Page created 30th July 1997
Eirik of Borgund, 897AD
(aka Richard Peacock)
Meet Eirik of Borgund, who is married to Wulfwyn of Dean.
Eirik was of Norse blood, coming from the settlement at the head of the Sognefjord in western Norway. His father was a prosperous soap-stone trader but Eirik had trained as a warrior in the employ of a Danish Jarl. Eirik's son, Olaf, also followed his father's inclinations and by the time he was 14 years old was fighting and sailing as a Dreng alongside his father.
Both men left their native Norway with the Danish fleet join a raid on Britain. In 877 they met with the men of Gloucester who fought against them and put the Vikings to flight. During the fighting Eirik was wounded. Leofwin, an Eolderman of the Kingdom of Hwicce, noticed Eirik's bravery and fighting skills and when his Viking companions left Eirik for dead in his tent Leofwin sent his own physician to aid him.
Eirik recovered, remained with Leofwin employed in the training of the Eorldman's warriors. Olaf had been taken as a hostage but was also taken in by Leofwin out of respect for this father, later being sent to serve the Bishop at Abbandun.
Some years later, Leofric, Leofwin's son, returned from his fostering in Kent. Accompanying him was Wulfwyn of Hrofceaster, a lady whose marriage had been set aside by the courts. Eirik and Wulfwyn found happiness in each other's company and so it was that she stayed at his side in the kingdom of Hwicce.
Perhaps because of his father's craft skills, and as Eirik found it progressively more difficult to wield the sword, he became fascinated by the forest craftsmen and their skill with the lathe. He had soon learnt all they could teach him and is to be found on most days either at his lathe or at the couple's loom.
Richard Peacock is the Honoury Treasurer of Angelcynn
Known Aliases
Last updated 12th June 1999
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