Tag Archives: hostages

DAS Chronicle

Smash and Grab, 877 A.D. (Cadbury, June 2017)

Earlier in the year the Vikings had fled from Wareham to Exeter. However morale was low amongst them, after having to exchange hostages and with Thorhelm and Fritha of the Oestvikingae away sworn to the service of the Cilternsaete. Tensions were running high inside the town, and the heathen hoard was fracturing… To alleviate some of this and keep their followers busy, the Viking leaders sent raiding parties to gather valuables from the surrounding countryside.

One such party fell upon a church and took it’s wealth, but they then fell on each other in an argument about which of them should get the loot. The Westmen fractured, Wulf and Hallgerd fighting against Grimkell and Waro’ch and anyone else they found. Hauk of the Oestvikingae, with Thorhelm and Fritha sworn to Cilternsaetae service, fell into a bleak rage and hunted all he could find in the woods, no matter their allegiance. Hrothgar of the Holmbyggja, seeing the falling morale of the Vikings, decided he would have a better chance to gain wealth selling his services to Cynric as a mercenary. And even Alf of the Holmbyggja, normally a calm and restful soul, was driven to take up arms and fight alongside Ingibjorg.

When Anir of the Sumorsaete, a strong Thegn of Alfred, arrived with Beorcsciringas allies in the form of Cuthwin and Elgiva, they found the fragmented raiders an easy force to fight. They soon bested every set of raiders they could find, but could not find the church’s wealth – it seems that whichever Viking had grabbed the church’s relics fled before the in-fighting erupted! However, one new relic was found during the fighting: a stone with a shell inside it, found at the top of a great hill, which was surely proof of the tale of Noah.

That evening a great banquet was held just outside Exeter, in a hall of Anir Thegn. The food was provided and prepared by the mighty Visna, in order to show the Englisc that the Danes inside Exeter were well-stocked for an extended siege. She lay on a truely astonishing quantity of fine food, far more than any who had gathered there could cope with, with which she taunted the Englisc hosts until Anir exclaimed “Fuck off Visna, I’m full”!

DAS Chronicle

Captives and Feuds, 877 A.D. (Earleywood 2017)

An Englisc viewpoint

At Wareham peace was sworn by solemn oaths from the Danes upon their holy ring, and hostages were given to Alfred the king: but the heathen proved forsworn, and fled towards Exeter. So Alfred sent for the hostages to be brought to him for hanging – for what other use is there for a hostage if oaths are not kept?

It fell to the Cilternsaete to escort two captives to the king – a man called Thorhelm and a woman called Fritha. We were also joined by Eadwulf, a Northumbrian who, like us, had come south to seek safety.

It was not long into the journey that we saw that there were small groups of Vikings abroad, seeking to free the hostages. The man Thorhelm used his weasel tongue to befriend young Wulfgar, and promised him great reward for his freedom – a gold arm-ring. So the boy, unwise, let him free, and he fled.

The Danes sought to waylay us, but as they had split into small bands could not stand before us, and we forced a passage along the road. There were several such skirmishes, and although Fritha was lost – freed or slain, I cannot say – we gained other captives, who would decorate a gallows just as well.

Later, we pursued the Viking stragglers as they headed to Exeter, harrying them, but unable to prevent them form seizing the burh.

That evening, a truce was called and Thorhelm offered his ransom to Wulfgar – an arm-ring indeed, bit of brass, not gold. Yet further proof that the heathen cannot be trusted.

This Thorhelm also showed that whilst he might fool a young boy, his tongue could get him into trouble, and not out of it. Drunk, no doubt, he called Guthwald thegn a lowly peasant – which brought the promise of a blood-feud with the Cilternsaete. Thorhelm wriggled and writhed, but was caught like an eel in a fish-trap. At length, realising his folly, and helped by those of greater wisdom, he agreed to buy himself free of the feud by serving as a mercenary (but without pay) for the Cilterseate on two future campaigns, when called upon by Guthwald to do so.

Later, a man entered the hall, wet and unkempt from the sea. He gave his name as Herjolf, Halfdan’s man, and brought news that the Danish fleet had been wrecked. Surely, this was the wrath of God upon the heathen for breaking their oaths.

