by Griff Hosker
One morning in early March, Aethelward did not lead out the horsemen instead Magnus took half of them and the rest were gathered, along with the archers at the gate. We wondered if we were to be left behind again when Ulf addressed us. “We march.”
It was to the point but it took some by surprise and they had to race back in to the hall to gather their weapons. We marched behind the horsemen, who were spread out before us as scouts and ahead of the archers. I had thought that we would have crossed the river and headed west but, instead, we headed north. Although we were the largest host I had ever marched with I knew that the one hundred and five of us were but a small band of warriors and I wondered, as we headed up the old Roman road, what was the purpose of this march. We headed north up the Stour valley. I had a little idea of what lay ahead and my only worry was the Mercians. Were we going to ally with them? It would have made sense. The garrison had told us that few men supported the idea of an alliance with the Welsh, Gruffyd’s ambitions were well known. When our scouts galloped back to tell us of the approach of a Mercian standard we relaxed. When Ulf roared, “Wedge!” we were stunned although our training took over and I found myself in the middle of the rear rank of the thirty Housecarls. Behind me I could hear the archers stringing their bows and, ahead of us Aethelward and his scouts moved steadily forwards.
We were at the top of a rise and below us we could see a hundred mounted warriors under the banner of the Earl of Mercia. Aedgar himself was there! I saw my uncle ride forward alone and speak with the Earl. There appeared to be an argument and suddenly one of the warriors behind the Earl hurled a spear at Aethelward who deflected it with his shield and then raced back to our lines, the mounted men shooting arrows at the Mercians. As he galloped up I could see he was grinning. Ulf too was laughing and he said, “Well I see you upset him then?”
“Aye it seems he is not yet ready to desert the Welsh. Horsemen to the flanks. Housecarls today you will face horsemen. Show them what Saxons can do.”
We all roared and banged our shields with our spears. I was just glad that, although the Mercians were mounted as the Normans were and wore armour, it did not extend to their legs and they did not have lances, merely spears, such as we, even so I was grateful that we had archers with us. “Lock shields!”
It felt comforting to feel Ridley’s shield and Wolf’s touching mine. Our spears were held easily over the top so that any enemy attacking from the front would have to face a hedgehog of spear points. Of course, unless they were particularly foolish they would attack our right flank where Osgar stood. I could see them clearly for we were still at the top of the rise. They would have to negotiate the slight incline. It would slow them up but the land on either side was open and the only obstacle between the Mercians and our flanks were the unarmoured horsemen armed with shields and javelins. Unless the horsemen were incompetent they would sweep through them and be upon us. I felt glad that it was uncle who was leading us. We would survive for he had planned all of this.
Their cavalry galloped up and loosed a volley of javelins at both us and the horsemen. We fared better for we all protected each other with our shields. My uncle had told me that the Romans had used such a tactic but even more effectively so that the whole of their force was covered on each side by shields. We all survived but the light cavalry did not and I saw three or four empty saddles. Then the enemy were around the sides of the wedge. I heard Edwin, the archer, shout, “Loose!” and saw the fifty arrows arc over our heads and into the cavalry. They had round shields but they proved quite effective and I only saw one warrior and one horse injured. Edwin’s voice sounded calm as he repeated the order and soon flight after flight was flying towards the enemy. On our flank they had seen the lack of shields and they wheeled in. We could not turn to face the enemy or we would have exposed our rear to their cavalry. I heard my uncle shout an order but the words were lost and besides I was too busy defending the line to the right. Ridley and I turned our spears so that they were above Osgar’s head and Ridley had angled his shield to protect his head. Behind me Wolf had his spear along our backs ready to strike anyone who tried to attack from the rear.
Osgar appeared calm as he stabbed forwards with his spear. I noticed that he had crouched slightly and as his spear took the horse in the throat I could see why. The warrior flew over his head and crashed into Ridley knocking him to the ground. My friend wasted no time in rolling him over and spearing him in the throat but that had allowed another horseman to urge his horse at Osgar whilst another came at his unprotected back. Our training took over and I stepped over Ridley and stabbed at the horseman feeling the reassuring pressure of Wolf’s spear at my back. Dragon Tamer went into the horse and stuck. As it was wrenched from my grip I drew my sword. This was no place for an axe for we were tightly packed. The warrior whose horse I had killed struck down at me, as his horse fell, with his spear. He was a brave man for he was falling towards me. I deflected the spear and, seeing the gap under his arm, stabbed through the space in the mail. The blade transfixed his body and came out under his other arm. I used his own momentum to throw the body behind us and looked to my next enemy.
When I looked up all that I could see was a sea of men and horses, what I could not see was that it was a thin line for we had cut down many. My uncle, from his lofty position must have see that the moment was right for I heard him shout, “Charge!” I knew that it was not intended for us, that was Ulf’s job and I concentrated on watching Osgar’s side. I suddenly felt Ridley at my side and we walked next to Osgar protecting his right side. I daresay we broke formation but there were so many horses facing Osgar that to retain our line would have resulted in his death. The sudden appearance of an extra spear and a sword forced the horsemen back and, as the horses turned, the men with spears found vulnerable spots in both the warriors and the horses. Almost as soon as they had come they had gone and all that were left before us were the bodies of the horses and the ten men we had killed on our side of the fight.
