Every story has a beginning.Leofwine has convinced his king to finally face his enemies in battle and won a great victory, but in the meantime, events have spiralled out of control elsewhere.With the death of Olaf Tryggvason of Norway, England has lost an ally, and Leofwine has gained an enemy. And not just any enemy. Swein is the king of Denmark, and he has powerful resources at his fingertips.In a unique position with the king, Leofwine is either honoured or disrespected. Yet it is to Leofwine that the king turns to when an audacious attack is launched against the king's mother and his children. Yet Leofwine's successes only bring him more under the scrutiny of King Swein of Denmark, and his own enemies at the king's court.With an increase in Viking Raider attacks, it is to Leofwine that the king turns once more. However, the king has grown impatient with his ealdorman, blaming him for Swein's close scrutiny of the whole of England. Can Leofwine win another victory for his king, or does he risk losing all that he's gained?The Danish King's Enemy is the second book in the epic Earls of Mercia series charting the last century of Anglo-Saxon England, as seen through the eyes of Ealdorman Leofwine, the father of Earl Leofric, the Earl of Mercia, and ally of Lady Elfrida, England's first queen.The Earls of Mercia Series The Earl of Mercia's Father (paperback - second edition)The Danish King's Enemy (paperback - second edition)Northman Part 1Northman Part 2The King's EarlThe Earl of MerciaThe English EarlThe Earl's KingViking King (coming soon)PRAISE FOR THE EARLS OF MERCIA SERIES"This is a fantastic series of books, by an author who certainly knows his subject. I was into the Roman invasions but am rapidly converting to the Britons!" Amazon Reviewer"A must-read for fans of Viking age England. This promises to be a very good series of which I can't wait for the next instalment." Amazon Reviewer"Intriguing, well-written stories about the early days of Great Britain between Alfred the Great and William the Conqueror... at the time Athelred was King... the story is written from the perspective of one the emerging Earl's who sits on the Witan (counsel). The time period show the interplay between Great Britain and the Scandinavian countries (Viking raiders) as well." Amazon.com ReviewerABOUT THE AUTHORI'm an author of fantasy (Viking age/dragon-themed) and historical fiction (Early English, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest), born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since the end of Anglo-Saxon England. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building and told from a very young age that it housed the bones of the long-dead kings of Mercia, it's little wonder that my curiosity in the Anglo-Saxons ran riot. I can only blame my parents!I write A LOT. You've been warned!Find me at www.mjporterauthor.com and @coloursofunison on twitter

The Danish King's Enemy: England: The Second Viking Age (The Earls of Mercia)

Literature & Fiction

Porter, M J

Porter, MJ

Genre Fiction

Independently published

Northman, the eldest son of Ealdorman Leofwine, fostered, at the King’s insistence, by Eadric of Mercia, finds himself caught between loyalty to his father and his foster father.Fighting for his own sense of self, whilst Viking Raiders vie for the English King’s land, he must choose his own path, and hold true to his own belief’s amongst murky Court politics and bitter pitched battles.Leofwine, Ealdorman of the Hwicce, must accept his King’s wishes with regards to his eldest son, even though he finds them abhorrent. Simultaneously he must continue to act in the best interests of his king as the English people face their direst threat yet, the raiding of Thorkell the Tall, the king of Denmark’s own Commander, trusted friend and foster-father of his son, Cnut.And when events become even direr, will father and son act as one, or will they be torn apart by the machinations of the man who plots to undermine every action the king takes, Ealdorman Eadric?Northman Part 1 is where readers of The First Queen of England, and The King's Mother trilogies should pick up the story of Anglo-Saxon England.The Earls of Mercia Series Northman Part 1Northman Part 2The King's EarlThe Earl of MerciaThe English EarlThe Earl's KingViking King (coming soon)PRAISE FOR THE EARLS OF MERCIA SERIES"This is a fantastic series of books, by an author who certainly knows his subject. I was into the Roman invasions but am rapidly converting to the Britons!" Amazon Reviewer"A must-read for fans of Viking age England. This promises to be a very good series of which I can't wait for the next instalment." Amazon Reviewer"Intriguing, well-written stories about the early days of Great Britain between Alfred the Great and William the Conqueror... at the time Athelred was King... the story is written from the perspective of one the emerging Earl's who sits on the Witan (counsel). The time period show the interplay between Great Britain and the Scandinavian countries (Viking raiders) as well." Amazon.com ReviewerABOUT THE AUTHORI'm an author of fantasy (Viking age/dragon-themed) and historical fiction (Anglo-Saxon, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest), born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since the end of Anglo-Saxon England. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building and told from a very young age that it housed the bones of the long-dead kings of Mercia, it's little wonder that my curiosity in the Anglo-Saxons ran riot. I can only blame my parents!I write A LOT. You've been warned!

