Details |
Narrative
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across the Doggerland dogged people trudge
Neanderthals, Heidelbergers...Sapiens, the last ones standing
hairy mammoths, heavy life bearing down
the mighty maw of an ice wall crunches, enforcing southward retreat
remoulding the land for the next migration
steady thawing reveals a white-cliffed island, gleaming in the distance
just visible beyond the sea channel flood
eyed by shifting continentals, dark haired folk from Iberia
warrior tribes, an evolving Celtic realm
chieftains exert loyalty, communal living in changing weather
mindsets underpinned by natural rhythms
seaways and rivers become highways, ships delivering destiny
cohorts occupy a Britannia rump
civilisation probing northward, agents of a Roman empire
military encampment, governance
settlements, forts, roads and villas, the written word, trade all ramping up
intermingling eastern cults of deity
Christian monotheism layered over polytheistic tendencies
defensive walls, Scotti raids from Hibernia
piercing Picts from Caledonia, continuing mainlander incursion
overstretched, imperial crisis impending
imperative to save the soon to be vandalised seat of power
leaving behind a weakened island flank
waves of Germanic tribes, ... Angles, Saxons and Jutes
a name takes root, Engla Land
a tribal ' aenglisc ' language coalescing short of Cymru and Dumnonia
unifying strength in the face of others
the usual raiders, now joined by Vikings, yet more continentals
Christian footholds confined to the west and north
written word disappearing, Anglo-Saxon dominion in Engla Land
seven kingdom heptarchy, ... Wessex, Sussex
Essex, Cantia, East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria
heart of Engla Land, this sceptred island core
focus for missionary emissaries of Rome spreading influence
to the pagan locus or the long way round
through Hibernia, Dalriata, Scotti lands down to Lindesfarne
a Danish dominated North Sea empire
partitioning Engla Land, making war and peace, danegeld everywhere
danelagh holding sway east of Wattling Street
vassal kingdoms, viking strongholds from Scandinavia to Russia
the Irish coast, Isle of Man, Scotland, and Wales
inexorable drive of Norsemen through the Low Country to Normandy
much machination and devious interplay
kings, lords, bishops and monks, armies, coinage and marriage
priesthood, sainthood and kingship intertwining
eventual end of Danish rule, three main contenders to ascendency
an English earl defeats a Norwegian king
but a Norman duke wins all, succeeding to the throne of England
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