I thought a little refresh might be in order with the release of The King’s Brother, so I’m resharing some genealogy tables I put together when working on The English King and Lady Estrid. These will, hopefully, point you in the right direction for the somewhat complex family dynamics in The King’s Brother.
The House of Leofwine
The family of King Æthelred II.
The children of Lady Emma, twice England’s queen.
The House of Godwine.
The family of Gytha, wife of Earl Godwine
I hope that helps. You can click on the tables to increase their size.
Earlier in the year, I shared new covers for The Lady of Mercia’s Daughter and A Conspiracy of Kings, and now I’m delighted to share the new covers for the remaining two books in The Tenth Century series, Kingmaker and The King’s Daughters.
These stories don’t follow Lady Ælfwynn as the first two books do, but she is mentioned in them. Rather, these two books focus on some of the other ‘lost’ women of the tenth century: the third wife of King Edward the Elder, and his many daughters.
I think they look fabulous. Thank you to Flintlock Covers for once more knowing what I want, even when I can’t find the words to describe it:)
Kingmaker
This is the tenth century in Early England between the reigns of Alfred the Great and Æthelred the Unready. As England’s first Viking Age grinds to a halt in a war of attrition that will see Jorvik finally added to the kingdom of the English, one woman will witness it all.
Seventeen-year-old Eadgifu knows little about her new husband; he’s old, he only wants to marry her because she’s so wealthy, he already has ten children, and he’s Edward, King of Wessex. He also hopes to claim Mercia as his own.
That he’s the son of King Alfred, the man credited with saving Wessex from the Viking Raiders adds no mystique to him at all. Many say he’s handsome, but Eadgifu knows they speak of the man twenty years ago. Her mother won’t even allow her to be alone with him before their wedding.
But an old man will not live forever. The mother of his youngest sons can be more powerful than the wife of the king of Wessex, especially in the newly made kingdom of England where king’s lives are short and bloody, and war with the Viking Raiders is never far away.
Lost to the mists of time, this is Queen Eadgifu’s story, Kingmaker.
The King’s Daughters
Four women, all with impeccable pedigrees, and all desiring one thing. A kingdom of their own to rule.
They are the granddaughters of King Alfred of Wessex, but the kingdom they desire is not that of their grandfather’s founding.
These are the unknown stories of King Athelstan’s half-sisters, all wed into the royal families of East and West Frankia during the tenth century.
Eadgifu, the exiled queen of West Frankia, with her son’s kingdom claimed by another man, her husband imprisoned by yet another of his overmighty nobles. Eadhild, wed to the son of the man who usurped her nephew’s kingdom, but with no heirs to her name. Eadgyth, married to the legitimate heir of the king of East Frankia. Ælfgifu, wed into the noble family of the Kingdom of Arles, one that sees West Frankia as an ally, not an enemy.
As tensions reach boiling point between East and West Frankia, between kingdoms and men who should be enemies, not allies, or allies, not enemies, the royal sisters of Wessex are thrust into a political maelstrom, pitted against each other and with only their royal brother, King Athelstan, as a mediator.
It’s the final day of the Pagan Warrior blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club, and to celebrate I am running a competition to win a signed set of the trilogy in paperback.
To enter, either sign up for my newsletter here (and receive a free short story set after the events of the trilogy), or if you’ve already signed up, drop me a quick email (mjporterauthor@gmail.com), and let me know you want to enter the competition. I will post worldwide and the competition will run until May 19th 2023, at which point, I will contact the winner, and announce them (if they are happy for me to do so) on my social media channels. Good luck everyone.
Pagan Warrior is the story of the battle of Hædfeld, fought in the seventh century between the Northumbrians, and you got it, the Mercians – or rather, Cadwallon of Gwynedd but with Penda of Mercia as his firm ally. You can find more details here.
A quick shout out to thank all the blog hosts and Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for organising.
For May 16th, check out a review for Pagan Warrior on
And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.
For March 21st check out a post about two of the royal residences of Bernicia at the time, Bamburgh and Ad Gefrin (Yeavering). (There are lots of photos, thank you to Helen Hollick for uploading them all).
I’m really excited to share the details of the Pagan Warrior blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club.
Pagan Warrior is the story of the battle of Hædfeld, fought in the seventh century between the Northumbrians, and you got it, the Mercians – or rather, Cadwallon of Gwynedd but with Penda of Mercia as his firm ally. You can find more details here.
I might have written this book many years ago, but it’s had a refresh, and is now available in audio, narrated by the fabulous, Matt Coles, as is the second book, Pagan King. Warrior King will be coming later this year in audio.
You can follow the blog tour, and I’ll be sharing posts here as well. A quick shout out to thank all the blog hosts and Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for organising. Next Tuesday is the final day, and I’m going to be running a competition so pop back and see what’s happening.
