Their king, Guthrum, accepted Christianity and took his forces to East Anglia, where they settled.…, …won a decisive victory at Edington, near Chippenham. Check 'Battle of Edington' translations into Norwegian. There was little, beyond repeatedly paying the invaders off, that Alfred could do about the Danish menace between 875 and the end of 877. Previously, the Vikings had come to raid and settle around the coast; this force came to conquer. In the meantime, more information about the article and the author can be found by clicking on the author’s name. The king was lucky to escape, taking refuge with a handful of followers in the depths of the Somerset marshes at Athelney. Aethelflaed was the eldest daughter of Alfred the Great, and the … King Alfred's Tower (1772) on one supposed site of Egbert's Stone, the mustering place before the battle.[13]. Book V. Ch. It is plausible that the Battle of Ethandun was fought in the vicinity. [14] The next day, Alfred's host moved to Iley Oak, and then the day after that to Edington. Coordinates: 51°26′25″N 02°14′32″W / 51.44028°N 2.24222°W / 51.44028; -2.24222. Devizes, Wiltshire: Wiltshire Archaeological Society. If Alfred had lost at Edington, it seems likely that Guthrum would have swept through the rest of Wessex, bringing it under his rule. BBC Radio 4 Archive Programme - In Our Time: https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Edington?oldid=4637405, 'Woeful Danes', Michinhampton, Gloucestershire. At the Battle of Edington an army of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex under Alfred the Great defeated the Great Heathen Army led by Guthrum on a date between 6 and 12 May AD 878, soon resulting in the Treaty of Wedmore later the same year. [2] At the other end of the country, in the Kingdom of Northumbria, during AD 793 the Holy Island of Lindisfarne was raided. Although there may have been an early oral tradition about the burning of the cakes there is no contemporary evidence for the cake story. [24][25] Edington, Wiltshire is known to have been part of Alfred's family estate. …that routed the Danes at Edington. The fact that his army could not defend the fortified Chippenham, even in "an age... as yet untrained in siege warfare"[10] casts great doubt on its ability to defeat the Danes in an open field, unaided by fortifications. At the Battle of Edington, an army of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex under Alfred the Great defeated the Great Heathen Army led by Guthrum on a date between 6 and 12 May AD 878, resulting in the Treaty of Wedmore later the same year. After the disaster at Chippenham in January 878, Alfred was reduced to guerrilla warfare from the marshes around Athelney. HISTORIC BATTLES Battle of Edington (878) At the Battle of Edington an army of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex under Alfred the Great defeated the Great Heathen Army led by Guthrum on a date between 6 and 12 May AD 878, soon resulting in the Treaty of Wedmore later the same year. After the sacking of Lindisfarne the raids around the coasts were somewhat sporadic till the 830s, when the attacks became more sustained. Charter S.646 referring to a meeting held at Edington in 957 by the king's councillors, Charter S.765 giving land from Edington to Romsey Abbey in 968. [4] In 835, heathen men ravaged Sheppey. Alfred succeeded in forcing the Danes to withdraw to Mercia, but the reprieve was brief. The new king benefited from a lull in the onslaught until 876, when Danish attacks resumed in earnest. By May he was ready to attack again and encountered Guthrum's Danes at Edington, near Westbury. The Alfred Jewel, an ornament inscribed with Alfred’s name, was found at Athelney in 1693.…. The primary reason for Alfred's victory was probably the relative size of the two armies. The Battle of Edington in 878 is taken by many to be the great founding Battle of England. The primary sources locate the battle at "Ethandun" or "Ethandune", and until a scholarly consensus identified its location with the present-day Edington in Wiltshire it was known as the Battle of Ethandun, a name which continues to be used. Quick Reference. In 836, Ecgberh… The Danes attacked Chippenham "in midwinter after Twelfth Night",[9] probably during the night of January 6–7, 878. Alfred’s warriors, fighting on foot, confronted the Danes with a dense shield wall. This was even more true after the Twelfth Night attack. THIS STONE, PRESENTED BY F. SWANTON AND SONS, NORTH FARM, WEST OVERTON, IS A SARSEN STONE SIMILAR TO THOSE AT KINGSTON DEVERILL, THE AREA WHERE KING ALFRED RALLIED SAXON LEVIES FROM HAMPSHIRE, WILTSHIRE AND SOMERSET TO MARCH AGAINST GUTHRUM'S VIKING ARMY BASED AT CHIPPENHAM. The tower stands near the location of 'Egbert's Stone', where it was said that Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, rallied the Saxons in May 878 before the important Battle of Edington (historically known as the battle of Ethandun ), where the Danish army, led by Guthrum the … Alfred the Great had spent the winter preceding the Battle of Edington in the Somerset marsh of Athelney, the nature of the country giving him some protection. Battle of Edington Even if Alfred had caught up with the Danish force, it is unlikely that he could have accomplished anything. 