Anglo-Saxons Ealdorman Leofwine

“It is better to fall in battle than to live in shame.”— The Battle of Maldon, line 85 (paraphrased from Byrhtnoth’s speech) When the enemy approached and smoke rose above the villages, it was not the king who stood in their way—it was the ealdorman. The ealdorman was the king’s appointed warleader in each region, responsible for mustering the fyrd: a levy of free men—ceorls and thegns—summoned in times of war. He was not a distant commander; he fought beside his men. His authority was built o