The Forever Queen

by Helen Hollick

  A mention here on the word “Viking”; literally, it means to go raiding—í-víking. The Danes would never have referred to themselves as Vikings, although for ease of use I have commandeered both terms. Another Victorian invention—they did not wear horned helmets!

  Cnut very conveniently, for latter-day historians and novelists, wrote several letters to England. One was to explain his expedition to Denmark in order to keep England safe from his elder brother, Harald. Whether he did murder him is conjecture but highly probable. Cnut was the first King of England to be formally invited to Rome, quite a coup for a man who had invaded and conquered with not an entirely clear conscience.

  The cliffs at Robin Hood’s Bay (Green Man Bay) are high and formidable. Emma’s climbing of them is my invention, but not the incident. My grandmother, also an Emma, was cut off by the tide and climbed to safety carrying her baby in her teeth. This was done in Edwardian dress, probably complete with stays. The baby was my father, Frederick Turner M. M. The fact that I am here to write this story proves her courage. Sadly, she died many years ago, and as a teenager I never had the patience to talk in depth to a very deaf old lady. What a waste of a chance to get to know a most remarkable woman.

  There is a grave at Bosham that contains a young girl, and strong tradition assumes her to be Cnut’s daughter, who drowned in the mill race. I have invented her name, her mother, the manner of her birth, and the details of how she died. Recent discoveries have located another grave close to hers, which is very possibly the final resting place of King Harold II, Earl Godwine’s second son, butchered by Duke William’s men at the Battle of Hastings. It was common for men and women of importance to plan ahead for their death by constructing a burial chamber during their lifetimes, and it is the suggestion of John Pollock, local historian of Bosham, that Cnut may well have had his grave dug at the same time as that of his daughter’s burial. As it happened, Cnut became a much-loved and respected King, deserving a grander burial place within Winchester Cathedral, and so Bosham was not needed—until 1066 when Harold’s mother, Countess Gytha, was desperate for a private and secret resting place for her son. Emma, Cnut, and Harthacnut remain in Winchester Cathedral, but they, and all other important Anglo-Saxon burials, are now nothing more than a jumbled collection of bones kept in chests that sit above the screens near the medieval altar. I wonder if her bones are mixed in with Cnut’s? I do hope so.

  What happened to Edmund Ironside’s wife, Ealdgyth, the sons she smuggled from York, Edward’s long reign, Earl Godwine of Wessex and his sons, and the end of Emma’s fascinating life is told in the next book in the Lost Kingdom—1066 series, I Am the Chosen King.

  Helen Hollick, 2010

  Acknowledgments

  For their patience and support, especially for this massive re-edit of what was originally titled A Hollow Crown—the team at Sourcebooks, Inc., particularly Sara Kase, thank you. Most especially, a heartfelt thank-you to author Elizabeth Chadwick, who gave me the support and encouragement to face the daunting task, and who has been such a dear (and honest!) friend.

  My thanks to my sister, Margaret, and her husband, Tony, for coming with me on an enjoyable research weekend in Winchester and Bosham (which is pronounced “Bozzum”), and to John and Maggie Pollock for their generous hospitality—especially to John for sharing his expertise and local knowledge of Bosham. I am indebted to him for inspiring several ideas. Sadly, John passed away in June 2010. I will miss his eager enthusiasm and great kindness.

  Thank you to one of my dearest friends, Mal, for supervising the computer and my website, and to the staff of several museums who have been so helpful.

  Finally, to my family—Ron, my husband, and Kathy, my daughter—for putting up with my moods during the ups and downs of writing and editing, and to my special friend, Towse. She always comes up with sensible advice, makes me laugh, and has a comfortable shoulder to cry on when it is occasionally needed.

  What more describes the true meaning of the word friend? Thank you, Towse.

  Reading Group Guide

  1. Emma arrives in England as a shy thirteen-year-old girl, her marriage arranged to a man she has never met and who is much older than herself. She is obviously nervous but remembers her mother’s parting words: “No matter how ill, how frightened, or how angry you might be, child, censure your feelings. Smile. Hold your chin high, show only pride, nothing else. Fear and tears are to be kept private. You are to be crowned and anointed Queen of England. The wife and mother of Kings. Remember that” (5). Was this good advice from Emma’s mother? How does it help Emma to deal with her new husband?

  2. In Saxon times it was perfectly acceptable for a King to take a “handfast” wife, setting her aside for a different woman if it so pleased him. Any sons of such a union were called æthling—“king worthy”—and each had a chance of becoming the next King if elected by the Council. Emma had attempted to comprehend Æthelred’s previous marriages and England’s laws and customs, but in Normandy the eldest legitimate son inherited everything, and the younger ones receiving nothing. How does the difference in English and Norman ways affect Emma’s actions?

  3. At her coronation Emma begins to realise what it means to become a Queen. For the first time in her life she is treated with respect—even her arrogant brother has to bow to her. Would you enjoy being in this position as a ruler? What would you see as the benefits or downfalls of being such a visible leader?

  4. Emma is called Ælfgifu during the ceremony; later, she realises she is to be officially known by this other name and she objects. Everything else has been taken from her, and all she has is her pride and her name. What things do you hold dear that you would never let go of?

  5. “…Emma smiled at Pallig, marveling at how a man could possibly be so superbly handsome” (19). Does Emma have a crush on Pallig? How does Pallig handle Emma’s growing affections for him?

  6. With Swein Forkbeard and the Danish Vikings expected to come raiding again, we see that Æthelred is not a competent King, and we begin to understand why his eldest son is always arguing with him. Emma thinks Æthelred may be a coward. Do you agree with her? Is some of the weakness of his rule caused by unreliable advisers? Who would make a better King?

