Warrior Kings of Saxon England

by Ralph Whitlock

Hardcover book with dust jacket is the history of ancient warrior kings in Saxon England. 160 pages.

Genres: History, Medieval, Medieval History, British Literature

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Jim Pefferly · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far this is a riveting telling of the Saxon Kings that ruled England prior to the Norman invasion. Whitlock does an excellent job of placing you into the time and surroundings. His take on the humanity of each king really breathes life into the narrative. At 150 pages it is rather dense but worth the time.

It is worth the read if just for the section (p. 20) on the conversion to Christianity of the Anglo-Saxons and the ramifications that had on English history. Whitlock shows how progressive a nation England was at that time (it was a part of the Roman Empire and not just a backward land of barbarians) and the influence the church had.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For someone who has interest in the early history of England and Anglo-Saxon history, this book is an entertaining and readable study. The writing style is conversational and easy to follow...the whole thing has the pleasant feel of sitting in an armchair across from an older enthusiast of history while they regale you with tales of Alfred the Great over tea and biscuits. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and felt that I took away great learning.

[Andy Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unexpected gift from an old friend.
This is a concise and readable piece of narrative history. It focuses on the military campaigns of the layer Old English period, with brief, vivid portraits of the major figures involved. It shows its age in many ways, but is still a useful overview and is enjoyable as a snapshot of how this period has been written about in the past.

[Thee Book Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Warrior Kings of Saxon England by Ralph Whitlock
An informative read about the rulers before William the Conqueror. Unlike some other nonfiction I’ve read this one was quite the easy read which I enjoyed. If you’re a fan of medieval Britain as I am, definitely give this a gander.

[Jaide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorough and immensely readable; I enjoyed it very much. Also, I agree with the author that it’s a shame we only count English monarchs starting from William the Conqueror. Alfred the Great alone deserves all the recognition he can get!

[Fordgreer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I’ve read on the subject, very readable and easy to understand with the many similar names, it’s like a top trumps of saxon England, thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Phil Syphe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is aimed at general readers with an interest in the Anglo-Saxon monarchy as opposed to being a dry textbook with 100s of footnotes. This is the type of non-fiction I prefer.

Having stated that, certain sections didn’t hold my attention, which is why I’ve rated it four stars, not five. I didn’t, for example, like the digressions about what was going on in other countries. I like non-fiction books to stay on topic.

Also, I’d hoped for more on the likes of King Penda of Mercia, a true warrior king of the seventh century, but sadly the pre-Alfred years are a little rushed over. Once we get to Alfred’s grandfather, the narrative focuses more on individual kings and those closest to them and what was happening in the country.

[Michael Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is (apparently) a well-regarded local historian in the south-central part of England which used to comprise Wessex, realm of Alfred the Great. Here he provides a graceful, enthusiastic, generally non-technical survey of the Anglo-Saxon period of his country’s history, from the landing of Cerdic the Saxon in the late 5th century (though, puzzlingly, he has a Celtic name) through the reign of Edmund Ironside more than five hundred years later. The focus, naturally, is on the Saxon settlement process and the subsequent struggle against the Danish invasions, culminating in Alfred’s skin-of-his-teeth victory at Edington and the establishment of the Danelaw, as enforced by his son and grandsons. (One mustn’t forget that the Danes and their Scandinavian allies came from the same part of the world as the Angles and Saxons and were essentially attempting to repeat their success.) Attention is given to social and ecclesiastical history but the author concentrates on the leaders and their personalities and intergenerational interactions. And he does this very well, characterizing Edward the Elder, Alfred’s son, for instance, as “brave, efficient, and uncomplicated.” I had my doubts whether a book of only 160 pages could do justice to its subject, but it’s actually pretty successful.

[Jerod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and readable, this was just what I was looking for when I wanted to learn more about the House of Wessex. It focuses on the kingly qualities of each monarch, particularly as these pertained to the defense against Viking invasions. It is thankfully short on social history.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a slim but indispensable volume on the warrior kings of Saxon England.

[William Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise history from Hengist through the Norman conquest. Well researched and informative.