Kingdom building in 7th-century Britain depended upon the skill at arms and reputation of each king. Success in battle raised his profile, attracting young warriors to his side as well as providing the booty that he needed to give as gifts in the open-handed manner demanded of a king. The giving of gold was one way to tie a warrior to you through the obligations accepted when a gift was received. The glories revealed by the Staffordshire Hoard show just how rich those gifts could be.

A successful king with a growing warband could demand, or take, greater riches from neighbouring kingdoms, drawing further warriors to his side for the promise of wealth and the less tangible but no less important consideration of battle luck. He would then strengthen the kingdom through marriage alliances both for himself and for his children.

But all of these carefully assembled blocks took their strength and direction from the man at the centre, the king. Remove him, and everything else collapsed.

That was what happened when Edwin died. It was what happened in many other kingdoms when a powerful king faced nemesis on the battlefield. All the scattered pieces then had to be slowly reassembled by whoever fought his way to the throne after the dead king.