  7. Christianity was a relatively young religion in the early eleventh century, and many people, especially the Vikings, were still pagan. How much was either faith ruled by superstition? Later in the book, Archbishop Wulfstan orders specific days of prayers and fasting, believing the misfortune of England to be caused by God’s disapproval at the turn of the century. Is this superstition? How do some of these superstitions still manifest today? (Think how everyone thought the world was going to end at the year 2000.)

  8. Both swans and powerful women can be very dangerous. When Emma chases a swan away with a stick, is she being brave or foolish? When she later stands up to Lady Godegifa, is she being brave or foolish? Should Emma have challenged her sooner?

  9. How must Emma feel when Pallig is killed? Though the scene was imagined, the murders and destruction in Oxford were factual. Do you think people in the past felt as shocked and traumatised as we do today at acts of terrorism? Or were they more used to violence and death?

  10. Just before the St. Brice’s Day Massacre at Oxford, young Godwine is helping Edmund find Athelstan. Godwine will become a respected Earl as an adult. Does his initiative with the tavern keeper demonstrate an astuteness for handling people and desperate situations? Where else does he show this?

  11. What sort of man was Athelstan? We see him in many different moods: he apparently despises Emma yet he takes care of her at Oxford, and he sees the amusing side of her outburst when he fetches her from the nunnery. In other circumstances do you think he could have been friends with Emma?

  12. During the time this story takes place, childbirth was extremely dangerous for women. Emma’s ordeal when giving birth to Edward was long and very difficult. Given the way Edward was conceived and the pain of his birth, can you blame Emma for no
t wanting anything to do with him? How was the situation different with her second pregnancy and the birth of her daughter? Do we have any modern superstitions connected with childbirth?

  13. As Emma matures, she gains courage and self-assurance. What were some of the particular turning points for Emma when she demonstrated her new maturity? Do you recall the first time that you noticed yourself maturing and becoming a confident adult?

  14. There is a lot of treachery between the elders and Earls—Alfhelm is murdered by Eadric Streona, for example, and others die in unpleasant ways because of lies and political machinations. Rarely do modern-day politicians actually get murdered in our society, but have political attitudes and motivations really changed? Is there just as much squabbling and treachery in bidding for power nowadays?

  15. Defending Winchester from Swein Forkbeard, who marches past with his army, a Dane and Emma exchange words. This is Cnut and Emma’s first sighting of each other. Although unrecognized, do you think this was love at first sight? How does this compare to other later scenes where they meet—as Emma enters the Danish camp just before the Archbishop is murdered, and when she boldly walks into Cnut’s tent and suggests he takes her as his wife?

  16. Edward grows up a petulant boy. He resents his younger brother and his mother, and things do not change as he grows older and is exiled in Normandy. Could things have been different if Emma had not been so indifferent toward him? Would Edward have been happier if he had been allowed to take his vows as a monk?

  17. Cnut was disturbed by the violent death of the old Archbishop, yet he resisted any interest in Christianity. He converted after the sudden death of his father. Do you think he would have become Christian if his father had not died, or would he have remained stubbornly pagan? Before he became King, Cnut was not a very nice person. What do you think was most influential in changing him: becoming Christian, becoming King, or having Emma as his wife?

  18. Cnut took Ælgifu of Northampton as a handfast wife and she gave him two sons, but despite her status she was a jealous, spiteful woman. Should Cnut have handled her differently both before and after he married Emma?

  19. With Edmund dead and England about to fall to Cnut and the Danes, Emma had a choice of fleeing into exile or staying to make a bargain with Cnut. By this time, she was proud of her position as Queen, and she regarded England as her realm. Did she do the right thing to abandon her sons—who would have been killed had they stayed in England—or should she have gone with them and forgotten England and her crown? What should be more important to a ruler—the realm and its people, or family?

  20. As a woman, and as wife to Cnut and the mother of one of his sons, Emma has become a very strong and powerful woman. It took courage to climb the cliffs at Green Man Bay holding a baby in her teeth for part of the way. Did you admire her for this act? The author based this scene on an actual event when her own grandmother climbed the cliffs with her father when he was a baby. Does the fact that this scene is based on a true story make it more dramatic to you as a reader?

  21. The boy Harthacnut is somewhat spoilt by Emma. Why does she dote on him so much? Do you think he deliberately meant for Ragnhilda to drown? Does he ever regret her death? Much later, he proves to be of little use to Emma because he remains in Denmark too long. Was this really Cnut’s fault? Should he have left the boy in England, not taken him to Denmark? Why do you think Cnut did this? And why did Harthacnut not want to return to England?

  22. The story of Cnut holding the tide back is a famous legend. Have you heard it before? Do you think the version presented in the book is more likely to have been what happened? Do you suspect that there are mundane explanations for many of the legends in history?

  23. After Cnut dies so unexpectedly, England is in chaos. In desperation, Emma turns to her eldest son, Edward. Was she wise to do this? Would Edward have made an effective king at this time? Earl Godwine is dismayed at her actions; do you think he intended to get Alfred out of England as quickly as possible, or would he have just handed him over to Harold Harefoot to secure his own position?

  24. Tragically, everything collapses around Emma at the end of the novel. She has had to fight for survival almost her entire life. Do you admire her, or do you think she should have done some things differently? What things and why?

  About the Author

  Helen Hollick lives in northeast London on the edge of Epping Forest with her husband, adult daughter, and a variety of pets, which include several horses, cats, and a dog. She has two major interests: Roman/Saxon Britain and the Golden Age of Piracy—the early eighteenth century. Her particular pleasure is researching the facts behind the small glimpses of history and bringing the characters behind those facts to full and glorious life. She has an honours diploma in early medieval history and may one day, if ever she finds the time, go on to obtain her full degree.

  For up-to-date information, you are invited to visit www.helenhollick.net and www.helenhollick.blogspot.com.