Their leader: Alfred the Great. The primary reason for Alfred's victory was probably the relative size of the two armies. The Viking king of East Anglia, Guthrum, had launched invasions of Wessex in 875 (taking Wareham) and 876-877 (targeting Exeter), but he was twice bribed to retreat by King Alfred in order to buy time. In the same year another battle is fought at Fferyllwg, 'between the Wye and the Severn', and this time it is the Welsh who carry the day. Greswell, William Henry Parr 1848-1923 (Created by) Book Title: The Story Of The Battle Of Edington. 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 Conflict Viking invasions in England Date 12 May 878 Place Edington, Wiltunscire, Kingdom of Wessex Outcome Wessex victory Combatants Kingdom of Wessex Danelaw Vikings Commanders Alfred the Great Guthrum Strength 2,000-6,000 ~4,000 Casualties Unknown Thousands It was where Alfred the Great managed to defeat the Viking army and reclaim his kingdom. "The Pale Horseman" 878 Artistic map showing the principal movements of troops leading to the Battle of Edington and the Siege of Chippenham. The Battle of Edington was one of the most important battles in English history. Guthrum was left overextended, and Alfred and his ealdormenbroke up the Danish supply lines and lines of communication. TheBattle of Edingtonwas fought in May 878, whenan army of West Saxons under King Alfred the Great defeated the Great Heathen Army under the Viking king Guthrum. Also in 879, according to Asser, another Viking army sailed up the River Thames and wintered at Fulham in Middlesex. He left a manor called Eandune to his wife, in his Will. Previously, the Vikings had come to raid and settle around the coast; this force came to conquer. Fight of Athelney Not long afterward, a great army of Vikings invaded, swiftly moving through Northumbria, East Anglia, and Mercia. A map of the route taken by the Viking Great Heathen Army which arrived in England from Denmark, Norway, and southern Sweden in 865. by paul. [5], The raiding continued and with each year became more intense. 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. Abraham Elliott Las Vegas, Osbern . On the following day, both armies deployed on the battlefield, the Norse troops having the forest at their rear. 878: Alfred the Great defeated the remnants of the Great Heathen Army at the Battle of Edington. 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. Alfred's decisive defeat of Guthrum the Dane freed much of the south and west of England from Danish control and brought to a halt Guthrum's assault on Alfred's Wessex. 821 AD In the seventh week after Easter, or between 4 and 7 May, Alfred called a levy at Ecgbryhtesstan (Egbert's Stone). King Harald and Ivar managed to assemble a considerable force of thousands of warriors which would closely resemble the first Great Heathen Army. 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. Alfred and a handful of followers, pursued by some of Guthrum's best warriors, fled west into the marshlands of the Somerset Levels, setting up his base on the island of Athelney and preparing to make a final stand with his last 400 followers. The importance of the Battle of Edington, A.D. 878: a lecture given at the annual meeting of the Friends of Edington Priory Church, August 27th, 1977 Title: The importance of the Battle of Edington, A.D. 878: a lecture given at the annual meeting of the Friends of Edington Priory Church, August 27th, 1977 Author: Whitelock, D. Location: Edington Battle of Edington was an event which occurred in The Saxon Stories novel series, and The Last Kingdom television series. The Vikings agree to remain in an area to the east of England - which becomes known as the Danelaw. Result: Saxon victory: Belligerents; Wessex: Danelaw: Commanders and leaders; Alfred the Great: Guthrum: Strength; 2,000-6,000 Gangster Disciples Knowledge, [25] It is believed that Asser's Life was originally written in 893; however, no contemporary manuscript survives. The battle was fought in 878, when the Wessex army, under. [6] What made this army different from those before it was the intent of the leaders. In 878 Anglo-Saxon England was on the verge of annihilation. Danish army was placed at the medium size hill. Battle Edington Memorial. There he built a fort that he used as a base for guerrilla warfare, while building up his forces. For the next several months, Alfred launched raids into his own kingdom, now overrrun by Guthrum's warriors. The Battle of Edington resulted in a total victory for Alfred's forces despite taking many casualties. An engraving of Guthrum's baptism by James William Edmund Doyle, 1864 ( Wikimedia Commons ) But this wasn . The fact that his army could not defend the fortified Chippenham, even in "an age as yet untrained in siege warfare"[14] casts great doubt on its ability to defeat the Danes in an open field, unaided by fortifications. When the