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The King in the North: The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria
A charismatic leader, a warrior whose prowess in battle earned him the epithet Whiteblade, an exiled prince who returned to claim his birthright, the inspiration for Tolkein's Aragorn.
Oswald of Northumbria was the first great English monarch, yet today this legendary figure is all but forgotten. In this panoramic protrait of Dark Age Britain, archaeologist and biographer Max Adams returns the king in the North to his rightful place in history.
Oswald of Northumbria was the first great English monarch, yet today this legendary figure is all but forgotten. In this panoramic protrait of Dark Age Britain, archaeologist and biographer Max Adams returns the king in the North to his rightful place in history.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 9, 2005
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About the author
Max Adams
14 books184 followersI am an archaeologist, woodsman and traveller. I live in the North-east of England where I write about landscape and history. My next non-fiction work, to be published in Autumn 2017, is called Alfred's Britain - a history and archaeology of the British Isles in the Viking Age. The King in the North has been a non-fiction bestseller since its publication. In the Land of Giants, my latest non-fiction book, is a series of journeys, mostly on foot, through Dark Age landscapes.
In May 2016 I published my first novel, The Ambulist.
In May 2016 I published my first novel, The Ambulist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
March 17, 2014
Something I should make clear from the outset; I have an MA in Medieval History, and 'specialised' in the early Middle Ages. So, it was with some trepidation that I approached this book. Generally, if it's a book on the early medieval period which you can actually buy in a bookshop, you need to be cautious, as it tends to be either Arthurian weird, Saxon weird, Viking weird, or just plain wrong.
I'm happy to say this book was none of the above. The author brilliantly catapults the reader into the life and times of Oswald, the Anglo-Saxon king-martyr who emerges from his youthful exile at Iona to seize the throne(s) of Northumbria, rules for eight successful years, dominating the British Isles, before being slain in battle against Penda, one of the last pagan Anglo-Saxon kings. The author clearly knows the sources inside out, both the written and the archaeological. He is also not afraid to state when we simply don't know enough to fill the gaps, and to offer his own ideas to fill the silences which often prevail in early medieval Britain.
For me personally, this book was perfect; the right pitch between a narrative and an analysis, interesting enough for someone with a lot of background knowledge, but also just right for those with no idea what they've let themselves in for. Max Adams manages to bring alive this world which is at once so alien, yet so very familiar.
I'm happy to say this book was none of the above. The author brilliantly catapults the reader into the life and times of Oswald, the Anglo-Saxon king-martyr who emerges from his youthful exile at Iona to seize the throne(s) of Northumbria, rules for eight successful years, dominating the British Isles, before being slain in battle against Penda, one of the last pagan Anglo-Saxon kings. The author clearly knows the sources inside out, both the written and the archaeological. He is also not afraid to state when we simply don't know enough to fill the gaps, and to offer his own ideas to fill the silences which often prevail in early medieval Britain.
For me personally, this book was perfect; the right pitch between a narrative and an analysis, interesting enough for someone with a lot of background knowledge, but also just right for those with no idea what they've let themselves in for. Max Adams manages to bring alive this world which is at once so alien, yet so very familiar.
December 2, 2025
A surprisingly compelling story of how the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria, through it's adoption of first Celtic and then Roman christianity. emerged from warlordism to become an institutional monarchy.
There simply aren't sufficient documentary resources to support this historical narrative, so Adams presents each chapter as if it were an episode of Timeteam; with contributions from archeology, landscape studies, history, and even literary criticism. The latter comes in the form of Adams' critical reading of Bede's Ecclesiastical History - he argues that Bede needed to create a compelling narrative of God's providence to his one church, and selected his evidence accordingly.
The biggest loser in this process was the indigenous British Church which had hung on after the departure of the legions. For Bede the failure of the British Church to convert the incoming Anglo-Saxons (and it's rejection of Augustine's mission) made them more perfidious than the incoming pagans. So the significance of the British contribution to the formation of the English church is played down in favour of the proselytizing Irish and Roman Churches. A early victim of this is cautious Edwin, the first Christian king of Northumbria, albeit one who was converted by the British while in exile in Anglesey, and later ally of the British King of Gwynedd.
Which highlights another position that Adams takes against Bede's narrative - that there was no hard distinction between Briton and Anglo-Saxon; Britannia's dark age leaders were equal opportunity warlords. Equally likely to ally or attack across ethnic and religious boundaries. This is explicable, I suppose, because Adams also believes there was no mass immigration of Britain by Anglo-Saxons; that the genetic and landscape evidence does support this traditional historical account. We had instead an exchange of elites, rather like the one that happened after the Norman conquest, albeit in a more ragged fashion. This view, however, still has to account for the disappearance of the British language across most of Britain.
Edwin's nephews were raised on Iona in the Irish monastery there, and when one of them, Oswald became king he invited his Irish mentor Aidan to found a similar monastery on Lindisfarne. The Irish church with its enthusiasm for asceticism and missionary work was much more to Bede's liking, and so played a bigger part in his Ecclesiastical History. And we can perhaps argue that it is of more importance to the institutional development of the Church of England, because it had a tradition of anointing those it recognised as king. So the king supported the monasteries and the monasteries supported the king, which made both kingdom and church much more stable than they had been when legitimacy was conveyed purely by military success. So much so, that Oswiu, Oswald's brother became the first Northumbrian King to die in his bed.
In the most interesting part of the book, Adams goes on to argue that the monastic movement was too successful. It created a Northumbria that was economically successful and politically unassailable, but one that became militarily weak and ultimately susceptible to external attack. Those rich monasteries became the first targets of the Vikings, less than 200 hundred years after their foundation.
