1 May 926 Dinefwr, County of Dyfed
Knut was getting annoyed. The battle was not going as well as planned. The Cornish were fighting hard and using the hilly terrain to their advantage. They had already beaten back two charges by the Jorvikians. This time Knut was trying to organize a cavalry charge up the small hillside.
Knut was thinking that this war with Cornwall for tribute looked much more promising back in September of 925 when it began. Queen Aouregan was a scared little 14 year old child barely holding onto her throne.Her regent Ricart who was also Steward of Cornwall was mainly concerned with keeping the Queen alive. Knut figured Cornwall would be easy pickings.
The first shock came when a substantial Cornish force marched across Somerset and attacked Gloucester. Ingemar quickly organized an army and met the Cornish and barely defeated them at the Battle of Winchombe on 17 December 925. Instead of feeling south the Cornish fled into the Petty Kingdom of Deheubarth with Ignemar and Knut in pursuit.
After weeks of chasing the Cornish they finally turned and stood. They had chosen the hilly terrain around Dinefwr and another drawn out battle was begun.
Knut finally got the horsemen organized. He ordered the bowmen to fire at the Cornish. The Cornish hid behind their shields. The Jorvikians were not inflicting casualties on them. The Cornish bowmen responded and now the Jorvikians hid. A few bowmen fell near Knut. Several more volleys followed the same pattern. Knut knew time and morale was running out. He gave orders to the bowmen.
When the bowmen fired the cavalry with Knut leading charged up the hill. The Cornish bowmen were ready to fire on the Jorvikian bowmen. Now they had to change targets. In that moment of hesitation the Jorvikian bowmen fired again. This time a good number of Cornish went down.
They quickly recovered and fired into charging Jorvikians. Knut felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder. He cursed as he looked at the arrow protruding out of this shoulder. There was no time to waste they were almost on the Cornish. A moment later the Jorvikian horse crashed into the Cornish shields and men. The surprise and momentum carried the Jorvikians finally through the Cornish.
A group of Cornish bowmen regrouped and began firing volleys into the Jorvikians. Knut order the cavalry men around him to follow. They charged and the bowmen fired. Knut grunted as an arrow penetrated into his left thigh. In his anger he ran down several bowmen.
The Cornish infantry was regrouping again. However this time they suddenly found Ingemar descending into their flank. The line broke. However, they did not panic and fought a tough withdrawal. As darkness began to fall the sounds of battle faded.
Knut and Ingemar had the day. However, Knut felt exhausted. It may have been the stress and physical exertion from the battle or being shot twice by arrows the king slumped in the saddle and his head fell forward. One of his squires noticed and stopped him from falling out of the saddle. Several other soldiers helped the king down to the ground. One ran off for the physician.
A few moments later the soldier returned with Ingemar. Ingemar who was also the Court Physician looked over the king.
“He is weary from the battle, “ claimed Ignemar. “Do not worry the arrows are not life threatening and he has lost little blood from them.”
Point to a litter that was nearby Ingemar order, “Take the king to his tent. I will remove the arrows and he will rest. He will be ready for battle tomorrow morning.”
The soldiers did as ordered.
Knut was getting annoyed. The battle was not going as well as planned. The Cornish were fighting hard and using the hilly terrain to their advantage. They had already beaten back two charges by the Jorvikians. This time Knut was trying to organize a cavalry charge up the small hillside.
Knut was thinking that this war with Cornwall for tribute looked much more promising back in September of 925 when it began. Queen Aouregan was a scared little 14 year old child barely holding onto her throne.Her regent Ricart who was also Steward of Cornwall was mainly concerned with keeping the Queen alive. Knut figured Cornwall would be easy pickings.
The first shock came when a substantial Cornish force marched across Somerset and attacked Gloucester. Ingemar quickly organized an army and met the Cornish and barely defeated them at the Battle of Winchombe on 17 December 925. Instead of feeling south the Cornish fled into the Petty Kingdom of Deheubarth with Ignemar and Knut in pursuit.
After weeks of chasing the Cornish they finally turned and stood. They had chosen the hilly terrain around Dinefwr and another drawn out battle was begun.
Knut finally got the horsemen organized. He ordered the bowmen to fire at the Cornish. The Cornish hid behind their shields. The Jorvikians were not inflicting casualties on them. The Cornish bowmen responded and now the Jorvikians hid. A few bowmen fell near Knut. Several more volleys followed the same pattern. Knut knew time and morale was running out. He gave orders to the bowmen.
When the bowmen fired the cavalry with Knut leading charged up the hill. The Cornish bowmen were ready to fire on the Jorvikian bowmen. Now they had to change targets. In that moment of hesitation the Jorvikian bowmen fired again. This time a good number of Cornish went down.
They quickly recovered and fired into charging Jorvikians. Knut felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder. He cursed as he looked at the arrow protruding out of this shoulder. There was no time to waste they were almost on the Cornish. A moment later the Jorvikian horse crashed into the Cornish shields and men. The surprise and momentum carried the Jorvikians finally through the Cornish.
A group of Cornish bowmen regrouped and began firing volleys into the Jorvikians. Knut order the cavalry men around him to follow. They charged and the bowmen fired. Knut grunted as an arrow penetrated into his left thigh. In his anger he ran down several bowmen.
The Cornish infantry was regrouping again. However this time they suddenly found Ingemar descending into their flank. The line broke. However, they did not panic and fought a tough withdrawal. As darkness began to fall the sounds of battle faded.
Knut and Ingemar had the day. However, Knut felt exhausted. It may have been the stress and physical exertion from the battle or being shot twice by arrows the king slumped in the saddle and his head fell forward. One of his squires noticed and stopped him from falling out of the saddle. Several other soldiers helped the king down to the ground. One ran off for the physician.
A few moments later the soldier returned with Ingemar. Ingemar who was also the Court Physician looked over the king.
“He is weary from the battle, “ claimed Ignemar. “Do not worry the arrows are not life threatening and he has lost little blood from them.”
Point to a litter that was nearby Ingemar order, “Take the king to his tent. I will remove the arrows and he will rest. He will be ready for battle tomorrow morning.”
The soldiers did as ordered.
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