/lit/ - Literature

>>16933104
>I photoshopped Heahmund, Bishop of Sherborne from the Vikings TV show to be more historically accurate. We know virtually nothing about the real Heahmund, other then a brief mention in the Anglo Saxon chronicle. Here we read of the battle of Merton (871) “...and there was much slaughter on either hand; but the Danes became masters of the field; and there was slain Bishop Heahmund, with many other good men” The first thing I had to fix was the hair. Heahmund would have had his hair shorn into a tonsure. All the clergy- not just monks- wore the tonsure in this period. This was the outward sign of being a member of the clergy. So unfortunately the spikey hair had to go.

>Heahmund is wearing some sort of of fantasy leather tunic. I’ve updated this to the typical wool garments of the period. I’ve used a beautiful Trewhiddle style brooch typical of the 9th century. I’ve also given him an Anglo Saxon Crucifix based on the find from the Gravesend Hoard.

>Wearing secular clothes actually is not an inaccuracy. When not performing church duties or services, they seem to have often wore secular dress, as you can see most famously on the Bayeux tapestry. Heahmund in "Vikings" carries a sword that is completely wrong for the period. It looks more like a product of the 14th century then any 9th century sword. Instead I’ve replaced it with a sword based on the beautiful Gilling Sword. A typical high status English sword of the late 9th century. I’ve given the sword a scabbard, so that he’s not in danger of getting finger marks on the polished blade. I was partly inspired by a 9th century image of a warrior in a cloak and sheathed sword, in very much this pose from a church in Mals, Italy.
>However the bigger question here, is would a bishop be using a sword at all? While Heathmund died in the battle, don’t actually know if Heahmund was fighting himself. Or if he was just one of the Bishops and Priests that accompanied the secular leaders on campaign to administer the sacraments and support to the warriors. The question of warrior-priests in this period is quite difficult to answer. Around the time Heahmund was alive, Pope Nicholas I forbade priests from even killing in self defence against pagans. And advised that if they killed they should consider giving up their office.