Adams proposes the following mechanism for this. Previously the King gifted land in exchange for military service, when a particular warrior was killed in battle, the land came back into the king's hands to be allocated to a new warrior. So the kingdom's wealth and strength were kept in sync. When the King gifted land to a monastery - in posterity, it no longer came back into the king's hands, and it no longer contributed to the military strength of the kingdom. The monasteries were able to plough their surpluses back into their lands, this investment increased the wealth of the monasteries, but not the strength of the kingdom. Eventually for the nobility, sending your son into a monastery became much more attractive than sending him into battle. When St Wilfrid, bishop of Northumbria died he was possibly the richest man in Europe.
What I find so interesting about this mechanism, how the adoption of Christianity upset the balance between blood and treasure, is its potential to be applied to other places and other times. Certainly, was it not the reason Anglo-Saxon, Irish and Pictish pirates flocked into Britannia after the legions left. But could it not also explain the general collapse of the Roman Empire? And should it not be a warning to Europe today, surrounded by warlordism to the south and east, and dependent on its American overlord for its military protection?
There simply aren't sufficient documentary resources to support this historical narrative, so Adams presents each chapter as if it were an episode of Timeteam; with contributions from archeology, landscape studies, history, and even literary criticism. The latter comes in the form of Adams' critical reading of Bede's Ecclesiastical History - he argues that Bede needed to create a compelling narrative of God's providence to his one church, and selected his evidence accordingly.
The biggest loser in this process was the indigenous British Church which had hung on after the departure of the legions. For Bede the failure of the British Church to convert the incoming Anglo-Saxons (and it's rejection of Augustine's mission) made them more perfidious than the incoming pagans. So the significance of the British contribution to the formation of the English church is played down in favour of the proselytizing Irish and Roman Churches. A early victim of this is cautious Edwin, the first Christian king of Northumbria, albeit one who was converted by the British while in exile in Anglesey, and later ally of the British King of Gwynedd.
Which highlights another position that Adams takes against Bede's narrative - that there was no hard distinction between Briton and Anglo-Saxon; Britannia's dark age leaders were equal opportunity warlords. Equally likely to ally or attack across ethnic and religious boundaries. This is explicable, I suppose, because Adams also believes there was no mass immigration of Britain by Anglo-Saxons; that the genetic and landscape evidence does support this traditional historical account. We had instead an exchange of elites, rather like the one that happened after the Norman conquest, albeit in a more ragged fashion. This view, however, still has to account for the disappearance of the British language across most of Britain.
Edwin's nephews were raised on Iona in the Irish monastery there, and when one of them, Oswald became king he invited his Irish mentor Aidan to found a similar monastery on Lindisfarne. The Irish church with its enthusiasm for asceticism and missionary work was much more to Bede's liking, and so played a bigger part in his Ecclesiastical History. And we can perhaps argue that it is of more importance to the institutional development of the Church of England, because it had a tradition of anointing those it recognised as king. So the king supported the monasteries and the monasteries supported the king, which made both kingdom and church much more stable than they had been when legitimacy was conveyed purely by military success. So much so, that Oswiu, Oswald's brother became the first Northumbrian King to die in his bed.
In the most interesting part of the book, Adams goes on to argue that the monastic movement was too successful. It created a Northumbria that was economically successful and politically unassailable, but one that became militarily weak and ultimately susceptible to external attack. Those rich monasteries became the first targets of the Vikings, less than 200 hundred years after their foundation.
Adams proposes the following mechanism for this. Previously the King gifted land in exchange for military service, when a particular warrior was killed in battle, the land came back into the king's hands to be allocated to a new warrior. So the kingdom's wealth and strength were kept in sync. When the King gifted land to a monastery - in posterity, it no longer came back into the king's hands, and it no longer contributed to the military strength of the kingdom. The monasteries were able to plough their surpluses back into their lands, this investment increased the wealth of the monasteries, but not the strength of the kingdom. Eventually for the nobility, sending your son into a monastery became much more attractive than sending him into battle. When St Wilfrid, bishop of Northumbria died he was possibly the richest man in Europe.
What I find so interesting about this mechanism, how the adoption of Christianity upset the balance between blood and treasure, is its potential to be applied to other places and other times. Certainly, was it not the reason Anglo-Saxon, Irish and Pictish pirates flocked into Britannia after the legions left. But could it not also explain the general collapse of the Roman Empire? And should it not be a warning to Europe today, surrounded by warlordism to the south and east, and dependent on its American overlord for its military protection?
June 22, 2024
It is perhaps overly obvious to say that in Oswald, pagan and Christian, British and Germanic, sacral and temporal were fused as in no other king of the Early Medieval period.
The quote above is an illustrative example of Max Adams: insightful yet equivocal. That hesitation isn’t from obtuse speculation but rather the codes of his archaeological craft. Like Cunliffe, it is comparably bountiful given the dearth of evidence, after all this marks the first steps towards a unified kingdom in the 7C and what actually happened is often just rumor—or a teleological explanation for what occurred later.
The evidence is sided against Bede and even Beowulf and even in the dark corners there’s a great deal to contemplate.
I likely spent excessive time driving on this holiday but this book was a welcome detour, even if it required a few days to settle properly in my grasp.
The quote above is an illustrative example of Max Adams: insightful yet equivocal. That hesitation isn’t from obtuse speculation but rather the codes of his archaeological craft. Like Cunliffe, it is comparably bountiful given the dearth of evidence, after all this marks the first steps towards a unified kingdom in the 7C and what actually happened is often just rumor—or a teleological explanation for what occurred later.
The evidence is sided against Bede and even Beowulf and even in the dark corners there’s a great deal to contemplate.
