Brunanburh, 937 ⚔ Forgotten battle that made England 

You should do Edward 1st conquest of Wales and Robert the Bruce Invasion of Ireland

Theres a good reason all the kings used to wear helmets....to hold what little brain matter they had in their skulls. It kept trying to escape, because they refused to use it. (Early english history proves it) lol.

Great video, never thought I'd see the battle of Brunanburgh covered, thank you very much. I've been a huge fan of your videos for a while, keep up the great work 👍

You can find a better sponsor masterworks is pretty much a scam.

​@@michealmcneal2259how?

You are a man of culture I see

me too but the difference is ,,win on mount and blade banner lord

@@amirfarhang5169both man of culture i see

Same difference.

You basically said nothing in this comment.

The modern British State was formed over several important wars. But Hastings was key.

Our Norman ruling class that still holds the wealth and political positions certainly does like to think that way

@@mattg56 its also easier to send us off on behalf of The Empire, when its not pointed out that we're a pre existing conquered people beholden to the elites, and thats exactly why we're even in a Union in the first place. Suddenly devolution and questioning Parliament and the Crown make more sense when we see our history is comparable to Wales, Scotland and Ireland rather than us altruistically bringing them together

Yup. I mean I’m from England myself and didn’t even learn any of this until I got to Uni and even after it.

It's insane how the Norman ruling class erased English history for centuries and still suppress it today.

Norman propaganda

The Last Kingdom is one of my favorite series :)

The Saxon Stories (13 novels) by Bernard Cornwell, which The Last Kingdom is based on, are excellent reads if you like historical fiction!

Netflix's nonsense.

@@nss309 the show is really well done for a netflix series and is very close to be historically accurate with real locations that are still around.

@@chrissperry1514 it has some interesting characters and nice music, but the overall look of the time and place is like watching history's vikings.

I believe he has mate

​@@shahsjddjejdjd2551 Nope

He mentions Bosworth in the intro mate

@@ryankassulke And?

​@@antorseax9492it makes the comment kinda pointless.

I live on top of where another seminal battle was fought. It is here that Ecgberht beat the Mercians and established the dynasty and Wessex as a powerful country.

Nearby Brimstage is also referred to in historical documents, only a mile away - and about two miles North is Tranmere Rovers - the only Norwegian named team in England. Norwegians breaking away from Norwegian's who had settled in Dublin, had settled on The Wirral Peninsular in 902ad. Many places (ending in -ton or -by), bear Norse names, including Thingwall - the local 'Parliament/Meeting Field'.

Don't hold your breath.

@@williamanderson5437 -ton names are usually associated with Anglo/Saxon settlement, not Scandinavian.

10 mins here too. History on our doorstep!

Hope you enjoy it!

Shame the Normans suppressed the Anglo-Saxon history so effectively that most English people have never even heard of their first true (and great) king.

As of 2023, it was around Storeton Woods, Wirral (read 'War Lord' by Bernard Cornwell for more information, inc notes by Wirral Archaeology).

@@williamanderson5437 Did they answer what's a Scottish army doing so far away from home, on the Wirrall yet?

If you type Brunanburgh on Wikipedia it lays out some contenders. I am a big fan of Burnley being the site. One of the clues for me is Walton spire. A dark age battle marker, menhir that was chiseled down to a more respectable and civilised size and had a cross attached to it by the local christian priest in Victorian times.!!!! Absolute vandalism! But it is in a good spot and has things like Saxfield street to add to its allure. Several papers discuss it better than I could,

@@clownofthetimes6727 As things stand, one claim is as good as another.

Which is why sagas shouldn't be taken too seriously in history.

I believe contemporary sources called him Athelstan the Magnificent..

Alfred was only christened ‘the Great’ by the Victorians when they gained a patriotic interest in ancient British history. Till then he was only known as Athelstan.

Most definitely.

Shame the Normans suppressed the Anglo-Saxon history so effectively that most English people have never even heard of their first true (and great) king.

Thanks so much KHK!

Shame the Normans suppressed the Anglo-Saxon history so effectively that most English people have never even heard of their first true (and great) king.

So he was a traitor in the end. Looking at true history, there were many times where the danes could have won.

Actually 937! Aethelstan died in 939.

Quite. I didn't really appreciate having a bit of modern political ideology at the start of a history video.

A different barbarian invasion. This one not so easily recoverable from.

Indeed! Balkanisation is already happening.

