For after Maldon the Vikings made regular attacks and were usually paid off with "danegeld"
Ethelred had become king when his brother Edward was stabbed to death on 18th March 978.
When the Viking raids restarted in 980 Britain was ill prepared as, after 30 years of peace, the fleet that had defended the country against the previous attacks had been disbanded and most of the defenses had fallen into disrepair.
In 991 a large force of "ninety-three" ships attacked Folkstone and then started working their way around the East Coast. They met little organised resistance until they reached Maldon in early August.
Waiting for them at Maldon was ealdorman Britnoth and his East-Saxon troops
The Danes landed on Northey Island which is connected to the mainland by a causeway that is flooded at high tide. Britnoth and his troops arrived at the landward end of the causeway.
Refusing to pay the danes any "tribute" except in the form of spears, Britnoth's troops guarded the causway and defeated all the danish attempts to cross it.
That was when Britnoth made his, almost unbelievable, mistake!
The danes asked him if he would allow them to bring their army across onto dry land so that they could have a proper battle. For some unfathomable reason Britnoth said yes!
So across came the vikings and the two sides lined up for battle.
The danes instead of attacking Britnoth's army charged Britnoth and quickly slew him.
Then Britnoth's troops made their mistake and found a place in legend.
When you lost your leader the normal cause of action in those days was to turn and run away as fast as you could, reform a safe distance away, and find or choose a new leader.
But instead Britnoth's troops chose to stand their ground and defend their dead leader's body
They died of course - every last one of them !
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