Directory

871 CE

Battle of Reading: A West Saxon force, under the command of King Æthelred I and his brother Alfred, is defeated by the Danes at Reading. Among the many dead on both sides is Æthelwulf. The Saxon troops are forced to retreat, allowing the Vikings to continue their advance into Wessex. Franco-Lombard forces, aided by a Croatian fleet (of Sclaveni), led by Emperor Louis II, capture Bari, capital of the Emirate of Bari in Southern Italy. Battle of Basra: Zanj rebels in Mesopotamia sack and capture Basra (see Zanj Rebellion).

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • April 23 – Alfred succeeds as king of Wessex after Æthelred's death. He makes peace with the Danes, and pays them Danegeld, each ruling parts of England.source
  • King Rhodri Mawr ("the Great") of Gwynedd annexes Seisyllwg, uniting most of Wales under his rule (approximate date).source

Conflict & Security

  • January 4 – Battle of Reading: A West Saxon force, under the command of King Æthelred I and his brother Alfred, is defeated by the Danes at Reading. Among the many dead on both sides is Æthelwulf. The Saxon troops are forced to retreat, allowing the Vikings to continue their advance into Wessex.source
  • January 8 – Battle of Ashdown: The West Saxons, led by Æthelred I and Alfred, gather at the Berkshire Downs. The Danes under the command of Halfdan and Bagsecg occupy the high ground, but are successfully attacked by Alfred's men. During the battle Alfred breaches the shield wall formation.source
  • January 22 – Battle of Basing: The West Saxon army, under the command of Æthelred I, is defeated at Basing. The Danes, led by Halfdan, are victorious; Æthelred is forced to flee and regroup, leaving behind precious winter supplies.source
  • February 2 – Franco-Lombard forces, aided by a Croatian fleet (of Sclaveni), led by Emperor Louis II, capture Bari, capital of the Emirate of Bari in Southern Italy.source
  • March 22 – Battle of Meretum: The West Saxons, led by Æthelred I and Alfred, are defeated by the Danes. Among the many dead is Heahmund, bishop of Salisbury.source
  • May – Battle of Wilton: Alfred the Great is defeated by the Danes at Wilton (along the southern side of the River Wylye), leaving him in retreat for several years.source
  • September – Battle of Basra: Zanj rebels in Mesopotamia sack and capture Basra (see Zanj Rebellion).source
  • The English retreat onto the Berkshire Downs. The Great Heathen Army, led by the Danish Viking kings Halfdan and Bagsecg, march out after the Saxons. Six pitched battles are fought between the Danes and Wessex. Of two of them the place and date are not recorded, the others are:source

Exploration & Expansion

  • The Danes sail down the River Thames, to raid the Mercian port of Lundenwic (in the London area). Here, over the winter, they divide their spoils.source
  • Tønsberg, the oldest surviving town in the Nordic countries, is founded.source
  • Alfred makes Winchester his residence. The Danish armies colonize areas of north, central and eastern England, which become known as the Danelaw.source

Religion & Belief

  • The Cairo Genizah, a collection of Jewish manuscript fragments, is written (approximate date).source

Births

  • Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ali al-Madhara'i, Tulunid vizier (d. 957)source
  • Wang Jianli, Chinese general (d. 940)source
  • Li Qi, chancellor of Later Liang (d. 930)source
  • García I, king of León (approximate date)source
  • Fujiwara no Tokihira, Japanese statesman (d. 909)source

Deaths

  • January 4 – Æthelwulf, Saxon ealdormansource
  • January 8 – Bagsecg, Viking kingsource
  • April 23 – Æthelred I, king of Wessexsource
  • June 10 – Odo I, Frankish noblemansource
  • Engelschalk I, Frankish margravesource
  • Solomon I, bishop of Constancesource
  • Fadl Ashsha'ira, Abbasid female poetsource
  • Uathmharan mac Brocan, king of Aidhne (Ireland)source
  • Ailill mac Dúnlainge, king of Leinstersource
  • Yahya ibn Mu'adh al-Razi, Muslim Sufi (b. 830)source
  • Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam, Muslim historian (b. 803)source
  • Cathalán mac Indrechtaig, king of Ulaidsource