– Herewulf Thegn

A Dane’s viewpoint

The Englisc were much impressed with Thorhelm’s generosity to their man Wulfgar and during the banquet gave him a large, ornate yet strangely ugly dish made of silver that is spoken of as one of their most sacred treasures, the very Chalice of St Botolph. Unfortunately, greed overcame some of our folk and the dish was first stolen, then broken into parts and some of them hidden. Grimkell of the Westmen agreed that the dish should be brought together again but had great difficulty finding where he had hidden one of the pieces of silver in his drunken state. He claimed somebody else must have moved it .

Later in the evening, Halfdan’s man Herjolf arrived unexpectedly, worn from hard travel and bearing news that the fleet at Swanwich was wrecked. Bosi, Hersir of the Holmbyggjar, welcomed Herjolf and thanked him for bringing his news with all possible speed, dire though that news was. Bosi gave Herjolf drink and bade him rest at the back of the hall.

There was much debate about the meaning of these tidings, and it was felt that Njord must have turned his face against the warriors of the sea-steed. Some spoke of making a sacrifice to Njord to regain his favour, others of sacrificing to a more powerful god such as the Allfather or Thor, to overcome Njord and bring us better fortune. It was suggested that the large silver chalice would make an excellent sacrifice. The wise man Styrkar asked that bones be cast to test the truth of Herjolf’s tidings. Ingibjorg supplied knuckle bones and Fritha and Styrkar read their meaning, concluding that only half the fleet had been lost. This led to much debate as to whether Herjolf was mistaken or whether he had deliberately tried to cause panic. Indeed when we learned that he had disappeared from his resting place, it was felt he might have been a naughty god in disguise, seeking to cause mischief.

Somehow the Chalice ended up back with the Englisc, who clearly repented of their generosity, being mean-spirited people who do not understand true gift-giving. They refused to return it and took great offence at some trivial remark of Thorhelm’s, threatening him with death and blood-feud, and only relenting when under great duress he agreed to fight for them for two campaigns. Still, the Oestvikingae are known to be mercenaries, so perhaps their leader, my father’s son Hauk, will be able to turn this twist of fate to his advantage.

– Ingibjorg Ragnarsdottir

DAS Chronicle

DAS in 2017 / Britain in 877

Over the past few years we’ve been following the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, seeing how our units would react to the events of the 870s.

In 2014 we lived through King Burhred’s expulsion from Mercia in 874, as the Viking Great Army installed the puppet king Ceolwulf to rule Mercia but lost their unifying leader Ivar ‘The Boneless’ Ragnarsson. In 2015 we saw the Great Army disunited (as in 875), with Halfdan Ragnarrsson marching to Northumbria with the Westmen and Oestvikingae to fight off the Norwegian King Harald Finehair, whilst Guthrum and others went to East Anglia with the Holmbyjjar.

Last year, roughly following 876, Harald Finehair was driven off and left Jarl Sigurd to hold the islands off the northern coast: after repelling them Halfdan granted Northumbrian land to his followers. Further north, the Picts, Scots, Britons and some of the Vikings who didn’t like Finehair (the Westmen and the mercenary Oestvikingae) gathered to make sure Jarl Sigurd was restricted to just the isles not the mainland. They managed to leave fairly united, despite being threatened by treachery between these Scot-ish clans, with ancient secrets and uprisings and assassinations galore! By the end of it, Causantín mac Cináeda of Dál Riata (the combined Scottish/Pictish throne) was dead, killed by rebellious Picts. His son Domnall had been sent to be fostered by Styrkar and his brother Aed was on the throne, but Eochaid of Alt Clud (the British/Welsh kingdom around Strathclyde) and Giric of the Picts both felt that they’d be better rulers…

Meanwhile, in Wessex, the Cilternsaete left Danish-occupied Mercia, and the puppet-king Ceolwulf put a price on their heads. Part of the Great Army penetrated Wessex, and took the fort of Wareham. When they found themselves surrounded by a larger fyrd raised by King Alfred and led by the Cilternsaete and the Sumorsaete, they swore peace and exchanged hostages, agreeing to leave Wessex – but will they keep their word? Will the peace last?

