester wanted the first attack to be made by those who had nothing to lose, who were angriest with the king and who could therefore be relied upon to fight hardest.
Gloucester then ordered his army ready to attack.

from "The Battle of Lincoln" by Rupert Matthews

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A book dedicated to the Siege of Lincoln that marked a turning point in the Wars of Anarchy during the reign of King Stephen. A civil war between King Stephen and his rival Empress Matilda broke out in 1136. By 1141 England had fallen in to near anarchy with nobles using the unrest to pursue local feuds, slaughter rivals and pillage each other's land. In 1141 Stephen moved to capture Lincoln Castle and put down one such recalcitrant nobleman. While there he was surprised and attacked by a larger army led by Matilda. The ensuing battle was complex and confused, but it ended with Stephen utterly defeated - for now. This book follows the standard pattern set by others in the Bretwalda Battles series. The reasons for and course of the war in question are outlined, then detailed analyses of weapons, tactics and strategies are given with particular reference to this battle. The course of the battleis then followed, with comment on what there is to see at the site today. Short biographies of the commanders are also given. The aftermath of the battle, its effects and importance to the progress of the war are then described. The "Bretwalda Battles" series has been running with increasing success as ebooks for some time. Now the first books in the series are being published in print format.

The Town Walls of Leicester in the siege of 943

The Town Walls of Leicester in the siege of 943
King Edmund of Wessex had, meanwhile, been gathering his army to face the Viking threat. He probably approached Leicester up the Fosse Way, so he would have reached the town from the southwest along what is now Narborough Road. As Edmund approached the town he will have seen the raven banner of York fluttering over the battlements, and the gates firmly closed against him.
The walls that faced Edmund and protected Olaf were those built during the Roman period. They were about six centuries old by this date, but seem to have been kept in good repair over the years. Certainly they were strong enough to stop Edmund in his tracks so they must be presumed to have been substantially intact. Like most Roman town walls in Britain, those of Leicester were not built by the Roman Army but by the local town or civitas authorities. They were, therefore, rather less impressive than the fortifications of Hadrian’s Wall or the mighty Saxon Shore forts such as Pevensey or Portchester. But that does not mean they were not effective.
At Leicester the walls followed the standard Roman shape of an oblong with rounded corners, rather like a playing card. No trace of any towers has been found, but that is not to say that they did not exist. Given the limited number of archaeological digs here it is hardly surprising none have been found. The walls themselves were built of dressed stone facings covering rubble interiors held together with cement. At intervals there were horizontal bands of narrow bricks which served to strengthen and stablise the rubble cores. The walls were about 20 feet tall and up to six feet thick. Such walls were able to withstand a degree of pounding by Roman era weaponry of catapults and battering rams, but would not have withstood a determined assault by the Roman army for long.
But neither Edmund nor any other 10th century commander had the type of heavy siege equipment that the Roman army took for granted. Siege operations were limited and rudimentary. Wooden walls might be fired or scaled using ladders, but stone walls of the scale at Leicester were proof against either form of attack if properly defended. Gates could be vulnerable to assault by axes if poorly constructed or again could be burned down. If the defenders were few in numbers they would not be able to man all of the defences adequately at the same time, so a surprise assault with ladders might be successful, but it would be a risky business.
The only real weapon that a commander of this date had against well repaired Roman walls was starvation. By surrounding a town food supplies could be cut off, after which it was only a matter of time before surrender became inevitable.


from "The Sieges of Leicester" by Rupert Matthews.


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A book dedicated to the three sieges of Leicester in 943 and in the summer of 1645, events that saw much of the medieval city razed to the ground and hundreds of citizens killed. Leicester spent most of the English Civil War at peace, a garrison town for Parliament in the Midlands. Then in May 1645 Royalist Prince Rupert arrived and laid siege to the city. After conducting a skilful siege, Rupert's men assaulted the town and burst in to butcher the garrison and loot the houses and churches. Rupert marched off, leaving his own garrison. The Royalists had barely repared the walls when a Roundhead army arrived, laid siege and then stormed the town in their turn, adding more bloodshed and destruction. This book follows the standard pattern set by others in the Bretwalda Battles series. The reasons for and course of the war in question are outlined, then detailed analyses of weapons, tactics and strategies are given with particular reference to this battle. The course of the battleis then followed, with comment on what there is to see at the site today. Short biographies of the commanders are also given. The aftermath of the battle, its effects and importance to the progress of the war are then described.

