The Ravager of the Celts: Æthelfrith

[@homoerectus5101]

Really enjoyed your enthusiasm and storytelling! You'll have to visit the new Anglo-Saxon museum opening near the site of Edwins summer palace at Yeavering

[@AlexIlesUK]

It's on the list! Very excited about it and I've been watching it get built over the last couple of years!

[@AlexIlesUK]

A bit late, but great meeting you at Ad Gefrin, sorry if I was a bit distracted, I've never met one of my subscribers before! Best wishes, Alex

[@supercartel3000]

amazing detail. I've tried to research this before. I don't know how you put all this together.

[@AlexIlesUK]

Research and great books! But thank you very much!

[@waynemcauliffe2362]

Great.These are interesting times and you explain it well mate.

[@AlexIlesUK]

Thank you Wayne!

[@Babbajune]

Thanks, Alex. Enjoyed learning about Aethelfrith.

[@AlexIlesUK]

You are welcome! Had to post early as I've got back to back tours today but I hope people enjoy it all the same!! He's one of my favourite Kings of Northumbria!

[@Rymontp]

Great video, very detailled. I love hearing about these old legendary Warlords

[@AlexIlesUK]

Thank you! Plenty more of them to come!

[@AshleyMcClymont-c3n]

16:06: “obviously,” made me almost laugh. No, dude, none of this is obvious. This is such an interesting video. There’s a whole world of history out there that I’ve yet to explore…really cool map too.

[@AlexIlesUK]

I get really into this period and forget how deep into the Rabbit hole I am! Glad you are enjoying it!

[@ForestArchaicCollective]

fantastic!!

[@noahtylerpritchett2682]

Aethelfrith sounds movie worthy.

[@AlexIlesUK]

I'd think that would be an epic film!

[@noahtylerpritchett2682]

@@AlexIlesUK the Welsh and Scottish probably wouldn't like the movie though. But I definitely would.

[@AlexIlesUK]

Hmm I think they would also enjoy it! Some great characters as well like Aiden!

[@jasontucker3456]

Interesting

[@AlexIlesUK]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BigMrFirebird]

There was no ambush at the Battle of the River Idle. Both armies could clearly see each other because it was fought on the Roman road which acted as a causeway, spanning the sparse tidal flood plain that slowly ascends from the east bank of the river. Sources Bede, J. Storr (citing archaeological reports of the area).

[@AlexIlesUK]

I'll look at those. Thank you

[@darrenfrith4241]

He might be a distant relative I am DarrenFrith and I have played twister before

[@AlexIlesUK]

I very much appreciated this comment!

[@ConradAinger]

Fascinating. And of course, all the conflict that went on weakens or, indeed, disposes of much revisionist theory.

[@AlexIlesUK]

Can I ask what you're referring too?

[@ConradAinger]

@AlexIlesUK To what one might call the hard revisionism of people like Francis Pryor, which suggests even that there were no Anglo-Saxons ( and therefore, I suppose, no Angles ), and all that happened in the 5th and 6th centuries was a process of cultural change. Whereby the British/ Celts mysteriously abandoned every aspect of their own identity and somehow became the early English. I'm not suggesting you subscribe to this of course. You seem to take a sort of middle course, which seems to me reasonable. Note: My degree is in Modern History, but like you I find the Early Medieval period fascinating.

[@RadioFlyer117]

I’m related to aethelfrith

[@AlexIlesUK]

Do you mean the king of Wessex by the same name? How did you work that out?

[@RadioFlyer117]

@@AlexIlesUK no I mean Aethelfrith of Northumbria. My family has a book that has most people in our entire family tree, and Aethelfrith is there.

[@AlexIlesUK]

@RadioFlyer117 back to the 6/7th century AD? That's very impressive if that's the case.

[@ConradAinger]

As he had twelve sons and three daughters, half the people in the Anglophone world will be related to him.🙂

[@RadioFlyer117]

@@ConradAinger yes. I’m not denying that.

[@waynemcauliffe2362]

We Celts will rise again ha ha

[@AlexIlesUK]

Could you argue that there were equal numbers of Celts on both sides ;)

[@waynemcauliffe2362]

@@AlexIlesUK Reckon there was.Just different cultures fighting each other but pretty much the same people

[@stuartriddell2461]

Celtic infighting? That would never happen. 😉

[@AlexIlesUK]

@stuartriddell2461 this guy gets it!

[@lcawker]

Your sources differ too much from mine to be credible.

[@AlexIlesUK]

Interesting, what are your sources?

[@AlexIlesUK]

By the way - I'm happy to list my sources and reading. I'm looking forward to hearing your answer.

[@henrydaly-pp8ie]

Southern Scotland was never totally under Northumbrian control, the battle of Degastan, was a draw, the Northumbrian kings brother and his war band were destroyed, the Northumbrians suffered losses, the map in the video is not accurate, the Kingdom of Strathclyde was never conquered by Northumbria, typical biased English history.

[@AlexIlesUK]

Firstly I'm not English. Next the Northumbrian kings brother was on the side of Aedan, it was more dynastic pruning. Maps of this period are never correct as we don't actually know, it's more likely there were areas where their authority just bled out and another bled in. KZbin just likes images and you don't just want to see me the whole time! With Strathclyde - it wasn't Strathclyde until much later. It was Cumbrian and that's attested much later when the Scottish kings were doing their imperial expansions.