Free
- Online Lecture
How to Exhibit Arms
11 February 2026, 2pm to 3pm
Little Kingdoms: Leeds and West Yorkshire after the Romans
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Speaker: Alex Harvey, author of Little Kingdoms: An A-Z of early medieval Britain (published by Pen & Sword)
In the fifth century, Rome’s foothold in Britain slowly shrank. In its place, ‘Anglo-Saxon’ and ‘British’ kingdoms emerged. Around West Yorkshire, many of these obscure territories persisted for decades through warfare and competition, preserved in battle-poems and archaeological weapon finds.
This lecture describes these kingdoms through artefacts and texts to shine a light on ‘Dark Age’ Leeds and its surroundings.
Leeds in the Dark Ages
As Rome’s power in Britain began to wane in the fifth century, opportunities arose for rival leaders to step into the void. What many might call the ‘Anglo-Saxons’ or ‘British’ kingdoms emerged in this era marked by competing interests and brutal warfare.
Who ruled over Leeds and West Yorkshire during the so-called ‘Dark Ages’? What can today’s archaeological finds tell us about the battles, campaigns, and endeavours that occurred right here beneath our feet over a thousand years ago
Join Alex Harvey for his talk on the weird, wonderful, and unknown kingdoms that made up this area of England. By focusing on Leeds, West Yorkshire, and the immediate hinterlands, this archaeological and historical deep-dive will enable listeners to see these landscapes, their place-names, and their former inhabitants in a new light, and to better understand multiple aspects of Britain’s development through the post-Roman centuries.
Image: Throwing axe of Frankish type, sometimes known as a Francisca. European, 5th to 6th century (Royal Armouries VIII.95)
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In Museum Lecture: Join us in the War Cinema at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds for an in-person lecture by Alex Harvey. Your ticket includes admission to the museum.
Online Lecture: You will receive a link to the live online presentation in the booking confirmation email.
Donations: This is a free lecture, please consider making a donation when booking.
Royal Armouries is a charity. Your donation will support our work as guardians of the UK's national collection of arms and armour.
The suggested donation amount can be altered on the booking form.
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