Battle of Cynwit: Glossary of Historical Terms

Last modified on November 23, 2024

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• Alfred 'the Great': King of Wessex from 871 to 886 and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He is renowned for defending against Viking invasions and for implementing reforms that laid the foundation for the unification of England. His legacy has been questioned.

• Angles: originated from what is now southern Denmark and northern Germany. Part of a larger collective of tribes known as the Anglo-Saxons which included the Saxons and Jutes, and probably Frisians from the coastal regions of the North Sea.

• Ambuscade: Derived from the French word "embuscade," which means a place of ambush.

• Ambush: A surprise attack by people lying in wait in a concealed position. The successful dawn ambush at Cynwit was a key tactic employed by the West Saxons against Danish Viking incursions.

• Angelcynn: By King Alfred's time (c. 871-899), the term "Angelcynn" was used to refer to the people of early medieval England collectively, as the distinctions between Angles and Saxons had largely faded.

• Anglo-Saxons: Primarily composed of three groups: the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, who migrated from present-day Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands, to Britain.

• Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: An important collection of annals in Old English, chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. It was originally commissioned by King Alfred the Great in the late 9th century, and continually updated by various monastic communities throughout Old England.

• Arx: A Latin term that translates to "citadel" ("little city") or "fortress". In historical contexts, it refers to a military fort, stronghold or elevated position used for defence. Often found in ancient and medieval architecture.

• Arx Cynuit (Cynwit): The name of the hillfort where the Battle of Cynwit took place in AD 878, believed by scholars to be located at Countisbury Hillfort, Exmoor, North Devon.

• Asser (John Asser or Asserius Menevensis): A 9th-century Welsh monk and chronicler known for his important biography of Alfred 'the Great', providing rare information about the king's reign and military campaigns. Bishop of Sherborne in the 890s, Asser was a key figure in the royal court. 

• Asser's "Life of Alfred": Composed around the year 893 AD. Asser’s important yet probably partisan biography details King Alfred's efforts to promote education, literacy, and the translation of important texts into Old English, reflecting his commitment to group identity and the Christian faith. 

• Battle of Cynwit (AD 878): A Wessex victory overshadowed by other more famous battles. Considered to have taken place on Wind Hill, a few miles, east of Combe Martin, the West Saxon victory remains a key event in the narrative of the Anglo-Saxon struggle against Viking domination.

• Bóndi (plural: bóndar): Old Norse husbandman, with land and stock; a common Yeoman. 

• Bosworth Toller's Anglo-Saxon Dictionary online: English language as it was used between circa 700-1100 AD by the Anglo-Saxons.

• Britannia: Roman reference to the island of Great Britain, particularly during the time of Roman conquest and occupation, which began in AD 43. The Romans established the province of Britannia, which included parts of modern England and Wales.

• Brittonic: A branch of the Celtic languages, also known as Brythonic, spoken primarily in Britain before and during the early medieval period. It includes languages such as Welsh, Cornish, and Breton.

• Burh: An Old English term for a fortified town or settlement, significant in the context of Alfred’s military strategy to defend against Viking incursions.

• Celtic Tribes: Indigenous groups in Britain prior to and during the Anglo-Saxon period, circa  the 5th to 11th century, including various tribes that had distinct languages and cultures.

• Chronicle: A historical account that records events in chronological order. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a key source for understanding early English history.

• Countisbury: A village that was once a civil parish and is now part of the parish of Brendon and Countisbury, located in the North Devon district of Devon, England. Situated on Exmoor, it lies approximately two miles east of Lynmouth along the A39 road.

• Countisbury Camp (Wind Hill): This univallate promontory fort dated to the British Iron Age is located in North Devon, England. Thought to be Cynwit. High on a westward-facing ridge, it is positioned between the sea cliffs to the north and the East Lyn Valley to the south.

• Cultural Identity: The feeling of belonging to a group, often shaped by shared history, language, and traditions, which played a role in the formation of early English identity in the face of Viking invasions.

• Cynuit: Identical with COUND and KENNET and with Cynwyd in Wales, referring to a hill whose name seems to be derived from the base "kuno" meaning ‘high’ in Welsh.

• Cynuit/Cynwit: Variations of the name for the hillfort associated with the battle in 878 AD. Has origins in Brittonic language meaning "the hill or fort of Cunét."

• Dane: Applied to ‘Northmen’ settlers; 'Norse' or Scandinavian people. Around 550 AD, the Danes came from Sweden in the East, and settled on the Danish isle of Zealand.

• Danelaw: The five boroughs of Danelaw were the key towns operating under Danish laws and traditions, situated within the region of Danish Mercia. These significant locations were Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Stamford, and Lincoln, all of which were under Viking influence and authority by the ninth century.

• Danish Vikings: Refers specifically to the heathen raiders and settlers from Denmark, who participated in raids and invasions in England during the Viking Age circa 8th-11th centuries.

• Demetae: an ancient Celtic tribe that inhabited parts of what is now southwestern Wales, particularly the area corresponding to Pembrokeshire.

• Denmark: A small nation made up of the Cimbrian Peninsula, known as Jutland, along with over 400 islands, of which only 70 are populated. "Danmǫrk" in Old Norse. Named after the Danes, a North Germanic warrior tribe from southern Scandinavia. 

• Dyfed: A historic county and former kingdom located in what is now southwestern Wales. Some suggest the name means "the land of David," emphasising the connection to St. David and the importance of his influence in the area.

• Ealdorman (Earl): A high-ranking noble in Anglo-Saxon England responsible for governing a region and leading military forces.

• England: Derives from “Angleland” reflecting the land of the Angles. This etymological connection underscores the significant influence of the Angles on the formation and identity of the country.

