Eadric the Grasper: Sons of Mercia: 1

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Eadric is a villain who is hard to hate because you can understand the necessity of his decisions, despite their consequences. His knowledge of the London area and his obvious gratitude to Edmund for saving London from Cnut’s army would imply he was a Londoner. Changes do occur in men’s and women’s roles, reflected in part by who gets a literal chair to sit on at meals, while world crises—a war, Sweden’s financial troubles—have unexpected impact. Eadric pulled back his yellow curls and tied them behind his neck, eager to feel a breeze on his sweat-sodden throat. While at the royal palace in London, Eadric was killed at the command of King Cnut, along with three other prominent English nobles: Northman, son of Leofwine, Æthelweard, son of Æthelmær the Stout, and Brihtric, son of Ælfhheah, Ealdorman of Devon.

Earl Uhtred (think Bamborough Castle) found himself in a situation where he had to submit to the Danes. In April of 1016 Aethelred died and Edmund was nominated king by the London noblemen, despite more widespread support for Canute. A treaty was drawn up, partitioning the country which would remain in force until the death of one of the participants to the treaty, at which time all lands would revert to the survivor. Her Eadric is a fascinating figure, an amoral yet sensitive man in a chaotic world, trying desperately, and not always successfully, to tame hot passions with cold calculation. Uhtred the Bold and his men were then murdered by the Northumbrian magnate, Thurbrand the Hold, with assistance from Uhtred's servant, Wighill and with the connivance of Canute.Early in 1013 Sweyn Forkbeard attacked England and this time no amount of gold would be enough: Forkbeard wanted the crown. The ‘beheading’ incident, I believe was at an earlier battle – Penselwood or Sherston, I can’t remember which.

In the coming Danish period this would change to Earl, the ealdorman would continue with reference to Shires, Earl will be used in the following piece to denote the power of the individual.

He is said to have killed a soldier who looked like Edmund II (Ironside) and held up his head, only to realise his mistake (despite being supposedly on the same side). But after another unsuccessful assault, the Danes withdrew into Kent, under attack by the loyalists. When Ethelred in 1009 proposed a great attack on the Danes, Eadric dissuaded him from carrying it into effect. In 1015, there was a council held in Oxford, to which Eadric invited the brothers Sigeferth and Morcar, who were two thegns from the Seven Burhs in the East Midlands. The position had been vacant since 985, when his predecessor Ælfric Cild was driven into exile after being accused of treachery.