Odda of Devon (831-886) was the Ealdorman of Devon during the 9th century. His victory at the Battle of Cynwit in 878 saved Alfred the Great's army from being attacked from two sides and destroyed, and he saved England again at the Battle of Beamfleot, although he had committed treason in the process by raising the Devonshire fyrd without Alfred's permission. Imprisioned and facing trial and execution, he was forced to stab himself.
Biography[]
Odda became Ealdorman of Devon in 851, and he was a faithful servant of the Kings of Wessex. In 871, King Aethelred of Wessex had Odda watch over Mercia, London, and East Anglia to have forward knowledge about any Viking plans to invade Wessex. In 878, he led an army of West Saxons to defeat Ubbe Ragnarrsson's invasion of Devon, defeating and killing him at the Battle of Cynwit. Odda's victory prevended Ubbe from completing the encirclement of Alfred the Great's army in the Somerset marshlands, allowing for Alfred to win a decisive victory at the Battle of Edington that same year. Odda further demonstrated his loyalty by having his own son, Odda the Younger, executed for betraying King Alfred.
After the death of his son, Odda became known as a drunkard, and King Alfred began to value him less and less over the years. In 886, when Alfred's daughter Aethelflaed was taken captive by the Vikings, Odda suggested that she could commit suicide to prevent the Vikings from being able to ransom her and raise a large army with the money. Alfred was angered by Odda's suggestion, and, due to Odda's continued disagreement with the large ransom payment, Alfred told Odda to return to his wife and estate in Devonshire. Before he left, Odda told his friend and comrade Uhtred of Bebbanburg that he would raise the fyrd and assault Beamfleot to liberate Aethelflaed. The ensuing Battle of Beamfleot was a decisive West Saxon victory, with Odda's troops rescuing Uhtred's men by killing the pursuing Viking warriors. Uhtred hailed Odda for saving England once again, but he failed to convince King Alfred to pardon him. Alfred had Odda imprisoned, to face trial and almost-certain execution. Odda's friend Aethelwold Aetheling smuggled in a dagger for Odda, and Odda asked Aethelwold how Devonshire looked when Aethelwold visited; Aethelwold said that it was beautiful, giving Odda a nice final thought. After Aethelwold left, Odda drove the knife into his waist, killing himself.
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