The fact that his army could not defend the fortified Chippenham, even in "an age as yet untrained in siege warfare" casts great doubt on its ability to defeat the Danes in an open field, unaided by fortifications. A couple of years after Harald's defeat at Marton, things had changed in Kattegat. Let's throw a little light into the Dark Ages. Until a scholarly consensus linked the battle site with the present-day village of Edington in Wiltshire, it was known as the Battle of Ethandun. A great famine soon followed these tokens; and a little after that, in the same year, on the 6th before the Ides of January, the ravaging of heathen men lamentably destroyed God's church at Lindisfarne through rapine and slaughter. Of the nine battles mentioned by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle during that year, only one was a West Saxon victory. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Battle of Edington Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. The battle which took place at Ethandun on this day, May 6, 878 ensured that Christianity would survive in England. The battle was fought in 878, when the Wessex army, under. 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 battles (for example at Reading in 871) proved themselves adept at defending fortified positions. Over the next few years this particular Danish faction had several encounters with Alfred's forces. 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 Eandune. The annals do not report the size of the army, but modern estimates suggest between five hundred and a thousand men. In 1904 William Henry Stevenson analysed possible sites and said "So far, there is nothing to prove the identity of this Eandune with Edington" but then goes on to say that "there can be little reason for questioning it". 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 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. [5] In 836, Ecgberht of Wessex met in battle a force of 35 ships at Carhampton,[5] and in 838 he faced a combined force of Vikings and Cornishmen at Hingston Down in Cornwall. Osbern . Although the battle was indecisive the Vikings suffered huge BATTLE OF THE EDINGTON In 878 Alfred the Great, king of the Wessex, attacked the Danish territory of England. Many of the men in the counties around (Somerset, Wiltshire, and Hampshire) who had not already fled rallied to him there. The Saxons then attack the Danes. A list of 47 interesting Battle questions! 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. 867: Macedonian Renaissance. Most of the Norse forces then followed this ambush, which prompted Alfred to order his entire force to charge the Viking Army. [31][32] Edington, Wiltshire, is known to have been part of Alfred's family estate. [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. 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. Battle Edington Memorial. Guthrum it seems, may have lost the support of some of his other Viking lords and his army was probably much smaller than Alfred's. Forge alliances, manage settlements, raise armies and pursue campaigns of conquest across the most detailed Total War map ever. This started in 875 when Guthrum's army "eluded the West Saxon levies and got into Wareham". Only the victory of Alfred the Great at Edington saved Anglo-Saxon independence. Place Edmund Ironside (left) fights Canute the Great (right). 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 Things To Do In Marbella Culture Trip, Wessex had always been the focal point for Viking raids and invasions. Today, we would most likely be speaking a derivative of Old Norse, and England, the land of the Angles, would never have come into existence. Alternatives to Edington, Wiltshire, have been suggested since early times. 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. Next [58], After the defeat of Guthrum at the Battle of Edington, Alfred's reforms to military obligations in Wessex made it increasingly difficult for the Vikings to raid successfully. Select from premium Battle Of Edington of the highest quality. Date. Telling him that what happens next was what his life has led up to. [26] Some scholars have suggested that Asser's life of King Alfred was a forgery. World War 2 was a battle between two groups of countries - the 'Allies' and the 'Axis'. However, Ubbe was met by Ealdorman Odda of Devon in the Battle of Cynwit, and Ubbe was struck down in battle and his fleet destroyed. Publishers Clearing House Spokesperson List, In the 9th century, the Danes had been steadily invading England, pushing and prodding the Anglo-Saxon residents. In 878 Anglo-Saxon England was on the verge of annihilation. Alfred and the battle of Edington: how the King of Wessex became great; . The Vikings were defeated in 878 AD by King Alfred the Great at the Battle of Edington. We discover more about King Alfred the Great and how he set the foundations for the nation that would become England. The Battle of Edington was one of the most important battles in English history. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. 878 After hearing of Guthrum's success, the Frisian Viking leader Ubbe Ragnarrsson led a fleet of 23 ships from South Wales to northern Devon near the fortress of Arx Cynuit, intending to corner Alfred in a pincer movement. The arrival of a Danish "great army" in East Anglia in 865 marked the start of a new phase of Viking attacks on Britain. Articles such as this one were acquired and published with the primary aim of expanding the information on Britannica.com with greater speed and efficiency than has traditionally been possible. 