And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.
For March 21st check out a post about two of the royal residences of Bernicia at the time, Bamburgh and Ad Gefrin (Yeavering). (There are lots of photos, thank you to Helen Hollick for uploading them all).
Athelstan, widely regarded as the first king of the ‘English’ or the first king of England, is one of the main characters in King of Kings. And indeed, the book opens with Athelstan undergoing his coronation. Before his reign, the ruling House of Wessex hadn’t been proclaimed as England’s kings. King Alfred (879-899), Athelstan’s grandfather, was termed the king of the Angles and Saxons (in a charter from 889 known as S346[I]). His son, Edward the Elder, was the king of the Anglo-Saxons, and whether this meant Wessex and Mercia combined has been much debated. But Athelstan was king of the English, (and this certainly included Wessex and Mercia, and parts of the Danelaw that had been reclaimed) and in a departure from earlier custom, was consecrated not with a warrior-helm, but instead with a crown.
Debate still rages as to whether the coronation ordo that has survived was written for Athelstan, his father, or even his nephew (Edgar (959-975), and indeed, whether it included provision for the king’s wife to be consecrated beside him, but for King of Kings, I made use of what is known about the service and reimagined the ceremony for my readers. I hope you enjoy it. Read on for a short extract.
‘This means that only a year after my father’s untimely death, the kingdoms of Mercia, those parts of the East Anglian kingdom that my father lately reclaimed, Wessex and Kent, are reunited again under one ruler. The Saxons, or rather, the English, have just one king. And this is my moment of divine glory, when, before the men and women of the Mercian and Wessex witan, I’ll be proclaimed as king over all.
A prayer is intoned by the archbishop of Canterbury, Athelm, appealing to God to endow me with the qualities of the Old Testament kings: Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David and Solomon. As such, I must be faithful, meek, and full of fortitude and humility while also possessing wisdom. I hope I’ll live up to these lofty expectations.
I’m anointed with the holy oil and then given a thick gold ring with a flashing ruby to prove that I accept my role as protector of the one true faith. A finely balanced sword is placed in my hands, the work of a master blacksmith, with which I’m to defend widows and orphans and through which I can restore things left desolated by my foes, and my foes are the Norse.’
In Eagle of Mercia, young Icel and his allies are busily guarding the River Thames against a potential Viking raider attack. The Viking raiders certainly made use of the many rivers running through England at the time (and throughout the British Isles), but the river was also significant as a very definitive and solid boundary between the Saxon kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia, which to the west, where the River Thames doesn’t flow, was continued by the earthworks known as the Wansdyke.
London, now the capital of the United Kingdom, wasn’t always as important as we might assume, and indeed, it wasn’t ever the capital of Wessex or Mercia. These two kingdoms fought most fiercely over the settlement. It wasn’t even overly important to the Romans, either. And this is why I’ve perhaps been remiss in not truly considering its significance. As rivers have changed their course over the years, so has the River Thames. And what’s most fascinating about the River Thames is that, seemingly for long periods during the Saxon era, it wasn’t navigable, as we might expect it to have been.
Map of Early England by Flintlock Covers
‘During this period, as perhaps as other times, there may well have been a division between use of the Thames in its today reach and use of it above the tidal head. Paleoenvironmental evidence suggests that a relative drop in river levels during the Roman period meant that the tidal head was perhaps as low as Londinium itself, but that it (and thereby the range of easy navigability) generally moved upstream during the Anglo-Saxon period. This trend was not, however, uniform, and there were also brief periods (such as the late tenth to eleventh centuries) when the tidal reach shifted back downstream again.’ p. 271
It seems then, that when considering London, or Londinium/Lundenwic/Londonia, we also need to be mindful of the era in the Saxon period that we’re writing about. For the first Viking age,
‘A combination of the seasonal (and presumably climatic) unreliability of riverine travel and the need on many occasions to travel upstream cannot have made it easy for the Vikings to use the Thames for shock offensives… and there is no clear example of a Viking force travelling by water up the Thames further than Fulham.’ p.278
Clues to how passable the River Thames might have been can be traced.
‘Without the construction of bridges, the river would have been impassable except by ferry, from its estuary as far as the lowest fording point, perhaps as low as Halliford near Shepperton, and between the various fording points. Even where the middle and upper stretches could be forded, such crossings were not guaranteed to be easy. Lechlade and Cricklade, two potentially treacherous upper Thames crossings, severely affected by flooding in winter were named Old English (ge)lad ‘difficult river crossing.’ p.279
As with all things, we should be wary of assuming that current conditions would have been prevalent in the past. The River Thames certainly falls into that category. So while, yes, it was certainly a decisive boundary between the Saxon kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia, on occasion, it wouldn’t have been as decisive as at others. This, I find fascinating, and just another of those ‘facts’ travellers to the Saxon era should be wary about. While we know (hopefully not a spoiler) that London was attacked in the 840s and 850s, prior to this, it might well have been impossible for the Viking raiders to attack in the way they were used to. This, perhaps, accounts for why they chose more coastal locations, such as the Isle of Sh.
