Murder in Anglo-Saxon England: Justice, Wergild, Revenge

The records pertaining to the Anglo-Saxon period contain many stories of murder, particularly regicide, many of which include details of witchcraft and poisoning, or of betrayal of the worst kind, leaving us with the impression that this period was one of lawlessness and rebellion. But how many of these tales are true, and how do they square with a period known to have had lengthy, detailed law codes and harsh punishment for unlawful killing? Putting these stories together in one volume allows for the analysis of each tale in its historical context and allows for the examination of the sources, filtering out the bias, and leading to a greater understanding of the period so erroneously labelled the Dark Ages. That said, while not a lawless period, it was one of violence, as the murder of Archbishop Aelfheah described above left, pelted to death by Cnut's drunken army, attests. Several eleventh-century murders are attributed to the 'most evil man in English history', Eadric Streona. Was the 'Viking' practice of killing by blood eagle, with reference to King Aelle of Northumbria, an alleged victim, a myth or real?

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Amberley Publishing
Published: 07/29/2025
ISBN: 9781398119888
Pages: 288
Weight: 1.35lbs