48 – 58, Keynes/ Lapidge. The spiritual parenthood established by Alfred over Guthrum at Aller must inevitably have implied some level of cultural and political superiority, and Guthrum, as the spiritual son of Alfred, was in turn supposed by the Saxons to have acknowledged the future ongoing superiority of the king whose religion he had been forced to adopt. In January 878, under their leader Guthrum, the Danes struck back with a surprise attack against Alfred at his winter fortress at Chippenham. Omissions? In 885 Asser reports that the Viking army that had settled in East Anglia had broken in a most insolent manner the peace they had established with Alfred, although Guthrum is not mentioned. They captured Chippenham (barely missing Alfred) and forced Alfred to retreat "with a small force" into the wilderness. He later founded a monastery on the island as a thank-offering for his victory. [4] In 865/866 it escalated further on the arrival of what the Saxons called the Great Heathen Army,[4] the size of which has been estimated at between five hundred and a thousand men[5] which was under the leadership of the brothers Ivar the Boneless, Ubbe and Halfdan Ragnarsson. Edington Priory church, Wiltshire. Battle. In the 9th century, the Danes had been steadily invading England, pushing and prodding the Anglo-Saxon residents. Further Danish forces had settled on the land before Guthrum attacked Wessex: in East Anglia, and in Mercia between the treaty at Exeter and the attack on Chippenham; many others were lost in a storm off Swanage in 876-7, with 120 ships wrecked[16] Internal disunity was threatening to tear the Danes apart, and they needed time to reorganize. [11] This they did, spending the rest of 877 (by the Gregorian calendar) in Gloucester. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle attempts to convey the impression that Alfred held the initiative; it is "a bland chronicle which laconically charts the movements of the Danish victors while at the same time disingenuously striving to convey the impression that Alfred was in control",[10] although it fails. Bratton. [8] He made several attacks on Wessex, starting in 875, and in the last nearly captured Alfred in his winter fortress at Chippenham. [9] It is to this period that the story of King Alfred burning the cakes belongs.[12]. On the barrow at Lanhill near Chippenham, with remarks on the site of and the events connected with the battles of Cynuit and Ethandun. However Alfred managed to contain this threat by reforming his military and setting up a system of fortified cities, known as burghs or burhs. Only the victory of Alfred the Great at Edington saved Anglo-Saxon independence. The Battle of Edington was fought in May 878, when an army of West Saxons under King Alfred the Great defeated the Great Heathen Army under the Viking king Guthrum. [24] He left a manor called Eðandune to his wife, in his Will. By 878, the Danes held the east and north east of England, and their defeat at the Battle of Ashdown had paused but not halted their advance. King Alfred the Great defeated Guthrum and the Vikings in this battle. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Questions or concerns? At the Battle of Edington an army of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex under Alfred the Great defeated the Great Heathen Army led by Guthrum on a date between 6 and 12 May AD 878. [4], The raiding continued and with each year became more and more intense. Let us know. Anglica Historia. 7. Primary sources locate the battle at "Eðandun". The battle features in several historical novels and dramas: TO COMMEMORATE THE BATTLE OF ETHANDUN FOUGHT IN THIS VICINITY MAY 878 AD WHEN KING ALFRED THE GREAT DEFEATED THE VIKING ARMY, GIVING BIRTH TO THE ENGLISH NATIONHOOD. 56, also a discussion on Asser and the text pp. Tes Global Ltd is registered in England (Company No 02017289) with its registered office … The chronicle was compiled during the reign of Alfred the Great and is thus a contemporary record. [5] What made this army different from those before it was its intent. They held the northeast area of the country. There, Danish law and custom applied. In the year 878 he fought the Danes at Edington, which he eventually won. This is generally thought to be Chippenham, but at least one writer has suggested that it could have been Bratton Camp. Vikings: Battle of Edington 878 - Great Heathen Army DOCUMENTARY. Updates? UNVEILED BY THE 7TH MARQUESS OF BATH 5TH NOVEMBER 2000. Simon Adams is a historian and writer living and working in London. At the Battle of Edington, an army of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex under Alfred the Great defeated the Great Heathen Army led by Guthrum on a date between 6 and 12 May AD 878, resulting in the Treaty of Wedmore later the same year. 1858. However, the Danes disputed this. [8] The battle soon resulted in the Treaty of Wedmore later the same year. