Byrhtnoth
The key character in the work, and the key character in his King's army, Byrhtnoth is valiant and courageous and is both the spiritual and nominal leader of the Anglo Saxon army. As he goes, so they go; he is such an inspiration that when his horse is stolen and the soldiers see it's distinctive gait moving away from the battlefield, they immediately start to feel defeated. He is a leader by word and by example and he rides into battle rather than away from it. His loyalty is one hundred per cent to King Ethelred, nicknamed Ethelred the Unready because of his lack of preparation to defending the nation. Byrhtnoth is valiant but not particularly gifted when it comes to strategy; keeping the Vikings in the fonder Island would have been far better from a tactical standpoint as it would have penned them in and utilized the waterway as a barrier to the mainland; however he fails to do this and enables the Vikings to come across the waterway and battle them on the mainland which is far harder. Nonetheless, he is a bona side hero to his troops.
King Ethelred
King Ethelred does not actively participate in the battle but is mentioned by name throughout the account of he battle. He is the Anglo-Saxon king at the time and was nicknamed Ethelred the Unready but inspires great loyalty from his subjects and his army nonetheless.
Godric, Son of Odda
One of two characters called Godric, Godric, son of Odda is a coward, a thief and a deserter. He is afraid to fight alongside the other men and flees the battlefield, boldly stealing Byrhtnoth's horse to hasten his getaway. In modern times he would be considered a deserter. His actions are a terrible blow to the other troops and have a highly de-motivating effect on them.
Godric, Son of Ethelgar
Godric, son of Ethelgar is the polar opposite of the first Godric named in the account. He is brave and a man of valor. He is last seen disappearing into the crowd of Viking invaders prepared to sacrifice his own life in defense of his King and country.
