Performance of the Battle of Maldon by Leofwin

Title

Performance of the Battle of Maldon by Leofwin

Subject

Poetry Performance

Description

A Viking Army under Olaf Trygvasson had been raiding the eastern and southern coast of England in the summer of 991AD unmolested until Byrhtnoth, with the men of Essex, cornered it on Northey Island, near Maldon in August. The two armies faced each other across a narrow stretch of water, until, with the receding tide, Byrhtnoth invited the Vikings across to the mainland to do battle.

Byrhtnoth was killed, the English were defeated, and the Vikings began their infamous practice of demanding protection money, or 'Danegeld'. Byrhtnoth's bodyguard, however, stood fast among the wreckage of the army, and died to a man defending their fallen leader.

A poem was composed very shortly afterwards commemorating the heroic defeat, and the extract recited in the video evokes Byrhtnoth's response to the Vikings' demand for money. It was filmed at the causeway where the Vikings crossed to the mainland in 991

Creator

Leofwin

Source

http://YouTube.com

Publisher

Leofwin2010
published via YouTube.com

Date

2012-11-22T21:45:22.000Z

Contributor

Admin

Format

YouTube video

Language

Old English

Type

Moving Image

Identifier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Am85B550Jc

Coverage

England
Modern

Files

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7Am85B550Jc/default.jpg

Geolocation

Social Bookmarking

Comments

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Item Relations

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