[VI2 AAR] The Fall of Mercia

[Halvar von Flake]

"The Fall of Mercia" will be updated at least once a week...

[Halvar von Flake]

The Fall of Mercia

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Viking Invasion II 1.7 upgraded to Dominion of Britannia 1.1 - Campaign and Battle Difficulty: Sea King (Very Hard)

AD 840


More than seventy-five years after Offa had been proclaimed Bretwalda, King of the English, Mercia has lost its Anglo-Saxon supremacy. Maladministration, corruption and endless battles with its neighbours weakened the kingdom to its minimal limits. The remaining Mercians pin their last hopes on new king Beorhtwulf, following Wigstan on the Mercian throne.



Mercia started to prosper again under the new king, and for almost ten years there was virtually peaceful working and living together. But when the year 851 came, the kingdom was heading for disaster…

AD 851


This year came three hundred and fifty Viking long boats into the mouth of the Thames; the crew of which went upon land, and stormed Canterbury and London; putting to flight Beohrtwulf, king of the Mercians, to Leicaestir; and then marched southward over the Thames into Surrey. Here Ethelwulf and his son Ethelbald, at the head of the West-Saxon army, fought with them at Ockley, and made the greatest slaughter of the heathen army that we have ever heard reported to this present day. Unfortunately, no screens were taken of this battle...



The Viking threat persuaded Mercia and Wessex to cease fire. Beorhtwulf, king of Mercia, decided to wage war on the Welsh, while Ethelwulf, king of the West-Saxons, marched against the Danes. The same year prince Harold was born to Beorhtwulf and his wife Saethryth.



Beorhtwulf and his son Behrtric led their army over the old Roman roads to fight their first battle at Scrobbesburh.



AD 853


The Battle of Scrobbesburh - King Beorhtwulf and his son Behrtric (blue capes and bronze helmets)

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The conquest of Scrobbesburh was a provocation to the Welsh, and every day more long boats were sighted. War seemed to be inevitable...

[Aradan]

Nice, keep it up!

[DragonsWarrior]

nice story

[Halvar von Flake]

AD 853


After the conquest of Scrobbesburh Beorhtwulf adopted one of his royal hirthmen, Eorpwald. And the following year Behrtric, heir to the throne, did the same to one of his henchmen, Waldred. Both hirthmen had shown outstanding bravery in battle.




This year Beorhtwulf, King of Mercia, with his council, besought Ethelwulf, King of Wessex, to assist him to subdue North-Wales. But when Ethelwulf rejected the request, Beorhtwulf and his army went southwards to make all inhabitants of Dinas Powys subject to him.



The same year Ethelwulf sent his son Alfred to Rome; and Leo, who was then pope, consecrated him king, and adopted him as his spiritual son. The same year also Elchere with the men of Kent, and Huda with the men of Surrey, fought in the Isle of Thanet with the heathen army, and soon obtained the victory; but there were many men slain and drowned on either hand, and both the aldermen killed.



AD 854


Beorhtwulf’s diplomatic attempts were quite successful. Alliances were announced to the Men of Alba, the East-Angles, and the Northumbrians. Even the Welsh accepted an Alliance with Mercia.

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But the battle of Dinas Powys still had not taken place…

[Halvar von Flake]

Where are MoN's, DaVinci's, Aradan's, DragonsWarrior's and my posts? Deleted by technical problems???

[Aradan]

Yes, the database was deleted and a backup restored, and the backup was not completely up to date.

Do you have the missing posts saved somewhere else?

[Halvar von Flake]

Yes, I have saved the AAR...will be continued soon...

[Halvar von Flake]

AD 854


Beorhtwulf’s first attack on Dinas Powys failed. The Welsh rebel captain Ieuan had gathered unexpectedly strong forces at the hill fort and launched a surprising sally. Although Ieuan was killed during battle, the Mercians had to retreat.

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Ieuan’s death

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Rumours were started that Jesus had been sighted on the battlefield, and had helped the Welsh.