I likely spent excessive time driving on this holiday but this book was a welcome detour, even if it required a few days to settle properly in my grasp.
April 30, 2018
3.5 stars
My first attempt at reading this book was a failure. While I found much of it to be both interesting and well-written I ended up being defeated by other elements that I found much less interesting (namely the author’s digressions into archaeological and topographical details of the areas he describes). Now, given that the author is an archaeologist I can’t fault him for these details and I in no way wish to impugn the value of archaeology in shedding significant light onto the past, especially in cases where we have little or no literary evidence to go on…I just personally find archaeology (especially when described in detail) to be kind of, well, boring quite frankly and thus these sections hampered my progress into the book. I’ve recently been bitten by an interest in the Anglo-Saxon period of British history, however, and thus kept thinking about coming back to the book given its other virtues. After reading Niccola Griffith’s Hild (to which this book acts as an excellent companion esp. the earlier chapters that cover Edwin’s rise and reign) I decided that I should give _The King in the North_ another try and I’m glad I did.
When Adams is talking about ‘pure’ history (as opposed to archaeology) he weaves a compelling story indeed. He has an obvious deep interest in (and one might even say an affection for) these characters and his attempts to trace the rise of Northumbria as both a unified kingdom, and ultimately a central power in early Anglo-Saxon England, is compelling. It is also quite impressive given the sparcity of historical details that we have from primary sources, and while he certainly points out areas in which his proposed narrative does not rest on certainty he does not seem as leery as many other academics when putting forward his own interpretation of possible events, a fact which I found quite refreshing.
The book covers the main political and historical events that revolve around the kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira (later to be unified as Northumbria) roughly from the reign of Aethelfrith (in the early 600s) to that of Aldfrith (in the 680’s) with the discussion moving sometimes earlier than the former or later than the latter when required. Special emphasis is given to the kings Edwin, Oswald (naturally given the book’s title), and Oswiu during whose reigns the real consolidation of ‘Northumbrian’ power occurred.
In addition to the lives of these kings and their families (and enemies) Adams also pays close attention to the Christian monastic (and non-monastic) establishments to which these leaders had strong connections, seeing in their reigns the beginning of the strong link between church and state that was to characterize the British political arena until Henry VIII decided he wanted it all for himself centuries later (and which really just carried on the unity in a different way, albeit one wherein the distinction between church and monarch became all but indistinguishable). In a related area Adams also sees this era as the point in time in which the concept of an English state that could survive beyond the lifetime of the king, one held together by more than his strength of personality and whose gains were ultimately lost at his death to be begun again by his successor, was born. In essence by uniting itself with the newly nascent, and increasingly powerful, Church the monarchy of the Anglo-Saxons was able to have a form of institutional continuance beyond the person of the king. Of course this union was to have other, unforeseen, consequences for the burgeoning English monarchy as time wore on.
Ultimately, archaeological ‘digressions’ aside, I would have to say that this was one of the more compelling history books I have read and its strong narrative structure makes it a fairly easy and enjoyable read. It certainly deepened my appreciation for the history of the era and the many complexities of the tangled political, religious, and personal relationships that were bound up in the ultimate birth of what would eventually become known (several hundred years after the main events portrayed in this book) as the kingdom of England. Recommended.
My first attempt at reading this book was a failure. While I found much of it to be both interesting and well-written I ended up being defeated by other elements that I found much less interesting (namely the author’s digressions into archaeological and topographical details of the areas he describes). Now, given that the author is an archaeologist I can’t fault him for these details and I in no way wish to impugn the value of archaeology in shedding significant light onto the past, especially in cases where we have little or no literary evidence to go on…I just personally find archaeology (especially when described in detail) to be kind of, well, boring quite frankly and thus these sections hampered my progress into the book. I’ve recently been bitten by an interest in the Anglo-Saxon period of British history, however, and thus kept thinking about coming back to the book given its other virtues. After reading Niccola Griffith’s Hild (to which this book acts as an excellent companion esp. the earlier chapters that cover Edwin’s rise and reign) I decided that I should give _The King in the North_ another try and I’m glad I did.
When Adams is talking about ‘pure’ history (as opposed to archaeology) he weaves a compelling story indeed. He has an obvious deep interest in (and one might even say an affection for) these characters and his attempts to trace the rise of Northumbria as both a unified kingdom, and ultimately a central power in early Anglo-Saxon England, is compelling. It is also quite impressive given the sparcity of historical details that we have from primary sources, and while he certainly points out areas in which his proposed narrative does not rest on certainty he does not seem as leery as many other academics when putting forward his own interpretation of possible events, a fact which I found quite refreshing.
The book covers the main political and historical events that revolve around the kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira (later to be unified as Northumbria) roughly from the reign of Aethelfrith (in the early 600s) to that of Aldfrith (in the 680’s) with the discussion moving sometimes earlier than the former or later than the latter when required. Special emphasis is given to the kings Edwin, Oswald (naturally given the book’s title), and Oswiu during whose reigns the real consolidation of ‘Northumbrian’ power occurred.
In addition to the lives of these kings and their families (and enemies) Adams also pays close attention to the Christian monastic (and non-monastic) establishments to which these leaders had strong connections, seeing in their reigns the beginning of the strong link between church and state that was to characterize the British political arena until Henry VIII decided he wanted it all for himself centuries later (and which really just carried on the unity in a different way, albeit one wherein the distinction between church and monarch became all but indistinguishable). In a related area Adams also sees this era as the point in time in which the concept of an English state that could survive beyond the lifetime of the king, one held together by more than his strength of personality and whose gains were ultimately lost at his death to be begun again by his successor, was born. In essence by uniting itself with the newly nascent, and increasingly powerful, Church the monarchy of the Anglo-Saxons was able to have a form of institutional continuance beyond the person of the king. Of course this union was to have other, unforeseen, consequences for the burgeoning English monarchy as time wore on.
