Discovery
In 2011 a Silverdale Hoard, hoard of coins and jewellery was discovered near Silverdale, Lancashire, Silverdale, Lancashire, England. One of the coins discovered in this hoard carries the name on one side, and the letters (an abbreviation of ) on the other. translates as "the Lord and King". Officials at the British Museum have said the inscription Airdeconut might be a rendering of the Norse name Harthacnut. Experts from the museum have identified that the coin's design relates to coins of the kings Siefredus of Northumbria, Siefredus and Cnut of Northumbria, Cnut (Sigfroðr and Knútr in Old Norse), who ruled the Viking kingdom of Northumbria jointly between 895 and 905. The coin is also significant since it suggests Airdeconut was a Christian – the reverse inscription () is arranged in a cross. This coin is the only piece of evidence for the existence of a ruler of Northumbria by the name of Harthacnut. According to Dr Gareth Williams, curator of early medieval coins at the British Museum, the discovery of the existence of Airdeconut represents the first new Medieval king in England discovered for over fifty years and the first previously-unknown Norsemen, Norse king discovered since 1840.Historical background
It is likely that Airdeconut was one of several kings who shared power in Viking Northumbria at the start of the tenth century. The period was one of political instability – the ruling Vikings of Dublin were expelled in 902 and some of them came to England. Several of these later reigned over Northumbria as Scandinavian York, kings in York. There was much conflict between the Anglo-Saxons of Mercia and Wessex and the Vikings of Northumbria in this period. It culminated in the Battle of Tettenhall in 910 when a combined Wessexian-Mercian army dealt a decisive defeat to a Viking army raiding in Mercia, killing several northern kings including Eowils and Halfdan.#Downham, Downham, pp. 87–89See also
* Harthacnut I of DenmarkNotes
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* * * {{Northumbrian Monarchs Monarchs of Jorvik Viking rulers 10th-century English monarchs 10th-century Vikings