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle has this to say about 876 and 877:

A.D. 876. This year the army stole into Wareham, a fort of the West-Saxons. The king afterwards made peace with them; and they gave him as hostages those who were worthiest in the army; and swore with oaths on the holy bracelet, which they would not before to any nation, that they would readily go out of his kingdom. Then, under colour of this, their cavalry stole by night into Exeter.

A.D. 877. This year came the Danish army into Exeter from Wareham; whilst the navy sailed west about, until they met with a great mist at sea, and there perished one hundred and twenty ships at Swanwich. Meanwhile King Alfred with his army rode after the cavalry as far as Exeter; but he could not overtake them before their arrival in the fortress, where they could not be come at. There they gave him as many hostages as he required, swearing with solemn oaths to observe the strictest amity. In the harvest the army entered Mercia; some of which they divided among them, and some they gave to Ceolwulf.

This gives us lots of plot strands to follow!

Near the start of the year there are 3 main plots that could be looked at, as the Vikings break their oaths and race across Wessex to try to take Exeter:
What will happen to the hostages exchanged at Wareham in late 876? Historically, they were probably executed when the rest of the army broke their word – that is the whole point of taking hostages – but they might have been ransomed. How do our Vikings feel about this potential loss of friends and kinsfolk? Maybe they will seek to pay ransom to get them back, or try to stage a rescue attempt? Perhaps some sort of ambush, whilst the English are moving their prisoners? Or attacking an English stronghold to rescue them?
What of the crews of the ships wrecked at Swanwich? Did the survivors try to make their way across country to Exeter, seeking to avoid the pursuing West Saxon fyrd?

And then there’s the race from Wareham to Exeter. Leading up to this there could be a battle focussing on stealth or speed, with the Vikings trying to cover the ground, fighting any English they come across. Or the fight could focus on the English chasing the Vikings: were there skirmishes between the leading elements of the pursuing fyrd and Viking stragglers? Did a Viking volunteer rearguard try to delay the fyrd to give the main army a chance to escape?

Then later in the year once again (possibly following a siege) peace is made, the Vikings swear oaths to keep the peace (again), and give hostages (again). This time, they actually keep their word! At harvest time the Vikings leave Wessex and go to claim land in Mercia. There’s definitely plots to be explored here:
Did the West Saxons try to assault the fortress at Exeter, before peace was made?

After peace was made again, the West Saxons were no doubt wary that oaths would be broken (again). Did they have troops dogging the Vikings as they made their way from Exeter to Mercia, ready to punish any breach of the peace? Would Vikings who again had friends and kin given as hostages suspect their leaders would once again abandon them to death? Will their humiliation at having to give hostages not once, but twice, fester into resentment against the West Saxons – and perhaps their own leaders?

Was the Viking division of Mercia peaceful, or was there local unrest? Did English tensions turn against Ceolwulf? How will the Cilternsaete react if Vikings try to claim their land?

Looking forward, 878 is A Big Year: the Great Army returning to Wessex and conquering it; Alfred living in the swamps before gloriously riding out to retake his land in a series of battles and skirmishes.

878 is also the year according to most sources that the next king gets assassinated up in the Scot-ish areas: Aed of the Scots/Alba, brother of the king who died last year, is killed (sources disagree as to whether this was “by his own associates” or “in battle with Giric”). Then there is obviously much fallout as Eochaid of the Britons, Domnall of the Scots, and Giric of the Picts jockey for position… So it might make sense to do that bit of Scot-plot this year instead of next, to free up space to focus on Alfred and Wessex in 2018. Last year ended with the gathered forces agreeing to march off to face Sigurd in battle, and to help the Westmen retake Canna: an event could be based on Canna, with fighting against Sigurd’s Norwegians before things get complicated around Aed’s death?