60. . Historica Wiki is a FANDOM Games Community. [25] It is believed that Asser's Life was originally written in 893; however, no contemporary manuscript survives. Location The major Axis powers were Germany, Italy and Japan. By 878, Guthrum was no longer supported by other Danish leaders such as Ivar the . Battle of Ellendun: King Egbert of Wessex defeats Mercia and establishes the kingdom of Wessex as the supreme Kingdom in England. The first Viking raid on Anglo-Saxon England is thought to have occurred between 786 and 802 at Portland in the Kingdom of Wessex, when three Norse ships arrived; their men killed King Beorhtric's reeve. Date 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. He left a manor called Eandune to his wife, in his Will. Alfred then arrives and screams "no mercy!". By 896 the Vikings gave up with some going to East Anglia and others going to Northumbria. 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). Previous . In the seventh week after Easter, or between 4 and 7 May, Alfred called a levy at Ecgbryhtesstan (Egbert's Stone). 229 - The Battle of Edington. [19] In addition, in 875 Guthrum had lost the support of other Danish lords, including Ivar and Ubba. For the next several months, Alfred launched raids into his own kingdom, now overrrun by Guthrum's warriors. Only the victory of Alfred the Great at Edington saved Anglo-Saxon independence. Alfred the Great and the Battle of Edington. Greswell, William Henry Parr 1848-1923 (Created by) Book Title: The Story Of The Battle Of Edington. 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. 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 battles (for example at Reading in 871) proved themselves adept at defending fortified positions. Select from premium Battle Of Edington of the highest quality. Tennessee had the highest population of Edington families in 1840. Known as the "blood stone", legend says that King Alfred's men used it to behead the defeated Vikings of Guthrum after the Battle of Edington in 878 AD. The Edington family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. "The Pale Horseman" [33] A charter records a meeting of the king's council at Eandun, although a later scribe has annotated the same document with Eandune. Danish army was placed at the medium size hill. [37][38] In the 19th century there was a resurgence in interest of medieval history and King Alfred was seen as a major hero. By May he was ready to attack again and encountered Guthrum's Danes at Edington, near Westbury on the Wiltshire downs. "Edington, battle of Alfred. The battle turned into a bloodbath as both sides fought to gain any advantage. Kingdom of Wessex The arrival of a Danish "great army" in East Anglia in 865 marked the start of a new phase of Viking attacks on Britain. Alfred gave a rousing speech to his men, urging them to fight against the rapacious Danes and show no mercy. Hvitserk erects a grave for his brother Ivar and then mourns him telling him to enjoy Valhalla while it lasts as the age of Christianity will flourish. A victory for Guthrum would have ended the last Anglo-Saxon kingdom. Battle of Edington, (6-12 May 878). The English cry, "no mercy!". 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. The Account Given By Ohthere; . It was where Alfred the Great managed to defeat the Viking army and reclaim his kingdom. The Danes attacked Chippenham "in midwinter after Twelfth Night", probably during the night of 67 January 878. In 1840 there were 12 Edington families living in Tennessee. "Edington, battle of Known as a royal center during Alfred's reign, the area was memorable for being captured by Viking warrior Guthrum during the 9th century. These forces began "a new stage, that of conquest and residence". Both sides fight each other. King Alfred Bishop Aldulf 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 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. The Battle at Edington was swift and decisive according to Asser, the great biographer and chronicler of Alfred's Life. . In the meantime, more information about the article and the author can be found by clicking on the authors name. 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 Saxon forces however had been mauled and lost more warriors than the Norse forces. Arguments for the alternative sites were generally name-based, although with the large interest in everything Alfredian in the 19th century, any site that had an Alfredian connection could be guaranteed large numbers of tourists, so this was also a driving force to find a link. 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. The first we read of Alfred after the disaster at Chippenham is around Easter, when he built a fortress at Athelney. Alfreds warriors, fighting on foot, confronted the Danes with a dense shield wall. [52] The following year the army went to East Anglia, where it settled. 116-117, Wood. [9] He made several attacks on Wessex, starting in 875, and in the last nearly captured Alfred in his winter fortress at Chippenham. Fortunately for Wessex, they did not use the time available effectively. This was even truer after the Twelfth Night attack. Siege of Parisii. Artistic map showing the principal movements of troops leading to the Battle of Edington and the Siege of Chippenham. In addition to the customary hostages and leaving Wessex for good, the Vikings promised that Guthrum would be baptized as a Christian. This page was last updated at 2022-12-24 07:00 UTC. (January 18, 2023). The Viking Invasions of England. 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. [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. 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. [13] (It is to this period that the story of Alfred burning the cakes belongs.[16]). It depicts the confrontation between the Vikings led by Ivar and King Harald and the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Wessex. In 878 Alfred the Great, king of the Wessex, attacked the Danish territory of England. 849: A charter referring to the district to the south-west of Birmingham mentions the boundary of a folk called the Tomsaetan, the dwellers by the Tame, or Tame settlers. Ivar and Ubba the Saxon forces however had been mauled and lost more warriors than the Norse.! 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