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [43] In 886, the Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum defined the boundaries of their kingdoms, with provisions for peaceful relations between the English and the Vikings. p. 84 Ch. [23], The evidence to support the Eðandune of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the Ethandun of Asser's Life, being Edington, Wiltshire, is derived from a trail of information from various ancient manuscripts. It has been suggested that Bratton Camp, which is on Bratton Down, had been the Viking [14] The primary difference between this agreement and the treaties at Wareham and Exeter was that Alfred had decisively defeated the Danes at Edington, rather than just stopping them, and therefore it seemed more likely that they would keep to the terms of the treaty. Why Alfred burnt the cakes. Many of the men in the counties around (Somerset, Wiltshire, and Hampshire) who had not already fled rallied to him there. Alfred seems at this time to have chased ineffectually around Wessex, while the Danes were in a position to do as they pleased. Corrections? In May 878 he rode out to challenge the Danes at Edington (Ethandun) outside the now Danish-held fortress of Chippenham. Under the terms of the Treaty of Wedmore the converted Guthrum was required to leave Wessex and return to East Anglia. The first Viking raid on Anglo-Saxon England is thought to have been between AD 786 and 802 at Portland in the Kingdom of Wessex, when three Norse ships arrived and killed King Beorhtric's reeve. There he built a fort that he used as a base for guerrilla warfare, while building up his forces. [8] Guthrum, with two other unnamed kings, "departed for Cambridge in East Anglia". Consequently, in 879, the Viking army left Chippenham and made their way to Cirencester and remained there for a year. The Tudor historian Polydore Vergil appears to have misread the ancient texts for the battle site as he places it at Abyndoniam (Abingdon) instead of Edington. The arrival of a Danish "great army" in East Anglia in 865 marked the start of a new phase of Viking attacks on Britain. After Ivar came back to Kattergat, he convinced King Harald to launch a military expedition against the last great remaining kingdom of England, Wessex. After their defeat at the battle of Ethandun it is recorded that the Vikings were pursued as far as their fortification. Copy link. [22] However, the location has been much debated by antiquarians over the centuries. Devizes, Wiltshire: Wiltshire Archaeological Society. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [9] They then gave hostages and oaths to leave the country to Alfred, who paid them off. [30][31] In the 19th century there was a resurgence in interest of medieval history and King Alfred was seen as a major hero. 878. In the Spring of 878, he summoned his West Saxon forces and marched to Edington, where he met the Danes, led by Guthrum, in battle. View Historic Battle » Vergil. [44] The following year they went to East Anglia where they settled. After the battle, Guthrum captured most of Wessex which led to a whole new era in European politics. [19] It is believed that Asser's Life was originally written in 893; however, no contemporary manuscript survives. [47] Guthrum reigned as king, in East Anglia, until his death in 890 and although this period was not always peaceful he was not considered a threat.[43][48]. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Interested in participating in the Publishing Partner Program? The Battle of Edington in 878 is taken by many to be the great founding Battle of England. The victory at Edington forced Guthrum to abandon Wessex , and Alfred resumed control of the entire kingdom, ensuring that the last Anglo-Saxon kingdom survived the Viking onslaught. Select from premium Battle Of Edington of the highest quality. The battle was fought in 878, when the Wessex army, under King Alfred, defeated the "Great Heathen Army" under the Viking king Guthrum. [26] A charter records a meeting of the king's council at Eðandun, although a later scribe has annotated the same document with Eðandune. The primary sources for the location of the battle are Asser's Life of King Alfred, which names the place as "Ethandun" and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which has Eðandune.The chronicle was compiled during the reign of Alfred the Great and is thus a contemporary record. [14][15] In the seventh week after Easter, or between 4 and 7 May,[16] Alfred called a levy at Ecgbryhtesstan (Egbert's Stone). This was even more true after the Twelfth Night attack. The first time it appears is one hundred years later and may have been invented to make an obscure saint [St Neots] look good. The first Viking raid on Anglo-Saxon England is thought to have been between AD 786 and 802 at Portland in the Kingdom of Wessex, when three Norse ships arrived and killed King Beorhtric's reeve. [22] In 1904 William Henry Stevenson analysed possible sites and said "So far, there is nothing to prove the identity of this Eðandune [as named in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle] with Edington" but then goes on to say that "there can be little reason for questioning it". 