DAS Chronicle

Oaths and Hostages, 876 A.D. (Flaunden, November 2016)

First, a quote from a surviving fragment of the Chronicle of St Albans (sadly lost at the dissolution of the monasteries…)

“AD 874. Here the Great Army came into Mercia and took winter quarters at Repton. And King Burhred lead his fyrd against them, and men from the Abbey lands with them. But Burhred thought himself accursed, and was driven from his kingdom to seek sanctuary in the bosom of our Lord in Rome. And the Danes gave the kingdom to Ceolwulf, who swore oaths to them and gave them hostages. Alas for the times that we live in!
AD 875. Here the Great Army left Repton. Some went with Healfdene to Northumbria and other with Guthrum, Oscytel and Anwend to Cambridge.
AD 876. Here after harvest Abbot Wulfnoth learned that King Ceolwulf sought to do harm to some of his sworn men, for they had been loyal to King Burhred, and so he thought them his enemies. But the Abbot sent word to them secretly, and they fled to seek safety among the West Saxons. And the Abbot sent with them a letter saying that he held their lands for them, for they held bookland from the Abbey, and so King Ceolwulf had no claim on it. Angry as he was, King Ceolwulf could not afford to make an enemy of Holy Mother Church, for fear that ot would make the folk rise against him. But Ceolwulf sent Danes to seek their death. Woe that Christian men should sink so low!”

Late in AD 876, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that “the army stole into Wareham, a fortress of the West Saxons. The king afterwards made peace with them; and they gave him as hostages those who were worthiest in the armt; and swore with oaths on the holy bracelet, which they would not before to any nation, that they would readily go out of his kingdom.”

Now, in most cases “made peace” seems to be an Anglo-Saxon euphemism for “paid them to go away”. But this seems to have been different.

My interpretation of events is that the Danes took control of the burh at Wareham before Alfred could bring up his fyrd, giving rise to a stand-off: the Anglo-Saxons could not get in without heavy losses, but the Danes could not get out- hence their offer to make peace. One of the things we wanted to explore was the giving of hostages and swearing of oaths.
To give us a reason to fight, I also assumed that some Viking stragglers would be harried by the locals before the main fyrd arrived.
The Sumorsaete wanted to drive out the Danes, and see how reliable their new neighbours, the Cilternsaete, would be: the Cilternsaete wanted to demonstrate their reliability to their hosts; the Westmen had been promised much silver by Ceolwulf to find and kill the Cilternsaete; the Holmbyggja envied those with Halfdan who were taking land to settle, and wanted to foil the Westmen to make them less trusted by the leaders of the Great Army: and the Oestvikingae wanted much the same, although their desire was to go on looting and raiding.

Despite the preceding fine autumn weather, the day when the Anglo-Saxons harried the Viking stragglers was miserably wet. Even so, there were many clashes between armed bands, and later in the day, when the confusion of battle had caused normal unit organisation to break down (or, the weedy did not go back out after lunch…) there was a series of ambushes by the Anglo-Saxon hunters and the Viking rearguard- including one spectacularly successful ambush when the Anglo-Saxons sprang from hiding, taking the Danes completely by surprise and slaughtering them all.

Eventually, the remaining Vikings gained the safety of the burh- not before time, for King Alfred shortly after arrived with his fyrd. The Anglo-Saxons did not wish to risk storming the fortress; the Vikings could not get out. So the leaders of the Great Army decided to seek peace, and offer hostages and oaths. They also decided that the Westmen, Holmbyggja, and Oestvikingae should offer hostages- one in three of their number- but could choose who they should be. They also advised them to look for cunning words so that they could swear an oath and keep to the letter of it, while breaking it in spirit.

The Holmbyggja nobly offered their kinfolk among the Oestvikimngae, Thorhelm and Fritha, as their hostages (which for some unfathomable reason they agreed to!). The Westmen offerd Hallgerd: Grimkell seemed very keen to marry her off (perhaps to save himself?) but none of the Cilternsaete were keen to marry a pagan. Wulfruna wisely suggested a marriage between hostages- Hallgerd and Thorkhelm- but neither Thorhelm nor his wife Fritha thought that a good idea! An alternative hostage was suggested, but eventually a copromise was reached- for Hallgerd to marry Wulfgar when he comes of age.
Dubious oaths were also sworn, giving the Danes enough wriggle-room to preserve some semblance of honour when they are broken (as the surely will be….). Of course, that will mean that the hostages will be hanged, so it looks as if Wulfgar is off the hook!
The astute will notice that 3 hostages from 18 Vikings is not one in three- clearly the Vikings are not very good at arithmetic….

So after glory in battle, glee in the hall. Food was eaten, mead drunk, songs sung, and riddles told. Men must revel when they may; for wyrd is wondrous fickle. Who can say what next year may bring?

– Herewulf Thegn