Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It was known to the Anglo-Saxons as Maeldun, meaning "monument hill". The East Saxons settled the area in the late 4th century AD, and it became a significant Saxon port and later a royal mint for the late Anglo-Saxon and early Norman kings after 958 AD. King Edward the Elder lived in Maldon while combating the Danish settlers who had overrun northern Essex, repelling a Viking raid in 924. However, in 991, Olav Tryggvason and an invading Viking army landed at Maldon and demanded that the Ealdorman of Essex, Byrhtnoth, pay him in gold and silver if he wished to avoid battle. Byrhtnoth instead insisted on battle, and, in the resulting Battle of Maldon, the Viking invaders were able to cross the island causeway and destroy the army of East Saxon farmers and militia. By 1086, Maldon had 54 households and 180 residents, and the town was awarded a charter by King Henry II of England in 1171. It became home to two House of Commons seats and developed a strong urban culture, although the local Puritans suppressed the local guild plays in 1576 and also ended professional acting in the town in 1630. In 1629, Maldon was also the site of local grain riots. In 1744, during the War of the Austrian Succession, France planned to invade Great Britain via Maldon, but the plan was called off after the invasion fleet was wrecked in storms. By 2011, Maldon had a population of 14,220 people. Until the 1868 abolition of two-seat constituencies, Maldon's representation in Parliament was often split between the Conservative Party and the Whigs/Liberals. From then until 1906, Maldon was a battleground for the Conservatives and Liberals, often swinging between the two parties. From 1910 onward, Maldon was safe in Conservative hands, with Labour interruptions from 1923 to 1924 and from 1945 to 1955. In 2019, 72% of Maldon's residents voted for the Conservative candidate John Whittingdale.
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