Review: Angles or Angels? by David Stokes

Synopsis: Regional kingdoms are engaged in a ruthless struggle for supremacy. To the south, Saxon kings predominate but, in the north, British leaders are combining in a final effort to overthrow their two Angle rivals in Deira and Bernicia. To survive, the Angle warlords must put aside their ancient rivalry. Acha, daughter of one king is chosen to act as ‘peace-weaver’ by marrying the rival leader. But when her intended husband kills her father and disinherits her young brother, she has to choose between her lover, her family and her duty to the wider kin. Against a backdrop of military campaigns that decide the shape of northern Britain, this story follows the personal tragedies that force siblings into rival camps. The outcome may be a united kingdom but families will be divided forever.

Move over Vikings, the Anglo-Saxons are coming!

It is so nice to see another author tackling the so called Dark Ages - in this instance it is 7th Century Britain - Bernicia and Deria - which will unite to form Northumbria - but that is still a few years away yet.

A little background to kick things off: Ida was the first king of Bernicia; and it many have been Ida who initiated the conflict with Deira by expanding his kingdom toward the south. Aethelfrith, grandson of Ida, expanded his kingdom through military conquest and repopulating formerly British regions with citizens from Bernicia. In c.600 he defeated the Britons decisively at the Battle of Catraeth (a tragic defeat for the British forces commemorated in the 13th century CE Welsh poem Y Gododdin) and by 604 had control of Deira and united it with Bernicia.

When Aethelfrith united Bernicia and Deira, he disinherited the ruling house of Deira, notably Prince Edwin (r. 616-633 CE) the son of King Aelle of Deira (r. 560 CE). Aethelfrith encouraged unity of the two kingdoms by marrying Edwin’s sister Acha but Edwin posed a recognisable threat to Aethelfrith’s reign and wisely fled Northumbria. Aethelfrith did, in fact, want Edwin killed but the prince was given sanctuary in the kingdoms of East Anglia, of the Welsh, and Mercia.

When Aethelfrith died, Edwin returned from exile and claimed the throne, ruling from Deira. He capitalized on the gains made by Aethelfrith and expanded the kingdom further, prompting responses from Mercia and Wessex.

But our story is still in its infancy - In the last years of Aelle of Deira, plans are made for his daughter Acha to marry Aethelfrith (aka the Destroyer) and bring peace between the two kingdoms in the face of the encroaching southern kingdoms. We are witness to Aethelfrith's rise and take over of Deira following the death of Aelle, and the reverberations of his actions - which, no doubt will be expanded upon in the ensuing tomes.

The extreme and varying fortunes of the main kingdoms in seventh-century England illustrate the instability and fragility of political authority during this period. There is a plethora of great characters and events from which a narrative can be created for the reading pleasure of those with an interest in this particular period of history.

further reading:

Edoardo Albert (Northumbrian Thrones):

Edwin, High King of Britain; Oswald: Return of the King; Oswui: King of Kings

Matthew Harffy (Bernicia Chronicles):

The Serpent Sword; The Cross and the Curse; Blood and Blade; Killer of Kings; Warrior of Woden; Storm of Steel; Fortress of Fury; Kin of Cain