The Battle of Maldon

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1726

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Background

Manuscript History

The extant fragment of the heroic poem “The Battle of Maldon” originally appeared in a manuscript collection of other texts, including Life of King Alfred by Asser. The manuscript changed hands over the years, from the poet John Leland (1503-1552 AD), to the Archbishop of Canterbury Matthew Parker (1504-1575), to Lord John Lumley (1553-1609). After leaving the possession of Lord Lumley, the manuscript was rehomed in the library of Sir Robert Bruce Cotton (1573-1631) (“The Battle of Maldon.” Viking Archaeology). Sadly, a good portion of the manuscript (as well as many other texts) was destroyed by a fire in the Cotton library in 1731. Thankfully, a librarian (who was either David Casely or John Elphinston), had made a handwritten copy of the poem, preserving the content of the fragment lost in the fire. There was another version of the manuscript as well—the first printed version that appeared in 1726 “as an appendix to the Chronicle of John of Glastonbury, edited by Thomas Hearne” (The Battle of Maldon). Therefore, our modern readings and translations of the text have both Hearne’s and Casely/Elphinston’s versions from which to draw.

Historical Context

The Roman Empire claimed authority over Britain following the Roman Conquest in 43 AD. Roman rule lasted until 410 AD, when the Romans had to pull their forces from Britain to defend their home territory from the Visigoths. With the Romans no longer defending their positions in Britain, various Germanic tribes began to raid the country. These tribes were the Jutes and Saxons (both from what we today know as Denmark) as well as the Angles (from modern-day Germany). In 430 AD, these Germanic peoples, commonly referred to as the Anglo-Saxons, began to migrate into England.

However, the Anglo-Saxons weren’t the only ones with their eyes set on British conquest. The Vikings (from modern-day Scandinavia) started raiding British soil around 793 AD, establishing Danelaw, or Viking rule, wherever they conquered territory. The Anglo-Saxon ruler Alfred the Great of the kingdom of Wessex was the main leader who allied the disparate Anglo-Saxon kingdoms against these Viking invaders, creating the beginnings of a unified country in the process. Alfred’s grandson Æthelstan claimed the title of King of the Anglo-Saxon territories from 924-939 AD, and continued to defend Britain against the Vikings, most notably in the Battle of Brunanburh (Ben Johnson, “Invaders! Angles, Saxons and Vikings.” Historic UK).

All of this changed with the rule of Æthelred the Unready, who ruled from 978 AD until 1014 AD, and is featured in "The Battle of Maldon" as the king on whose behalf Byrhtnoth fights. Æthelred took the throne at the age of ten after the death of his brother Edward (who ruled from 975-978 AD). Rather than promote a strict defensive strategy against the Vikings, Æthelred preferred to avoid fighting by paying off the invaders and through a political alliance with Normandy (“Ethelred II ‘The Unready.’” The Royal Household). It was during this particular reign that the Battle of Maldon occurred in 991 AD. This context helps to explain the Vikings’ desire to be paid off before the battle begins, and the conquest Byrhtnoth strives to prevent by fighting back.