Ultimately, archaeological ‘digressions’ aside, I would have to say that this was one of the more compelling history books I have read and its strong narrative structure makes it a fairly easy and enjoyable read. It certainly deepened my appreciation for the history of the era and the many complexities of the tangled political, religious, and personal relationships that were bound up in the ultimate birth of what would eventually become known (several hundred years after the main events portrayed in this book) as the kingdom of England. Recommended.
December 28, 2013
Oswald Whiteblade was an early King of Northumbria in northern England during the Dark Ages who apparently served as the inspiration for Tolkien's Aragorn, and was also a focus of the Venerable Bede's most famous work, the Ecclesiastical History. He also became a Saint of the early English church, and his cult had an enduring and wide ranging power, spreading to the Continent as far away as Germany and Switzerland.
The problem with any look at the Dark Ages is the scarcity of sources. Max Adams is forced to rely almost entirely on Bede, as well as a handful of Annals and Chronicles, some contemporary, some not, and as a result there are a massive amount of "what-ifs". Adams does a good job of reconstructing a plausible timeline of events though, using a lot of archaeological research, but he's inevitably forced to do a lot of speculating and guesswork. Overall. it's a fairly interesting look at early Anglo-Saxon England and the birth of the English Church.
The problem with any look at the Dark Ages is the scarcity of sources. Max Adams is forced to rely almost entirely on Bede, as well as a handful of Annals and Chronicles, some contemporary, some not, and as a result there are a massive amount of "what-ifs". Adams does a good job of reconstructing a plausible timeline of events though, using a lot of archaeological research, but he's inevitably forced to do a lot of speculating and guesswork. Overall. it's a fairly interesting look at early Anglo-Saxon England and the birth of the English Church.
August 14, 2021
interesting and detailed book looking at the kingdom of Northumbria and its famous King Oswald
March 4, 2016
There's a hole at the centre of this book, and unfortunately that hole is where Oswald himself should be. Max Adams makes great claims for the importance of Oswald as one of the first Christian kings to hold sway over the rest of Britain, as his mighty role as warrior, as Tolkien's inspiration for Aragorn in Lord of the Rings, as founder of the monastery at Lindisfarne, as his afterlife as a saint - but reading this book I never came to any clear understanding of why Oswald was important or what justification there was for these claims.
This book is very much more about the 'times' than the 'life' - it devotes as much time to the years before and after Oswald, if not more, than the years of Oswald's reign itself. I felt like Oswald had hardly made an appearance on the scene as king of a united Northumbria before he was dead and gone again, and there seemed very little to tell about him even then. From what Adams relates, it's hard to see why Oswald is considered such an important figure in British history or why he was elevated as a saint. He doesn't seem to do very much at all - his successors were the ones who arguably were more successful in solidifying what achievements be began.
Whilst I found this book a genuinely interesting snapshot into life in Dark Ages Britain and in particular the development of Britain as a Christian country (or perhaps re-establishment is more appropriate, since a major theme of this book is the struggle between 'British' Christianity best exemplified by the Irish churches and the 'Roman' Christianity of the established Catholic church), as a book about King Oswald it leaves much to be desired. Perhaps that's a failure of marketing and publicity, who knows? Maybe kings and saints are a catchier hook than a history of British Christianity in the Dark Ages, which is effectively what this book is really about.
This book is very much more about the 'times' than the 'life' - it devotes as much time to the years before and after Oswald, if not more, than the years of Oswald's reign itself. I felt like Oswald had hardly made an appearance on the scene as king of a united Northumbria before he was dead and gone again, and there seemed very little to tell about him even then. From what Adams relates, it's hard to see why Oswald is considered such an important figure in British history or why he was elevated as a saint. He doesn't seem to do very much at all - his successors were the ones who arguably were more successful in solidifying what achievements be began.
Whilst I found this book a genuinely interesting snapshot into life in Dark Ages Britain and in particular the development of Britain as a Christian country (or perhaps re-establishment is more appropriate, since a major theme of this book is the struggle between 'British' Christianity best exemplified by the Irish churches and the 'Roman' Christianity of the established Catholic church), as a book about King Oswald it leaves much to be desired. Perhaps that's a failure of marketing and publicity, who knows? Maybe kings and saints are a catchier hook than a history of British Christianity in the Dark Ages, which is effectively what this book is really about.
July 17, 2014
Not surprisingly, Max Adams' book finds an appreciative reader in me: it's all about Northumbria! Although ostensibly a biography of Oswald, in fact it tells the story of the great age of the kingdom, starting with its emergence into history under the 'Twister' Aethelfrith, through my favourite, Edwin, to Oswald, Oswiu and Ecgfrith, with an afterword about the golden cultural age of the eighth century. Adams is never less than fascinating, he brings to light all sorts of nuggets of information and parallels - I particularly liked the comparison between Oswald and Thomas Cochrane, the premier frigate commander of the Napoleonic Wars and a man of such daring his exploits would appear ridiculous in a film - and his book brims with a life-long love of the subject. In fact, the only other book on Northumbria I'd recommend as highly is my own, and Adams beats me into a cocked hat with the absolutely superb double page map on the inside front cover, which shows Northumbria and the other kingdoms of northern Britain in the style of the map in 'The Lord of the Rings', all hand-drawn hills and sketched forests. Superb, and on its own responsible for an extra, fifth star! Well done, Mr Cartographer.
September 22, 2019
This book is a fabulous look into the players of early medieval England. In depth, yet still readable, this was a lovely surprise. I wish I had read it will studying medieval England for my MA.
