{"product_id":"9781510773608-saxons-vs-vikings","title":"Saxons vs. Vikings","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlfred the Great and England in the Dark Ages\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA witty and concise look at the beginnings of English history, when the nation consolidated after clashes between the Saxons and invading Vikings--now in paperback!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA witty and concise look at the beginnings of English history, when the nation consolidated after clashes between the Saxons and invading Vikings--now in paperback!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In 871, three of England's four kingdoms were overrun by Vikings, the ruthless, all-conquering Scandinavian raiders who terrorised early medieval Europe. With the Norsemen murdering one king with arrows and torturing another to death by ripping out his lungs, the prospects that faced the kingdom of Wessex were bleak. Worse still, the Saxons were now led by a young man barely out of his teens who was more interested in God than fighting. Yet within a decade Alfred—the only English king known as the Great—had driven the Vikings out of half of England, and his children and grandchildren would unite the country a few years later. This period, popular with fans of television shows such as \u003ci\u003eVikings\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Last Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e, saw the creation of England as a nation-state, with Alfred laying down the first national law code, establishing an education system and building cities.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSaxons vs. Vikings\u003c\/i\u003e also covers the period before Alfred, including ancient Britain, the Roman occupation, and the Dark Ages, explaining important historical episodes such as Boudicca, King Arthur, and Beowulf.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Perfect for newcomers to the subject, this is the second title in the new \u003ci\u003eA Very, Very Short History of England\u003c\/i\u003e series. If you’re trying to understand England and its history in the most informative and entertaining way possible, this is the place to start.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40836362600545,"sku":"9781510773608","price":12.7,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/files\/stand_31784246.jpg?v=1734596721","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9781510773608-saxons-vs-vikings","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}