Described by Ian Walker as “one of the most unique events in early medieval history” is the ascension of Æthelflæda as the Lady of the Mercians, the ruler of the ancient kingdom of Mercia.
The Age of Vikings and Alfred’s Stand
Born around 870 in Tamworth, her life was dominated by conflict with the Vikings.
By 879, most of lowland Britain was under the control of the Vikings. The Great Army under Ivar the Boneless had conquered East Anglia and Northumbria, and then, under the command of Guthrum, conquered most of Mercia, threatening Wessex under Alfred the Great. Despite the titanic odds, it was in this year that Alfred was able to turn the tables and win a decisive victory at Edington. Alfred diplomatically did not kill Guthrum; rather, he gave him the area known as the Danelaw and became his godfather at his Christening. Although he still regularly paid the Vikings Danegeld, Alfred is rightly regarded as successful in stopping the Viking expansion and starting the reconquest of England.
A Strategic Alliance: Æthelflæd and Æthelred
This momentous task of reconquest was laid at the feet of his successors: his daughter Æthelflæd and her husband Æthelred. Æthelflæd was the daughter of Alfred the Great, and the marriage was strategic, bringing Mercia into a deeper alliance with Wessex.
Æthelred took a significant role in the fighting with the Vikings in the 890s. By this time, the English position was stronger, largely because of the effective administration of Æthelflæd and her continuation of building fortified settlements called burhs. Settlements that were fortified include Warwick, Tamworth, and Worcester. The Roman walls of Chester were reconstructed, and a new Minster was created at Gloucester. These burhs were significant as they prevented fast-moving Viking armies or raids from moving freely through English lands. Goods could be protected from plunder, and Viking armies were held up until the English army could react and bring them to battle.
The Lady of the Mercians Leads the Charge
With the kingdom on a more secure footing, the English could look to raid and capture Viking territory. In 909, King Edward (Alfred’s son) was able to send a raid to capture the relics of St Oswald, which were interred in the cathedral at Gloucester.
Æthelred’s health declined, and he died in 911, leaving Æthelflæd in sole control of Mercia. She immediately became the Lady of the Mercians. Secure in her own lands, she sent an army to Derby, which successfully defeated the Viking defenders. This was a remarkable change of fortune for a kingdom previously defeated and ravaged; it was now secure, with sufficient resources to field aggressive fighting forces and defeat the very enemy who had been devastating the land less than fifty years previously. In 918, Leicester surrendered to her without a fight, and her influence extended all the way to the Viking stronghold of York, which offered her loyalty.
A Lasting Legacy
Æthelflæd was not able to take full advantage of that offer, as she died on the 12th of June 918. However, the legacy of her and her husband was a renewed spirit in Mercia in particular and England in general.
During the reign of Æthelstan, the English were in a far stronger position than they had ever been before. His success—from defeating Viking pirates on the Isle of Scilly to the definitive victory at The Battle of Brunanburh and the navigation of Scotland by the new Royal Navy—was built directly on the achievements of Æthelflæd. Her strategic mind and military prowess were instrumental in laying the groundwork for a unified English kingdom.