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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
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