Aethelflaed (An Illustrated Journey Number 23)

She was the daughter of Alfred the Great. But Æthelflæd would become a ruler in her own right.

Born into a world of Viking invasions, fractured kingdoms and constant danger, Æthelflæd grew from a princess of Wessex into the formidable Lady of the Mercians.

She built fortresses. She commanded armies. She strengthened towns. Her forces captured Derby. Leicester submitted to her. And, by the end of her life, even the people of York were prepared to acknowledge her authority.

Yet for centuries, Æthelflæd remained far less famous than the men around her.

This beautifully illustrated history brings her remarkable story vividly back to life.

Journey through the world of Anglo-Saxon England and discover:

• the Viking threat that shaped Æthelflæd's childhood
• her marriage to Æthelred and rise within Mercia
• the lives, clothing and status of Anglo-Saxon women
• the network of fortified burhs she used to defend her people
• her campaigns against Viking-controlled territory
• the capture of Derby and submission of Leicester
• her extraordinary position as a woman ruling one of Britain's most powerful kingdoms
• the role she played in the long struggle that eventually created a united England
• how Æthelflæd was remembered, forgotten and rediscovered

Filled with detailed illustrations, maps, timelines and historical reconstructions, this accessible history is designed for readers who want to explore the Anglo-Saxon world without getting lost in a dense academic textbook.

Perfect for history lovers, families, older children, homeschoolers and anyone fascinated by Vikings, Anglo-Saxon England, warrior women and forgotten figures from the past.

Æthelflæd was never Queen of England.

But without her, England's story might have been very different.

Discover the extraordinary life of the Lady of the Mercians - one of the most remarkable women of the early Middle Ages.