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The same year Beorhtwulf made a second attempt to subjugate Dinas Powys, and he started a siege. Ieuan’s successor, green Rhodri, inspirited by the victory of his predecessor, launched a second sally, but this time the Mercians were prepared…

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The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, AD 854

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This year the heathen men for the first time remained over winter in the Isle of Shepey. The same year King Ethelwulf registered a tenth of his land over all his kingdom for the honour of God and for his own everlasting salvation. The same year also he went to Rome with great pomp, and was resident there a twelvemonth. Then he returned homeward; and Charles, king of the Franks, gave him his daughter, whose name was Judith, to be his queen. After this he came to his people, and they were fain to receive him; but about two years after his residence among the Franks he died; and his body lies at Winchester. He reigned eighteen years and a half. And Ethelwulf was the son of Egbert, Egbert of Ealhmund, Ealhmund of Eafa, Eafa of Eoppa, Eoppa of Ingild; Ingild was the brother of Ina, king of the West-Saxons, who held that kingdom thirty-seven winters, and afterwards went to St. Peter, where he died. And they were the sons of Cenred, Cenred of Ceolwald, Ceolwald of Cutha, Cutha of Cuthwin, Cuthwin of Ceawlin, Ceawlin of Cynric, Cynric of Creoda, Creoda of Cerdic, Cerdic of Elesa, Elesa of Esla, Esla of Gewis, Gewis of Wig, Wig of Freawine, Freawine of Frithugar, Frithugar of Brond, Brond of Balday, Balday of Woden, Woden of Frithuwald, Frithuwald of Freawine, Freawine of Frithuwualf, Frithuwulf of Finn, Finn of Godwulf, Godwulf of Great, Great of Taetwa, Taetwa of Beaw, Beaw of Sceldwa, Sceldwa of Heremod, Heremod of Itermon, Itermon of Hathra, Hathra of Hwala, Hwala of Bedwig, Bedwig of Sceaf; that is, the son of Noah, who was born in Noah's ark: Laznech, Methusalem, Enoh, Jared, Malalahel, Cainion, Enos, Seth, Adam the first man, and our Father, that is, Christ. Amen. Then two sons of Ethelwulf succeeded to the kingdom; Ethelbald to Wessex, and Ethelbert to Kent, Essex, Surrey, and Sussex. Ethelbald reigned five years. Alfred, his third son, Ethelwulf had sent to Rome; and when the pope heard say that he was dead, he consecrated Alfred king, and held him under spiritual hands, as his father Ethelwulf had desired, and for which purpose he had sent him thither.

[Halvar von Flake]

AD 855


The cheering about the conquest of Dinas Powys died away when messengers brought news that Danes had marched into Hwicce and were besieging Wigranceastre. Waldred, who had been sent there by Behrtric, was trapped.

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This year the army set off to fight the Danes.

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When the Mercians arrived to free Waldred and the people of Wigranceastre, the Danes had already lifted the siege and were hiding in the woodlands. Beorhtwulf sent out spies to pick up the Danish trail, but the only message, finding way to his royal hall, was Crinan Macdougall’s 150 shillings offer…

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The same year Lyccidfleth was occupied by Asbjörn and 387 Danes, and Beorhtwulf executed dozens of spies.

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[Halvar von Flake]

(Hordes of Mercia)

AD 856


Beorhtwulf, Waldred, Behrtric and Eorpwald were eager to take revenge on the heathens. After several days of forced marching the Mercian army attacked Arnald and his 252 Danes at Lyccidfleth.

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The Danes fought bravely, and when Arnald was killed by an Anglo-Saxon arrow from behind the battle was over.

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(Danish prisoner)

[Aradan]

Great, update! Well done taking your settlement back.

[Halvar von Flake]

Thanks, Aradan! Maybe you should change the description for Mercia...as you can see, Mercians suffer from the first wave of Viking attacks...
...AAR will be updated tomorrow or the day after tomorrow...

[DragonsWarrior]

well done saxons nice battle in the end

[Keyser Soze]

very nice Halvar. and I like your historic lessons...

[Halvar von Flake]

Thanks, men, hope you take my "historic lessons" not historically...

[Halvar von Flake]

AD 857


After Beorhtwulf’s victory over the Danes at Lyccidfleth, the army went east to fight Gunnbjörn Finehair and his men at Leicaestir.

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When Gunnbjörn Finehair saw the huge Mercian shieldwall, he decided to withdraw his army and pulled back to Bedeanforda. The battle had not taken place…

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This year a new threat was coming up in Wrocen Saetan. Welsh troops were gathering near Srobbesburh, and the Mercian army turned again westwards. Although the Welsh and Mercia were still Allies, Beorhtwulf thought secretly by himself “Make hay while the sun shines” and “Only a dead Welsh is a good Welsh…”

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The same year messengers brought news that Osbeorht had reached a ceasefire with the Norwegians at Annait.

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One threat had been banned, but many were to come…

[jackx]

Nice AAR, like the way you're doing it, and Mercia is certainly interesting to play. A lot more focus on the strategic/operational part (troop movement on the campaign map) than with most other factions. Looking forward to see how this turns out, both the VH/VH and the thread title strongly suggest a tragic end...