Page 85 - All About History - Issue 27-15

Alfred vs the Vikings

Alfred was not actually
taught to read until he was
12 years old, or even later

Guthrum and Alfred’s territories
were outlined in the Treaty of
Alfred and Guthrum

band of warriors were the last Asthetwowallsdrewclose, the men with more resolve would emerge as the
stumbling block to full control of the sky blackened with spears. victors,andtheVikingswereflagging.Thefactwas
Wessex, and he wanted rid of the Menwerestruckandfell,but simple–the menofWessexcaredmorefortheir
persistent pest once and for all. both lines steadily advanced. home than the invaders ever could.
By the middle of April, Alfred As the Vikings mocked their Finally, the Viking shield-wall was broken. The
was ready for war; he sent out a opponents, Alfred made his cries Saxonsunleashedhellupontheirinvaders.Chaos
secret summons and assembled of encouragement heard over the reignedintheNorseranksandthedesperatemen
those faithful to him – an army taunts. By now the walls were turned and fled. Alfred was not going to make the
of several thousand men – and mere feet from each other, but the samemistakethathadcosthimsodearlyagain
headed for Guthrum’s stronghold The Legends Vikings had one last trick. They andheledthechargeaftertheretreatingmen,
in Chippenham. Guthrum of King Alfred unleashed their berserkers, staining the plains red with Viking blood. Guthrum
soon learned of this large savage warriors who used managed to make it to Chippenham and attempted
gathering, assembled his Burningofthecakes hallucinogens to drive tobeginasiege,butAlfred’sresolvecouldnotbe
This legend is one of the most well known.
own army, and headed to them into a bloodthirsty broken.Hesetuphisforcesoutside,waitingforthe
WhileAlfredwasontherunfromtheVikingsafter
intercept Alfred. The time the attack at Chippenham, he apparently sought rage. The naked men inevitable surrender.
for pay-offs and promises refugeinthehomeofanoldpeasantwoman.Seeing crashed into the Wessex After14days,Guthrum’swillwasspent.He
was over. Guthrum didn’t howrundown,tiredandhungryhewas,shetookpity shield-wall, but the effect beggedAlfredforachancetoescapewithhis
on Alfred, unaware he was the king, and promised him
care how many riches foodandshelterifhewatchedhercakes(smallloaves was not as Guthrum life, he would give the king anything – as many
Alfred could offer – he of bread) while she went out. The king, consumed hadhoped.TheAnglo- hostages as he wanted – he just wanted to leave.
wanted to rule unrivalled, by his own problems concerning how he was going Saxons stood strong and No Viking leader in history had offered such one-
to beat the invaders, was distracted and let
which is exactly what unfazed, slaughtering the sided terms to an Anglo-Saxon king. Some would
thecakesburn.Whenthewomanreturned,
Alfred wanted too. she scolded, and in some accounts berserkers within moments. have taken advantage of this sign of desperation,
Before he was able to reach evenstruckthekingforhis When the two shield-walls butAlfred,althoughawarrior,wasnotabrute.
absentmindedness.
Chippenham, Alfred caught sight crashedintoeachother,the He granted Guthrum mercy with one condition
of his enemy; a menacing shield-wall Saxons were stronger than ever. – Guthrum would be baptised a Christian, and
of towering Vikings jeered the exiled king. Spears jabbed, desperate to find a weak Alfred would serve as godfather. Guthrum agreed
Alfred hastily formed his own shield-wall, and pointtoexposeandforcetheshield-wallopen. – he would do anything to escape the kingdom of
fortified it not only with physical strength but with Thebattlewagedonintotheafternoon,the Wessex and its accursed king. The deed was done © Alamy, Corbis, Look & Learn, Ian Hinley, Mary Evans
a rousing speech. He implored his men to summon ground was littered with corpses and those andtheVikingking,foronce,helduphisside
their courage, damned those who would dare to that remained were crippled with exhaustion. ofthebargain.ThetwopartedwaysandAlfred
run, and promised glory to those who remained. It transformed from a battle of might to one of returned to his capital in Winchester, finally free to
Then he joined the wall and advanced. endurance. With their forces equally matched, only begin rebuilding his nation.
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