Battle of Northampton - Picking Roses

Then in 1455 Henry recovered his senses. The Council of Regency was disbanded and Margaret and Somerset put back into office. It was at this point that a famous incident is supposed to have taken place, though contemporary evidence for it is lacking. A large group of nobles was taking the air in the gardens of the Temple Church in the city of London during a court meeting when York entered through one gate and Somerset a few seconds later by way of another. York then picked a white rose from a bush in the garden, the white rose being a heraldic badge associated with his family. Somerset promptly picked a red rose from a different bush. Warwick then picked a white rose, followed by nobles supporting York, while those backing Somerset hurried to pick red roses and those unwilling to commit themselves in so obviously a dangerous dispute rushed to get out of the garden.

from "The Battle of Northampton, 1460" by Rupert Matthews

Buy your copy at your local bookshop or on amazon

A book dedicated to the Battle of Northampton, fought as part of the Wars of the Roses in 1460. In 1460 the Yorkist faction in the Wars of the Roses seemed doomed. The Duke of York was dead, his sons in exile, his friends in hiding and his army scattered. Then Edward, the dashing new Duke of York, returned to England from Ireland and summoned his supporters to join him. Among those heading to support Edward was the Earl of Warwick, but at Northampton Warwick encountered a powerful Lancastrian army under the Duke of Buckingham. The four hours of savage fighting that followed changed the situation entirely and gave the Yorkists the upper hand. This book follows the standard pattern set by others in the Bretwalda Battles series. The reasons for and course of the war in question are outlined, then detailed analyses of weapons, tactics and strategies are given with particular reference to this battle. The course of the battleis then followed, with comment on what there is to see at the site today. Short biographies of the commanders are also given. The aftermath of the battle, its effects and importance to the progress of the war are then described. The "Bretwalda Battles" series has been running with increasing success as ebooks for some time. Now the first books in the series are being published in print format.

The Sieges of Newark

Newark is today a charming market town in Nottinghamshire perched on the River Trent and nestled between the ancient ruined castle and the equally ancient but entirely intact Church of St Mary Magdalene with its soaring spire. There are shops and markets, banks and estate agents - exactly what you would expect in this sort of bustling but somehow quiet country town.
But it was not always like this. There was a time when the fate of kingdoms was decided here. The three sieges of Newark were fought during the English Civil War between the Royalist Cavaliers and the Parliamentarian Roundheads. The town had declared for the king early in the war, but its strategic position meant that Parliament coveted it. The first attack by the Roundheads came within weeks of the outbreak of the war. It was resisted with some ease, but Parliament was not to be frustrated so easily. They came back a few months later with a larger army, larger guns and a good deal more determination. That second siege was more serious than the first and culminated in a pitched battle fought outside the walls.
For Newark worse was to come with the third assault, or Great Siege, which began in 1645 and dragged on to 1646. That offensive saw the town endure enormous hardships as hunger and disease stalked the streets claiming victims as surely as did the mortar shells and cannon balls that pounded the town.
These were hard times for the town, which sustained massive damage to its fabric, inhabitants and prosperity. And yet Newark somehow survived it all. Despite the carnage, bloodshed and violence the town kept going. It keeps going still and if it is apparently unaltered by the sieges, appearances can be deceptive. Tucked away in back gardens are entrenchments and bastions that date back to the sieges. The castle itself was ruined during the Civil War and now stands as a gaunt and sombre reminder of the damage that war can do to even the most peaceful of towns.

from "The Sieges of Newark" by Rupert Matthews

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A medieval herald

A modern re-enactor dressed as a herald. The aftermath of any medieval battle was a time for the heralds. It was generally heralds who were expected to identify the dead, but they also collected stories of the actions of nobles and knights so that the tale of the battle could be turned into songs or poems, and the main details recorded by chroniclers.
With thanks to the Medieval Combat Society.

