Buckingham
Buckingham is a market town in Buckinghamshire, England. During the Anglo-Saxon period, it was part of Oxfordshire, known by the Old English name of Oxenefordscire.
History[edit | edit source]
Circa 874, the Viking jarl Sigurd Styrbjornsson and the Hidden One Basim ibn Ishaq travelled to Buckingham to meet with the thegn Geadric, who could help them find a woman named Fulke. The three formed an alliance to overthrow Eadwyn, the widow of Oxenefordscire's late ealdorman Theodric, who had taken control of the shire. However, they were forced to split up when Eadwyn's forces occupied Buckingham and took Geadric captive.[1]
Hiding in a fishing house, Sigurd and Basim were eventually found by the Raven Clan's shieldmaiden Eivor Varinsdottir, Sigurd's adoptive sister. The group then went to confront Eadwyn at Buckingham's longhouse, killing her guards and freeing Geadric while the noblewoman escaped.[1]
Once he was safe, Geadric thanked his rescuers and was questioned by Sigurd and Basim about Fulke's whereabouts. While he did not know them, Geadric claimed that a fellow thegn named Holt might be able to assist the group, and revealed that Holt and other thegns were being held by Eadwyn's men at the Leah Villa Garrison.[1]