A rich history of the years leading up to 1066 when Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and Normans vied for the English crown. A tale of loyalty, treason and military might.
In a saga reminiscent of Game of Thrones and The Last Kingdom, Battle for the Island Kingdom reveals the life-and-death struggle for power which changed the course of history. The six decades leading up to 1066 were defined by bloody wars and intrigues, in which three peoples vied for supremacy over the island kingdom. In this epic retelling, Don Hollway (The Last Viking) recounts the clashes of Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and Normans, their warlords and their conniving queens.
It begins with the Viking Cnut the Great, forging three nations into his North Sea Empire while his Saxon wife Aelfgifu rules in his stead and schemes for England''s throne. Her archenemy is Emma of Normandy, widow of Saxon king Aethelred, claiming Cnut''s realm in exchange for her hand in marriage. Their s