802 - Death of King Beorhtric of Wessex. He is
buried at Wareham. Prince Egbert returns to
Wessex and is accepted as King. Ealdorman
Aethelmund of Hwicce attacks Wessex. He is met by
Ealdorman Weohstan of Wiltshire and both are
killed at the Battle of Kempsford, though the men
of Wiltshire are victorious. Aethelmund is buried
at Deerhurst Abbey. Cunred, a relative of King
Coenwulf of Mercia, is appointed Abbot of St.
Augustine's, Canterbury. First written record of
the county of Wiltshire.
803 - The Synod of Clofeshoh (possibly
Brixworth) is held, at which the Archbishopric of
Lichfield is demoted to an ordinary Bishopric,
with Papal permission obtained by King Coenwulf
806 - King Eardwulf of Northumbria is expelled
from his kingdom by one Aelfwald who takes the
throne as King Aelfwald II. Eardwulf flees to the
Imperial Frankish Court of Charlemagne and later
visits Pope Leo III in Rome.
807 - Death of King Cuthred of Kent. Kent
possibly under direct Mercian rule.
808 - With the active support of Emperor
Charlemagne of the Franks and Pope Leo III, the
exiled King Eardwulf of Northumbria is able to
return to his kingdom and oust the usurper, King
809 - The Papal Legate is kidnapped by Vikings
while sailing for Northumbria.
c.810 - Death of King Eardwulf of Northumbria.
He is succeeded by his son, Eanred. Canterbury
Cathedral is probably demolished by Archbishop
Wulfred of Canterbury and rebuilt on a more
extravagant basilican scale
c.812 - King Sigered of Essex is reduced to
the rank of Dux by his Mercian overlords.
818 - King Coenwulf of Mercia raids Dyfed.
821 - King Coenwulf of Mercia dies in
Basingwerk, while preparing for another assault
on Powys, and is buried in Winchcombe Abbey. His
son, Cenelm, is chosen to succeed him, but he is
killed, probably fighting the Welsh, though
supposedly through the treachery of his jealous
sister, Cwenthryth. He is also buried at
Winchcombe Abbey and later revered as a saint.
The Mercian throne passes to Coenwulf's brother,
Ceolwulf I. One Athelstan makes a push for the
East Anglian throne, but is halted by Ceolwulf I
823 - The Mercians invade Powys, but are
beaten back by King Cyngen. They also destroy the
Gwynedd capital, Degannwy. Death of King Ceolwulf
I of Mercia. He is succeeded by Beornwulf, a
descendant of the late King Beornred. Rise of
King Baldred of Kent. His allegiance is
uncertain, but he was propbably a relative of
King Beornwulf of Mercia. Athelstan of East
Anglia attempts to claim the East Anglian throne
825 - King Egbert of Wessex defeats the mighty
Mercians at the Battle of Ellandon. He invades
Kent and expels King Baldred. The former's son,
Aethwulf, is installed as King of Kent. The
sub-Kingdoms of Essex, Sussex and Surrey submit
to Egbert. The Mercians are allowed to retain
Berkshire and its boundaries are formally set.
Athelstan of East Anglia begins to re-assert East
Anglian independence. King Beornwulf of Mercia
invades East Anglia, but is killed in battle. He
is succeeded by one Ludecan. The men of Cornish
Dumnonia clash with the Saxons of Devon at the
Battle of Galford. First written record of the
county of Devon in the Saxon form of the name.
827 - Athelstan of East Anglia establishes
himself as King of that country after killing
King Ludecan of Mercia in battle. Ludecan is
succeeded in Mercia by Wiglaf, father-in-law (and
probably distant cousin) of the late King
Ceolwulf I's daughter.
828 - King Egbert of Wessex is recognized as
overlord of other English Kings. He overruns
Mercia, ousts King Wiglaf and attempts to rule
directly from Wessex.
829 - King Eanred of Northumbria and King
Ecgbert of Wessex clash at the Battle of the
River Dore. Supposed submission of Northumbria to
830 - King Wiglaf regains control of Mercia
c.833 - Rise of a Dux Sigeric II of Essex
under Mercian patronage.
835 - The Isle of Sheppey comes under Viking
836 - The army of King Egbert of Wessex is
defeated by invading Vikings at the Battle of
838 - The British of Dumnonia join forces with
the Vikings and attack Wessex. King Egbert
defeats them at the Battle of Hingston Down.
839 - Death of King Egbert of Wessex & All
England. His son, King Aethelwulf of Kent
succeeds as King of Wessex. Aethelwulf's brother,
Aethelstan, is made sub-King of Kent, Essex,
Surrey and Sussex. Death of King Athelstan of
East Anglia. He is succeeded by one Aethelweard.
