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755: The Hammer of the Britons
The Museum of Anglish History, Laudenwic
Visitors guide
Part 3: the Early Kingdoms
Exhibit 10.11 is a portrait dating from the 18th century of Aedberht, who was king of Angland from 755 to 775. This portrait is considered potentially innacruate as he has been pirtrayed clean shaven and the style of clothes date from several centuries later. Aedberht was very much a warrior king and contemporary portrayals often show him in armour and on the battlefield. The second son of Aethelflaed the First (after the uncrowned Godric), prior to taking the throne he was a general under his father Oswiu of Eorforwic and upon his fathers death in 752 he took over as the Queen's first general, a role he did not give up upon assuming the throne.
Many sources throughout history portray Aedberht as a vicious and cruel king in the vein of his ancestor of some fifty years earlier, Osred, son of Aedwine. In fact some portrayals both modern and centuries old intentionally or unintentionally confuse the two. The 1955 film "The Red Right Hand" had Osred marching into Gwent and holding the king to ransom when it has been proven that this was carried out by Aedberht. Before this however Aedberht had already been successful in the north. Following raids by picts into Northern Angland from 558 to 560 Aedberht attacked Strathclota (1) and captured first Kyle and then the capital at Alclut (2) after defeating Dyfenwal, king of Strathclota. He would set a trend for dealing with the Picts by making Strathclota a tributary state with a puppet on the throne.
It was after this that Aedberht carried out the campaign he was most famous for, the Scouring of Britain. Having secured the northern border, in 762 crossed the border from Old Mercia into Gwent to do the same to the Britons that he had to the Picts of Strathclota. In spring 762 he was defeated at the battle of Caerwenta by King Owain of Gwent, known to medival historians as Owain the Silurian for his believed descent from the Celtic Silures. Following this setback Aedberht would go on t capture Caerwenta on the second try but both that battle as well as his previous campaigns in Strathclota had diminished his forces and when he came to negotiate a peace with the Gwentish royals he was unable to reach an agreement. It is believe (Though there is only conjecture to go on) that one of his demands was Owain's head. (Literary fans may known Owain and Aedberht from the Tomas Andresmann book "Look to the West" set around the battles of Caerwenta and the Scouring). Several contemporary accounts say that Aedberht had a strong temper and following this his army sacked Caerwenta and headed west across the southern British coast and razed towns, taking money not only from Gwent but also army sacked Glywysing and other kingdoms of the south west of Britain. Aedberht would earn many nicknames, including the Hammer of the British and the Butcher of Carleon.
It was only the continued attacks to the rear of his army as well as threats to Angland from the Kingdom of Gwynedd in northern Britain (which were perhaps in reaction to the scouring) that caused him to return to Angland in 766, wealthier but with Angland's reputation damaged amongst Britons and other Anglo Saxon countries. He would later do battle briefly with Gwynedd in 770, which would see the Anglish border set along the Mersey (itself from old Anglish for border river). He'd spend the last few years of his reign fortifying towns along the British border and a series of earthen fortifications to mark the border between Angland and the British nations, something finished under his eldest son, Eardwulf.
(1) OTL Strathclyde
(2) OTL Dunbarton, from Alt Clut, an old Brythonic term for Dunbarton, but confusingly, also the wider Strathclyde
Visitors guide
Part 3: the Early Kingdoms
Exhibit 10.11 is a portrait dating from the 18th century of Aedberht, who was king of Angland from 755 to 775. This portrait is considered potentially innacruate as he has been pirtrayed clean shaven and the style of clothes date from several centuries later. Aedberht was very much a warrior king and contemporary portrayals often show him in armour and on the battlefield. The second son of Aethelflaed the First (after the uncrowned Godric), prior to taking the throne he was a general under his father Oswiu of Eorforwic and upon his fathers death in 752 he took over as the Queen's first general, a role he did not give up upon assuming the throne.
Many sources throughout history portray Aedberht as a vicious and cruel king in the vein of his ancestor of some fifty years earlier, Osred, son of Aedwine. In fact some portrayals both modern and centuries old intentionally or unintentionally confuse the two. The 1955 film "The Red Right Hand" had Osred marching into Gwent and holding the king to ransom when it has been proven that this was carried out by Aedberht. Before this however Aedberht had already been successful in the north. Following raids by picts into Northern Angland from 558 to 560 Aedberht attacked Strathclota (1) and captured first Kyle and then the capital at Alclut (2) after defeating Dyfenwal, king of Strathclota. He would set a trend for dealing with the Picts by making Strathclota a tributary state with a puppet on the throne.
It was after this that Aedberht carried out the campaign he was most famous for, the Scouring of Britain. Having secured the northern border, in 762 crossed the border from Old Mercia into Gwent to do the same to the Britons that he had to the Picts of Strathclota. In spring 762 he was defeated at the battle of Caerwenta by King Owain of Gwent, known to medival historians as Owain the Silurian for his believed descent from the Celtic Silures. Following this setback Aedberht would go on t capture Caerwenta on the second try but both that battle as well as his previous campaigns in Strathclota had diminished his forces and when he came to negotiate a peace with the Gwentish royals he was unable to reach an agreement. It is believe (Though there is only conjecture to go on) that one of his demands was Owain's head. (Literary fans may known Owain and Aedberht from the Tomas Andresmann book "Look to the West" set around the battles of Caerwenta and the Scouring). Several contemporary accounts say that Aedberht had a strong temper and following this his army sacked Caerwenta and headed west across the southern British coast and razed towns, taking money not only from Gwent but also army sacked Glywysing and other kingdoms of the south west of Britain. Aedberht would earn many nicknames, including the Hammer of the British and the Butcher of Carleon.
It was only the continued attacks to the rear of his army as well as threats to Angland from the Kingdom of Gwynedd in northern Britain (which were perhaps in reaction to the scouring) that caused him to return to Angland in 766, wealthier but with Angland's reputation damaged amongst Britons and other Anglo Saxon countries. He would later do battle briefly with Gwynedd in 770, which would see the Anglish border set along the Mersey (itself from old Anglish for border river). He'd spend the last few years of his reign fortifying towns along the British border and a series of earthen fortifications to mark the border between Angland and the British nations, something finished under his eldest son, Eardwulf.
(1) OTL Strathclyde
(2) OTL Dunbarton, from Alt Clut, an old Brythonic term for Dunbarton, but confusingly, also the wider Strathclyde
- Bolt451
- Word Count: 650