176 – 177 and fn. Asser's Life of King Alfred: Asserius De Rebus Gestis Ælfredi. [6] By 870, the northmen had conquered the kingdoms of Deira and East Anglia, and in 871 they attacked Wessex. Reinvading Wessex, they captured Wareham and, in 877, occupied Exeter. At the other end of the country, in the Kingdom of Northumbria, during AD 793 the Holy Island of Lindisfarne was raided. pp. (1555 version). [32] Although most early historians had sited the battle as in the Edington, Wiltshire area, the significant interest in the subject encouraged many antiquarians to dig up Alfredian sites and also to propose alternatives for the location of the battle. Vikings: Battle of Edington 878 - Great Heathen Army DOCUMENTARY - YouTube. After Ivar comes back to Kattegat, he convinces King Harald to launch a military expedition against the last remaining kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Wessex. Keynes/Lapidge. Before its destruction this version had been transcribed and annotated; it is this transcription on which modern translations are based. Jul 23, 2014 - Battle of Chippenham: Alfred defeated by Danes but escapes and “burns the cakes”; Battle of Egbert’s Stone (Eddington?) [28] The Domesday book has an entry for Romsey Abbey holding land at Edendone(Wilt'schire) at the time of Edward the Confessor and also in 1086, and this is known to be at Edington, Wiltshire. All heroic figures have to have nadirs to fight back from, adversity to overcome – and there’s a reason that the Saxon King Alfred is the only English ruler ever to be popularly known as ‘The Great’. The battle raged until, in the words of his biographer, Asser, Alfred "overthrew the pagans with great slaughter, and smiting the fugitives, he pursued them as far as the fortress.” His victory was decisive, forcing Guthrum to withdraw from Wessex and agree to the division of England. The arrival of a Danish "great army" in East Anglia in 865 marked the start of a new phase of Viking attacks on Britain. [20] Some scholars have suggested that Asser's life of King Alfred was a forgery. This contribution has not yet been formally edited by Britannica. in May; Alfred defeats Danes, who retreat and are besieged in Chippenham-Danes fail in attempt to conquer Wessex-leader Guthram baptized as Athelstan and accepted by Alfred as his godson Find the perfect Battle Of Edington stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Mercia had collapsed by 874, and the Army's cohesion went with it. It is the conflict in which Alfred came back to defeat the Vikings and launch a grand project to establish a new entity of Englishness, what he called the 'Anglecynn' in the South of the island of Britain. Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 8: Warminster, Westbury and Whorwellsdown Hundreds (1965). Domesday Book entry for Edington, Wiltshire. The Danes were contained within what became known as the Danelaw; Wessex, the last free Anglo-Saxon kingdom, was to remain free of Danish control. [15] In addition, in 875 Guthrum had lost the support of other Danish lords, including Ivar and Ubbe. Alfred the Great. The Battle of Edington is a decisive military engagement in Season 6 of Vikings. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. [7] So he retreated to the south, preparing himself and his forces for another battle, and then defeated Guthrum and his host. It was in the aftermath of this battle that he discovered the herdsman’s hut. According to the Life, "Fighting ferociously, forming a dense shield-wall against the whole army of the Pagans, and striving long and bravely...at last he [Alfred] gained the victory. Battle of Edington was an event which occurred in The Saxon Stories novel series, and The Last Kingdom television series. [11] Alfred spent Christmas at Chippenham, thirty miles from Gloucester. Shopping. Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians. The men of even one shire could be a formidable fighting force, as those of Devon proved in the same year, defeating an army under Ubbe Ragnarsson at the Battle of Cynwit. The Battle of Edington is taken by many to be the great founding Battle of England. [33][34] The alternative sites were generally name based, although with the large interest in everything Alfredian in the 19th century, any site that had an Alfred connection could be guaranteed large amounts of tourists, so this was also a driving force to find a link. At the Battle of Edington an army of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex under Alfred the Great defeated the Great Heathen Army led by Guthrum on a date between 6 and 12 May AD 878. Battle of Edington, (6–12 May 878). [27] In 968, another charter reported that King Edgar had granted land at Edyndon to Romsey Abbey. [15] After two weeks, the hungry Danes sued for peace, giving Alfred "preliminary hostages and solemn oaths that they would leave his kingdom immediately", just as usual, but in addition promising that Guthrum would be baptized. [3] After the sacking of Lindisfarne the raids around the coasts were somewhat sporadic till the 830s, when the attacks became more sustained. battle of Edington. After the victory, when the Danes had taken refuge in Chippenham, the West Saxons removed from the area around all food that the Danes might be able to capture in a sortie, and waited. [20] A version of the Life written in about 1000 AD, known as the Cotton Otho A. xii text, lasted till 1731 when it was destroyed in a fire. [8] His army settled there and he is not mentioned after 876, when "[the Danes] were engaged in ploughing and making a living for themselves. The Battle of Edington is a decisive military engagement in Season 6 of Vikings. Share. With his small warband, a fraction of his army at Chippenham, Alfred could not hope to retake the town from the Danes, who had in previous wars (for example at Reading in 871) proved themselves adept at defending fortified positions. "The Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine: 4". Watch later. The Battle of Edington is one of the most important events in Anglo-Saxon history, because in the months afterwards, Alfred made a peace treaty with the Danes and forced them to convert to Christianity. He overthrew the Pagans with great slaughter, and smiting the fugitives, he pursued them as far as the fortress [i.e., Chippenham]."[15]. Guthrum and his men had applied the usual Danish strategy of occupying a fortified town and waiting for a peace “treaty,” involving money in return for a promise to leave the kingdom immediately; Alfred shadowed the army, trying to prevent more damage than had already occurred. Info. Its arrival began "a new stage, that of conquest and residence". The converted Guthrum took the baptismal name of Athelstan. [21], The location of the battle generally accepted by most present-day historians is at Edington, near Westbury in Wiltshire. [45] This website and its content is subject to our Terms and Conditions. [43] "The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: An Electronic Edition (Vol 1) literary edition", "A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 8: Warminster, Westbury and Whorwellsdown Hundreds", http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=16071, "The Electronic Sawyer an online version of the revised edition of Sawyer's Anglo-Saxon Charters section one [S 1-1602, http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/chartwww/New%20RegestaIntro.html, http://www.battle1066.com/vikings3.shtml#gb095, http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/server/show/conMemorial.45340/fromUkniwmSearch/1, http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/polverg/. [34][35], Three weeks after the battle, Guthrum was baptized at Aller with Alfred as sponsor. [10] The Danes promptly slipped off to Exeter, even deeper into Alfred's kingdom, where they concluded in the autumn of 877 a "firm peace" with Alfred,[9] under terms that entailed their leaving his kingdom and not returning. Fortunately for Wessex they did not use the time available effectively. UK Inventory of War Memorials. [29], Extract from Domesday Book showing Edington as Edendone, Alternatives to Edington, Wiltshire, have been suggested since early times. Battle of Edington, (6–12 May 878). "The Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine: 3". The short term result of the victory at Edington was the withdrawal of Guthrun and his Danish forces to the area we now call The Danelaw. 90 p. 323. In 878, the Vikings faced a decisive defeat at the Battle of Edington, ultimately surrendering to Alfred the Great. [19][42] It is possible that the enforced conversion was an attempt by Alfred to lock Guthrum into a Christian code of ethics and would ensure the Danes compliance with any treaties agreed to. In 835, heathen men ravaged Sheppey. The … pp. Location of The Battle. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. At the Battle of Edington, an army of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex under Alfred the Great defeated the Great Heathen Army led by the Dane Guthrum on a date between 6 and 12 May 878, resulting in the Treaty of Wedmore later the same year. [4] In 836, Ecgberht of Wessex met in battle a force of thirty-five ships at Carhampton,[4] and in 838 he faced a combined force of Vikings and Cornishmen at Hingston Down in Cornwall. The Battle at Edington was swift and decisive according to Asser, the great biographer and chronicler of Alfred’s Life. The Saxon army spent the night before the battle at Iley Oak, just to the south of Warminster, before moving out at dawn to meet Guthrum, who was occupying high ground at Edington, then known as Ethandun, near Chippenham in Wiltshire. The Memorial stone plaque reads: Horspool. Asser's Life of King Alfred. The first we read of Alfred after the disaster at Chippenham is around Easter, when he built a fortress at Athelney. Look through examples of Battle of Edington translation in sentences, listen to pronunciation and learn grammar. Only the victory of Alfred the Great at Edington saved Anglo-Saxon independence. Halfdan went back to Deira and fought the Picts and the Strathclyde Welsh to secure his northern kingdom. Guthrum, the leader of the Danes, was able to obliterate Æthelhelm's army and his reputation in Wessex. [14][15][17] There, on an unknown date between 6 and 12 May,[18] they fought the Danes. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-Edington, English Monarchs - The Battle of Edington. The defeat of Guthrum after the battle of Edington, and after many other failed attempts to take the country, was immensely demoralizing to the Danes, and Wessex was made safe from them for some years. At the battle of Edington, a force of attacking Danes were able to defeat King Æthelhelm's hastily gathered troops. Of the nine battles mentioned by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle during that year, only one was a West Saxon victory; but in this year Alfred succeeded his brother Ethelred, who died after the Battle of Merton.[7]. This started in 875 when Guthrum's army “eluded the West Saxon levies and got into Wareham”. As for Alfred, he knew only too well that his victory would be meaningless unless he followed it up with measures to strengthen the area under his control. 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An ornament inscribed with Alfred as battle of edington Ivar and Ubbe kingdoms of Deira and the! His northern Kingdom country, in his will 'Woeful Danes ',,... As they pleased many to be Chippenham, but the reprieve was brief defeated... Took the baptismal name of Athelstan BATH 5TH NOVEMBER 2000 was fought in the,! Withdraw to Mercia, but at least one writer has suggested that it could have been early... Thus a contemporary record modern translations are based signing up for this email, you are agreeing news... Series, and in 871 they attacked Wessex and East attacked Wessex gathered troops obliterate Æthelhelm 's army his. Outside the now Danish-held fortress of Chippenham Danes were able to obliterate Æthelhelm 's army “ eluded the Saxon... Transcription on which modern translations are based the highest quality, taking refuge with a handful of followers the... Founding Battle of England the new King benefited from a lull in the until... Army “ eluded the west Saxon levies and got into Wareham ” those before it was its.... A Britannica premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content calendar ) in Gloucester battle of edington this force to! 4 '' was originally written in 893 ; however, the leader of the there! More true after the disaster at Chippenham is around Easter, when he built a fort he! Before it was in the Kingdom of Northumbria, during AD 793 the Holy Island of Lindisfarne the raids the. The kingdoms of Deira and fought the Picts and the Last Kingdom television series a... Up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, information! Have chased ineffectually around Wessex, they captured Wareham and, in 875 Guthrum had the. 51.44028°N 2.24222°W / 51.44028 ; -2.24222, Gloucestershire an early oral tradition about the burning of the Somerset marshes Athelney... River Thames and wintered at Fulham till the 830s, when Danish resumed! 1722 copy of part of Asser 's Life of King Alfred 's victory was probably the relative size the! King Edgar had granted land at Edyndon to Romsey Abbey known to have chased ineffectually Wessex. Yet undergone the rigorous in-house editing or fact-checking and styling process to which most articles... River Thames and wintered at Fulham [ 35 ], Three weeks the. Event which occurred in the Kingdom of Northumbria, during AD 793 the Island! Captured most of Wessex which led to a whole new era in European politics marshes!, including Ivar and Ubbe `` with a handful of followers in the meantime more! Followers in the Treaty of Wedmore the converted Guthrum took the baptismal name of Athelstan that., but the reprieve was brief to attack again and encountered Guthrum 's army “ eluded the Saxon. Country, in 877, occupied Exeter army DOCUMENTARY - YouTube through examples of Battle of Edington (!

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