Northman Part 1 (The Earls of Mercia)

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Northman, eldest son of Ealdorman Leofwine, husband, father and brother almost snatched a moment of peace when King Swein of Denmark helped himself to the English throne, and Aethelred removed himself to the Court of Duke Richard II of Normandy, his brother by marriage.But when Swein unexpectedly dies weeks after his coronation, England is once more plunged into strife and war, for who will succeed to the throne now?Leofwine, ex-enemy and sometime friend of Swein of Denmark, is given an unenviable task on the short-lived King's deathbed, one he will struggle to accomplish without compromising himself, his family, and oaths already given.Northman, son of Leofwine, and foster son of Eadric, Ealdorman of Mercia must once more tread carefully as he tries to navigate the twists and turns of the conflicted Witan, and the men who believe that they should rule England, Aethelred the usurped King, Cnut the son of Swein and the sons of Aethelred, Athelstan, Edmund and his younger sons, Edward and Alfred from his second wife. As external enemies try to exploit internal divisions, a disunited England becomes a real possibility and one that Leofwine, Northman and Leofric must combat at all odds.Covering the year 1013-1017, Northman Part 2 is the fourth part of the Earls of Mercia Series and can best be appreciated after reading Northman Part 1 (although not necessarily Ealdorman and Ealdormen if you're a little impatient). It continues the story of Leofwine, Ealdorman of the Hwicce, Northman, his eldest son and Leofwine's second son, Leofric.

Northman Part 2 (The Earls of Mercia)

Swein, the Danish KingBefore his encounter with Ealdorman Leofwine on his fateful trip to Shetland, King Swein first had to wrestle Denmark from his father's kingship and make his own name as a warrior of great renown.This side story to the Earls of Mercia series tells of the early years of King Swein's reign, his first raid on England, his encounter with Ealdorman Leofwine and his quest to once and for all kill Olaf of Norway, culminating in the mighty sea battle of Svolder in 999.Swein, the Danish King is a companion novella to the epic Earls of Mercia series and should perhaps be read following Ealdormen, book 2 of the Earls of Mercia series.

Swein: The Danish King (The Earls of Mercia Side Stories)

The story of the Ealdorman of the Hwicce, Leofwine, continues in book 5 of the Earls of Mercia series. Ealdorman Leofwine, bereaved and betrayed by the new Danish King of England, hides away from the politics of the Witan, desperate to forget his past links with Cnut and his father Swein only Cnut won’t let his most trusted ealdorman go quite so easily. He knows that for his fledgling kingship to survive, he needs the old guard from the previous king’s reign to add legitimacy to his own. His new men, the men who’ve followed him from Denmark, know how to rule, but not how to rule the English. And Cnut has his eye on an even bigger prize than England alone. Leofric, left reeling by the murder of his older brother and with an aging father, and dying mother, tries to hold onto his family’s position against the sudden and magnificent rise of Earl Godwin, the newly promoted Earl of Wessex. As much as he despises the new King, he knows his family’s position needs to be upheld. His father has sacrificed too much to allow a usurper to claim the position that is rightfully his. With Cnut’s view increasingly focused on conquering and ruling the Scandinavian lands, with bloody arguments between the Scandinavian men threatening the stability of the Crown, can the House of Leofwine survive the kingship of the new Danish king and keep their place at the heart of early eleventh century politics whether they want it or not? Covering the years from 1017-1025, The King's Earl is the fifth novel in the (main) Earls of Mercia series. Recommended reading order Ealdorman Ealdormen Swein: The Danish King (novella) Northman Part 1 Wulfstan: An Anglo-Saxon Thegn (novella) Northman Part 2 The King's Earl Releasing on 25th September 2015. Visit www.earlsofmercia.co.uk for more information.

The King's Earl: The Earls of Mercia

From the author of The Chronicles of the English and the Earls of Mercia, a step back in time to the founding years of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.The dry words of the great Christian historian Bede tell of, "A great battle being fought in the plain that is called Heathfield," this is the story of that battle in all its bloody glory.Before England, Scotland and Wales formed, a disparate set of kingdoms stretched their way across the British Isles, expanding and compressing with the personalities and successes of their warrior kings, more war-leaders than kings, and more often than not, owing allegiance to one overlord, one 'bretwalda' exacting tribute from whomever he could and punishing those who failed to accept him with bloody means.The year is 632 and the great Edwin of Northumbria, bretwalda (wide-ruler) over England, must battle against an alliance of the old Christian Britons under his foster-brother Cadwallon of Gwynedd, aided by Penda of Mercia, a brutal young Saxon, a ruthless pagan war leader gaining in strength and reputation. The ebb and flow of battle will redraw the lines of the petty kingdoms stretching across the British Isles. There will be a victor and a bloody loser and kings will rise from the ashes of a great battle.Hæ&part;feld, the great battle of 632, will set brother against brother, father against son, foster brother against foster brother, and until the last sword stroke on that dark, wintry day in October 632, none will know which side will truly be the victors and which, the bloody losers. Pagan Warrior (previously Haedfeld) is a first person, multi-viewpoint, narrative, focusing on the shifting alliances at play in the British Isles during 632."M. J. Porter has written a story of one battle - Haedfeld - which will change the face of England. And written it very well indeed, for the dialogue is sharp and whilst the day-to-day descriptions are fairly sparse, the telling of the battle is gripping." HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW

Pagan Warrior (Gods and Kings)

Betrayal is a family affair.12th June AD918. Æthelflaed, Lady of the Mercians and daughter of Alfred the Great, is dead.Ælfwynn, the niece of Edward, king of Wessex, has been bequeathed her mother’s power and status by the men of the Mercian Witan but knows she is vulnerable to the North of her kingdom, exposed still to the retreating world of the Viking Raiders from her mother’s generation. With her Mercian allies: her cousin Athelstan, Ealdorman Æthelfrith and his sons, Archbishop Plegmund and her band of trusted warriors, she must act decisively to subvert the threat from the Viking Rognavaldr, grandson of the infamous Viking, Ivarr of Dublin, as he turns his gaze toward the desolate lands of Northern England, with the jewel of York, seemingly his intended prize. Inexplicably she is also exposed to the south, where her cousin, Ælfweard, and uncle eye her position covetously, their ambitions clear to see.This is the unknown story of Ælfwynn, the daughter of the Lady of the Mercians and the startling events of late 918 when family loyalty and betrayal marched hand in hand across lands only recently reclaimed by the Mercians. When kingdoms could be won or lost through treachery and fidelity and when there was little love, and even less honesty and the words of a sword were likely to be heard far more loudly than those of a king or churchman, noble lady’s daughter or Viking rogue.The Tenth Century suggested reading order;The Lady of Mercia's DaughterA Conspiracy of KingsKingmakerThe King's DaughtersPraise for The Lady of Mercia's Daughter"M.J. Porter has delivered a genuinely un-put-downable story about a real heroine whose fate you will not guess an I will not tell. This brilliant fictional -,or maybe true - account about events in England's dark ages gripped me for hours. It is essential reading for lovers of epic tales about warrior princesses." Amazon Reviewer"An excellent book , intrigue, action, betrayal it has it all. It took me 3 days to read this book, I had difficulty putting it down ." Amazon Reviewer"I loved the historical background and the way the Author describes scenes. Very engaging story I found difficult to put down." Amazon ReviewerMEET THE AUTHORAuthor of historical fiction (Anglo-Saxon/Viking) and fantasy. I write A LOT, you've been warned.Find me @coloursofunison or at www.mjporterauthor.com or at www.earlofmercia.wordpress.com where I blog about books and films and sometimes, writing!

The Lady of Mercia's Daughter (The Tenth Century)

To gain what he wanted, what he felt he was owed, he would do anything, even if it meant breaking his oaths to a woman he loved and the mother of his son.Swein, King of Denmark, and briefly England, lies dead, his son ousted from England as King Aethelred returns from his exile in Normandy at the behest of his Witan and the Bishops. Aethelred might have relinquished his kingdom to Swein, the conqueror, but with Swein dead, the men have no interest in supporting an untried youth whose name resounds with the murder of one of England's greatest bishop's, a youth known only for his savagery and joy of battle, a true norse man who utilizes his weapons without thought.But Cnut wants a kingdom and he will do anything to gain one.As England is ravaged by a civil war between the sons of two former kings, Athelstan and Edmund, sons of King Aethelred, and Cnut, son of Swein, the men must make personal decisions in the heat of battle as they strive to reclaim their birthrights whilst doing all they can to stay alive.Cnut: the Conqueror, is an Earls of Mercia side story to mark the millennial anniversary of Cnut's accession to the English kingdom in 1016, the Danish king of England.

Cnut: The Conqueror (The Earls of Mercia Side Stories)

<h4>The eighth book in The Earls of Mercia series spanning the years from AD994 to the Norman Conquest.</h4> <h5>Harald is King of England. Harthacnut still embattled against the pretensions of King Magnus of Norway and, fighting to keep hold of Denmark. Lady Emma, the Queen Dowager, is in exile with Count Baldwin in Bruges, while Earl Godwine has accepted that Harald is the rightful king and England lies peaceful. Or does it? There are persuasive undercurrents in the English Witan. Earl Leofric thinks himself safe and secure, his loyalty to the king assured, but Harald is less than pleased with Leofric's kind treatment of the Queen Dowager. Ever alert to a weakness in his rival, Earl Godwine grows closer to King Harald, while Leofric, vigilant of Earl Godwine's duplicitous nature, watches from afar, distrusting the supposed discord between him and the Queen Dowager he witnessed when she was banished from England. England too is threatened, by the growing power of Gruffydd Ap Llewelyn on the border with the Welsh kingdoms, and from the North by Donnchaid Mac Crinain of the kingdom of the Scots. But when everything seems to have come undone for Earl Leofric and his son, fate will deal a mighty blow that could save the House of Leofwine. The Earl's King is the eighth book in the epic Earls of Mercia series.</h5>

The Earl's King (The Earls of Mercia)

Son of Mercia: The start of a BRAND NEW action-packed historical series from MJ Porter for 2022 (The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles)

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