Expert: Malcolm Speechley - 3/6/2008

Question
I am interested in Chester and Aethelflaed/Athelred's involement there during Ingrimund's invasion. My questions are...If the accounting of this invasion is true, would Aethelflaed have been in residence in Chester at the time, or would they have been sending word to an eolderman or other about how the burh should be defended? Is there anyway of knowing this? Also, would she/they have personally overseen the fortifications of a burh?

Answer
Hello Leigh.

The the available contemporary sources concerning this event are few and the full story was actually written down some centuries after the event.

Firstly the crises seems to have been handled by Athelflaed more or less alone. Ethelred, who was to die 4 years later was already ailing and his political and military activity were very limited at this period.

Since Athelflaed governed a large territory it is unlikely that she was present when the initial invasion occurred. Indeed, it would have been during her absence that the danes would have had their best chance of success. However she certainly appeared to have been present later on and seems to have negotiated with the invaders personally as well as through ambassadors.

Following the defeat of the invasion it is well known that Ethelflaed fortified a number of burghs in her territory. Chester itself would certainly have been given a high priority as far as this policy was concerned. It's Geographical position would have made it vulnerable to attacks not only form Vikings on the mainland but also from Ireland and the Welsh. Chester was also at this time a very important trading port and, therefore extremely prosperous, making it a prime target for any would-be adventurer.

Below I have added an account of Aethelflaeds fortification works by the seventeeth century historian Holinshead. This account was writtin in 1643. I have left in Holinshead's original spellings.

Not without good reason did king Edward permit vnto his sister Elfleda the gouernment of Mercia, during hir life time: for by hir wise and politike order vsed in all hir dooings, he was greatlie furthered & assisted; but speciallie in reparing and building of townes & castels, wherein she shewed hir noble magnificence, in so much that during hir government, which continued about eight yéeres, it is recorded by writers, that she did build and repare these Tamwoorth was by hir repared, Eadsburie and Warwike towns, whose names here insue: Tamwoorth beside Lichfield, Stafford, Warwike, Shrewsburie, Watersburie or Weddesburie, Elilsburie or rather Eadsburie, in the forrest of De la mere besides Chester, Brimsburie bridge vpon Seuerne, Rouncorne at the mouth of the riuer Mercia with other. Moreouer, by hir helpe the citie of Chester, which by Danes had beene greatlie defaced, was newlie repared, fortified with walls and turrets, and greatlie inlarged. So that the castell which stood without the walls before that time, was now brought within compasse of the new wall.

Hope this Helps.

Malc.

PS. The River Mercia in Holinsheads account refers to The Mersey. The other place names should be easily recognisable.