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set about justifying the opinions, or expectations, which had been 
formed of his military prowess, and found his warriors congenial 
work in warlike expeditions against the other kings who ruled 
the smaller provinces of Britain. But north of the Humber 
stretched the kingdom of Northumbria, as far north as Edinburgh. 
The Northumbrian kingdom was ruled by Sigtric, King of the 
Danes, and to him Athelstane diplomatically gave his sister Kditha 
in marriage, whilst the Dane professedly adopted the Christian 
religion. Sigtric, however, afterwards repudiated his marriage 
with Editha, and sent her back to her kindred, and she after- 
wards became the Abbess of Tamworth. The ‘*‘ Saxon Chronicle,” 
Ann. 926, says: “* This year fiery lights appeared in the north 
part of the heavens. And Sigtric perished ; and King Athelstane 
obtained the kingdom of the Northumbrians, and be ruled all the 
kings who were in the island.’’ About seven years afterwards, 
however, that is, about the year 933, the Chronicler tells us that 
the standard of revolt was raised in Scotland, and Athelstane 
went into Scotland with a large army, whilst his fleets ravaged 
the shores of that kingdom, and for a time restored peace in his 
dominions. ‘This peace was not of long duration, for Anlaf, the 
son of Sigtric, having fled to Ireland and conquered Dublin, and 
obtained preponderance over the native chiefs of Ireland, was 
induced by Constantine, King of the Scots, who was anxious to 
free himself from vassalage to Athelstane, to return to Britain, 
and endeavour to retain possession of his father Sigtric’s ancient 
kingdom of Northumbria. The Britons of Strathclyde, or Kast 
Scotland, and Cumbria (now Cumberland and Lancashire), were 
easily persuaded to join in the enterprise, The North and West 
Welsh also threw in their lot with Anlaf, and joined the standard 
of revolt. ‘The storm of revolt broke so suddenly that Athelstane, 
in order to mature his plans, opened negotiations with Anlaf at 
the same time that he pushed his armies quickly north, and 
suddenly confronted Anlaf at Brunanburgh. After relating 
several incidents, including the penetration of Athelstane’s camp 
by Anlaf in disguise, the lecturer said that the former, on the 
advice of a soldier, moved his own tent, and as Anlaf attacked the 
spot where the leader previously was, Athelstane fell upon them, 
and the battle raged fiercely. When the sun rose the fury of the 
battle had begun, and the couflict, which lasted throughout the 
entire day, terminated in the total discomfiture of the Danes. 
Various are the places assigned as the locale of this memorable 
conflict, and some of them in places the most unlikely. From 
the extreme north of Northumberland, down to Birmingham in 
the Midlands, and from each and everyone some evidence can be 
adduced which seems to give colour to the claim. In the Saxon 
Chronicles and other authorities upon the subject, the name of 
the place of battle is variously given, the most commonly accepted 
