Aethelflaeda – kobieta, która broniła Anglię przed wikingami

Michał Madej

doi:10.18778/0208-6050.105.02

Authors

Michał Madej Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Wydział Historyczny, Instytut Historii, Zakład Historii Polski Średniowiecznej https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6694-5320

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/0208-6050.105.02

Keywords:

Aethelflaed, Alfred the Great, Danelaw, Edward the Elder, Vikings

Abstract

Aethelflaed (ca. 870–918) was the daughter of Alfred the Great, king of Wessex. The times in which she lived were for the future England extremaly difficult. Though in the decisive year of 878 her father defeated one of the Viking leaders, Guthrum, in the battle of Edington and this victory brought the Anglo-Saxons a couple of years of peace, the northern and eastern part of the country was still under Viking rule. The primarily purpose of this paper is to present the achievements of Aethelflaed. No doubt she inherited her father’s character and determination to completely eliminate the Vikings from England. After the passing of her husband, ealdorman Aethelred of Mercia, she alone ruled Mercia, which for a women was quite unusual in her times. Together with her brother Edward the Elder she continued the construction of burhs, a project started by Alfred. Among other victories in 917 she managed to recapture Derby, one of the Five Boroughs of the Danelaw. Unfortunately, Aethelflaed’s sudden death in 918 stopped these successes. However, the memory of her deeds survived generations.

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