July 9, 2024
Maybe I'm just stupid (there's a pretty good chance of that, actually), but I found The King in the North to be tough going. The first 100-or so pages were extremely confusing. It's names after names, and jumping chronology, and small details everywhere. I was reading, yet nothing was sinking in; it felt all over the place. I kept thinking, 'wait, who's this guy again?' or 'what does this long tangent have to do with Oswald?' I love context, but this just made it hard for me to get into the book because there's so much of it. And there's really barely any Oswald at all in the first hundred pages. I hoped things would pick up from there.
Thankfully the book does get better - the chronology becomes more focused, and the narrative gets tighter... until it loses itself again fairly quickly. At no point could I shake the feeling that The King in the North is confusing, or muddled in what it's trying to be. I could never settle into it in a way that made it an engaging read. There's also a lot of speculation here. I understand historians/writers are limited by what sources have survived, and I have no doubt that Adams is making highly educated guesses, but there's so much we just don't know. That might put off some readers, especially ones who are looking for - as the book implies - a biography of Oswald.
But is it even a biography of Oswald? Not really. If I had to pull the main theme of the book, it would be the development of Christianity around the period of Oswald's life. The subtitle of The King in the North is The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria. I'm not sure I'd say it's really about his life specifically; I got little feel for the man. His times? Sure. I mean, (spoiler alert) Oswald is already dead around page 230. And as I said, there was already so little of him in the first hundred pages. It feels all so inconsequential.
I can deal with being a little confused or feeling a little lost when reading about something I don't know much about. I even felt that at times during Marc Morris' absolutely fantastic The Anglo-Saxons, and that was one of my favourite reads of last year. But this was just too much. The blurb on the cover calls this 'a Game of Thrones in the Dark Ages.' And you know, I stopped watching Game of Thrones after season four because there was too much going on. Perhaps The King in the North really is like Game of Thrones, at least in that regard. There's just not enough information specifically on Oswald to write a biography of sorts - even if he maybe was an interesting figure.
It's not all bad, though. My issues are more with the lack of focus, and perhaps wrong marketing. Adams' writing is good; his wording is clear and easy to read. And there's lots of neat little tidbits and facts throughout the book. I particularly enjoyed the chapter about incorruptible bodies. It was also interesting to see what became of the remains of some of the major people we meet throughout the book. I've become very interested in the Anglo-Saxons since reading Morris' book, so it was nice to spend some time in that period of history again (even if it was highly confusing!).
Unless you read reviews before purchasing (which I tend to only skim, as to not give away too much to myself), there's no way to know exactly what you're actually getting with this book. Unfortunately I didn't really want a book about the development and spread of Christianity. So, all in all, I was pretty disappointed with this. It had its good moments, but was not what I was looking for. Honestly, if this had been something I got from the library, I would've given up on it. But because I bought it, I felt I had to finish.
Thankfully the book does get better - the chronology becomes more focused, and the narrative gets tighter... until it loses itself again fairly quickly. At no point could I shake the feeling that The King in the North is confusing, or muddled in what it's trying to be. I could never settle into it in a way that made it an engaging read. There's also a lot of speculation here. I understand historians/writers are limited by what sources have survived, and I have no doubt that Adams is making highly educated guesses, but there's so much we just don't know. That might put off some readers, especially ones who are looking for - as the book implies - a biography of Oswald.
But is it even a biography of Oswald? Not really. If I had to pull the main theme of the book, it would be the development of Christianity around the period of Oswald's life. The subtitle of The King in the North is The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria. I'm not sure I'd say it's really about his life specifically; I got little feel for the man. His times? Sure. I mean, (spoiler alert) Oswald is already dead around page 230. And as I said, there was already so little of him in the first hundred pages. It feels all so inconsequential.
I can deal with being a little confused or feeling a little lost when reading about something I don't know much about. I even felt that at times during Marc Morris' absolutely fantastic The Anglo-Saxons, and that was one of my favourite reads of last year. But this was just too much. The blurb on the cover calls this 'a Game of Thrones in the Dark Ages.' And you know, I stopped watching Game of Thrones after season four because there was too much going on. Perhaps The King in the North really is like Game of Thrones, at least in that regard. There's just not enough information specifically on Oswald to write a biography of sorts - even if he maybe was an interesting figure.
It's not all bad, though. My issues are more with the lack of focus, and perhaps wrong marketing. Adams' writing is good; his wording is clear and easy to read. And there's lots of neat little tidbits and facts throughout the book. I particularly enjoyed the chapter about incorruptible bodies. It was also interesting to see what became of the remains of some of the major people we meet throughout the book. I've become very interested in the Anglo-Saxons since reading Morris' book, so it was nice to spend some time in that period of history again (even if it was highly confusing!).
Unless you read reviews before purchasing (which I tend to only skim, as to not give away too much to myself), there's no way to know exactly what you're actually getting with this book. Unfortunately I didn't really want a book about the development and spread of Christianity. So, all in all, I was pretty disappointed with this. It had its good moments, but was not what I was looking for. Honestly, if this had been something I got from the library, I would've given up on it. But because I bought it, I felt I had to finish.
October 29, 2013
An excellent and very readable history of 7th-century Anglo-Saxon England, focusing on Oswald, king of Northumbria - hero of Bede's Ecclesiastical History, founder of Lindisfarne and inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien's Aragorn. Setting him in the context of his time, the book explores the dynamic between the pagan traditions of the warrior king and the new themes of eternal salvation being introduced by Christian missionaries and the Irish monastic tradition. Blending archaeological evidence with material from Bede's Ecclesiastical History, Adams creates a plausible and absorbing narrative of a young man's journey from exile to kingship and beyond, from martyrdom to the status of one of the most revered saints of medieval Europe. It's not a short book, but it's gripping stuff. A hard copy is recommended rather than the Kindle version I read, if only because you will need access to the family tree in order to keep track! A super introduction to Anglo-Saxon England and the culture of this time when the country teetered on the brink between its pagan history and its (largely) Christian future.