840 - Viking raids turn away from Britain as
the Frankish Empire is weakened by the Death of
Emperor Louis the Pious. Death of King Wiglaf of
Mercia. He is buried at Repton and briefly
succeeded by his grandson, Wigstan. King Wigstan
prefers the religious life and asks his widowed
mother, Princess Elfleda to act as regent. A
noble of the line of the late King Beornred,
named Berhtric, wishes to marry this lady, but as
he is a relative, Wigstan refuses the match.
Berhtric murders Wigstan at Wistow. He is buried
at Repton and later revered as a saint. The
Mercian throne is seized by Berhtric's father,
Beorhtwulf. First written record of the county of
841 - Death of King Eanred of Northumbria. He
is succeeded by his son as King Aethelred II.
844 - King Aethelred II of Northumbria is
expelled from the kingdom by one Raedwulf, who
takes the throne. King Raedwulf is later killed
in battle against the Vikings, along with many of
his noblemen, during a major raid. King Aethelred
845 - The ship of King Ragnar Lothbrok of
Sjaelland & Uppsala (Scandinavia) is
supposedly blown off course and he lands in East
Anglia. He is entertained at the Royal Court but
internal politics leads to him being kidnapped
and smuggled into Northumbria where he is
executed in a pit of vipers. Glastonbury Abbey is
probably damaged by Viking raiders. Ealdorman
Eanwulf of Somerset defeats them at the Battle of
the River Parrett. First written record of the
county of Somerset.
c.846 - King Aethelred II of Northumbria sends
military assistance to the Picts in their fight
against invading Scots.
848 - Assassination of King Aethelred II of
Northumbria. He is succeeded by Osbeorht, of
849 - Birth of Prince (later King) Alfred of
Wessex at Wantage.
850 - The Saxons inflict a major naval defeat
on Viking raiders off the Sandwich Coast.
850-858 - King Kenneth mac Alpin of Alba
(Scotland) invades Northern Northumbria six
times, burning Dunbar and Melrose.
851 - Death of sub-King Athelstan of Kent,
Essex, Surrey and Sussex. He is succeeded by his
852 - Death of King Beorhtwulf of Mercia. He
is succeeded by his kinsman, Burghred.
853 - Mercia and Wessex attack Powys.
855 - Death of King Aethelweard of East
Anglia. He is the last of the Royal House of East
Anglia and a successor from their homeland in
Angeln is sent for. A distant cousin, Edmund,
arrives and takes the throne.
858 - Death of King Aethelwulf of Wessex. He
is succeeded by his son, Aethelbald.
860 - Death of King Aethelbald of Wessex. He
is succeeded by his brother, sub-King Aethelbert
of Kent, Essex, Surrey and Sussex. These latter
kingdoms are formally merged with Wessex. The
Viking Chief Weland, based in the Somme, sails to
England and attacks Winchester. He is defeated
and returns home. First written record of the
county of Berkshire.
863 - King Osbeorht of Northumbria engages in
a major dispute for Royal Power with a rival
claimant named Aelle. He is variously described
as Osbeorht's brother or specifically not of
Royal descent. Osbeorht is badly defeated, though
not expelled from his kingdom. King Aelle II
wields power in Northumbria, but the Civil War
865 - Death of King Aethelbert of Wessex. He
is succeeded by his third son, Aethelred I. The
'Great Heathen Army' of Vikings, led by Princes
Ivarr the Boneless and Halfdan Wide-Embrace of
Sjaelland & Uppsala (Scandinavia), invades
East Anglia (supposedly in revenge for the
execution of their father, King Ragnar Lothbrok).
King Edmund of East Anglia buys peace with a
supply of horses.
866 - 'The Great Heathen Army' of the Vikings
ride north to Northumbria and mount a surprise
attack on the City of York which they quickly
867 - The rival monarchs of Northumbria, Aelle
II and Osbeorht, join forces to expel the
Vikings, but are thoroughly defeated at the
Battle of York by Princes Ivarr the Boneless and
Halfdan Wide-Embrace of Sjaelland & Uppsala
(Scandinavia). Osbeorht is killed, while Aelle II
is supposedly captured and 'Spread-Eagled',
for complicity in the murder of the invaders'
father, King Ragnarr Lothbrok. Deira passes into
Viking hands and what is left of the Northumbrian
Royal Court flees north into Bernicia. Ecgberht I
is established as a puppet King of Northumbria.