• Englisc: The term used in Old English to refer to the English language and its speakers during the early medieval period from the 5th century to the 12th century Early Middle English. Englisc encompassed various dialects.

• Early Medieval Period: Spanning roughly from the 5th to the 10th centuries in Europe. This era followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and its eventual fall in 476 AD.

• Etymology: The study of the origin of words and how their meanings have changed throughout history, often providing insight into cultural and linguistic development.

• Frjáls: Old Norse term for "free" individuals who were not bound by servitude or slavery in Viking societies.

• Fyrd: The Anglo-Saxon militia, land force or army; consisting of free men called upon to defend their land and people. It was a key aspect of Early English military organisation.

• Geopolitical Dynamics: Refers to the influence of geographic factors on political relationships and power structures. Particularly relevant to the politically splintered Early English Heptarchy facing Viking subjugation.

• Heathen Army: A term used to describe the Norse pagans that invaded England in the late 9th century, especially those led by the Danish chieftains Hubba and his brothers, including Ivar the Boneless. This "Great Heathen Army" was part of a larger wave of Viking incursions that sought to conquer and settle in various parts of England.

• Heptarchy: Refers to the division of Anglo-Saxon England into smaller kingdoms from around the fifth century to the ninth century. This typically includes the seven kingdoms of East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Mercia, Northumbria, Sussex, and Wessex.

• Housecarl or húskarl (house-man) : An elite Viking warrior who served as personal bodyguard to a king or nobleman, known for their loyalty and combat prowess.

• Hubba's Raven Banner: A totem used in battle to rally troops and intimidate enemies, serving both practical and psychological roles. The raven, as a symbol, continually features in Viking mythology.

• Icelandic Sagas: A collection of medieval narratives and legends that recount the history and exploits of Norse heroes, families, and events in Iceland and beyond, during the Viking Age.

• Iron Age: A historical period characterised by the widespread use of iron tools and weapons, which in Britain spanned from around 800 BC to the Roman invasion circa AD 43.

• Jutes: One of the three main Germanic tribes, alongside the Angles, Saxons and probably Frisians, that migrated to Britain during the early medieval period.

• King's Thegns or Thanes: The king's warriors or retainers; aristocratic noblemen who played vital roles in battles and governance below the ranks of ealdormen and high-reeves.

• Konungr: Derived from Old Norse for king. Related to similar terms in other Germanic languages, such as "king" in English and "König" in German.

• Lynmouth Bay: The coastal area near Countisbury, North Devon, relevant to the Viking landings and military movements during the Anglo-Saxon period.

• Military Strategy: The planning and directing of large-scale military operations, including tactics and movements of troops, which were crucial in battles like Cynwit.

• Morale: The confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline of a person or group at a particular time, crucial in the context of battles where victory or defeat could significantly affect future engagements.

• Norse: Refers to the people, culture, and languages of the Scandinavian region during the Viking Age (roughly from the late 8th century to the early 11th century) as well as the broader context of Norse mythology and history.

• Odin: A highly respected deity in Germanic paganism, especially in Norse mythology which is the main source of knowledge about Odin and his numerous virtues and qualities.

• Pagan: refers to religious beliefs and practices that fall outside of the major world religions, particularly Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

• Þræll: This Old Norse term referred to a slave or servant, often applied to those who worked for others and did not have the freedom to go on Viking expeditions.

• Promontory Fort: A type of fortification located on elevated ground, often with steep cliffs providing natural defence, such as Countisbury Hill.

• Runic Inscriptions: Written characters used by the Germanic peoples, including the Vikings, often carved into stone or wood, which provided a means of communication and record-keeping.

• Saxons: Originated from what is now northwestern Germany, and were one of several Germanic tribes that migrated during the early Middle Ages to form Early Medieval England.

• Siege: A military operation where forces surround a place (such as a fort or city) to cut it off from supplies and reinforcements, with the goal of capturing it.

• Thegn: In Anglo-Saxon England, a thegn was a noble who held land directly from the king, in exchange for providing military service during wartime. The position carried responsibilities, and thegns were important members of the warrior elite, often commanding loyalty and support in times of conflict.

• Univallate Fort: A type of ancient fortification characterised by a single line of defensive earthworks, typically consisting of a bank or ditch. Distinct from multivallate forts which have multiple lines of defence.

• Vikings: Norse seafarers from Scandinavia who raided and settled in many parts of Europe during the 'Viking Age', circa late 8th to the 11th centuries. Not all Norse people went raiding and exploring; the Old Norse word vikingr referred to those who went on expeditions.

• Viking Era: The first documented Viking raid was the shocking attack on Lindisfarne in AD 793. The Viking Age is generally viewed as ending with the Battle of Stamford Bridge, 1066.

• Vikings and Early England: The Viking Age and their interactions with the Anglo-Saxons spanned roughly from 800 to 1150 AD, although Scandinavian explorers, traders, and mercenaries continued to have an influence before and beyond this period.

• Viking Raven Banner: Typically featured a black or dark-coloured fabric with a depiction of a raven, which is a bird closely associated with Norse mythology and the god Odin.

• Wessex: An Early English West Saxon kingdom located in the southern part of what is now England. It was one of the seven kingdoms of the Heptarchy and emerged as a dominant power in the 9th century under the leadership of King Alfred the Great.

• Wind Hill, also known as Countisbury Camp, is a British Iron Age hillfort with a summit at approximately 300 metres. It is located near the village of Countisbury and overlooks the Bristol Channel by Lynmouth Bay. This historic site is situated within Exmoor National Park, renowned for its rugged coastal landscapes and natural beauty.