For a longer review, please see my blog (I welcome comments):
http://theidlewoman.blogspot.co.uk/20...
For a longer review, please see my blog (I welcome comments):
http://theidlewoman.blogspot.co.uk/20...
March 22, 2015
Max Adams' book, 'The King in the North: The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria' is a welcome addition to the limited number of books available about 7th century Northumbria. It is well-written and well-researched. My main quibble is the fact that I had hoped to find out a lot more about Oswald, who I was researching for my own writing. The book actually covers the whole century and really only has a handful of chapters dedicated to Oswald specifically, though Adams does make reference to him and his influence in later chapters. However, these references sometimes feel a little forced and oblique, and Adams does seem to have a tendency to make a conclusion via deduction and then state it in a matter of fact way, as if there could be no other interpretation of events. Considering there are very limited primary sources for the period, this approach felt somewhat contrived.
However, these are minor points. All in all the book's style is engaging, and the overall history of the north of Britain in that troubled century is illuminated in the spotlight of modern research and archaeology.
4 stars.
However, these are minor points. All in all the book's style is engaging, and the overall history of the north of Britain in that troubled century is illuminated in the spotlight of modern research and archaeology.
4 stars.
April 17, 2014
So, I wasn't too sure about this when I started reading it because it wasn't quite as scholarly as I was expecting. That said, it kept me reading so it must have had something going for it!
Initially the author's modern descriptions of the places mentioned annoyed me, but then, I know many of the places so didn't need the extra information. To those who've never visited Bamburgh etc, they'll probably enjoy the little extras.
Also, the title is a little misleading, as it's not just about Oswald. Perhaps a better description would have been Northumbria in the Seventh Century.
For all that, this is an engaging book, well told, and it works hard to produce a comprehensive account of the Kings of Northumbria and to make them appear personable. What I enjoyed most was it's acceptance that during this time, Northumbria didn't necessarily look to the South of England but to Scotland and Ireland. The use of Scottish and Irish sources was a welcome addition to the normal Bede and Nennian sources.
Well done author and thanks!
Initially the author's modern descriptions of the places mentioned annoyed me, but then, I know many of the places so didn't need the extra information. To those who've never visited Bamburgh etc, they'll probably enjoy the little extras.
Also, the title is a little misleading, as it's not just about Oswald. Perhaps a better description would have been Northumbria in the Seventh Century.
For all that, this is an engaging book, well told, and it works hard to produce a comprehensive account of the Kings of Northumbria and to make them appear personable. What I enjoyed most was it's acceptance that during this time, Northumbria didn't necessarily look to the South of England but to Scotland and Ireland. The use of Scottish and Irish sources was a welcome addition to the normal Bede and Nennian sources.
Well done author and thanks!
April 10, 2015
A brilliant telling of the life story of Oswald of Northumbria and the subsequent cult of St Oswald that developed in the centuries following his death. The history of the dark ages is a jigsaw with most of the pieces missing. Solid facts are often thin and conjecture and informed guesses need to be used to complete the picture. Max Adams not only accepts this - going as far as pointing to the gaps where they appear - but uses his extensive knowledge of the subject to make best sense of the available facts. A slow read, occasionally heavy going, it's stuffed so full of wonderful information, but I forgive it that. Highly recommended.
January 21, 2018
Nothing might seem more obscure than an account of the life and times of King Oswald of Northumbria (604-642). Yet this lively account of Britain in the Dark Ages is unashamed in its contemporary hooks. The very title is a phrase used repeatedly in A Game of Thrones; and the map in the frontispiece is a blatant rip-off of the style used by Christopher Tolkien in his maps of his father's own Middle-Earth. No matter. It's a great book - and ends with a stinging message about the balance of rights and responsibilities that make you think about the rise and fall of societies right down to our own times.
March 5, 2022
An interesting look at a murky period of British history.
Read
June 2, 2023Despite the fascinating subject matter and enticing cover I actually found this book quite impenetrable and the writing style not compelling
February 27, 2017
Given how little is known about Oswald, four of five pages on his life in the paperback edition of Bede, with more about his posthumous miracles than his life, this book is a lot more about his 'times' than his 'life'. But it's well written and thorough, dealing evenly with the problems of the few sources, and it brings aspects of the 7th century to life by asking the kind of questions that are often glossed over in historical discussions of the technicalities of early medieval land tenure or kingship.
The book is a history of 7th century Northumbria focussed through its Kings: Edwin and Oswiu receive almost equal coverage to Oswald, whose reign was very brief and whose early life is 'obscure'. There simply isn't enough evidence to construct a modern biography and the world these people lived in was so very different to ours that assuming what they were thinking is a dubious activity. Adams avoids this, but at the same time manages to suggest how different that world was. Words like kings and kingdoms have connotations that are inapplicable here. And it does leave you wondering who'd want to be king of Northumbria given that only one King in the 7th century died in his bed.
When the Kings are centre stage, there is a strong narrative element which holds together the general discussions about other aspects of the age, but there is a definite sense the book starts trailing off towards the end. So did Northumbria, but what had been narrative history seems to dissipate in a series of linked essays.
Having said that it's hard to imagine a better introduction to the Seventh century.
