46. Vikings, King Edward and Ethelfleda. Alfred's Children. 

46.  -Daniel Chapter 11, Verse 26.

Vikings, King Edward and Ethelfleda.

Alfred's Children. AD 899 - AD 939. 

Daniel 11:26:- "YEA, THEY THAT FEED OF THE PORTION OF HIS MEAT SHALL DESTROY HIM, AND HIS ARMY SHALL OVERFLOW; AND MANY SHALL FALL DOWN SLAIN". Now reader, you should have noticed that towards the end of King Alfred's ruling in Saxon England, his family began to take part in his power of ruling and those continual wars with the Northmen. We have already seen how Edward his son and Ethelred, his son-in-law King of Mercia, had led Alfred's armies against the Vikings. So, these princes and Alfred's family and heirs, were to carry on Alfred's work and it is to "them" that verse 25 and 26 is calling "THEY". The King of the South, -Alfred- has now become "THEY" his family.

The first line of verse 26 proves this:- "YEA, "THEY" THAT FEED OF THE PORTION OF HIS MEAT SHALL DESTROY HIM". Or, to put it another way. "Yes, not only this alone (which is in verse 25) but also, that "THEY" out of the Southern Kingdom -will help to destroy the power of the Vikings.- These are now all of that family, because "THEY" who share the same MEAT, which "portions" are from that same table, shall destroy. This family have the power to DESTROY the scourge that the North men have brought upon England.

This indeed was carried out from prophecy into secular history, as is recorded. Let us go into this history and see what "THEY" of Alfred's family did over the following years ahead, after the death of Alfred in 899 AD. Edward, son of Alfred succeeded his father as King of the south, before he could deal with the Vikings however, he had to settle the matter of his right to the throne first, because his rival was his cousin Ethelwald who had got support for his claim, from the Danes in East Anglia and Northumbria. In 910 AD the Danes with their own King and Ethelwald, came south in large numbers and at the battle of Tettenhall they were both killed, which ended in a crushing defeat for the Vikings.

Edward now went about completing his father's plan of building fortresses, encircling the Kingdom of Wessex. Meanwhile, Ethelred King of Mercia, who had been Alfred's son-in-law, died and his wife -Edward's sister,- Ethelfleda, became Queen and strong ruler of Mercia. History records how courageous and warrior-like this Queen was, who had in turn complete loyalty from her people. Queen Ethelfleda also built fortresses around Mercia for protection from the Vikings.

Both brother and sister "THEY", were to work together to secure territories from the Danes. In 912 AD Edward began his campaign in earnest against the Danelaw -(Or the territories held by the Vikings in England). As he advanced and took the land, he built another fortress to secure it. The first borough to fall was Essex, then came East Anglia, followed by the east-midlands of England. Edward's sister Ethelfleda with her army moved out of Mercia in a pincer movement, to wipe out Danish control. She took back five of the boroughs of Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln and Stamford and gained a promise of submission from the Northumbrian Danes.

By this time King Edward had also reached Stamford and "their" armies joined as one, however, Ethelfleda died in 918 AD. Edward now had to break off his steady advance through England to rush to Mercia, in order to secure his acceptance by the Mercians of whom his sister had been Queen. This was necessary in order to prevent them setting up another independent king and kingdom. Mercia assured Edward he was in control and he moved on and took Nottingham, even all the Danes within Mercia submitted to him.

Meanwhile, crossing the seas from Ireland came more Norsemen who had been settling for some time on land west of the Pennine Mountains in England. However, they now threatened Northumbria, their leader Reginald made himself King of York in 919 AD. Nevertheless, undeterred Edward advanced on and on, building fortresses as he went, this time at Thelwell and Manchester. In 920 AD, Edward received Reginald's submission to him as King.

