Alfred and the
Vikings
What was Alfred’s position in 871?
• Alfred was denied a share of Aethelred, his brother’s, kingdom as he was
seen as a threat
• The kingdom was promised to him after his death
• They also promised to look after each other’s children if one of them died,
and they were able to make their own children king after
• Alfred and Aethelred lost two battles and he died in 871, so Alfred became
king and was forced to pay off the Vikings in Wilton
How was the defence of Wessex organized before 871?
• The division of power was shared between the two eldest sons
• Groups of war bands were made of thegns who were not loyal to the king
• The national fyrd was a host army belonging to the ealdormen of each
shire, they were not loyal to the king and took a long time to mobilise
• Wessex starched across the south of England and was surrounded by
water
• Kent was separated by a dense forest
• There were only two paths to enter Wessex
• The Isle of Thanet was a vital point of entering the Thames and required
attention
• The west needed attention as the Hampshire Avon was an obstacle for
invaders
How serious a threat was the Great Heathen Army (865-878)?
• Seen as unprecedented, coming to steal goods and attack Christianity
• Ships rose from 50 to 200, and they took Northumbria, Mercia and East
Anglia between 867 and 880
• Consisted of two armies, the Great Heathen Army led by Halfdaan, Ubbe
and Iver in 865, and the second army, led by Guthrum, Oscetes and
Anwend in 871
• The early raids were isolated, stealing material possessions, but in 860
they began to take land and settle
• First attacked Lindisfarne due to its location, an important place for
Christian learning, attacked their gospels due to the gold on them
What was significance of Alfred’s refuge at Athelney?
• In 878, Guthrum invaded Wessex, breaking the warhead treaty and forcing
Alfred to flee to marshland
• ‘The Swineheard’s Wife’ Alfred burnt cakes and was scolded, showing him
as humble and ordinary
, • ‘The Appearance of St Cuthbert’ He begged Alfred for food and Alfred gave
him some, and in return the saint told him how to defeat the Vikings,
showing that the success was a result of their patron saint
• ‘Alfred’s Minstrel Impersonation’ Alfred spied on the Vikings as a minstrel,
showing the tactics they used
Why was Alfred able to defeat the Great Heathen Army?
• Reformed the army and the navy, split the five Hyde system into a rotation
so that men can tend the land, boosted morale, built swift and stable ships
• Learnt the Viking tactics, focused on defence and formalising boundaries,
gaining experience and building burhs
• Organised rally systems to transport supplies, though there was still slow
transport due to the poor terrain
• Adhered to the dynastic rules and set up law codes
• Introduced an education system
What were the terms of peace made with the Vikings?
• Wilton 871 - Alfred’s first battle, paid off Vikings to give him time to think
and regroup
• Wareham 876 - Vikings took Wareham as it was between two rivers, the
burh was not strong enough
• Exeter 877 - Guthrum was pressured into giving up his hostages and
taking oaths after losing his fleet because of a storm
• Chippenham 878 - Alfred hid all food that could be taken in a Viking raid
and the hungry Vikings were forced to give up their hostages, take oaths,
and Guthrum was baptised
• Rochester and Benfleet 885 - Alfred attacked Vikings camped outside
Rochester and sent a naval fleet to Benefit to defeat the retaliators but
they were defeated by Guthrum
• Alfred and Guthrum 886-890 - Agreed to set up Danelaw
Why, how and with what effect did Alfred recapture London in 886?
• London was a center of production, commerce and trade
• The divide between Roman and Saxon areas caused difficulty when
defending against the Vikings
• Taken by Alfred in 886 and seized as a winter base in 871
• May have been a planned military campaign
• Constructed a new burh and tightened administration
• Relocated the center to the old Roman site
Why and to what extent was Alfred successful in gaining military
successes against the Vikings?
Vikings
What was Alfred’s position in 871?
• Alfred was denied a share of Aethelred, his brother’s, kingdom as he was
seen as a threat
• The kingdom was promised to him after his death
• They also promised to look after each other’s children if one of them died,
and they were able to make their own children king after
• Alfred and Aethelred lost two battles and he died in 871, so Alfred became
king and was forced to pay off the Vikings in Wilton
How was the defence of Wessex organized before 871?
• The division of power was shared between the two eldest sons
• Groups of war bands were made of thegns who were not loyal to the king
• The national fyrd was a host army belonging to the ealdormen of each
shire, they were not loyal to the king and took a long time to mobilise
• Wessex starched across the south of England and was surrounded by
water
• Kent was separated by a dense forest
• There were only two paths to enter Wessex
• The Isle of Thanet was a vital point of entering the Thames and required
attention
• The west needed attention as the Hampshire Avon was an obstacle for
invaders
How serious a threat was the Great Heathen Army (865-878)?
• Seen as unprecedented, coming to steal goods and attack Christianity
• Ships rose from 50 to 200, and they took Northumbria, Mercia and East
Anglia between 867 and 880
• Consisted of two armies, the Great Heathen Army led by Halfdaan, Ubbe
and Iver in 865, and the second army, led by Guthrum, Oscetes and
Anwend in 871
• The early raids were isolated, stealing material possessions, but in 860
they began to take land and settle
• First attacked Lindisfarne due to its location, an important place for
Christian learning, attacked their gospels due to the gold on them
What was significance of Alfred’s refuge at Athelney?
• In 878, Guthrum invaded Wessex, breaking the warhead treaty and forcing
Alfred to flee to marshland
• ‘The Swineheard’s Wife’ Alfred burnt cakes and was scolded, showing him
as humble and ordinary
, • ‘The Appearance of St Cuthbert’ He begged Alfred for food and Alfred gave
him some, and in return the saint told him how to defeat the Vikings,
showing that the success was a result of their patron saint
• ‘Alfred’s Minstrel Impersonation’ Alfred spied on the Vikings as a minstrel,
showing the tactics they used
Why was Alfred able to defeat the Great Heathen Army?
• Reformed the army and the navy, split the five Hyde system into a rotation
so that men can tend the land, boosted morale, built swift and stable ships
• Learnt the Viking tactics, focused on defence and formalising boundaries,
gaining experience and building burhs
• Organised rally systems to transport supplies, though there was still slow
transport due to the poor terrain
• Adhered to the dynastic rules and set up law codes
• Introduced an education system
What were the terms of peace made with the Vikings?
• Wilton 871 - Alfred’s first battle, paid off Vikings to give him time to think
and regroup
• Wareham 876 - Vikings took Wareham as it was between two rivers, the
burh was not strong enough
• Exeter 877 - Guthrum was pressured into giving up his hostages and
taking oaths after losing his fleet because of a storm
• Chippenham 878 - Alfred hid all food that could be taken in a Viking raid
and the hungry Vikings were forced to give up their hostages, take oaths,
and Guthrum was baptised
• Rochester and Benfleet 885 - Alfred attacked Vikings camped outside
Rochester and sent a naval fleet to Benefit to defeat the retaliators but
they were defeated by Guthrum
• Alfred and Guthrum 886-890 - Agreed to set up Danelaw
Why, how and with what effect did Alfred recapture London in 886?
• London was a center of production, commerce and trade
• The divide between Roman and Saxon areas caused difficulty when
defending against the Vikings
• Taken by Alfred in 886 and seized as a winter base in 871
• May have been a planned military campaign
• Constructed a new burh and tightened administration
• Relocated the center to the old Roman site
Why and to what extent was Alfred successful in gaining military
successes against the Vikings?
