The funeral re-enactment is part of a weekend of events called Æthelflæd 1100 recalling the story of Aethelflaed who led the Mercians in the 10th century fight against the Vikings to recover territory lost to the Danelaw. Following the death of her husband Æthelred, Lord of Mercia, in 911 she ruled Mercia alone for seven years until her death.
Following her death at Tamworth on 12th June 918 she is said to have been buried at St Oswald's Priory in Gloucester, alongside Æthelred.
The palanquin containing the body of Æthelflæd (played by actress Samantha Swinford) arrived at Gloucester Docks by Viking longboat at 12pm.
It was carried by pall-bearers dressed as black monks through the city to at a specially prepared Anglo Saxon encampment at St Oswald's Priory, where the Rev Canon Nikki Arthy delivered a memorial speech in honour of the Last Mercian Queen.
It is estimated that around 10,000 people turned out to see Æthelflæd carried through Gloucester city centre.
>> Gloucester funeral procession honours Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians
BBC News Gloucestershire 10 June 2018
* * *
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.