An Offa you can’t refuse Boom! I’ve dropped the pun. I couldn’t help it. It’s been hanging over me all chapter. My justification for making it is – bear with me – that Offa asserted dominance over, or took over, all the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms except Northumbria. For those kingdoms King Offa’s domination was what he offered and, if you refused Offa’s offer, he would respond with lethal violence. So you can’t refuse it. It’s actually a completely apposite pun and, on reflection, I’m extremely proud of myself.