from "The Battle of Chesterfield" by Rupert Matthews


A book dedicated to the Battle of Chesterfield that ended the Baronial Wars of King Henry III against Simon de Montfort. After Simon de Montfort's death at the Battle of Evesham in 1265, his supporters rallied in Derbyshire. Sending messages to other reformers to rally to their cause the rebels were expecting help from the King of France, but it was Prince Edward (later King EdwardI) who got there first with a royal army. The resulting battle began in the fields south of the town, but moved into the streets of the town and ended in the churchyard where the last rebels surrendered. This book follows the standard pattern set by others in the Bretwalda Battles series. The reasons for and course of the war in question are outlined, then detailed analyses of weapons, tactics and strategies are given with particular reference to this battle. The course of the battleis then followed, with comment on what there is to see at the site today. Short biographies of the commanders are also given. The aftermath of the battle, its effects and importance to the progress of the war are then described. The "Bretwalda Battles" series has been running with increasing success as ebooks for some time. Now the first books in the series are being published in print format.

Did King Henry command at the Battle of Northampton?

The Lancastrian forces at Northampton were nominally under the command of King Henry VI. Henry had been born the son of King Henry V in 1421, which made him 39 at the time of the battle. He was only nine months old when he inherited the crown of England from his father. He grew up to be a kindly and devout man, but his childish nature and simple mind made him a weak king. Henry slipped into periodic bouts of insanity which made his grip on government even less secure.
Henry was no more fit to lead an army than to rule a kingdom, so real command fell to Humphrey Stafford Duke of Buckingham, the most experienced diplomat and commander at the battle. Born in 1402, Buckingham was 58 when he drew up his men outside Northampton. Through his mother, Buckingham was a great grandson of King Edward III, yet another royal relative active in the Wars of the Roses. His father had died when he was barely a year old, leaving him the title of Earl of Stafford and a handsome income of £1260 a year, not bad when the average worker would get a penny a day. He was knighted in 1421 and became a Privy Councillor to the infant Henry VI in 1424. In 1430 he went to Normandy to take part in the fighting against the French and although he did not have an independent command, he did gain valuable experience of the business of war.

from "The Battle of Northampton" by Rupert Matthews.

A book dedicated to the Battle of Northampton, fought as part of the Wars of the Roses in 1460. In 1460 the Yorkist faction in the Wars of the Roses seemed doomed. The Duke of York was dead, his sons in exile, his friends in hiding and his army scattered. Then Edward, the dashing new Duke of York, returned to England from Ireland and summoned his supporters to join him. Among those heading to support Edward was the Earl of Warwick, but at Northampton Warwick encountered a powerful Lancastrian army under the Duke of Buckingham. The four hours of savage fighting that followed changed the situation entirely and gave the Yorkists the upper hand. This book follows the standard pattern set by others in the Bretwalda Battles series. The reasons for and course of the war in question are outlined, then detailed analyses of weapons, tactics and strategies are given with particular reference to this battle. The course of the battleis then followed, with comment on what there is to see at the site today. Short biographies of the commanders are also given. The aftermath of the battle, its effects and importance to the progress of the war are then described. The "Bretwalda Battles" series has been running with increasing success as ebooks for some time. Now the first books in the series are being published in print format.

Infantry at the Battle of Chesterfield

The figure on which this man is based is described as a Londoner in the manuscript where he appears, but he is typical of the sort of man who would be recruited by any medieval army in large numbers. He is equipped with a metal helmet, padded inside with wool and leather and with a kite-shaped shield that covers him from shoulder to knee. His main weapon is a short thrusting spear and he would have had a heavy knife or small hatchet tucked into his belt as a reserve weapon. In action these men formed up shoulder to shoulder with their shields overlapping to form a solid wall of shields facing the enemy. Spears were usually held overarm and thrust forward and down over the shield at the enemy. Whether a unit of such men would be able to carry out any of the more sophisticated battle tactics of this period would depend on their level of training. As a rule town militia were better trained than rural militia, but not so good as mercenaries.

from "The Battle of Chesterfield" by Rupert Matthews.

