Battle of Maldon

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/battle-of-maldon

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Battle of Maldon?2,000 to 4,000 combatants
2. What is the date of engagement?August 10 or 11, 991 AD
3. What is the primary location?Maldon, Essex, England, adjacent to the River Blackwater
4. What happened at the Battle of Maldon?The Battle of Maldon was fought on August 10 or 11, 991, near the River Blackwater in Essex. Anglo‑Saxon warriors led by Earl Byrhtnoth met a Viking fleet, but the English were defeated and Byrhtnoth was killed.
5. Who was Earl Byrhtnoth and why was he important?Earl Byrhtnoth was a nobleman and military leader who commanded the Anglo‑Saxon forces at Maldon. He chose to fight the Vikings on land, hoping for a decisive battle, and he died in the fighting.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: A collection of annals recording the history of the Anglo-Saxons.
Olaf Tryggvason: A Norwegian king and a prominent Viking leader, possibly involved.
Thegns: A class of Anglo-Saxon nobles and warriors holding land from the king.
Danegeld: A tax levied to raise money to pay off Viking raiders.