Tag Archives: Emma of Normandy

From my blog...

Vikings Valhalla 1.8: Trust No One

The Norway scenes in this episode are mostly invention, based loosely on saga material. For your edification, here is a very simplified account of historical events in Norway from 1000 to 1030 pulled from The Oxford Illustrated History of the … Read More

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Vikings Valhalla 1.7: And Now–Too Many Kings

Let me begin with the Norway plot and then put it aside while I deal with events in England. Almost everything that happens in Norway is invented. Kattegat itself is invented and I suppose that having this imaginary place as … Read More

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A Family Tragedy

In 11th century England the blending of royal families due to consecutive marriages of both king and queen could result in dissension between step-brothers and half-brothers. In one case it led to disaster: the death of Alfred Ætheling. On 5 … Read More

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On the Life & Early Death of the Ætheling Athelstan

Athelstan was the eldest son of King Æthelred II of England. One of at least 9 brothers and sisters, Athelstan was born sometime in the mid-to-late 980s—we don’t know the exact year—and he died on 25 June 1014 at about … Read More

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The Death Scene of King Æthelred

  Æthelred II, Anglo-Saxon king of England, died on 23 April, 1016. The entry in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle that notes his passing, probably written within a decade of his death, reads like this: “He ended his days on St. George’s … Read More

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On the Passing of a Queen

Entry from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 1052: Ymma Ælfgifu, King Edward’s and Harthacnut’s mother, passed away. The very mention of Emma of Normandy’s passing in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is an indication of the significance of her career as queen, queen mother, … Read More

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Queen Emma & Vikings:Valhalla

In writing my trilogy about Emma of Normandy I hoped to spotlight the 11th century, twice-crowned queen of England whose name had long been relegated to footnotes in history books. I think I’ve succeeded to some extent because a good … Read More

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Sneak Peek: The Steel Beneath the Silk

Release Date: 2 March 2021 Paperback, E-book, Audiobook A dramatic tale of a queen who lived a thousand years ago, beautifully fictionalised and brilliantly researched, brings Emma’s incredible story out from History’s shadows into the light. –Carol McGrath, author of The … Read More

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Cnut’s Mum

  In The Steel Beneath the Silk, the novel that concludes my Emma of Normandy Trilogy, several characters appear who are new to the story. One of them is Cnut’s mum. Who was she? Of course, her son Cnut is … Read More

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The Steel Beneath the Silk

The third novel in my EMMA OF NORMANDY TRILOGY will be published on 2 March 2021. THE STEEL BENEATH THE SILK continues the story of 11th century queen of England Emma of Normandy during the final, desperate years of her … Read More

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