Battle of Ashdown facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Ashdown
Part of the Viking invasions of England
A nineteenth-century depiction of the Battle of Ashdown.
Date c. 8 January 871 Location Berkshire Result West Saxon Victory
Belligerents
West Saxons	Vikings
Commanders and leaders
Æthelred Alfred	Bagsecg  † Halfdan Sidroc the Old  † Sidroc the Younger  † Osbern  † Fræna  † Harold  †

The Battle of Ashdown was a big victory for the West Saxons against a Danish Viking army. It happened around January 8, 871. We don't know the exact spot of Ashdown. Some people think it was at Kingstanding Hill in Berkshire. Others believe it was near Starveall, close to Aldworth village.

The West Saxons were led by King Æthelred and his younger brother, Alfred the Great. The Viking leaders were Bagsecg and Halfdan. We know about this battle from old writings like the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Asser's Life of King Alfred.

Why the Battle Happened

By the year 870, the Vikings had already taken over two of the four main Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England: Northumbria and East Anglia. At the end of 870, they decided to try and conquer Wessex too.

They marched from East Anglia to Reading, arriving around December 28. A few days later, the Vikings sent out a group to find food. This group was defeated by a local army led by Æthelwulf. But just four days later, the main West Saxon army, led by King Æthelred and Alfred, lost a battle at Reading.

The Battle of Ashdown

Just four days after their loss at Reading, the armies met again at Ashdown. The Vikings got there first and set up their forces on top of a hill. This gave them a good advantage. They split their army into two groups. One group was led by their kings, Bagsecg and Halfdan. The other group was led by their earls (important Viking leaders).

When the West Saxons found this out, they decided to do the same. King Æthelred would face the Viking kings, and Alfred would face the Viking earls.

Alfred's Brave Charge

King Æthelred went to his tent to pray before the battle. Meanwhile, Alfred led his soldiers to the battlefield. Both sides formed strong shield walls. King Æthelred was still praying, and Alfred's group was in danger of being surrounded by the whole Viking army.

Alfred decided he couldn't wait. He bravely led his men in a charge up the hill. The battle was fierce, especially around a small thorn tree. Finally, the West Saxons won!

Viking Losses

The Vikings suffered heavy losses. Their King Bagsecg was killed. Five of their earls also died: Sidroc the Old, Sidroc the Younger, Osbern, Fræna, and Harold. The West Saxons chased the fleeing Vikings until nightfall, defeating many more.

Even though Alfred played a big part, some historians believe King Æthelred's attack when he joined the battle was key to the victory.

After Ashdown

Sadly, the victory at Ashdown didn't last long. The West Saxons soon lost two more battles, at Basing and Meretun. King Æthelred died shortly after Easter that year, around April 15. His younger brother, Alfred, then became king.

Historians can figure out the approximate date of the Battle of Ashdown. Bishop Heahmund of Sherborne died in the Battle of Meretun, and we know he died on March 22, 871. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle tells us that the Battle of Basing was two months before Meretun (around January 22). Ashdown was fourteen days before Basing (around January 8). Reading was four days before Ashdown (around January 4). And the Vikings arrived in Reading three days before that (around December 28, 870).

Ashdown in Stories

The Battle of Ashdown has appeared in several books.

• It's in The Namesake by C. Walter Hodges.
• Tom Brown's Schooldays mentions a visit to the battlefield.
• The battle is also part of the novel Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Geirmund's Saga by Matthew J. Kirby.
• It was later shown in the manhua Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Blood Brothers by Feng Zisu.