Bygone Warwickshire Author:William Andrews Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Hnlaf of IHortbumbria at Gamwortb. (a.d. 943.) A NLAF, the heroic and dangerous opponent , of the great King Athelstan, touches the border of Warwickshire ... more »history in his famous achievement at Tamworth, A.d. 943. The destruction of the confederate army at Brunnanburgh, drove Anlaf to the wild life of the Sea King, but when Athelstan died, A.d. 941, and passed sceptre and sword to his brother Edwin, a youth of eighteen, Anlaf re-appeared upon the scene. The restless Northumbrians naturally reverted to their native prince, and Anlaf was invited to return from his exile in Ireland. The hardy chieftain was still capable of commanding the hearts and swords of numerous allies, and he carried a considerable fleet up the Humber and Ouse, and entered York in triumph. Archbishop Wulstan welcomed him warmly, and espoused his cause, so popular with the Northumbrians, and thus he was enabled to assume the government of the province. The fierce sea rover had the ambition and the ability of a great prince. He resolved to carry the war south of the Humber and attempt a larger conquest. Entering Mercia, he came to the resolution of attacking Tamworth, despite its defences, its castle and ditch, and numerous defenders. Mercia wide was awake for war, Staffordshire beacons shone wide and far, As Anlaf came with his fierce sea kings, And raven-banner, with broad dark wings. We may imagine the dark masses of the Northumbrians drawn up in readiness for the assault; their steady march until they came within range of the missiles of the defenders, to be smttten by a tremendous shower of stones, arrows, and javelins, that brought a counter tempest of missiles, under cover of which the stormers rushed fiercely to the assault. Stern work followed as the warriors met, and iron skull-caps ...« less