The Great Heathen Army, also known as the Viking Great Army, was a coalition of Scandinavian warriors who invaded England in 865 CE. Unlike earlier Viking raids targeting wealth centers like monasteries, this invasion aimed to conquer and occupy the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of East Anglia, Northumbria, Mercia, and Wessex. The invasion was led by three sons of the legendary Ragnar Lodbrok: Ivar the Boneless, Halfdan Ragnarsson, and Ubba, and lasted for 14 years.
Great Heathen Army map. © Hel-hama
The army landed in East Anglia, where they secured horses in exchange for peace, before capturing York in 866. By 867, they had established control in Northumbria and moved into Mercia, forcing local rulers to pay tribute. In 869, the Vikings conquered East Anglia and killed its king, Edmund, later venerated as a martyr. By 871, the Vikings turned their attention to Wessex, where Alfred the Great initially paid them to leave. They later defeated Mercia, exiling its king in 874 and dividing the army, with some settling in Northumbria and East Anglia, forming what would become the Danelaw.
Alfred decisively defeated the Vikings at the Battle of Edington in 878, leading to the Treaty of Wedmore. This agreement allowed the Vikings to retain control of northern and eastern England while Alfred fortified Wessex with a system of burhs and reorganized his military, ensuring the kingdom's defense against future attacks.
The Great Heathen Army's campaigns reshaped Anglo-Saxon England, establishing Viking-controlled regions and accelerating the political unification efforts that eventually led to the formation of England.
Anglo Saxons
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