We come back to Daniel 11:26 and the last lines of this verse:- "AND HIS ARMY SHALL OVERFLOW; AND MANY SHALL FALL DOWN SLAIN". I have been showing you reader that secular history records Alfred's daughter and son Edward's exploits, fighting against the Danes. First, Alfred's son-in-law Ethelred died, then Edward with his sister Ethelfleda warred (THEY) together, who gradually overcame and destroyed the ruling of the Danes, in the various boroughs and kingdoms "THEY" entered. Now Edward, like his father, is head of the large army alone. The family who "FEED OFF THE PORTION OF HIS MEAT", as Daniel records are now dead and Edward is the "King of the South" which verse 25 began with. Verse 26 says of Edward "AND HIS ARMY SHALL OVERFLOW". We have read how Edward's army "OVERFLOWED" through England on and on, until he had submission from the Danes and how he is only 1 ruler at the head of this army and is referred to as "HIS" in verse 26.

How wonderfully exacting in history are these simple words of Daniel's as they open up and be fulfilled in history!

We will go on with secular history and the story it has to tell of Edward and the "House of Wessex". Indeed, many did "FALL DOWN SLAIN" as Daniel quotes, through Edward's continual advance throughout the lands which were held by the Danes. Edward advanced and "OVERFLOWED" into Scotland and they submitted to him, then Strathclyde and the Welsh submitted to him and all the Northumbrians. In 924 AD Edward died, and his son Athelstan, another strong prince succeeded his father, who continued the work his father and grandfather, had begun. He subdued all the Danes and securing all England he made terms with Sithric, the Viking chieftain who had succeeded Reginald. He gave him his sister in marriage.

Once more THEY of Alfred's "family" were playing its role in these affairs. Sithric the Dane however died in 927 AD and Athelstan now took possession of Northumbria, "He" became the first direct ruler of all England. He again received the submission of the Kings of Scotland, Wales and became ruler beyond Northumbria and beyond the Tyne River. He struck coinage calling himself the "King of all Britain", then receiving tribute from the Welsh Kings, he quelled a revolt of the ancient Britons in Cornwall.

His "OVERFLOWING" of prestige and power didn't end there, for he married his 3 sisters to continental princes of the King of the Franks. In 934 AD King Athelstan defeated a combination of forces who attacked him at Brunanburh, who had invaded England from Dublin Ireland. Some of the forces were of Strathclyde with the King of the Scots also. Again, these forces in 937 AD invaded but were defeated.

Through all the "OVERFLOWING" throughout England and this continual fighting to gather England under one crown, "MANY FELL DOWN SLAIN" as Daniel 11:26 foresaw.

Athelstan died in 939 AD and his young brother Edmund succeeded him, He too carrying on the West Saxon -or- Wessex Kings power of leadership, which was forged from their grandfather "Alfred the Great".

This lineage of the ancient English throne was to continue to fight the Northmen, coming down upon England time and time again, until that country was completely worn out with warfare. Under the remaining kings of Alfred's lineage, the Vikings would trouble and wound the land and its peoples greatly. It was during these times the Danish Canute and Hardicanute became Kings of England, yet, it was also during these times of the Danish kings that the "House of Wessex" still held its control on England, under Earl Godwin, whose son Harold became the last king of Saxon England. The "House of Godwin" had no bloodline from Alfred, however. Between 1042-1066 the last remaining lineage of Alfred was Edward the Confessor, who, unlike his ancestors was a weakling. He was a pious Roman monk who wore the trappings of a King and whose piety was kept alive by the Roman church, which had grown exceedingly strong under him. Edward's saintly memory was fostered by the Papal church for its own ends, bringing its peoples to that throne in pilgrimage. History records Edward the Confessor, as a king who dragged the great Saxon name of Alfred and Wessex down into the dust of the earth. He ends this Saxon line, having died in January 1066 AD, which now made way for the usurper of the Saxon throne Harold of the House of Godwin, Earl of Wessex.

Yet, this very upset mixture of ruling in England at that time, also made way for William Duke of Normandy in 1066 who took the throne of England, thereby enabling us through translations of prophecy, to move on scripturally to Daniel 11:27.

The continuity of prophecy in these early years is made complete in the unravelling of secular history. Both paths are in partnership, making sure that no mistakes are made in translations.

From verse 26 now the stage is "set" under both these 2 lineages of peoples, who have played such an enormous part in secular history, decades before. All Daniel 11:27 is waiting for, are the "players" to fulfil their roles in their respective time zones.