battle of edington map

Their leader: Alfred the Great. Meanwhile, Hvitserk, after cutting down several Saxon warriors despite receiving several injuries, gradually began to tire and struggled to fight on. Edington, Wessex(Edington, Wiltshire, England) Of the nine battles mentioned by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle during that year, only one was a West Saxon victory. Tennessee had the highest population of Edington families in 1840. The previous engagement has thinned both armies, but considerable numbers on either side were involved. Result: Saxon victory: Belligerents; Wessex: Danelaw: Commanders and leaders; Alfred the Great: Guthrum: Strength; 2,000-6,000 [11] 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. Edmund Ironside (left) fights Canute the Great (right). Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. The converted Guthrum took the baptismal name of Athelstan. Sets . 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 876877, with 120 ships wrecked. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. 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. [8] So he retreated to the south, preparing himself and his forces for another battle, and then defeated Guthrum and his host. King Alfred, meanwhile, was informed of this incoming invasion and decided to evacuate his capital of Winchester and to join his strong garrison at Chichester. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Battle of Edington, (6-12 May 878). Let's throw a little light into the Dark Ages. The location of Ashdown is not known, but may be Kingstanding Hill [a] in Berkshire. 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. Although these articles may currently differ in style from others on the site, they allow us to provide wider coverage of topics sought by our readers, through a diverse range of trusted voices. What made this army different from those before it was the intent of the leaders. The Battle of Edington 8,443 views Apr 20, 2019 116 Dislike Share Save R M 386 subscribers Early medieval England was on the cusp of complete conquest at the hand of the Danish invaders.. All that's known about the location of the battle is that it was at a place called Eandun somewhere in southern England (current thinking places it at the Edington in Wiltshire). The English cry, "no mercy!". Where is Edington, the scene of Alfred the Great's great victory over the Danes? 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 . Edington is accepted by most modern scholars as the site of the battle of Ethandun in which Alfred defeated the Danes under Guthram in 878. In the 19th century there was a resurgence in interest of medieval history and King Alfred was seen as a major hero. . Alfred stood to lose everything. In January 878, during the Christmas festival, Guthrum and his army of cavalry raiderssurprised Alfred at his royal estate at Chippenham, nearly ending Alfred there and then. After the disaster at Chippenham in January 878, Alfred was reduced for some months to guerrilla warfare from the marshes around Athelney. [35] 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. [18] 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. 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. 18 Jan. 2023 . Over the next few years this particular Danish faction had several encounters with Alfred's forces. Language: English. The map of strikes by state as of 1880 shows that the states with the highest number of strikes were. Saxon victory Result. Some scholars have suggested that Asser's life of King Alfred was a forgery. A charter records a meeting of the king's council at Eandun, although a later scribe has annotated the same document with Eandune. [25] It is believed that Asser's Life was originally written in 893; however, no contemporary manuscript survives. Mercia had collapsed by 874, and the Army's cohesion went with it. 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. 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. The agreement also defined the social classes of Danish East Anglia and their equivalents in Wessex. They held the northeast area of the country. The Oxford Companion to British History. Battle of Edington Alfred summoned his troops and defeated the Viking leader, Guthrum and agreed terms at Wedmore. 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. The battle was merely the nexus, the watershed, the moment of crisis. 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 . [5], The raiding continued and with each year became more intense. 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, under terms that entailed their leaving his kingdom and not returning. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). May, 878. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. The major Allied powers were Britain, France, Russia, China and the United States. Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho (l. 13), '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 the Dane Guthrum on a date between 6 and 12 May 878, resulting in the Treaty of Wedmore later the same Year. Campaign Even if Alfred had caught up with the Danish force, it is unlikely that he could have accomplished anything. Alfred the Great had spent the winter preceding the Battle of Edington in the Somerset marsh of Athelney, protected somewhat by the natural defences of the country. The Oxford Companion to British History. This points primarily the area around Wilton House and the former abbey, or possibly the site of the current town centre. 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 decisive victory of the Wessex levies forced Guthrum to . #40 Battle of Edington Military Conflict Updated: 2020-05-13 An additional inscription reads: Distance: 4.3 mi. At the Battle of Edington, an army of the 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. 878 (June) . Next Alfred then sets . In Search of the Dark Ages. The primary reason for Alfred's victory was probably the relative size of the two armies. Alfred then arrives and screams "no mercy!". The kingdom of Mercia was divided up, with part going to Alfred's Wessex and the other part to Guthrum's East Anglia. Location Although most early historians had sited the battle as in the Edington 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. Guthrum, the Viking leader, retreated with the remnants of his army to their "stronghold", where Alfred besieged him.After fourteen days the Vikings "thoroughly terrified by hunger, cold and fear" sought peace and sent an emissary to Alfred. [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. [36], Alternatives to Edington, Wiltshire, have been suggested since early times. 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. Corrections? https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-Edington, English Monarchs - The Battle of Edington. Things To Do In Marbella Culture Trip, pp. This fabulous KS2 Anglo Saxon Kings and Vikings lesson pack contains everything you need to teach an amazing History class. [39] Although most early historians had sited the battle as in the Edington 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. 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 Danes attacked Chippenham "in midwinter after Twelfth Night",[13] probably during the night of 67 January 878. Battle of Edington, (612 May 878). Publishers Clearing House Spokesperson List, We discover more about King Alfred the Great and how he set the foundations for the nation that would become England. [57] The agreement also defined the social classes of Danish East Anglia and their equivalents in Wessex. The decisive victory of the Wessex levies forced Guthrum to sue for peace and give hostages. According to the Life: "Fighting ferociously, forming a dense shield-wall against the whole army of the Pagans, and striving long and bravelyat last he [Alfred] gained the victory. He overthrew the Pagans with great slaughter, and smiting the fugitives, he pursued them as far as the fortress.". Vol 4 Ep 25 - BATTLE - The Battle of Edington ( 878 ) 878 - The inevitable showdown between the Danish Vikings whose intensity against the Anglo-Saxons reached breaking point. The Viking siege under Rollo . Once a sufficient force of levies had been raised, they marched to Edington, where Alfred engaged Guthrum's warriors in one final, definitive battle. 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. Alfred and the battle of Edington: how the King of Wessex became great; . The indicates that the character died during the battle. In the meantime, more information about the article and the author can be found by clicking on the authors name. [53], Also in 879, according to Asser, another Viking army sailed up the River Thames and wintered at Fulham in Middlesex. Other writers place the battle near Starveall, a short distance north of the village of Aldworth and south east of Lowbury Hill. Icelandic Saga Map; slendingasgur; Vlsunga saga; Ohthere and Wulfstan at the Court of King Alfred. 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. Alfred then ordered that Hvitserk be spared as he is one of the last surviving sons of Ragnar Lothbrok and makes great plans for him. The battle was fought in 878, when the Wessex army, under. Wessex had always been the focal point for Viking raids and invasions. The process of battle during the late ninth century was a gruesome affair. Something Something. Total War. . [52] The following year the army went to East Anglia, where it settled. anno 878 Battle of Edington; anno 878 continued; Battle of Maldon; Lindisfarne 793; Overwintering; Raids 789 - 839; Raids 840 - 850; Raids 851 - 861; Raids 861 - 878; Viking Ring Fortresses. Abraham Elliott Las Vegas, At the Battle of Edington, an army of the 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. 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. 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