Wendel Sea

English

Alternative forms

• Wendel sea, Wendel-Sea, Wendel-sea

Etymology

Partial calque of Old English Wendelsǣ (“The Mediterranean Sea”, literally “The Vandal Sea”).

Proper noun

Wendel Sea

1. (historical, Anglo-Saxon) The Mediterranean Sea.
   • 1807, Ezekiel Blomfield, A general view of the world:

     From the river Danais (Tanais) westward to the river Rhine, which takes its rise in the Alps, whence it runs northward to the arm of the ocean that surrounds Britannia, and south to the river Donua or Danube, whose source is near that of the Rhine, and runs eastward in the north of Greece, till it empties itself into the Wendel sea, or Mediterranean, and north even unto the ocean, which men call Cwen sea (or the White sea). Within this are many nations, and the whole of this tract of country is called Germany.

   • 1852, Alfred (England, King), The Whole Works:

     That same year Charles succeeded to the western kingdom, and to all the kingdom on this side the Wendel sea, and beyond this sea, in like manner as his great-grand-father had it, with the exception of the Lid-wiccas.

   • 1859, Paulus Orosius, Joseph Bosworth, Robert Thomas Hampson, King Alfred's Anglo-Saxon Version of the Compendium:

     He invariably names this sea the Wendel Sea.

   • 1911, Judith Elene, Athelstan:

     There many a proud one at Wendel-sea Stood on the shore. They severally hastened Over the mark-paths, band after band, And then they loaded with battle-sarks, With shields and spears, with mail-clad warriors, […]