EDWARD THE ELDER. 135

Northumbrians , the East - Angles , the Five- c H Aburgers , and the foreign Danes , who invaded »-him from Normandy and Britanny. Nor was heless provident in putting his kingdom in a postureof defence , than vigorous in assaulting the enemy.

He fortified the towns of Chester, Eddefbury,Warwic, Cherbury , Buckingham*, Towcester,IVIaldon, Huntingdon, and Colchester. He foughttwo signal battles, at Temsford and IVIaldon “AHe vanquished Thurketill, a great Danish chief,and obliged him to retire with his followers intoFrance , in quest of spoil and adventures. Hesubdued the East-Angles, and forced them toswear allegiance to him : He expelled the tworival princes of Northumberland , Reginald andSidroc, and acquired, for the present, the dominionof that province : Several tribes of the Britonswere subjected by him ; and even the Scots , who,during the reign of Egbert , had , under theconduct of Kenneth , their king, increased theirpower, by the final subjection of the Picls ; werenevertheless obliged to give him marks of sub-mission I0! . In all these fortunate atchievementshe was assisted by the activity and prudence ofhis sister Ethelfleda, who was widow of Ethef-bert, earl of Mercia , and who , after her husband'sdeath, retained the government of that province.

This princess , who had been reduced to extremity

Chron. Sax. p. .108. Flor. \Cigorn. p. 601.z °’ Chron. Sax. p. 110. Hoveden , p. 421.

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