The Viking armies make forays into Mercia. They
are besieged at Nottingham by a joint Saxon force
under Kings Aethelred I of Wessex and Burghred of
Mercia. The Vikings withdraw to York.
869 - While Prince Halfdan Wide-Embrace of
Sjaelland & Uppsala (Scandinavia) remains in
York, his brothers, Ivarr the Boneless and Ubbe
Ragnarrson, turn their 'The Great Heathen Army'
on East Anglia once more. They are resisted by
870 - King Edmund of East Anglia is captured
by Princes Ivarr the Boneless and Ubbe Ragnarson
of Sjaelland & Uppsala (Scandinavia) who give
him to their archers for use as target practice
at Hellesdon. His head is then chopped off. He is
buried in a small chapel near the place of his
death and later revered as a saint. His brother,
St. Edwold, flees to Cerne Abbas and becomes a
hermit. The Vikings allow native sub-kings to
rule in East Anglia for a while, starting with
King Oswald. The Fens are ravaged by the
invaders. The local people take refuge in
Peterborough (Medshamstead) Abbey (Cathedral),
but they are all slaughtered and the Abbey
destroyed. Prince Ivarr the Boneless leaves for
Northumbria and then Dublin where he becomes
King. Coldingham Priory is destroyed by his
Viking raiders. Ivarr's brother, Halfdan
Wide-Embrace moves the Viking army to Wessex via
the Thames and takes Reading which he makes his
headquarters. The Vikings clash with Ealdorman
Aethlewulf of Berkshire at the Battle of
Englefield. The invaders are driven back to
Reading and besieged by King Aethelred I and his
brother, Alfred. Ealdorman Aethelwulf is killed
in the fighting. The Danes are victorious and
drive the English into the marshes.
871 - The English retreat onto the Berkshire
Downs. Prince Halfdan Wide-Embrace of Sjaelland
& Uppsala (Scandinavia) is joined by a 'Great
Summer Army' under Prince Bagsecg and together
they march out after the Saxons. Prince Alfred of
Wessex leads the English against them in the
Battle of Ashdown. His brother, King Aethelred I
of Wessex, joins in after having been delayed at
his prayers. The English are victorious and many
Vikings, including Prince Bagsecg, are killed.
Further, less fortunate, clashes, however, occur
at the Battle of Basing and the Battle of Martin.
King Aethelred I is mortally wounded at the
latter and dies soon afterward. He is buried at
nearby Wimborne Minster. He is succeeded by his
brother, Alfred. King Alfred fights the Danes at
the Battle of Wilton and his severely defeated.
872 - King Alfred the Great of Wessex buys a
peace with the Vikings and they remove the 'Great
Heathen Army' from Reading to London. Death of
King Ecgberht I of Northumbria. The Vikings
install one Ricsige in his place.
873 - The 'Great Heathen Army' of Vikings
returns to York from where they attack Mercia.
They capture the Royal capital at Repton and
spend the winter there.
874 - From their base at Repton the Vikings
drive King Burgred of Mercia into exile, conquer
his kingdom and install his political opponent,
Ceolwulf, as sub-King there. He was probably a
member of the House of Ceolwulf I.
875 - 'The Great Heathen Army' of Vikings is
divided. Prince Halfdan Wide-Embrace Sjaelland
& Uppsala (Scandinavia) takes a contingent
back to York to consolidate his position there,
while the 'Great Summer Army' moves on Cambridge
under Guthrum, Oscetel and Anund. This latter
force then returns to Wessex. King Alfred the
Great fights them in a Naval engagement.
876 - The Vikings take Wareham under their
leader, Guthrum, and King Alfred the Great of
Wessex is forced to buy peace once more. The
invaders retreat to Exeter. Death of sub-King
Oswald of East Anglia. He is succeeded by one
Aethelred. With the removal of the puppet King
Ricsige of Northumbria, Prince Halfdan
Wide-Embrace of Sjaelland & Uppsala
(Scandinavia) formally establishes the Norse
Kingdom of York with himself as its first
monarch. The Viking settlement of the kingdom
877 - King Alfred the Great of Wessex raises a
large force of men and marches on the Viking Camp
at Exeter. Although his navy is almost destroyed
in a storm near Swanage, his army besieges
Guthrum and forces the Vikings to flee north to
Gloucester. The Northern Vikings take Eastern
Mercia under direct rule. King Halfdan I
Wide-Embrace of Norse York leaves for Ireland in
an attempt to recover his brother's Dublin
throne. He is killed and a probable interregnum
follows in York.
c.877 - Eadulf of Bamburgh establishes himself
as King of Bernicia. Cut-off from the rest of
Saxon England, he is only recognised outside his
kingdom as High-Reeve or Ealdorman of Bamburgh.
