Five Boroughs of the Danelaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 870s–918 |
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The Five Boroughs and the English Midlands in the early 10th century
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| Common languages | Old Norse Old English |
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| History | |||||||||
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• Viking conquest
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870s | ||||||||
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• Conquest by England
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918 | ||||||||
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The Five Boroughs were five important towns in Danish Mercia. This area is now known as the East Midlands in England. These towns were Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham, and Stamford. They were part of the Danelaw, which was the part of England ruled by Vikings (Danes).
The first four of these towns later became county towns, which are the main towns of a county.
Contents
Viking Rule and Fortified Towns
Viking raids on England started in the late 700s. At first, these were quick attacks to steal things. But in 865, many Viking armies joined together. They landed in East Anglia to conquer the four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England. This large group was called the "Great Heathen Army". More Vikings arrived in 871, making the army even stronger.
In 874, the Great Heathen Army took over Mercia. They forced King Burgred of Mercia to leave. The Vikings then put King Ceolwulf II of Mercia in charge. The Viking army later split into two groups. One group went north to Northumbria.
In 877, the Vikings divided Mercia. The western part went to King Ceolwulf II. In the east, the Five Boroughs were created. These were strong, fortified towns called burhs. Five Danish armies settled in this area. They set up the Danelaw, where their own laws and customs were followed.
Each of the Five Boroughs was ruled by a Danish leader called a jarl. A jarl was like a powerful chief or earl. Each jarl controlled the lands around their fortified town. These rulers were likely under the Viking King of Jorvik (or York). They sometimes fought on their own, but often joined forces with their neighbors. Other large Danish settlements, like Northampton and Bedford, also existed in a similar way to the south.
Derby
The Danes settled in Derby from 877. The English did not threaten it until 913. That year, Lady Aethelflaed of Mercia attacked deep into Danish land. She built a fort at nearby Tamworth. In 917, Aethelflaed attacked Derby. The local ruler had probably joined other armies to raid Mercia. Aethelflaed took advantage of the weakened fort. She successfully attacked the town in July 917. After this, the whole area became part of English Mercia.
The Danes might have used an old Roman fort for their military base. This fort was called Derventio. Vikings had camped nearby in Repton in 874. They left a year later because many got sick.
Leicester
Leicester was one of the strongest Danish burhs. In 913, its army joined with Northampton's. They raided English lands in Bedfordshire and Oxfordshire. They even attacked the English fort at Hertford. This made Aethelflaed build a fort at Warwick in 914.
In July 917, Leicester's forces attacked the Mercian fort at Towcester. Later that year, Derby and Northampton were lost. In early 918, the Mercian army attacked the countryside around Leicester. As a result, the fort peacefully gave up to Aethelflaed's troops.
In 941, King Olaf of York took Leicester from English rule. The English King, Edmund I, then attacked the Vikings at Leicester. Olaf and his advisor escaped. The siege ended after a peace deal. This deal gave the Five Boroughs to the Kingdom of York. Jarl Orm, the likely ruler of Leicester, married his daughter to King Olaf. This helped to strengthen their alliance. The burh might have used the walls of the old Roman town of Leicester.
Lincoln
The fort at Lincoln protected the route between Wessex and York. It was safe from much of the fighting because of its isolated location. The Danes in Lincoln settled in the area once known as the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Lindsey. Vikings had spent the winter there from 873 to 874. Lincoln probably surrendered in 918. This happened after all Danish lands near Mercia and Wessex gave up. Lincoln was a former Roman army town. Its walls were likely based on the old Roman fort.
Nottingham
The Viking army first took Nottingham in 868. They stayed there for the winter. King Burgred and his allies attacked it. But they made peace, and the Vikings left in 869. Danes settled in Nottingham again in 877. This lasted until King Edward of Wessex attacked in the summer of 918. Edward built a second fort in 920. This new fort was on the other side of the Trent. It helped protect the area from Danish attacks.
Stamford
An English leader attacked the area around Stamford in 894. But the town was not taken, and Danish rule continued. The end came when King Edward attacked Stamford in May 918. The fort quickly fell to the English army. Later that year, Edward built a second fort. This one was on the south side of the River Welland.
Other Danish Settlements
These towns were not part of the Five Boroughs. But they were Danish settlements with large armies. They were ruled in a similar way. These Danes often worked with the Five Boroughs and the Danish King of East Anglia.
Northampton
The Danes of Northampton first attacked English lands in 913. They were very successful at first. But on their way back, English forces defeated them. They lost many horses and weapons. In 914, some Northampton Danes gave up to King Edward. With the loss of other Danish areas, their ruler, Jarl Thurferth, and the men of Northampton gave up to the English in 917. Thurferth remained a ruler under the English king.
Northampton later became part of a larger English earldom. In 941, King Olaf of York unsuccessfully attacked Northampton. The 'army' of Northampton was still active in 984.
Bedford
The Danish fort at Bedford was first threatened in 914. King Edward surrounded Bedford. The ruling Jarl Thurketel and his followers gave up. Edward returned in 915. He took direct control of the fort. He also built a second fort on the south bank of the Ouse. Thurketel then worked for Edward. In 916, Edward allowed Thurketel and his followers to leave for France. In July 917, the Danish army attacked to get Bedford back. But the Danish army was defeated. Bedford later became part of a larger English earldom.
Huntingdon
The Danes of Huntingdon were allies with the East Anglian Danes. They built a new fort in July 917. From there, they tried to get Bedford back. But the English army strongly defeated them. King Edward's army took over the fort soon after.
Cambridge
Danes first took Cambridge in 875. Their armies stayed there for the winter. In 911, King Edward threatened Cambridge. He built a fort nearby at Hertford. After Huntingdon fell, Cambridge was the last strong Danish hold. But the English were winning. The Danes of Cambridge gave up to Edward in late 917.
English Reconquest
The English took back control of the Five Boroughs. This happened under Æthelflæd of Mercia and Edward the Elder of Wessex in 916 and 917. The area was then ruled by English earls. But King Olaf of York took back the five former Danish forts in 941. Local Danish leaders might have helped him.
Danish rule did not last long. King Edmund recovered the Five Boroughs in 942. Around this time, the Five Boroughs are first mentioned in an English poem. It is called the Capture of the Five Boroughs. For many years, the Five Boroughs remained a special area. Rulers sought support from its leaders. This included Swein Forkbeard, who gained their support in 1013. He then went on to attack London.
In 1015, there was a mention of the 'Seven Boroughs'. This might have included Torksey and York.
Earldom of the Five Boroughs
After the Danish conquest in 1016, Earl Sired became the Earl of the Five Boroughs. This was under King Canute in 1019. By 1035, this earldom had joined with the earldom of Leofric, Earl of Mercia. It continued to be an important administrative area for a long time.
