Welcome to the British History Podcast.

My name is Jamie and this is Episode 320.

Athol Red, our wooden wall.

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This week, Z and I broke down the context of the Battle of Maldon.

Not just the events, but also how this poem was essentially the Avengers for the Anglo-Saxons.

We get into honor culture, treason, and the politics of nostalgia.

We also talk about how Bertinoth was like a medieval John Wick.

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And Larry, Proteus and Ellie have already assembled.

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The Battle of Maldon was a catastrophe.

And the brave last stand of Elder Man Bertinoth was never going to change that fact.

He was the leading man of Essex and the second most powerful Elder Man in England.

And now he was dead and his ferd was defeated.

To top it off, there are indications that facing the strength of the Viking fleet,

and likely in response to the failures of English leadership,

some of the English nobility were looking to switch sides.

We know at least one noble attempted to defect,

...