Anglo-Saxon England and the Vikings, 757-1066
Historiansplaining: A historian tells you why everything you know is wrong
00:00
British National Song - Rule Britannia
In 17 forty rule britannia was composed as a song within a court mask, or sort of musical play, put on fort prince of wales. The people celebrating and promoting the english navy wanted to have a forbear to point to back in the mists of time. And among the great ironies of the song is that alfred himself and his supporters back in the ninth century, never, never would have referred to themselves as leaders of britAnnia. They were not britons. But he did create a sort of forerunner, the first maybe battleships, you might say.
Transcript
Play full episode