As we reformed the archers slipped amongst the bodies making sure that all were dead. One archer grinned as he returned Dragon Tamer to me. “Next time watch where you throw your bodies, you nearly hit me!”
That was my first battle. It was over so quickly that I barely had time to draw breath. At the front of the wedge lay the body of Aedgar slain by Ulf and around him the bodies of his oathsworn warriors. We had lost two warriors and both were from the second rank, the oathsworn had done their duty. With the eight horsemen and two archers it had been a small price to pay for now Edwin would be Earl and he was an ally of Harold.
That evening as we retold the tales of the day and the warriors we had killed I thought of the moments in the short battle when it could have changed my destiny. Ridley’s fall, the loss of Dragon Tamer, the man falling towards me. I could have planned for none of it and yet I had survived. Osgar, Wolf and Ridley were soon drunk but I sat with Aethelward and Ulf.
“You did well nephew.”
“Aye but next time do not break formation.” Ulf could not resist admonishing me and my fellows.
“You saw?”
“I saw.”
“What else could I have done? Osgar would have had three enemies had we not done so.”
“Aye well you were lucky.” He looked at my uncle. “We were all lucky or were we?”
Aethelward was quiet and then, when he spoke, it was in a quiet voice. “It was planned. It was the reason we were sent here. Edwin had let the Earl know that he wished to support Edward. It means that Edward will now sanction the invasion as Gruffyd will never be weaker. We will invade in the spring.”
I did not mind that I had been kept in the dark; after all I was a lowly Housecarl. But I liked this knowledge for I saw the bigger picture and was beginning to see the politics of the kingdom. Ridley was right I was noble and that meant I thought differently to him and to Wolf but I would never take for granted that loyalty which he gave me.
When we returned to Worcester it was to a mixed r
eception. Many of the garrison were overjoyed that Mercia was back in the English fold but some did not like the way it appeared to have been engineered. There were fights and arguments between Mercian and Mercian as well as Mercian and Saxon. It was not until the arrival of Edwin, Earl of Mercia that things calmed down. It also coincided with the arrival of Harold and the two Earls greeted each other as long lost brothers. Having the insight of my uncle I knew that this meant the border with Wales was secured and my uncle’s plan to invade the north of the country could begin.
As we marched north along the border country I saw the new Housecarls who were junior to us. It felt good to have been bloodied and the story of the flying Mercian was told around the camp fires. I would be lying if I said I did not enjoy the notoriety and fame for I did but it made me more determined than ever to be a good warrior who would move his way forward in the shield wall. We had all been promoted to the penultimate rank, this was partly due to deaths and wounds but also because of injuries incurred on the march. I didn’t mind but it could be claustrophobic to be surrounded by warriors in a wedge. I knew that I would need to get used to it.
There were many advantages to being one of the Earl’s Housecarls, we got to march at the head of the column. On a wet March morning that meant that the roads were not as churned up for us as they would be for the ones at the rear. The horsemen we had brought with us under Magnus were the only horsemen we possessed. The Mercian horse had been cut up rather badly by our blades and the Earl of Mercia left them at home to recover their numbers and get over their humiliation. There were other Housecarls belonging to the other Earls but we knew, as we trudged along at the head of the line, that we were the elite. Harold was the richest man in England, richer, even, than the king and he could afford to pay his warriors well. He expected them to use that on their armour and weapons and Sweyn saw to it that none let him down.
We felt safer now that the Mercians were allies but we still kept a wary eye on the hills which rolled away westwards. The archers of the Welsh were known to make sudden raids on their enemies, loosing flights of arrows and then disappearing into the mists of the mountains. Our mounted men were there to prevent that and we were happy that we could not see them for that meant they were doing their job. Ridley and I were able to tell Osgar and Wolf of the land we would see for we had crossed it ourselves. Although we had not seen Rhuddlan itself, we had passed within a few miles of it. Ridley told them of the legend of the Welsh Dragon. Wolf looked as fearful as Ridley had done but Osgar shook his head, “I have fought the length of this land and I have yet to see a sign of a dragon besides, young Ridley, I think that if it is buried beneath a mountain then we are safe.”
I liked Osgar who spoke the truth and did not suffer fools gladly. He was the rock at the rear of the line and all of us respected his courage and his calmness. When we fought it was reassuring knowing that the man on the right would do nothing foolish. When we stood in a two line shield wall it was even more important for it was Osgar who anchored our right flank. If Ulf and Sweyn fell it was Osgar who would lead the wedge and I felt proud to have him as my friend.
