A Thane of Wessex: Being a Story of the Great Viking Raids into Somerset

A young thane is falsely accused and outlawed after a rival's intrigue, and the story follows his imprisonment, escape, and struggle during successive Viking raids on his homeland. He moves through gatherings of local leaders, clandestine meetings, raids on coastal settlements, pitched battles, and decisions shaped by warriors and clergy; personal loyalty, cunning, and martial force determine shifting fortunes. The narrative culminates in a large engagement that settles the immediate threat and in the restoration of order, leaving the community altered by loss, reconciliation, and hard-won peace.