BEAUTIFUL LARGE LIMITED EDITION GICLEE ART PRINT ON CANVAS "Viking Invasion.. Battle of Maldon ".This rare and unusual Canvas print shows Olaf Tryggvason with his Viking attack on Essex.The Battle of Maldon took place on 10 August 991 near Maldon beside the River Blackwater in Essex, England, during the reign of Ethelred the Unready. The Anglo-Saxons, led by Byrhtnoth and his thegns, fought against a Viking invasion, a battle which ended in defeat for the Anglo-Saxons.The Viking fleet is said in one manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle to have been led by a Norwegian, Olaf Tryggvason . The Viking army was 4,000 fighting men. Olaf can be seen on the bow of the front Wolf ship about to sail up the Blackwater river (then called the Panta) .The Vikings land at Northey but can only get to the mainland by walking single file along a narrow sand causeway.They are easily killed by the Saxons so Olaf asks Byrhtnoth to allow his warriors onto the shore. Byrhtnoth believes in the warrior code ( ofermode )and honour so lets all the Vikings cross to the mainland. The Vikings overcame the Saxons after losing many men.For many hours Byrhtnoth fought like a berserker flying forward into the ranks of the vikings.His housecarls eventually came to his aid but could not stop the Viking onslaught.It seemed for a long time Byrhtnoth was alive as he was held up by the weight of his bodyguards around him but then an Anglo-Saxon called Godric fled riding Byrhtnoth's horse. Godric's brothers Godwine and Godwig followed him. Then many Anglo-Saxons fled, recognizing the horse and thinking that its rider was Byrhtnoth fleeing. After the battle Byrhtnoth's body was found with its head missing, but his gold-hilted sword was still with his body. There is some discussion about the meaning of "ofermode." Although literally meaning "over-heart" or "having too much heart", it could mean either "pride" or "excess of courage" (cf. Swedish övermod which means both "hubris" and "recklessness"). Her wæs Gypeswic gehergod, 7 æfter þæm swyðe raþe wæs Byrihtnoð ealdorman ofslagan æt Meldune. 7 on þam geare man gerædde þæt man geald ærest gafol Deniscum mannum for þam myclan brogan þe hi worhton be þam særiman, þæt wæs ærest .x. þusend punda. Þæne ræd gerædde ærest Syric arcebisceop......................BY THE SUPERB GOODMAN WHO IS AN ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST HAVING BEEN A FINALIST AT THE GARRICK-MILNE PRIZE.HE HAS MANY OF HIS WORKS SOLD AT CHRISTIES. Measurements height 29 inches by 23 inches on Canvas. .....Limited run of only 250 signed prints .