We headed for Legacaestir which was held by Harold’s brother Tostig for it was a Northumbrian town. It was like Jorvik with a sound Roman wall and a garrison of doughty warriors watching the Dee and the Welsh. It was still a powerful fort and even the Irish raiders avoided it. I was pleased that we would be resting there for it meant more comfort, for at least one night. When we left its secure walls we would be in Welsh land close to the Welsh King’s army. I knew, from our scouting mission, that many of the king’s men would be on the borders towards the south but his elite would be guarding his lands in the north west for this was his original kingdom. His men would know the land better than we did but Harold and my uncle had devised a bold stroke. If we could kill or capture Gruffyd then the head of the snake would be ours. I had learned, through my discussions with my uncle, that Gruffyd had only unified Wales recently and there were many men whom he had displaced, men who resented his action. Aethelward had suggested to Harold that, with Gruffyd out of the way the country would fall in upon itself and return to petty internal border disputes. I had had an insight into the bigger picture and it made it easier for me to march through the mud. My fellows did it because they were loyal to Harold, they were his men. I felt guilty because I still thought of myself as a Northumbrian who had loyalty to Aethelward. I kept hoping that I would feel as my peers but, so far, it had not happened.
The forest did not seem so intimidating as we passed through it, although we were such a mighty host that I thought that any bandits who remained would have fled before us. This time it hid us from prying eyes and scouts. Aethelward sent Magnus and his men ahead of us to scout the defences at Rhuddlan but we knew that they would not be like the walls of Legacaestir or Jorvik and would be wooden. They were there to deter opportunist raiders not a well armed army. When we reached the walls either Gruffyd would fight us or he would flee; even Osgar knew that. He was confident that, if we met them in the field we would prevail.
“The only weapon they have which worries me is the bow for they are fearsome archers. Luckily their spearmen are not worth shit and we have our own archers and horsemen to deter them.” He pointed over to the mountains and crags in the distance. “I am just glad that his fortress is not up there for we would never take it.”
Wolf looked surprised. “It could withstand an assault by us.” He gestured at the formidable force which looked terrifying even without armour.
“The ground is not even and there are rocky crags. If I were King Gruffyd I would have built a fortress there where his archers could shoot with impunity and we could not keep a straight line. I just hope that the land is flat near Rhuddlan.” He looked at me for an answer.
I shrugged. “Saint Asaph’s monastery is in a valley but the sides are not steep and Rhuddlan, which we saw in the distance, is close to the coast and on a flat area next to a river.”
He seemed content. “Good then we will soon whip this Welsh dragon and be back in Winchester for the May celebrations.” Wolf and Ridley both looked involuntarily at the mountains when he spoke. They still feared the real dragon. That night we camped in the forest and Magnus conferred with the leaders. Now that we were on the march it did not seem appropriate for me to be party to these conferences but I yearned to find out what we were doing. The Earl and my uncle seemed satisfied and the next day we veered towards the west and I could tell that we were avoiding Saint Asaph and approaching the fort from the north west. The going was much easier once we were out of the forest and we made good time. The sun was high in the sky when we emerged from a small wooded area to stand on a ridge overlooking the fort of Rhuddlan, the court of King Gruffyd. It was a substantial fort but it was only raised a little from the land around. The river ran along one side and there was a wood to the east. We could see the men in the fort and when they saw us it was though we had disturbed a hive of wasps for they ran hither and thither.
Sweyn ordered us armoured and ready on the ridge. We would have to walk down to the fort to offer battle but it was a little over a mile and we would not be unduly tired. When we marched down we were in two lines of Housecarls. The archers guarded our left flank, the one next to the river and the woods whilst the horsemen watched our right. The fyrd and the unarmoured spearmen were placed behind us and we had the place of honour in the middle. To our right were two more bands of Housecarls; they numbered sixty the same as we whilst to our right were two more bands totalling about fifty. The white horse banner flew proudly above us and Earl Harold led us down to the Welsh who had emerged from their walls and were hurriedly preparing to meet us in battle.
I felt a nervous excitement; this was not training nor was it a skirmish this would be a battle. I could see that our numbers were evenly matched although they appeared to have more archers than we did and fewer armoured men. The Welsh Dragon flew proudly above their king whom I could see was behind his front rank mounted
on a fine white horse. Earl Harold was dressed as we were and was afoot. He would stand in the middle of the line but if we adopted the wedge formation then he would withdrew behind us to enable him to see the way the battle was unfolding. Uncle Aethelward was mounted behind the Housecarls and before the fyrd. He would make the decisions during the heat of the battle.
We halted about six hundred paces from our foes. They were slightly above us but I did not think that would make a difference. King Gruffyd rode from his men escorted by his standard bearer and Earl Harold and Sweyn went forward from our lines. Maddeningly we could not hear the words but their faces did not display any anger and they seemed to be discussing rather than arguing. Eventually they returned and we watched as Sweyn took his place at the front of the wedge and the Earl walked behind us. Osgar said , to no one in particular, “Well, we attack then.”
Sweyn confirmed this when he shouted, “Wedge! And we formed into a wedge. I noticed that the Housecarls to our left and right did the same and we formed five points. As we moved into position I could see that his would allow us to puncture their line more effectively. There was no doubt that, as the largest wedge we would penetrate the furthest but our comrades would have their flanks protected by archers and horses. I could see my uncle’s handiwork in this.