Following the death of her husband, Theodora served as regent for her son Michael. She overrode Theophilus' ecclesiastical policy and summoned a council under the patriarch Methodius, in which the veneration, but not worship, of icons (images of Jesus Christ and the saints) was finally restored and the iconoclastic clergy deposed. She carried on the government with a firm and judicious hand; she replenished the treasury and deterred the Bulgarians from an attempt at invasion. However, it was during her regency that a vigorous persecution of the Paulician heresy commenced. In order to perpetuate her power, she purposely neglected her son's education, and therefore must be held responsible for the voluptuous character which he developed under the influence of his uncle Bardas, who was Theodora's brother and likewise of Mamikonian heritage.
The Rus
The Rus were the Vikings who lived in Sweden and what is now the Baltic states. They sailed down the Volga and other rivers to trade and raid in the Black Sea. They also ventured into the Mediterranean. ‘The prosperous islands (the Balearics) were thoroughly sacked by the Swedish Viking King Björn Ironside and his brother Hastein during their Mediterranean raid of 859–862.’
Witches and Weaving
Witches in the Viking world were different from our modern perception. There was no black and white. If an enemy faced you then she was evil. If she was on your side then she was good. It was all to do with belief. If a warrior believed that a witch had used a spell, a hex, then he was already defeated. Witches used weaving to weave their spells. This was not Macbeth’s three witches. In theory, invisible fetters and bonds could be controlled from a loom, and if a lady loosened a knot in the woof, she could liberate the leg of her hero. But if she tied a knot, she could stop the enemy from moving. The men may have fought on the battle field in sweat and blood, but in a spiritual way, their women took part. It is not by coincidence that archaeologists find weaving tools and weapons side by side.
I used the following books for research:
Vikings- Life and Legends -British Museum
Saxon, Norman and Viking by Terence Wise (Osprey)
The Vikings (Osprey) -Ian Heath
Byzantine Armies 668-1118 (Osprey)-Ian Heath
Romano-Byzantine Armies 4th-9th Century (Osprey) -David Nicholle
The Walls of Constantinople AD 324-1453 (Osprey) -Stephen Turnbull
Viking Longship (Osprey) - Keith Durham
The Vikings in England Anglo-Danish Project
Anglo Saxon Thegn AD 449-1066- Mark Harrison (Osprey)
Viking Hersir- 793-1066 AD - Mark Harrison (Osprey)
Hadrian's Wall- David Breeze (English Heritage)
National Geographic- March 2017
Griff Hosker March 2018
Other books
by
Griff Hosker
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Ancient History
The Sword of Cartimandua Series (Germania and Britannia 50A.D. – 128 A.D.)
Ulpius Felix- Roman Warrior (prequel)
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Book 4 Roman Retreat
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Book 6 Druid’s Gold
Book 7 Trajan’s Hunters
Book 8 The Last Frontier
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Book 13 Roman Courage
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Book 1 Saxon Dawn
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Book 4 Saxon Blood
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Book 13 Viking Treasure
Book 14 Viking Enemy
Book 15 Viking Witch
Bool 16 Viking Blood
Book 17 Viking Weregeld
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Book 19 Viking Warband
Book 21 Viking Legacy
The Norman Genesis Series
Rolf
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The Battle for a Home
Revenge of the Franks
The Land of the Northmen
Ragnvald Hrolfsson
Brothers in Blood
Lord of Rouen
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English Knight
Knight of the Empress
Northern Knight
Baron of the North
Earl
King Henry’s Champion
The King is Dead
Warlord of the North
Enemy at the Gate
Warlord's War
Kingmaker
Henry II
Crusader
The Welsh Marches
Irish War
Poisonous Plots
Border Knight Series
Sword for Hire
Return of the Knight
Baron’s War
Struggle for a Crown England 1367-1485
Blood on the Crown
Modern History
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Book 1 Chasseur a Cheval
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Book 5 1808: The Road to Corunna
Waterloo
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Rebel Raiders
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The Road to Gettysburg
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1914
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From Arctic Snow to Desert Sand
Wings over Persia
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Commando
Raider
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Dieppe
Toehold in Europe
Sword Beach
Breakout
The Battle for Antwerp
King Tiger
Beyond the Rhine
Other Books
Carnage at Cannes (a thriller)
Great Granny’s Ghost (Aimed at 9-14-year-old young people)
Adventure at 63-Backpacking to Istanbul
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