Guthred, Slave & Prince

Ne’er was there a more worthy king
Born the son of Erik ‘Hardacnut’
He ruled a Viking army with hundreds of Danes & Angles under his wing
The first known king of the Vikings, Halfdan, was expelled in 877
E’er he roams his Danish lands
with his mere mortals amidst heaven

Whilst Guthred meaning (Old Norse)
Was elected Northumbria, Viking king
He rose to glory from slavery
Whence a poor, downtrodden thing
His burial lies in York Minster dated from supposed 895
Bravery & honour beseeched
a more wretched Viking warrior alive

Guthred was a Prince from the Frudant family
His great grandfather, Ragnar Lothbrok
E’er a man of brutality
Ragnar’s son claimed his fierce title, ‘Snake in the eye’
One may vision bloody-battle raids, thou ‘Anglo-Saxon’ days gone by