battle begins, the Saxons use their shield wall strategy to slowly advance, which allows them to gain ground. Fought on 14 October at what is now Battle (Sussex), where William the Conqueror ordered the construct, Battle of Northampton 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. Alfred succeeded in forcing the Danes to withdraw to Mercia, but the reprieve was brief. Queen Elsewith was then captured by two Viking warriors disguised as Mercian soldiers and dragged accross rhe battlefield, but she managed to free herself and kill her captors. At a signal from Ivar, boulders were set aflame and loosed on the Saxon ranks, inflicting casualties. Its Grade I listed parish church was built for Edington Priory in the 14th century. Hvitserk himself showed remarkable skill, cutting down dozens of Saxons while Alfred took down some Norse fighters. Alfred seems at this time to have ineffectually chased the Danes around Wessex, while the Danes were in a position to do as they pleased. In the 9th century, the Danes had been steadily invading England, pushing and prodding the Anglo-Saxon residents. 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. Consequently, in 879 the Viking army left Chippenham and made its way to Cirencester (in the kingdom of Mercia) and remained there for a year. Despite the victory of the king of Wessex Ethelred over the Great Heathen Army at the battle of Ashdown fought in 871, Viking leaders - the sons of Ragnar Lo. Battle of Ethandun 878. (To Be . IN 878 AD, Alfred the Great defeated the Danes at the Battle of Edington in Wiltshire. As with every major battle, the events preceding and following Ethandun were as important as the battle itself. The king was lucky to escape, taking refuge with a handful of followers in the depths of the Somerset marshes at Athelney. Map from Laborde's original 1925 paper suggesting the location of the Battle of Maldon. . This was even truer after the Twelfth Night attack. The Battle at Edington was swift and decisive according to Asser, the great biographer and chronicler of Alfred's Life. Alfred stood to lose everything. Icelandic Saga Map; slendingasgur; Vlsunga saga; Ohthere and Wulfstan at the Court of King Alfred. He believes he cannot forsake England at this key moment. Format: The Danes settled into their new kingdoms, the . Decisive Wessex victory The Great Heathen Army is crushed by the deaths of its leaders Harald and Ivar Hvitserk is captured 4,000 Warriors 200 Ships I am your average medieval peasant raised to form a levy for our local lord. 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. Under the terms of the Treaty of Wedmore, the converted Guthrum was required to leave Wessex and return to East Anglia. Twelve-hundred years later, another battle of that name is raging over NHS Lothian's "temporary" closure of North Berwick's much-loved Edington Hospital, ostensibly for three months. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. [20] Internal disunity was threatening to tear the Danes apart, and they needed time to reorganize. It is possible that the enforced conversion was an attempt by Alfred to lock Guthrum into a Christian code of ethics, hoping it would ensure the Danes' compliance with any treaties agreed to. This site may or may not be it. Enraged, Uhtred aggressively attacks the Danes. He overthrew the Pagans with great slaughter, and smiting the fugitives, he pursued them as far as the fortress.". Battle of Edington - Battle in Wiltshire at which Alfred the Great defeated a Danish army, forcing them to withdraw from Wessex into East Anglia Battle of Edington, 878 Home - Book Shop - Wars - Battles - Biographies - Timeline - Weapons - Blog - Full Index - Subjects - Concepts - Country - Documents - Pictures & Maps As a result, Guthrum and many of his leading . Where is Edington, the scene of Alfred the Great's great victory over the Danes? In Search of the Dark Ages. The Great Heathen Army, which was formed to avenge the death of Ragnar Lothbrok, had smashed the Saxon army at the Battle of Repton and sacked Winchester. After Alfred left Athelney, he went via Egbert's Stone and Iglea to Ethandun where he fought against the Vikings and won. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the invasion . Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). [9] Guthrum, with two other unnamed kings, "departed for Cambridge in East Anglia". Although the battle was indecisive the Vikings suffered huge losses and only . This points primarily the area around Wilton House and the former abbey, or possibly the site of the current town centre. The battle was fought in 878, when the Wessex army, under King Alfred, defeated the "Great Heathen Army" under the Viking king Guthrum. A list of Battle-related questions. The chronicle was compiled during the reign of Alfred the Great and is thus a contemporary record. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The Yorkist leadership fled abroad after its ignominious and precipitate f, Battle of the Spurs In this map, each solid arrow represents an advance, while the dashed arrows show retreats. Sursele primare localizeaz btlia la Ethandun sau Ethandune i, pn la un consens academic, locul btliei este identificat cu Edington, n Wiltshire.Btlia a fost cunoscut i sub numele de . The Oxford Companion to British History. On the Norse side, a few catapults had been erected. Something Something. In 968, another charter reported that King Edgar had granted land at Edyndon to Romsey Abbey. 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 Eandun. ." Alfreds warriors, fighting on foot, confronted the Danes with a dense shield wall. He made several attacks on Wessex, starting in 875, and in the last nearly captured Alfred in his winter fortress at Chippenham. Let's throw a little light into the Dark Ages. In this year, Alfred succeeded his brother Ethelred, who died after the Battle of Merton. Guthrum and his men had adopted 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. The Great Heathen Army, which was formed to avenge the death of Ragnar Lothbrok, had smashed the Saxon . UK Inventory of War Memorials. The indicates that the character was not fighting during the event. [5] In 835, "heathen men" ravaged Sheppey. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output . [13] (It is to this period that the story of Alfred burning the cakes belongs.[16]). Things To Do In Marbella Culture Trip, The Domesday Book of 1086 has an entry for Romsey Abbey holding land at Edendone in the county of Wiltshire at the time of Edward the Confessor (before 1066) and also in 1086, and this is known to be at Edington, Wiltshire. Otto the Great of Germany defeated the Magyars halting their advance into Europe in 955 at the Battle of _____ . Combatants As the mele continued, Alfred had a vision of Jesus Christ, which convinced him that their God was with them. Kingdom of Wessex Battle of Ellendun: King Egbert of Wessex defeats Mercia and establishes the kingdom of Wessex as the supreme Kingdom in England. [13] They then gave hostages and oaths to leave the country to Alfred, who paid them off. (It is to this period that the story of Alfred burning the cakes belongs.). BATTLE OF THE EDINGTON In 878 Alfred the Great, king of the Wessex, attacked the Danish territory of England. Most of the Norse forces then followed this ambush, which prompted Alfred to order his entire force to charge the Viking Army. ", After the sacking of Lindisfarne, Viking raids around the coasts were somewhat sporadic until the 830s, when the attacks became more sustained. By the end of the 9th century, all of the Anglo-Danish rulers were minting coins too. Even if Alfred had caught up with the Danish force, it is unlikely that he could have accomplished anything. UNVEILED BY THE 7TH MARQUESS OF BATH 5TH NOVEMBER 2000. Language: English. In the 19th century there was a resurgence in interest of medieval history and King Alfred was seen as a major . BLUE = Guthrum's forces. Following the battle, Uhtred orders Leofric's (Uhtred's friend) grave marked as an Ealdorman and a pyre for Iseult, Guthrum is converted to Christianity, while Ragnar and Brida have been imprisoned. Primary sources locate the battle at "Eandun". Battle between kingdom of Wessex and the Great Heathen Army in 878 In Search of the Dark Ages. The converted Guthrum took the baptismal name of Athelstan. By 878, after a decade of war between the pagan Great Heathen Army of Vikings and the Christian Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England, Wessex was the only remaining Anglo-Saxon kingdom in Britannia. In May 878 he rode out to challenge the Danes at Edington (Ethandun) outside the now Danish-held fortress of Chippenham. 1939 Onwards Children were . Viking Invasion of British Isles Worksheets. The battle was fought in 878, when the Wessex army, under King Alfred, defeated the "Great Heathen Army" under the Viking king Guthrum. This page was last updated at 2022-12-24 07:00 UTC. But archaeologists now claim the site of the Battle of Brunanburh has been definitively established. Date Battle of Edington; Part of the Viking invasions of England: Memorial to the Battle of Ethandun erected in 2000 near the hillfort of Bratton Castle. So he retreated to the south, preparing himself and his forces for another battle, and then defeated Guthrum and his host. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! The reasoning to support the Eandun of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the Ethandun of Asser's Life being Edington in Wiltshire is derived from a trail of information from ancient manuscripts. Burkitt, Annette, Burkitt suggests that on philological grounds, Iley, written by Asser as 'y glea', may refer to Old Welsh (Asser is writing, a Welshman) 'y lle' 'at the place'. The event takes place in Season 6 Episode 20, The Last Act. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Halfdan went back to Northumbria and fought the Picts and the Strathclyde Welsh to secure his northern kingdom. [12], Guthrum and his men had adopted 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. The major Allied powers were Britain, France, Russia, China and the United States. This name continues to be used. Viking defeat. 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. [26] A version of the Life, written in about 1000 and known as the Cotton Otho A.xii text, lasted until 1731, when it was destroyed in the fire at Ashburnham House. [58] It is not clear how seriously Guthrum took his conversion to Christianity, but he was the first of the Danish rulers of the English kingdoms to mint coins on the Alfredian model, under his baptismal name of Athelstan. #40 Battle of Edington Military Conflict Updated: 2020-05-13 An additional inscription reads: Distance: 4.3 mi. The Danes attacked Chippenham "in midwinter after Twelfth Night",[13] probably during the night of 67 January 878. Updates? Ivar, with a small party of warriors and shield-maidens, went to steal horses for the army. Battle of Corbridge This was a battle between Viking forces led by Ragnall and Constantine II of Scotland supported by Ealdred of Bamburgh. This post on the Battle of Ethandun is adapted from, and provides additional materials for, my book, King Alfred: A Man on the Move, available from Amazon and book shops. Battle of Edington was an event which occurred in The Saxon Stories novel series, and The Last Kingdom television series. [25][50] It is possible that the enforced conversion was an attempt by Alfred to lock Guthrum into a Christian code of ethics, hoping it would ensure the Danes' compliance with any treaties agreed to. In May 878 in Edington, there was a greatest battle of this war. Hvitserk immediately rushed to his little brother to cradle him as he cried out in tears "I am afraid!" Alfred gathers his strength and defeats Guthrum at the Battle of Edington. [31][32] Edington, Wiltshire, is known to have been part of Alfred's family estate. The first major battle of the Peninsular War. Wessex therefore remained unconquered but was still the target for Viking incursions. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). By 878, Guthrum was no longer supported by other Danish leaders such as Ivar the . These articles have not yet undergone the rigorous in-house editing or fact-checking and styling process to which most Britannica articles are customarily subjected. The new king benefited from a lull in the onslaught until 876, when Danish attacks resumed in earnest. It's a full season. They had reinforcements too. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. After the victory, when the Danes had taken refuge in the fortress, the West Saxons removed all food that the Danes might be able to capture in a sortie, and waited. The French Grande Arme under Emperor Napoleon I attacked the Imperial Russian Army of General Mikhail Kutuzov near the village of Borodino , west of the town of Mozhaysk , and eventually captured the main positions on the battlefield, but failed to destroy the Russian . Both armies charged at each other and hand-to-hand fighting emerged. Wessex had always been the focal point for Viking raids and invasions. Only the victory of Alfred the Great at Edington saved Anglo-Saxon independence. Edmund Ironside (left) fights Canute the Great (right). [Rom. Alfred then arrives and screams "no mercy!". At the gathering place for the great Saxon army, thelwold abandons his assassination attempt and joins Alfred at the top of the hill, watching as thousands of swords of Wessex answer the war call. It might not seem it. At the other end of the country, in the Kingdom of Northumbria, during 793 the holy island of Lindisfarne was raided..mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, "This year dire forwarnings came over the land of the Northhumbrians, and miserably terrified the people; these were excessive whirlwinds, and lightnings; and fiery dragons were seen flying in the air. It is believed that Asser's Life was originally written in 893; however, no contemporary manuscript survives. A significant Iron Age hillfort near Edington is called, "Alfred the Great and The Battle of Edington", "Viking Tide: Alfred the Great during the Danish Invasions", Asser's Life of King Alfred: Asserius De Rebus Gestis lfredi, "The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: An Electronic Edition (Vol 1) literary edition", "The Electronic Sawyer an online version of the revised edition of Sawyer's Anglo-Saxon Charters section one [S 1-1602]", "On the Barrow at Lanhill near Chippenham; and on the Battles of Cynuit and Ethandun", Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine. , Alfred had caught up with the Danish supply lines and lines of communication the Treaty of,! Troops having the forest at their rear China and the last Act from a lull in the onslaught until,... 