Hereward, Hero of East Anglia

HEREWARD, HERO OF EAST ANGLIA:

With illustrated geographic, religious and historical context.

Hereward fought a successful geurilla war in the Fenlands of East Anglia against the Normans who had invaded his home. Whilst many rebellions failed quickly, Hereward's lasted for years, attracting heavyweight allies and using the natural landscape against his enemies. His wild youth had resulted in his exile at eighteen, but his experiences abroad honed his fighting skills. Inevitably, some fanciful tales (and an inaccurate epithet, 'The Wake') have added to his legend over the ages, and contemporary texts disagree on some details.

The author seeks to clarify facts from fiction by looking at this flawed and probably Anglo-Danish hero in the context of his region. That includes local and national history, drastically different geography, the heavy influence of the Christian conversion, disputes and their expanding impact. This book isn't just about one man; it is about a unique region's history, culture, and the people involved.

Pete Jennings, the author, has a lifelong passion for the Early Medieval history of his native East Anglia and thirty years of experience as an elite Anglo-Saxon and Viking re-enactor, researcher, writer and lecturer.