​@MrLevigraz what barbarian?

​@@MrLevigraz fash trash

Thanks so much Daniel! Much appreciated. I'm working on Aljubarrota, it's not James I of Aragon but it's close. I'll definitely work on more Iberian history topics, as I lack them on the channel.

@@HistoryMarche great to hear man!

​@@HistoryMarchecan you make a video about Mughal Empire and Delhi sultanate which prevented Mongols invasion of India.

دقیقا👍

Brabo

You believe that. Meanwhile, anyone seriously interested in finding the battle site rather than promoting the Wirrall would have to study Scottish early medieval history as well as the usual Anglo/Scandinavian bias on this subject.

@@BigMrFirebird And yet all the actual experts agree on the general location. It was not fought in north Yorkshire as you seem to hope. Nobody serious ever mentions the battle ground being anywhere near scotland - which was not even called that at the time to use your own naming arguments against you.

Close but not just where you say

Red Hill was so named because of the sandstone either side of the cut, but the Quarry was mined by the Romans

Bernard Cornwell.

I think a good case could be made for the Glorious Revolution of 1688 as the last time Britain was successfully invaded. The army that installed William and Mary was Dutch, achieving victory over the unpopular English king with English and Irish troops. We just don't think of it as an invasion because that old saw about history being written by the victors is true.

​@@Jack-xg1kg An army which was invited over, contained many English and was supported along the way by a huge number of locals, isn't quite the same as the Bastard's invasion.

@adventussaxonum448 The same, no. Still an invasion though. The 20k men who landed were nearly all Dutch men; the numbers of English present in the army would've been low hundreds. Elements of domestic collusion don't stop something being an invasion when the main force that affects change is foreign. A foreign army landed on our shores and was resisted by the official govt, at the time. There were interesting circumstances to it but it was still pretty much a text book invasion.

Mary was a Stuart and the eldest daughter of James ii & vii. William despite his Dutch credentials was a cousin of hers, decended from Charles the first, I think. As for the battle, Athelstan appears to be lauded as a hero. He is a man who was motivated to conquer his neighbouring states, irrespective whether he had any legitimate rights to do so. His behaviour was in line with the Romans and in later years the Norman's. The battle was a fight between the Saxon expansionists and the rest of the people who represented the interests of the areas of Britain, which had not been or did not wish to be subjecated by a foreign influence. Which I would argue was their right. The battle was bloody with huge losses on both sides. It has been argued that Athelstan won the fight, however it was a hollow victory as he sustained heavy losses that made it impossible for him to follow up the victory with further battles or attempts at any further expansionism into his opponents territories. I would argue the due to his failure to progress further he did not define the English border and that it was the Scottish, Irish and Norse forces who were the ones that through their actions defined their territories and denied Athelstan his dream.

Please reply

After Effects

I doubt the ultimate outcome would have been different as William the conqueror would have still invaded and no doubt unified England under his banner instead

The English language as we know it today was a long time in the making and was influenced by many languages, Danish included.

@@lewismcnicholas2631 Hmm. Old Bill the Bastard wouldn't have had his spurious claim to being the heir to the throne without the refounding of the dynasty of Wessex. Neither was the Norman conquest a forgone conclusion - it's not like they possessed any tremendous military advantage - Hastings was a hard fought battle and had Harold been leading a well rested army in situ, rather than after a forced march, then the result may have been very different. There are many things in history that I think were ultimately inevitable; I don't think this is one of them though.

It's meant to be on Brackenwood golf course.

Debatable.

It is and isn't. If we just look at what followed it then yes it is tremendously significant. I think though that the rough borders of the countries on this island were pretty inevitable. A nation like England would always have been formed and achieved domination over its immediate neighbours. Consider the geography of our island. England is basically 95% of the good farming land with most of the navigable rivers and good tradeports - it was always going to be the area that supported the densest population, with the power and wealth that comes with it. Whilst the areas of land of that make up Wales and Scotland were comparatively poorer, less desirable as farm land and further from continental trade partners; combined with terrain that made them more defensible and harder for a more distant ruler (one based in the wealthier regions of the Isle) to hold without significant expense.

@@Jack-xg1kg thank you for your comment, now you've put it like that I can see and understand your point of view, and I agree. Thanks again

@@malehumanperson7901 I have heard this rumour myself and felt like sneaking on with my metal detector ha, then I think the gold course has had so much work completed on it that if the battle was there we have found evidence by now. Thanks for your comment