Ryan Lavelle Bücher

Collection of source material and crucial interpretations, offering a comprehensive guide to Anglo-Saxon warfare.

This is a biography of Anglo-Saxon England's notoriously weak king, Aethelred II the 'Unready'.

"Cnut, or Canute, is one of the great "what ifs" of English history. The Dane who became King of England after a long period of Viking attacks and settlement, his reign could have permanently shifted 11th-century England's rule to Scandinavia. Stretching his authority across the North Sea to become king of Denmark and Norway, and with close links to Ireland and an overlordship of Scotland, this formidable figure created a Viking Empire at least as plausible as the Anglo-Norman Empire that would emerge in 1066. Ryan Lavelle's illuminating book cuts through myths and misconceptions to explore this fascinating and powerful man in detail. Cnut is most popularly known now for the story of the king who tried to command the waves, relegated to a bit part in the medieval story, but as this biography shows, he was a conqueror, political player, law maker, and empire builder on the grandest scale, one whose reign tells us much about the contingent nature of history."--Publisher's description.

Cnut, or Canute, was King of England for nearly 20 years, dying in Dorset in 1035. A formidable figure, Cnut is one of the great 'what ifs' in English history. The culmination of a long period of Viking attacks and settlement across England, Cnut's reign could have permanently shifted 11th century England's orbit to Scandinavia. Stretching his authority across the North Sea to become king of Denmark and Norway, and with close links to Ireland and an overlordship of Scotland, Cnut created a Viking Empire at least as plausible as the Anglo-Norman Empire that would emerge in 1066. Ryan Lavelle's book explores this fascinating and powerful man. He has popularly come down to us for the story of Canute and the waves - but he was a nation and empire builder on the grandest scale and his reign is a sort of masterclass in the contingent, wayward nature of history.

The book explores the strategic selection of specific locations as sites of resistance against authority, delving into the historical and cultural significance of these choices. It analyzes the motivations behind these decisions and the messages they conveyed to both supporters and opponents. Through a comprehensive examination, it sheds light on the interplay between geography and power dynamics in the context of opposition movements.