A book dedicated to the Battle of Chesterfield that ended the Baronial Wars of King Henry III against Simon de Montfort. After Simon de Montfort's death at the Battle of Evesham in 1265, his supporters rallied in Derbyshire. Sending messages to other reformers to rally to their cause the rebels were expecting help from the King of France, but it was Prince Edward (later King EdwardI) who got there first with a royal army. The resulting battle began in the fields south of the town, but moved into the streets of the town and ended in the churchyard where the last rebels surrendered. This book follows the standard pattern set by others in the Bretwalda Battles series. The reasons for and course of the war in question are outlined, then detailed analyses of weapons, tactics and strategies are given with particular reference to this battle. The course of the battleis then followed, with comment on what there is to see at the site today. Short biographies of the commanders are also given. The aftermath of the battle, its effects and importance to the progress of the war are then described. The "Bretwalda Battles" series has been running with increasing success as ebooks for some time. Now the first books in the series are being published in print format.

The Battle of Chesterfield, phase 1

The Battle of Chesterfield began some time in the afternoon of 15 May 1266 when the advancing rebels of Sir John d’Aynville were ambushed north of the town by the royalists led by Henry of Almain.

from "The Battle of Chesterfield" by Rupert Matthews.

Buy your copy HERE

A book dedicated to the Battle of Chesterfield that ended the Baronial Wars of King Henry III against Simon de Montfort. After Simon de Montfort's death at the Battle of Evesham in 1265, his supporters rallied in Derbyshire. Sending messages to other reformers to rally to their cause the rebels were expecting help from the King of France, but it was Prince Edward (later King EdwardI) who got there first with a royal army. The resulting battle began in the fields south of the town, but moved into the streets of the town and ended in the churchyard where the last rebels surrendered. This book follows the standard pattern set by others in the Bretwalda Battles series. The reasons for and course of the war in question are outlined, then detailed analyses of weapons, tactics and strategies are given with particular reference to this battle. The course of the battleis then followed, with comment on what there is to see at the site today. Short biographies of the commanders are also given. The aftermath of the battle, its effects and importance to the progress of the war are then described. The "Bretwalda Battles" series has been running with increasing success as ebooks for some time. Now the first books in the series are being published in print format.

Chesterfield Town Walls

The nature of the town walls at Chesterfield has long been a matter of controversy. Not only are there no town walls today, but there is no trace of them in Tudor or Stuart times when most towns were dismantling their medieval fortifications. However, the town’s coat of arms feature a mural crown, a crown around the helmet on top of the coat of arms that is composed of stones. This device was traditionally restricted to towns with walls, though there were exceptions.
What appears to have been the medieval ditch outside the walls has been found in Station Road. This was a wide, V-shaped ditch about 15 feet deep. Broken pottery shows that it was filled in during the later 15th century. If this ditch is what remains of the medieval town walls then nothing of any actual wall has survived. However, comparison with similar structures elsewhere shows what the town walls would have been like in 1266.
The earth excavated from the ditch would have been piled up behind the ditch to form a mound of earth. This served to increase the vertical distance from the bottom of the ditch back up to the ground surface. The mound would have been constained within wooden revetments to keep it in place. On top of the mound would have been placed a wooden pallisade around four feet tall. The actual top of the mound may have been left as bare earth, or may have had a wooden walkway laid on top of it. The defenders of the town would have stood on the walkway and sheltered behind the pallisade when fighting any attackers. The ground immediately outside the ditch would have been cleared of trees, bushes and buildings to a distance of around 300 feet or so. This was so that no attackers could creep up to the walls unobserved.
By the standards of the mid-13th century, these walls were obsolete and next to useless. Techniques to overcome earth and timber defences were well known, so even a mediocre commander of a small army could expect to be inside Chesterfield within a day or two. Given that the town guard was likely to be as poorly put together as the town walls it may not have taken even that long. Most towns of any size had stone walls by this date, usually with towers and sophisticated gatehouses. Presumably the town walls of Chesterfield were more for monitoring those attending the market than for any real attempt at defence.

from "The Battle of Chesterfield, 1266" by Rupert Matthews.