A minor grumble, who cares if Tolkien is supposed to have based a character on Oswald? That doesn't reveal anything about Oswald. And why does the publisher have to put a quote referencing 'Game of Thrones' on the cover? I know they are trying to sell copy, but Adams' carefully referenced history is about real people and the problems arising from the alienation of royal lands to monastic institutions. Can't we have medieval history without reference to fantasy?
The book is a history of 7th century Northumbria focussed through its Kings: Edwin and Oswiu receive almost equal coverage to Oswald, whose reign was very brief and whose early life is 'obscure'. There simply isn't enough evidence to construct a modern biography and the world these people lived in was so very different to ours that assuming what they were thinking is a dubious activity. Adams avoids this, but at the same time manages to suggest how different that world was. Words like kings and kingdoms have connotations that are inapplicable here. And it does leave you wondering who'd want to be king of Northumbria given that only one King in the 7th century died in his bed.
When the Kings are centre stage, there is a strong narrative element which holds together the general discussions about other aspects of the age, but there is a definite sense the book starts trailing off towards the end. So did Northumbria, but what had been narrative history seems to dissipate in a series of linked essays.
Having said that it's hard to imagine a better introduction to the Seventh century.
A minor grumble, who cares if Tolkien is supposed to have based a character on Oswald? That doesn't reveal anything about Oswald. And why does the publisher have to put a quote referencing 'Game of Thrones' on the cover? I know they are trying to sell copy, but Adams' carefully referenced history is about real people and the problems arising from the alienation of royal lands to monastic institutions. Can't we have medieval history without reference to fantasy?
May 20, 2014
This book has a lot going for it. The time period is thoroughly interesting and the personages involved fascinating, but it lacked a clear narrative. It was not so much about St Oswald but the formation of the Northumbrian state from say 600 up to 793 AD. Adams does put forth an interesting supposition for why the Vikings struck -- namely the lack of miltary men and warriors caused the proclivity of Northumbrian kings to gift land to the church. In other words because the Northmen knew the area from their various voyages, they were able to take advantage of the situation. Most of the research I have read has concentrated on the why the Northmen might raid, not why Lindisfarne might have been chosen and was there any interent weakness in the political situation in the Northumbrian hierarchy. But I digress.
Adams does give a comprehensive account of Northumbria and various personages involved. Personally I think Oswy, the only 7th century king to die in his bed and defacto high king of Britain a more intersting character than his brother St Oswald. I thought Elanflead, his queen, thoroughly intriguing.
The book has made me determine to walk both St Oswald's Way and St Cutherbert's plus visit Yeltholm.
Adams does give a comprehensive account of Northumbria and various personages involved. Personally I think Oswy, the only 7th century king to die in his bed and defacto high king of Britain a more intersting character than his brother St Oswald. I thought Elanflead, his queen, thoroughly intriguing.
The book has made me determine to walk both St Oswald's Way and St Cutherbert's plus visit Yeltholm.
November 23, 2016
What we actually know about Oswald would fill several pages, at best, so Adams has to take a much wider aim--and he succeeds brilliantly. The life and legacy of Oswald is placed in the context of the changing Anglo-Saxon society of the 7th century, with asides on its periphery, social structures, religious developments, general tribal politics and emergence of nations--all written with clear erudition and love of both the subject and the landscape. Choices made by Oswald and his immediate successors set up patterns that played a major part in later events of Northumbrian and general English history, from Viking raids all the way to the Dissolution. This is how history books should be written: embedded in a wider weave, details placed in context and clearly described as part of a pattern. Good stuff on a fascinating and still little-known subject.
May 28, 2020
A study of 7th-century Northumbria drawn from historical documents, archaeology, place-names and landscape archaeology, but seasoned with a little speculation and inference. It explores how the contemporary ideas of “kingship” were informed by a tribal warrior society where the king’s duties were to garner plunder and tribute, and grant land to his entourage. There was no real idea of state institutions or legislative bodies, but a system where the land was worked by slaves and peasants for the benefit of local lords and the king. It was also an era where various sects of Christianity were vying with each other and with Paganism for power, and magic and miracles were their stock-in-trade, resulting in a brisk flip-flopping of kings and nobles among the various systems depending on which one they thought could give them luck in battle. Altogether a most interesting time.
August 31, 2015
Beowulf it is not, but this deep exploration into what seventh century life was really like and how King Oswald, in his brief reign, set Britain on a different path, is quite an eye-opener for me.
This is the king who grew up with the monks of Iona and supported the foundation of Lindisfarne. Much of his story comes to us from the Venerable Bede and the Anglo Saxon Chronicles, but the credibility of these sources is discussed and tested. Well worth a read for the serious student of the period usually described as the ‘Dark Ages’.
I loved it and was disappointed when I got to the end.
This is the king who grew up with the monks of Iona and supported the foundation of Lindisfarne. Much of his story comes to us from the Venerable Bede and the Anglo Saxon Chronicles, but the credibility of these sources is discussed and tested. Well worth a read for the serious student of the period usually described as the ‘Dark Ages’.
I loved it and was disappointed when I got to the end.
September 14, 2015
St Oswald's story is a remarkable romance. He was a exiled rightful heir who returned to claim his crown; he was a Christian warrior-saint who died in battle against the heathen. Adams tells this story both with an engaging style and with historical rigour.
June 7, 2015
I enjoyed this very much and learnt a very great deal! I read it through, but will also return to parts of it again to remind myself of various events and details. I will recommend it to various friends who are interested in history, theology, Anglo-Saxons, the North East of England.
January 31, 2019
Christ almighty that was dry, for the next half an hour where I can remember all the names I’m going to feel very smart.
Get the book version if you only have an e-book. The photographs and family trees are right at the back and you need it open on a tablet as well or you are going to have a very bad time.