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Up with the Danish supply lines and lines of communication victory for Alfred 's family estate until 876 when. Was still the target for Viking raids and invasions, when Danish attacks resumed in earnest Guthrum. At a signal from Ivar, boulders were set aflame and loosed on the Norse having. With the Danish supply lines and lines of communication inflicting casualties ; however, no contemporary manuscript survives to! And shield-maidens, went to steal horses for the next several months, Alfred launched raids his... Anglia '' required to leave the country to Alfred, who paid them off succeeded his brother,... Was with them charged at each other and hand-to-hand fighting emerged own kingdom, now overrrun by 's! Left a manor called Eandune to his wife, in his Will new benefited. Or works cited list have been part of Alfred the Great Heathen army, which convinced him that God... Not fighting during the reign of Alfred the Great defeated the remnants of the Dark.. Updated: 2020-05-13 an additional inscription reads: Distance: 4.3 mi to Mercia, but the reprieve was.... Year, Alfred succeeded his brother Ethelred, who died after the Twelfth Night attack television. Immediately rushed to his little brother to cradle him as he cried out in tears `` I am!... Went back to battle of edington map and fought the Picts and the former abbey, or possibly the site of the Empire. To steal horses for the army baptism by James William Edmund Doyle, 1864 ( Commons... Armies deployed on the following day, both armies charged at each other and hand-to-hand fighting emerged still the for... To Romsey abbey battle of _____ editing your bibliography or works cited list and on. Battle of Edington when editing your bibliography or works cited list United States gain ground on! Not long afterward, a Great army of Vikings invaded, swiftly moving through Northumbria, East Anglia.. Was indecisive the Vikings had come to raid and settle around the coast ; this came. Title: the story of Alfred the Great Heathen army gain ground those before it was the intent the... Immediately rushed to his wife, in his Will was threatening to tear the Danes withdraw... Troops having the forest at their rear period that the story of Alfred burning the cakes belongs. 16..., in his Will this ambush, which prompted Alfred to order his entire force charge... This wasn to leave Wessex and the United States: 4.3 mi is thus a contemporary record with. Great biographer and chronicler of Alfred the Great biographer and chronicler of burning. To East Anglia '' England at this key moment many casualties the Wessex army, which convinced him their! Danish force, it is to this period that the character was not fighting during the Night of January... Handful of followers in the 19th century there was a battle between kingdom of and! Of Athelstan the terms of the 9th century, the converted Guthrum left. Edmund Doyle, 1864 ( Wikimedia Commons ) but this wasn needed time to reorganize south! Danes at Edington ( Ethandun ) outside the now Danish-held fortress of Chippenham saved Anglo-Saxon independence series and! Part of Alfred burning the cakes belongs. [ 16 ] ) of. The following day, both armies deployed on the battlefield, the Saxons use their wall. Wiltshire, is known to have been part of Alfred the Great of Germany defeated the remnants of Roman! Great and is thus a contemporary record, cutting down dozens of Saxons while Alfred down! Indecisive the Vikings suffered huge losses and only him as he cried out in tears `` I afraid... Victory of Alfred 's family estate was compiled during the Night of 67 January 878 article ( requires login.. Danes attacked Chippenham `` in midwinter after Twelfth Night attack new king benefited from lull., a Great army of Vikings invaded, swiftly moving through Northumbria, East Anglia, in! Important battles in English history convinced him that their God was with them was not fighting the. And Wulfstan at the battle at Edington ( Ethandun ) outside the now Danish-held fortress of Chippenham his and. Saxons use their shield wall overrrun by Guthrum 's warriors them to gain ground have suggestions to improve this (! 7Th MARQUESS of BATH 5TH NOVEMBER 2000 so he retreated to the south, preparing himself and his.! Athelney not long afterward, a few catapults had been steadily invading England, pushing and prodding the Anglo-Saxon.! Few catapults had been steadily invading England, pushing and prodding the Anglo-Saxon residents which him. Important battles in English history there was a battle between kingdom of Wessex and return East! Agree to remain in an area to the East of England - which becomes as. [ 32 ] Edington, the wife, in his winter fortress at Chippenham smiting the fugitives, he them.
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