Map by Flintlock Covers for Wolf of Mercia
(Quotes taken from Beyond the Burghal Hidage by Baker and Brookes)
Today is the day, book 4 in The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles is released into the wild. I’m really excited about this one:) And I can’t believe we’re already onto book 4.
Here’s the blurb:
A mercy mission in the heart of Wessex is beset with deadly, bloody dangers.
Tamworth AD831
Icel’s profile continues to rise. Lord of Budworth and warrior of Mercia, he’s acknowledged by King Wiglaf and his comrades to keep Mercia safe from the ravages of Wessex, the king-slayer of the East Angles, and the Viking raiders. But, danger looms. Alongside Spring’s arrival comes the almost certain threat of the Viking raiders return.
When Lord Coenwulf of Kingsholm is apprehended by a Viking and held captive on the Isle of Sheppey in Wessex held Kent, Icel is implored by Lady Cynehild to rescue her husband.
To rescue Lord Coenwulf, Icel and his fellow warriors must risk themselves twice over, for not only must they overpower the Viking raiders, they must also counter the threat of Mercia’s ancient enemy, the kingdom of Wessex as they travel through their lands.
Far from home and threatened on all sides, have Icel and his fellow warriors sworn to carry out an impossible duty?
I can let you know that book 5 is mostly written, and I know the title and I’ve seen the cover – I know, I’m such a tease. I will update when I can share more.
Check out the blog tour for Eagle of Mercia. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising and all the hosts for taking part. I will add the links each day. The initial reviews for Eagle are very positive, so I hope you’ll enjoy it too.
I’m really excited to share the details of the Pagan Warrior blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club.
Pagan Warrior is the story of the battle of Hædfeld, fought in the seventh century between the Northumbrians, and you got it, the Mercians – or rather, Cadwallon of Gwynedd but with Penda of Mercia as his firm ally. You can find more details here.
I might have written this book many years ago, but it’s had a refresh, and is now available in audio, narrated by the fabulous, Matt Coles, as is the second book, Pagan King. Warrior King will be coming later this year in audio.
You can follow the blog tour, and I’ll be sharing posts here as well. A quick shout out to thank all the blog hosts and Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for organising.
And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.
For March 21st check out a post about two of the royal residences of Bernicia at the time, Bamburgh and Ad Gefrin (Yeavering). (There are lots of photos, thank you to Helen Hollick for uploading them all).
I’m really excited to share the details of the Pagan Warrior blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club.
Pagan Warrior is the story of the battle of Hædfeld, fought in the seventh century between the Northumbrians, and you got it, the Mercians – or rather, Cadwallon of Gwynedd but with Penda of Mercia as his firm ally. You can find more details here.
I might have written this book many years ago, but it’s had a refresh, and is now available in audio, narrated by the fabulous, Matt Coles, as is the second book, Pagan King. Warrior King will be coming later this year in audio.
You can follow the blog tour, and I’ll be sharing posts here as well. A quick shout out to thank all the blog hosts and Cathie at The Coffee Pot Book Club for organising.
For April 25th, check out a post about Penda of Mercia.
And, the post that perhaps gave me the most fear to begin will but which was fun when I remembered all the little details, five fun facts about writing the trilogy.
For March 21st check out a post about two of the royal residences of Bernicia at the time, Bamburgh and Ad Gefrin (Yeavering). (There are lots of photos, thank you to Helen Hollick for uploading them all).
If you’ve been with Coelwulf, Rudolf, Icel, Edmund and Pybba since the beginning, then you’re probably with me in trying to work out how 3 years have gone by since the release of the first book. There are now seven books in all, the most recent, somewhat jokingly called The Last Seven, a name that stuck, as well as a short story collection, Coelwulf’s Company. Book 8, will hopefully, wind its way to you by the end of 2023 – unfortunately, young Icel has somewhat claimed my attention for much of the last 18 months with his own series, The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles.
If you’ve not yet discovered The Mercian Kingdom: The Ninth Century series, then you’ve in for a treat, as long as you’re not easily offended by foul language and violence.
Don’t forget to check out the short story collection, Coelwulf’s Company.
If you follow the link, here (to Bookfunnel) you can also download a copy of The New Recruit, a short story I wrote while working on The Last Seven.
The Last King books are available in ebook, paperback and hardback, and The Last King (book 1 ) is also available in audio.
The Last King is currently 99p/99c on Amazon UK/US for a limited time only.
MJ Porter 