Aethelred, Alfred the Great and Wessex
I can describe how the kingdom of Wessex tried to resist the Viking invaders.
Aethelred, Alfred the Great and Wessex
I can describe how the kingdom of Wessex tried to resist the Viking invaders.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- In 870, Wessex was ruled by the young king Aethelred, aided by his younger brother Alfred.
- They managed to stall the Viking invasion of Wessex by defeating them at the Battle of Ashdown.
- In further battles the Vikings pushed the forces of Wessex back, killing Aethelred in 871.
- The new King Alfred fought against the Vikings, now reinforced by the Danish chief Guthrum who had arrived in 872.
- Alfred made peace with the Vikings, probably bribing them, they went on to conquer Mercia and then Northumbria.
Keywords
Wessex - Wessex was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the south of England
Defend - when you defend something, you resist an attack made against it
Stall - to stall means to stop something making progress
Bribe - a bribe means to give someone money or something else of value, often illegally, to persuade that person to do something you want
Common misconception
Pupils may not realise that the Viking army was so large it was able to split its forces which led to its success across Britain.
The Viking army was so large, it could split into different sections and fight in different parts of Britain at the same time. The army could also send reinforcements from one section to support another section in need.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
to resist an attack made against something
to stop something making progress
to give someone something to make them do what you want