He may or may not have been related to previous
Kings of Northumbria. Eadulf allies himself with
King Alfred the Great of Wessex.
878 - While spending the winter at Chippenham,
King Alfred the Great of Wessex is surprised by
the a Viking attack and he and his men flee into
the Somerset Levels for safety. From his
headquarters at Athelney, Alfred wages a
guerrilla war against the Vikings. The supposed "Burning
of the Cakes" episode occurs. The
English gain a victory at Countisbury Hill and
then Alfred decisively defeats the Vikings at
Edington. Guthrum and his men are pushed back to
Chippenham and besieged for three weeks.
Eventually the Peace of Wedmore is agreed.
England is divided between Wessex in the south
and the Vikings in the Danelaw up north.
Guthrum embraces Christianity, is baptised as
Aethelstan and returns to East Anglia. The main
Viking force winters in Fulham. King Ceolwulf II
of Mercia clashes with the Welsh and kills King
Rhodri Mawr of Gwynedd, Powys and Seisyllwg in
879 - Death of sub-King Aethelred of East
Anglia. The Vikings impose their own monarch on
the kingdom. Guthrum takes the throne. King
Alfred the Great of Wessex begins to build a
large mobile army and naval fleet in order to
counter any future Viking invasions. He also
establishes defensive burghs around the
country. Death of King Ceolwulf II of Mercia. One
Aethelred takes the throne as King Aethelred II
of the Mercians.
880 - The Mercian armies are defeated on the
River Conwy by King Anarawd of Gwynedd in revenge
for the death of his father, King Rhodri Mawr.
883 - Abbot Eadred of Carlisle travels across
the Tyne (apparently at the request of the spirit
of St. Cuthbert) and persuades the Viking Army
there to elect a Christian slave named Guthfrith
Hardicnutson as King of Norse York. The new king
recognises the rights of the See of
884 - King Aethelred II of the Mercians
marries Princess Aethelflaed, daughter of King
Alfred the Great of Wessex, accepts Wessex
overlordship and apparently demotes himself to
become Lord of the Mercians.
885 - King Alfred the Great of Wessex summons
Asser, a relative of Bishop Nobis of St. Davids,
to the English Court. He agrees to spend six
months of the year in the King's service. Asser
helps to enhance the literary status of the
English Court and also to negotiate the
recognition of Alfred as overlord of the South
Welsh Kings. The Vikings attack Rochester but are
beaten back by King Alfred.
c.885 - Kings Hyfaidd of Dyfed, Elisedd of
Brycheiniog and Hywel of Glywysing, being
harassed by the armies of King Anarawd of
Gwynedd, seek the protection of King Alfred the
Great of Wessex and submit to his overlordship.
King Anarawd of Gwynedd seeks an alliance with
the Norse King Guthfrith I of York.
886 - King Alfred the Great of Wessex
recaptures London from the Vikings. He moves the
community from Aldwich to within the safety of
the city walls and hands the place over to his
son-in-law, Lord Aethelred II of the Mercians.
Alfred becomes the supreme monarch in the country
and "all the English submitted to him,
except those who were under the power of the
888 - Foundation of Shaftesbury Abbey. King
Alfred the Great of England founds Athelney Abey
in thanksgiving for his triumph over the Vikings.
c.888 - Lord Aethelred II of the Mercians is
struck down with a debilitating illness. His
wife, Princess Aethelflaed of Wessex joins him as
joint ruler of Mercia.
889 - Lord Aethelred II and Lady Aethelflaed
of the Mercians begin their policy of fortifying
Mercian cities as defensive burghs,
starting with Worcester.
c.890 - Lord Aethelred II and Lady Aethelflaed
of the Mercians found the Priory of St. Oswald in
Gloucester (probably originally dedicated to St.
c.893 - Asser, the Welshman, is made Bishop of
894 - King Anarawd of Gwynedd is forced to ask
for help from King Alfred the Great of England
when his kingdom is ravaged by the Norsemen. He
submits to Alfred's overlordship, but the latter
imposes oppressive terms and forces Anarawd to
confirmation in the Christian Church with Alfred
as godfather. Bishop Asser of Sherborne, writes
his "Life of King Alfred".
895 - King Alfred the Great of England
supplies King Anarawd of Gwynedd with English
troops to assist in his successful reconquest of
Seisyllwg on behalf of his brother, King Cadell.
Death of King Guthfrith I Hardicnutson as King of
Norse York. He is buried in York Minster.
EBK 599 AD-937 AD
Saxon 899 AD-977 AD
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