The Viking Great Army aka The Great Heathen Army

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: England
Surnames/tags: Early Scandinavia Pre-Norman Britain Vikings

The Great Heathen Army

Ninth century competition between small Saxon kingdoms in Britain combined with the constant threat of invading Danes and Norse, eventually resulted in the coalescence of all parties involved, to become a unified kingdom of England. Dates vary in the earliest histories of this period, however, the purpose of this page is to provide a way in which profiles scattered through various projects in Wikitree can be seen together in their historical context.

Raiding parties of Vikings had been a constant problem in the British Isles for some time, the Annals of St Bertin recorded a great Viking army sailing from the Somme to Britain, to be defeated by the Anglo-Saxons in 860, and returning to France the next year. ^[1]

The Viking Great Army, named in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle as the 'Great Heathen Army' was a coalition of Scandinavian war lords formed in the mid 9th century with the object of conquering and occupying the English kingdoms of Northumbria, East Anglia, Mercia, and Wessex. ^[2]

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle describes the arrival of a great naval force that attacked Winchester, and was defeated in that battle by Ealdorman Osric of Winchester and Ealdorman Æthelwulf of Berkshire.

Viking Ship - figure heads were removed when coming into land

In 864, Vikings in camp at Thanet made a deal with the people of Kent

In 865, The Anglo Saxon Chronicle records the arrival of a great raiding army arrived and took winter quarters in East Anglia, were provided with horses there and made peace with the people of East Anglia. The English Kingdoms - East Anglia was ruled by King Edmond; Mercia was ruled by King Burgred; Wessex was ruled by King Æthelberht; Northumbria was in the throes of a civil war.

The Anglo-Saxon King Æthelberht of Wessex died in 865; and was succeeded by his brother Æthelred. Wessex and Mercia formed an alliance in the years 865 - 875, with Æthelred as King of Wessex, and Burgred King of Mercia. Their alliance sealed with the marriage in 868 of Alfred of Wessex and Æthelswith of Mercia

In 865, a large Viking coalition arrived in Britain and camped for the winter in East Anglia; the people of East Anglia agreed to a peace with them. Among the leaders in this great Viking army were the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok; Ivar, Ubbe and Halvdan. ^[3]

866 - 867, civil strife weakened the Kingdom of Northumbria; King Osberht had been deposed, and replaced by Ælle. Taking advantage of the situation, the Vikings, (the "Great Heathen Army" as described in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle) moved from East Anglia into Northumbria, and took the Northumbrian town of Eoforwic. They would later name this town Jorvik (York). The Northumbrians combined their forces to attack the Vikings holding York, both Northumbrian kings were killed, the Northumbrians made peace with the Vikings.

867 - 868, the 'Great Heathen Army' moved from Northumbria to Mercia and wintered at Nottingham. Burgred of Mercia, Æthelred and Alfred of Wessex besieged the Vikings in Nottingham without success, a peace was negotiated. The Viking army returned to York.

869 - 870, the 'Great Heathen Army' moved to Thetford in East Anglia, King Edmund of East Anglia is killed in battle by Hingwar (Ivar) and Hubba. ^[4] The Vikings winter in Thetford. ^[5]

871, the 'Great Heathen Army' led by Halfdan, Ivar the Boneless and Ubba invaded Wessex, resulting in battles at Reading (won by the Vikings), Ashdown won by the English), Basing (won by the Vikings) and Merton (won by the Vikings). Both sides experiences great losses; The Anglo Saxon Chronicle remarks 'the Danish-men were overcome; and they had two heathen kings, Bagsac (Bagsecg) and Halfdene, and many earls; and there was King Bagsac slain, and these earls; Sidrac the elder, and also Sidrac the younger, Osbern, Frene, and Harold; and the army was put to flight.'

Following these battles, the Vikings were reinforced by the arrival of a second army, known to history as the 'Great Summer Army.' Halfdan led a section of the Viking army back to Northumbria. Others of the Viking army winter in London.

872 - 873, Vikings winter at Torksey, Lincolnshire (kingdom of Northumbria)

873 - 874, Vikings winter at Repton, Derbyshire (kingdom of Mercia); Burgred is exiled, replaced by Ceolwulf.

876 - Guthrum led his Viking army from Cambridge to Wareham, Dorset; Alfred of Wessex made peace with the Vikings; Halfdan allocated land in Northumbria to leaders of the Viking army led by him.

877, the Kingdom of Mercia divided between the Vikings and Ceolwulf, Ceolwulf retains western Mercia; The Danelaw is established in East Anglia; comprised of the boroughs of Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Stamford and Lincoln. ^[6]

878, from their base at Chippenham, Wiltshire, the Vikings broke their truce agreement with Wessex, and led by combined forces of Guthrum and Ubbe (Ubba), defeated the Anglo-Saxons led by King Alfred in the Battle of Chippenham. Alfred was forced to flee to Athelney. Later, Ubbe Ragnarsson and his men were defeated by Odda, Ealdorman of Devon, in the Battle of Cynwit; Ubba was a brother of the Viking leaders, Ivar the Boneless and Halfdan Ragnarsson.

Following Ubba's defeat by the men of Devon, King Alfred of Wessex defeated Guthrum and his Vikings again in May 878, in the Battle of Edington (Ethandun). Defeated, Guthrum and Alfred of Wessex reached a treaty agreement at Wedmore, Somerset.

Guthrum and King Alfred made peace, Guthrum is baptised and given the Christian name, Æthelstan; Alfred reorganised the army of Wessex to ensure there was always a standing force ready to meet any threat to the peace.

1. ↑ Les annales de Saint-Bertin et de Saint-Vaast (Latin) 860; p: 102
2. ↑ Anglo Saxon Chronicle
3. ↑ "Ragnar Lodbroks söner Ivar, Ubbe och Halvdan erövrade i spetsen för en stor dansk vikingahär York år 866" Heimskringla - Anmärkningar: note: 9
4. ↑ Hingwar and Hubba (Ivar & Ubba) are named in the Saxon Chronicle : ASC, s.a. 870
5. ↑ Thetford Town Council : The Viking Age
6. ↑ Historic UK - The Five Boroughs Of Danelaw by Jessica Brain

Sources

• Anglo Saxon Chronicle in The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (English) trans: J. A. Giles & J. Ingram; Release: Sept.1, 1996 [eBook #657] updated: January 1, 2021
• Les annales de Saint-Bertin et de Saint-Vaast (Latin) Internet Archive : French ed:by Dehaisnes, Chrétien César Auguste, 1825-1897; Hincmar, Archbishop of Reims, ca. 806-882; Prudentius, Bishop of Troyes, d. 861 Pub: 1871 Paris, Mme Ve J. Renouard
• Heimskringla by Snorre Sturlasson: Norges konungasagor trans: C.W.K. Gleerups Förlag Lund ed: Emil Olson / (English) Heimskringla or the Chronicle of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturlason
• Wikipedia - Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
• Wikipedia - Annales Bertiniani (Annals of St. Bertin)
• Viking Archaeology Website
• Wikipedia - Great Heathen Army
• History Hit: Retracing The REAL Great Viking Army | With Dan Snow and Dr Cat Jarman