Norwegian and Dane Attacks on the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms from 789 AD to 871 AD (Analytical Study)

Abstract

In the last years of the eighth century AD, groups coming from Norway and Denmark attacked Western Europe, killing, looting and plundering as much as they could. Among those who were attacked were the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. These groups initially used a test strategy, attacking nearby islands and the outskirts of countries to determine their military strength as well as their economic potential. They first attacked the coast of Wessex in 789 AD and then attacked the island of Lindisfarne in 793 AD. These attacks caused a great shock to the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, which collapsed one after the other before them. Only the Kingdom of Wessex stood firm, managing to inflict bitter defeats on them despite its failure in some areas. We can attribute this to the strength and determination of the kings of Wessex and the will of its people not to submit to these groups, or perhaps they were motivated by the destruction and devastation they witnessed inflicted by these groups on other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.

In response to the defeat of Reading, King Aethelred decided to fight the Danes again. His kingdom's forces advanced with great fighting spirit to a site called Ashdown, where the Danes were stationed, and they divided their forces into two parts. In response, Alfred attacked the first part and managed to defeat them, while Aethelred inflicted a crushing defeat on the second part. A large number of Danes fell on the battlefield, and the rest fled to their base, Reading, where the Danes reorganized their ranks and went out to meet the Wessex army at the city of Basing. A fierce battle took place between the two sides, in which victory was written for the Danes in the year 871 AD, the year in which King Aethelred died.