Dear list members,
The first letter in the March 2007 issue of 'The Kipling
Journal' reminded me that the famous quotation from
Kipling's 'Dane-Geld' appears in Richard Abel's
biography 'Alfred the Great: War, Kingship, and Culture
in Anglo-Saxon England' [Longman's 'The Medieval World'
series, 1998].
Abel was, however, discussing the success of Alfred's
tactic of paying tribute to the Vikings in order to buy
time to improve his kingdom's defences. Alfred had seen
the effectiveness of the same policy when adopted by
Charles the Bald and other Frankish princes, who had used
the time they gained to construct defences - notably a
series of fortified bridges on the Seine and Loire. The
success of that policy provided the Vikings with one
incentive to cross the Channel and step up their attacks
on the British Isles.
Danegeld may not buy permanent peace, but the investment
proved a valuable tactic for both Frankish and
Anglo-Saxon rulers in the second half of the ninth
century.
--
Yours sincerely,
Eric J Thompson, Reply to: [log in to unmask]
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