Get the book version if you only have an e-book. The photographs and family trees are right at the back and you need it open on a tablet as well or you are going to have a very bad time.
May 26, 2021
An interesting summary not only of the life of Oswald but also providing an overview of Anglo Saxon culture, politics and religion in the 7th century.
Particularly interesting discussion on the establishment of Christianity in England in this period. Would have liked the author to have spent longer on Oswald than perhaps he did, but otherwise I enjoyed this read.
Particularly interesting discussion on the establishment of Christianity in England in this period. Would have liked the author to have spent longer on Oswald than perhaps he did, but otherwise I enjoyed this read.
April 25, 2017
I saw this book whilst visiting the Northumbrian coast last year at Bamburgh and Lindisfarne. I'm glad I picked it up. A well written account of the life and times of King Oswald, its really well rooted in the geography and history of the area and took me back to my visit. The author sometimes goes into heavier detail than a casual reader may like, but I enjoyed it throughout.
February 17, 2017
Max Adams skilfully reconstructs the era about which he writes, and does not deduce nor infer more than is reasonable. A book that brings the seventh century to life, and is accessible for both lay readers and academics.
The book's cover also has merits - being a good tribute to the finest illuminated manuscripts of Northumbria. It was the cover design that brought the book to my attention.
The book's cover also has merits - being a good tribute to the finest illuminated manuscripts of Northumbria. It was the cover design that brought the book to my attention.
February 26, 2020
The King in the North by Max Adams, 2013, 386 pages plus endnotes, etc
This is a very enjoyable read and for anyone with an interest in 7th century Northumbria, an essential one. It is very comprehensive (within the limitations of the sources) in detailing the career of Aethelfrith, the rise and fall of Edwin and in particular Oswald's deeds. Adams has been to many of the locations mentioned and has a great feel for the time and deeds. Post Oswald the book does begin to falter a bit, with him obviously not so interested in Oswiu, Ecgfrith or Aldfrith, but the main points are still discussed and as ever, Adams is insightful.
The account of the interregnum following the death of Edwin is speculative, as he admits, but it is a great example of a historian weaving facts, probables and possibles into something that is highly plausible. One appendix contains an alternative suggestion for the timeline of Aethelfrith and the early Bernician kinglist. This is quite ingenious and it does (almost) square a thorny circle. This book is (obviously) Northumbrian centred and the other kingdoms only really feature where they come into contact with Northumbria.
There aren't many obvious errors in this book and those that I noticed were very minor, or even a matter of opinion. Augustine's party 'faltered on their long journey through Frankia' - they paused in Provence, so probably not that far into Frankia and I daresay that the good people of Kent would consider it England's front door instead of being the backdoor, but neither are really here nor there. I did feel though, that there is a stronger claim for Hatfield Grange and Farm near Edwinstowe as a location for the battle of Hatfield than Hatfield itself, which Adam's doesn't mention as an option.
In all, this is a very entertaining book that is an easy read, despite its size and it's one well worth buying.
This is a very enjoyable read and for anyone with an interest in 7th century Northumbria, an essential one. It is very comprehensive (within the limitations of the sources) in detailing the career of Aethelfrith, the rise and fall of Edwin and in particular Oswald's deeds. Adams has been to many of the locations mentioned and has a great feel for the time and deeds. Post Oswald the book does begin to falter a bit, with him obviously not so interested in Oswiu, Ecgfrith or Aldfrith, but the main points are still discussed and as ever, Adams is insightful.
The account of the interregnum following the death of Edwin is speculative, as he admits, but it is a great example of a historian weaving facts, probables and possibles into something that is highly plausible. One appendix contains an alternative suggestion for the timeline of Aethelfrith and the early Bernician kinglist. This is quite ingenious and it does (almost) square a thorny circle. This book is (obviously) Northumbrian centred and the other kingdoms only really feature where they come into contact with Northumbria.
There aren't many obvious errors in this book and those that I noticed were very minor, or even a matter of opinion. Augustine's party 'faltered on their long journey through Frankia' - they paused in Provence, so probably not that far into Frankia and I daresay that the good people of Kent would consider it England's front door instead of being the backdoor, but neither are really here nor there. I did feel though, that there is a stronger claim for Hatfield Grange and Farm near Edwinstowe as a location for the battle of Hatfield than Hatfield itself, which Adam's doesn't mention as an option.
In all, this is a very entertaining book that is an easy read, despite its size and it's one well worth buying.
February 1, 2020
I am a Northumbrian. That is, I was born and have lived the whole of my life between Tees and Tweed. It has taken me a long long time to fully appreciate the central place that Northumbria occupies in our nation's history. For too long I believed the region that formed me and that I love so dearly has always been and always will be something of a backwater; not that I was unhappy about that! So I am deeply grateful to Max Adams and others for helping me to appreciate just how powerful a force the kingdom of Bernicia was, both on its own and from time to time combined with Deira to become Northumbria. The pages of this book contain vivid accounts of a gallery of deeply flawed heroes and often rather more saintly and put upon heroines, Aethelfrith, Edwin, Oswald, Oswiu, some of the great kings of Northumbria; Colm Cille, Wilfred, the bishops who play such a significant role; Bede the narrator of the main source from which Adams draws. Adams is at his best teasing out the significance of the political landscape, the influence of Iona and Lindisfarne. He is as humble as all historians of this period must be given the paucity of written sources and therefore attaches a conditional status to many of his conclusions. I loved the fact that he and his son had walked from Bamburgh to Yeavering to attempt to walk in the footsteps of ancient kings and their entourage as they made their oft repeated journeys between fortress and villa regia. There are passages where the book gets a little dense, particularly towards the end when dealing with the surprising spread of the Oswald cult, but that didn't worry me one bit.
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