Aethelfrith-Edwin-Raedwald

[Michael Baker]

I am reading Higham's _An English Empire_. I am interested in and
understand this conflict beginning with edwin's seeking of protection with
Readwald. My question is what was the original source of dissension
between Aethelfrith and Edwin?

One other criticism which is not limited to this author is the general
feeling like they switch into rhetorical mode when discussing how life was
in such ancient times and how people felt. To try to explain more exactly
what i mean (and try and avoid a misunderstanding and judgement divine),
today he was referring to how the ceorl (earl) had to have property before
getting married. How can this be ascertained; surely there could have
been a case otherwise?

Criticism aside, he goes on to make an interesting point:

"Only the
economic base of ceorl society had become eroded by partible inheritance -
perhaps during a period of population growth - in the second half of the
anglo-saxon period dod the status attaching to the term ceorl come to
approximate more closely to a peasant farmer."

Mike