Battle Edge facts for kids
Battle-Edge is a historic field near Burford in Oxfordshire, England. It's famous because a big battle happened there in 752 AD. In this battle, King Æthelbald of Mercia fought against King Cuthred of the West Saxons. King Cuthred won, which was a very important moment for his kingdom.
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The Battle of Battle-Edge
The Battle of Battle-Edge was a major event in early English history. It showed a shift in power between two strong kingdoms.
Kings and Kingdoms
Before the battle, King Cuthred of Wessex had to pay tribute to King Æthelbald of Mercia. This meant Wessex was under Mercia's control. King Æthelbald was a very powerful ruler. His kingdom, Mercia, was one of the strongest in Anglo-Saxon England. But King Cuthred wanted his kingdom to be free.
A Fight for Freedom
In 752 AD, King Cuthred decided to challenge Mercia's power. His army met King Æthelbald's forces at Battle-Edge. The battle was fierce. King Cuthred's army fought bravely and won. They even captured Mercia's battle standard, which was a golden dragon. Winning this battle meant that Wessex was no longer under Mercia's control. They had "thrown off the Mercian yoke," meaning they were free from Mercian rule.
A Big Discovery
Many years later, in the 1800s, something interesting was found near Battle-Edge. Workers were building a road from Burford to Barrington. They discovered a very large stone coffin, called a sarcophagus.
What Was Found?
This stone coffin was huge, weighing almost three tons! Inside, they found human remains. They also found pieces of what looked like a leather chest plate, or "cuirass." This chest plate had metal nails on it. Over time, the metal had rusted and stuck together.
Why Was This Discovery Important?
The coffin was very old and made in a simple way. It was found close to Battle-Edge. Because of this, many people believe it might belong to someone important who died in the battle between King Æthelbald and King Cuthred. The sarcophagus is now kept in the local church. It helps us imagine what happened on that field long ago.
