New England

The phrase New England today refers to the rural areas in particular of the north eastern USA, and evokes to most people images of neat white-painted clapboard or mellow brick houses gathered around a church tower or town hall with similar construction. 

To those wishing to show off their knowledge of Elizabethan exploration it might lead to a temptation to talk about Sir Francis Drake’s claim to what is now northern California and Oregon at Drakes Bay in 1579 as New Albion ( Nova Albion ) - partly because the coastline reminded him of the White Cliffs of Dover.

What it has been unlikely to do with other than a very few specialists is make anyone think of the Crimea … and I do not mean the events of 1854-6. Why, I can almost hear readers saying out loud, should the name New England be accorded to the Crimea?

I too would have said that, but was very interested and intrigued to read an article on the Medieval Realms site on Substack

The article can be read at New England

This can, indeed should, be supplemented by three Wikipedia articles: 

New_England_(medieval) which also outlines the story of ‘New England’ on the Black Sea, 

Siward_Barn about the apparent leader of this English enterprise 

J%C3%A1tvar%C3%B0ar_Saga about the narrative source for the story

In addition the Greek Reporter website had an article a short while ago which gives some background as it looks at the conflict between the Byzantine Empire and the emerging Rus’ during in the two centuries or so before the events covered in this research. The article can be read at When the Byzantine Empire Fought the Early Russians Over Crimea

That English military exiles served in the Varangian Guard in Constantinople is well known. A friend who is also a medievalist with whom I shared this story told me that he was once talking with M.R.D.Foot, the historian of S.O.E. who recalled visiting Istanbul, as it was after 1931, in the 1930s and seeing lots of blond-haired boys playing in the street outside his hotel. He was convinced that they were descendants of the Varangian Guard and pure Anglo-Saxon!

And finally, here is a throwback to 2020 and a comic take on HMG and Covid …..

but maybe it was no laughing matter ….