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Earl Byrhthnoth
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Earl Byrhthnoth

English commander
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Quick Summary

The Battle of Maldon was a conflict in 991 between Anglo-Saxon forces and Viking raiders. The battle is known primarily through an Old English poem that describes the events. The English commander, Earl Byrhtnoth, led his forces against the Vikings. Despite Byrhtnoth's bravery, he was killed in battle, and some of his warriors fled. The poem highlights the Germanic ethos of loyalty to a leader and records the names of both those who deserted and those who remained to avenge their earl. The poem opens with the Vikings offering to buy peace, but Byrhtnoth defiantly states they will pay with spears. He then makes a tactical error by allowing the Vikings to cross a stream, leading to the battle.12

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. Ealdred
  2. The Battle of Maldon
  3. Battle of Maldon

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