The Magnificent 1


 * The Magnificent, Part One
 * by Dan McCollum
 * 6 April 2002

England, history of ... Of the great Medieval Deputies FN1 that ruled over the Deputate of England, few have come as close to capturing the public imagination as that of Aethelred II, FN2 often known as the Magnificent. Remembered by history as the ideal Medieval ruler, it is, surprisingly, a reputation that is well deserved.

Born to Deputy Edgar III of England in SE 360 [1132 CE], Aethelred had a difficult and harsh life as a child. In 368 Edgar, an unpopular and weak Deputy, was murdered while on hunt. The official history claims it was a disgruntled Christian trader by the name of Paul Armstrong, although it seems likely that he was only a scapegoat for the true murderers, nobles who were growing increasingly agitated by the high levels of taxation in the Deputate.

With Edgar dead, and Aethelred having already been elected Deputy at his birth, FN3 the nobles where unable to disregard the young heir, and having him murdered would raise too many suspicions. Instead it was decided that his Uncle Arthur should act as regent for the young man until he reached maturity at the age of 18. By that time, no doubt, they were sure they could decide another course of action.

Arthur, a deeply ambitious man, having originally been considered too powerful to be elected as Deputy, FN4 kept the young boy a virtual prisoner in his own land, and ruled in his stead from York Castle. As Regent, Arthur showed that the earlier fears of the nobles had been correct and proved to be a powerful ruler in his own right. He attempted to bring the Submissive church under his direct control, raised taxes, and generally antagonized the nobles and Judges of the land. After eight years as Regent, he himself was drowned in his own bath one Saturday morning.

During the chaos which resulted from his uncle's death, Aethelred made a daring escape from York Castle and made his way into the countryside. At the same time, his youngest Uncle, Edward was raised to the position of Regent. Most likely mentally handicapped, Edward proved an easy pawn for the nobles who wished to see the Umbrian dynasty castrated. Edward immediately sent out armies in search of Aethelred for "his own protection".

What happens next would seem possible only in the movies. Aethelred made his way to the castle of one of his Father's oldest allies, Knut III, Earl of Wessex who immediately pledged allegiance to the fifteen-year-old Deputy. Aethelred was betrothed to Knut's daughter Gretchen of Wessex, and an army was fielded.

By this time Edward had heard of Aethelred's alliance with the Duke of Wessex and recalled his own forces to York to protect the capital. The next few months were full of tension as nobility of England chose sides and waited for the outcome. Many of the higher nobility, wishing to counter the power of the Deputy, sided with Edward, while much of the lower nobility and the cities, wishing to counter the might of the powerful nobles, sided with Aethelred. Both sides waited for a return to the good weather of the campaigning season to decide the conflict.

Unfortunately for both sides, the weather remained quite bad for the rest of SE 375 [1147 CE] and on into 376, and it seemed as if winter would never let go its hold on the land and let spring flourish. Both factions attempted to read into the omens of this turn of events. Finally, in late April, the rainy season began to end and Aethelred began his march upon York.

On May 24th, SE 376, the two armies met upon the bloody fields of Towton, a village southwest of York. During the height of the battle, Aethelred's forces began to fall back, and Edward's peasant soldiers, eager to loot the Deputy’s baggage train, gave pursuit. The Deputy’s army's feigned retreat reversed and Edward’s peasant levies were slaughtered nearly to a man, leaving a gap in Edward's flank. As the Deputy drove in for the kill, Edward fell from his horse and was trampled while leading a daring, yet foolish, counter-attack. The next day, May 25th, Aethelred was officially crowned the Deputy of England. His prison had now become his palace.


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