Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- General Editor's Preface
- Dedication
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Propaganda and legend: Accounts of the invasions and conquest of England
- 2 Hindsight: Features explaining the invasions and conquest
- 3 Swein Forkbeard's first invasion
- 4 Swein Forkbeard's second invasion
- 5 The invasion in 1006
- 6 Swein Forkbeard's third invasion
- 7 Thorkell the Tall and the English succession
- Conclusion
- 1 Heimskringla
- 2 The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: A reconstruction of the annal for the year 1008
- Bibliography
- Index
- Warfare in History
5 - The invasion in 1006
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 September 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- General Editor's Preface
- Dedication
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Propaganda and legend: Accounts of the invasions and conquest of England
- 2 Hindsight: Features explaining the invasions and conquest
- 3 Swein Forkbeard's first invasion
- 4 Swein Forkbeard's second invasion
- 5 The invasion in 1006
- 6 Swein Forkbeard's third invasion
- 7 Thorkell the Tall and the English succession
- Conclusion
- 1 Heimskringla
- 2 The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: A reconstruction of the annal for the year 1008
- Bibliography
- Index
- Warfare in History
Summary
The Great Invasion
As noted in Chapter 4, p. 68, above, the invasion in 1006 may in some respects be regarded as a continuation of the invasion of 1003–1005, which had been directed by Swein Forkbeard. Writing in the twelfth century, Henry of Huntingdon said that Swein led the invasion:
In the fifth year [1005], the Danes sailed for their own country; but meanwhile there was no lack of calamity to the English, for they were visited with a desolating famine, beyond any known in the memory of man.
In the sixth year [1006], the audacious Sweyn reappeared off Sandwich with a powerful fleet. He was accompanied by his three usual attendants, fire, slaughter, and pillage: and all England trembled before him, like the rustling of a bed of reeds shaken by the west wind.
This account is probably inaccurate, however. Henry of Huntingdon seems to have presumed that if the army returned, as stated in the ASC, then its leader, Swein Forkbeard, would have returned with it, but there is no suggestion of this in the ASC and the evidence, examined in this chapter, indicates that the Scandinavian army in 1006 and later was led by others.
ASC C D E s.a. 1005 indicates that it was Swein's fleet that ‘came back’ in 1006. If so, it was greatly reinforced, for the ASC says that a great fleet came to Sandwich. The immense size of this army may be deduced from the fact that the whole nation (þeodscipe) from Wessex and Mercia was called out but apparently avoided fighting a significant battle against it.
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- Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2003