Battle of Maldon
River Blackwater, by Northey Island, near Maldon, Essex, England
What happened
An English army led by Earl Byrhtnoth of Essex fought a Viking force led by Olaf, possibly Olaf Tryggvason. A Viking fleet landed on an island in the River Blackwater that could be reached only by a narrow causeway at low tide. Rather than hold the causeway, Byrhtnoth let the Vikings cross to the mainland so the two sides could fight in the open. The Vikings won, and Byrhtnoth fell.
Why it matters
Why it matters: After the defeat, the English chose to pay the Vikings to leave. The battle is remembered through a famous Old English poem.
What came next
The English paid 10,000 pounds of silver to the Vikings. The poem 'The Battle of Maldon' praised the loyalty of Byrhtnoth's men, though scholars still debate whether his pride caused the defeat.
Did you know?
Only part of the poem survives: its first and last pages are lost, leaving 325 lines.
Timeline
- 991A Viking fleet lands on Northey Island.
- 10 or 11 August 991The Vikings defeat Byrhtnoth at Maldon.
- 991The English pay 10,000 pounds of silver.