The Kings and Queens podcast

In 1013, the  audacious Sweyn Forkbeard (1013-14) reappeared at Sandwich,  with  a  powerful  fleet  He  was  accompanied  by his three usual attendants,  Fire,  slaughter,  and  pillage;  and all  England  trembled  before  him,  like  the  rustling  of  a  bed of  reeds  shaken  by  the  western wind.

Characters
Sweyn Forkbeard - King of Denmark (986-1014), King of Norway (1000-1014), King of England (1014)
Harald Bluetooth - King of Denmark (958-986), King of Norway (970-985), father of Sweyn
Gunhild - mother of Swein
Cnut - son of Sweyn Forkbeard
Gunhild - first wife of Sweyn
Sigrid the Haughty - second wife of Sweyn, wife of Erik the Victorious
Palnatoke - founder of the Jomsvikings
Jari Sigvaldi - chieftain of the Jomsvikings
Erik Hakonarson - Norwegian jarl
Olaf Tryggvason - King of Norway (995-1000)
Erik the Victorious - King of Sweden (970-95)
Olof Skotkonung - King of Sweden (955-1022)
Otto I - Holy Roman Emperor (962-73)
Otto II - Holy Roman Emperor (973-83)
Aethelred - King of England (978-1013, 1014-16)
Edward the Martyr - King of England (975-78), half-brother of Aethelred
Emma of Normandy - second wife of Aethelred, wife of Cnut
Ulfcytel - nobleman and military leader
St. Edmund - King of East-Anglia (855-69)
Adam of Bremen - chronicler

Credits
Music: Daudir by Alexander Nakarada (https://www.creatorchords.com)Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Æthelred's (978-1013, 1014-16) story would be one of turbulence, political intrigue, and the relentless march of fate. The boy who would become king would soon be marked by the legacy of doubt and misfortune, a monarch whose reign would be defined by both his early promise and his later failures. According to William and Malmesbury, he was an accomplice to murder, a coward who fled from danger, a wastrel who died a miserable death.
Characters
Aethelred - King of England (978-1013, 1014-16)
Edward the Martyr - King of England (975-78), half-brother of Aethelred
Edgar - King of England (959-75), father of Aethelred and Edward
Aelfthryth - third wife of Edgar, mother of Aethelred
Aelfgifu - first wife of Aethelred
Emma of Normandy - second wife of Aethelred
Edmund Ironside - son of Aethelred
Aethelflaed - first wife of Edgar, mother of Edward
Dunstan - Archbishop of Canterbury (959-88)
Sigeric - Archbishop of Canterbury (990-94)
Aelfheah - Archbishop of Canterbury (1006-12)
Wulfstan - Archbishop of York
Aethelwold - Bishop of Winchester
Oswald - Bishop of Worcester, Archbishop of York
Aethelwine - Ealderman of East-Anglia
Aelfhere - Ealdorman of MerciaByrhtnoth - military commander
Wulfgeat - favourite of Aethelred
Eadric - nicknamed ‘the grabber’, favourite of Aethelred
Wulfnoth - favourite of AethelredBeorhtic - favourite of Aethelred
Olaf Tryggvason - King of Norway (995-1000)
Sweyn Forkbeard - King of Denmark (986-1014), King of Norway (1000-1014), King of England (1014)
Cnut - son of Sweyn Forkbeard
Richard I - nicknamed ‘the fearless’, duke of Normandy (942-96)
Richard II - nicknamed ‘the good’, duke of Normandy (996-1026)
William of Malmesbury - chronicler
John of Worcester -chronicler

Credits
Music: Prepare for War by Alexander Nakarada (https://www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Freesounds.org
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From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle describing Edward the Martyr (975-78). 'Men murdered him, but God exalted him. In life he was an earthly king; after death he is now a heavenly saint. His earthly kinsmen would not avenge him, but his heavenly Father has greatly avenged him. The earthly killers would have destroyed his memory. Those who would not bow to his living body now humbly on their knees bow to his dead bones. How we may understand that the wisdom of men, their plans and counsel, are nothing against God’s purpose.'

Characters

Edward the Martyr - King of England (975-78)

Aethelred - brother of Edward and claimant

Edgar - King of England (959-75), father of Edward and Aethelred

Aethelflaed - first wife of Edgar, mother of Edward

Wulfthryth - possible second wife of Edgar

Aelfthryth - third wife of Edgar, mother of Aethelred

Dunstan - Archbishop of Canterbury

Aethelwold - Bishop of Winchester

Oswald - Bishop of Worcester, Archbishop of York

Aethelwine - Alderman of East-Anglia

Aelfhere - Ealdorman of Mercia

Brihthelm - former Archbishop of Canterbury

Kenneth II - King of Scotland

Geoffrey Gaimar - chronicler

Lantfred - chronicler and Winchester monk

Byrthferth - chronicler

Osbern of Canterbury - chronicler

Music: Medieval Suspense by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In Excelsis Deo

According to the Anglo-Saxon chronicle, ‘in Edgar's (959-75) days all things gladly grew good, and God granted that he dwelt in peace while he lived, and he did, as was necessary, work eagerly towards it. He was mighty in arms, exulting in sceptres and diadems, and regally protected the laws of the kingdom with militant authority.’

Characters

Edgar - King of England (959-975), King of the Mercians and Northumbrians (957-59)

Aethelflaed - first wife of Edgar

Wulfthryth - possible second wife of Edgar

Aelfthryth - third wife of Edgar

Eadwig - King of England (955-59), brother of Edgar

Edmund I - King of England (939-46), father of Edgar

Eadred - King of England (946-55), uncle of Edgar

Eadgifu - grandmother of Edgar

Dunstan - Archbishop of Canterbury

Aethelwold - Bishop of Winchester

Oswald - Bishop of Worcester, Archbishop of York

Aethelstan half-king - Alderman of East-Anglia

Aelfsige - former Archbishop of Canterbury

Brihthelm - former Archbishop of Canterbury

Kenneth II - King of Scotland

Geoffrey Gaimar - chronicler

Lantfred - chronicler and Winchester monk

Credits 

Music: Cold Journey by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Perhaps no image of an Anglo-Saxon king has been shaped as unyieldingly by his enemies as Eadwig's (955-59). Ruthless purging of the old guard of his father and uncle and the appointments of favourites resulted in his character assassination in the hagiographies of the men he’d dismissed. He was labelled an incorrigible rascal and lecher. The accounts paint a picture of a naïve, capricious, salacious misguided boy, who side-lined experienced advisors when they resisted his childish impulses.

Characters 

Eadwig - King of England (955-59) 

Aelfgifu - wife of Eadwig

Edmund I - King of England (939-46), father of Eadwig

Aelfgifu of Shaftesbury - mother of Eadwig

Eadgifu - grandmother of Eadwig

Edgar - younger brother of Eadwig, King of the Mercians and Northumbrians

Aethelgifu - mother of Aelfgifu, Eadwig’s wife

Aelric - Eadwig’s foster parent

Dunstan - Abbot of Glastonbury

Oda - Archbishop of Canterbury

Aethelwold - Abbot of Abingdon

Aethelstan half-king - Alderman of East-Anglia

B - chronicler 

William of Malmesbury - chronicler

Credits

Music: Nomadic Dawn by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 Licence

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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