Quote:
Originally Posted by rorschach
I think that the whole ethos and historical sensibility of the book does point to one period in particular - the lowest point of Saxon fortunes during the Viking invasions in the late 9th century, specifically after the battle of Chippenham (878) where Alfred of Wessex was defeated and his army scattered.
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Tolkien WAS a huge Saxon fan, so I find this theory plausible. I doubt there was any direct connection in his imagination, but he was certainly drawing on what he was most familiar with - i.e. Anglo-Saxon history, among other things.