Articles by Category
Category Archives: DAS Chronicle
Where’s my helmet? 879 (Butser Ancient Farm, 2019)
Peace spread across the Saxon lands in the year following the conversion of Athelstan. Saxons emboldened by good harvests met for a market and feast in the hills of Hampshire. Herewulf Thegn sent representatives of the Cilternsaete included a trusted young Saxon to whom he lent his fine helmet. The market attracted many Viking traders […]
Comments Off on Where’s my helmet? 879 (Butser Ancient Farm, 2019)
The year that knowledge of the Duck God came to them 879 A.D. (Earleywood, April 2019)
Stykar, wisest amongst the wise, brought to them on the first morning great revelations. Over a hearty breakfast much discussion was made. Those in the party, hearing his words and adding their own understanding, saw the majesty of the Duck God’s plan. All were amazed by the revelation that in each of their homes, near […]
Comments Off on The year that knowledge of the Duck God came to them 879 A.D. (Earleywood, April 2019)
Wessex Strikes Back! 878 A.D. (Flaunden, October 2018)
Following his escape from Chippenham when the Danes struck in midwinter, King Alfred and his most faithful followers fled to seek refuge in the Somerset fens on the isle of Athelney- an area well-known to Alfred as a hunting preserve. The Englisc folk fortified the isle at Easter, and ventured out at times to harry […]
Tagged 2018, 878, Ecbert, Ethandun, King Guthrum of East Anglia
Comments Off on Wessex Strikes Back! 878 A.D. (Flaunden, October 2018)
The Ravens Return 878 A.D. (Earleywood, March 2018)
In spring of 878, the Westmen returned from Ireland bearing the terrible news that Ubbe Ragnarsson fell in late 877 in the skirmish at Loch Cuan between the fair heathens and the dark heathens. Albann, king of the dark heathens fell there also. The Westmen now sought to meet with Ubbe’s forces (meant to be […]
Tagged 2018, 878, Athelney, King Alfred of Wessex, King Guthrum of East Anglia, Raven Banner, Ubbe Ragnarsson
Comments Off on The Ravens Return 878 A.D. (Earleywood, March 2018)
Smash and Grab, 877 A.D. (Cadbury, June 2017)
Earlier in the year the Vikings had fled from Wareham to Exeter. However morale was low amongst them, after having to exchange hostages and with Thorhelm and Fritha of the Oestvikingae away sworn to the service of the Cilternsaete. Tensions were running high inside the town, and the heathen hoard was fracturing… To alleviate some […]
Tagged 2017, 877, Alf Silversmith, Anir Thegn, Beorcsciringas, Cuthwin, Cynric, Elfgiva, Exeter, Grimkell, Hallgerd, Hauk Hersir, Holmbyggjar, hostages, Hrothgar, Ingibjorg, Oestvikingae, Stone of Noah, Sumorsaete, Visna, Wareham, Waro'ch, Westmen, Wulf
Comments Off on Smash and Grab, 877 A.D. (Cadbury, June 2017)
Captives and Feuds, 877 A.D. (Earleywood 2017)
An Englisc viewpoint At Wareham peace was sworn by solemn oaths from the Danes upon their holy ring, and hostages were given to Alfred the king: but the heathen proved forsworn, and fled towards Exeter. So Alfred sent for the hostages to be brought to him for hanging – for what other use is there […]
Tagged 2017, 877, Bosi Styrsman, Chalice of St. Botolph, Cilternsaete, Exeter, Fritha, Grimkell, Guthwald Thegn, Herjólf, Holmbyggjar, holy ring, hostages, Ingibjorg, King Alfred of Wessex, Oestvikingae, Styrkar, Swanwich, Thorhelm, Wareham, Wulfgar
Comments Off on Captives and Feuds, 877 A.D. (Earleywood 2017)
DAS in 2017 / Britain in 877
Over the past few years we’ve been following the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, seeing how our units would react to the events of the 870s. In 2014 we lived through King Burhred’s expulsion from Mercia in 874, as the Viking Great Army installed the puppet king Ceolwulf to rule Mercia but lost their unifying leader Ivar ‘The […]
Tagged 2017, 877, Exeter, hostages, Jarl Sigurd, King Aed of Alba, King Ceolwulf of Mercia, King Domnall of Alba, King Eochaid of Alba, King Giric the Pict, Mercia, Scotland, Swanwich, Wareham, Wessex
Comments Off on DAS in 2017 / Britain in 877
Oaths and Hostages, 876 A.D. (Flaunden, November 2016)
First, a quote from a surviving fragment of the Chronicle of St Albans (sadly lost at the dissolution of the monasteries…) “AD 874. Here the Great Army came into Mercia and took winter quarters at Repton. And King Burhred lead his fyrd against them, and men from the Abbey lands with them. But Burhred thought […]
Tagged 2016, 876, Abbot Wulfnoth, Cilternsaete, Flaunden, Fritha, Grimkell, Hallgerd, Herewulf Thegn, Holmbyggjar, hostages, King Alfred of Wessex, King Ceolwulf of Mercia, King Halfdan Ragnarsson of Jorvik, Oestvikingae, Sumorsaete, Thorhelm, Wareham, Westmen, Wulfgar, Wulfruna
Comments Off on Oaths and Hostages, 876 A.D. (Flaunden, November 2016)
Border Skirmishes, 876 A.D. (Cadbury, October 2016)
Lord Anir was away at the borders of his land putting down unrest leaving his hall lightly defended. Into the area comes a number of Viking and Saxon warbands each fighting each other and making occasional alliances along the lines of culture, Saxon or Viking. Purses of money were fought for. Groups included the Sumorsaete, […]
Tagged 2016, 876, Anir Thegn, Cilternsaete, Cynric, Finn, Grimkell, Herewulf Thegn, Holmbyggjar, Sumorsaete, Visna, war hound, Westmen, Wulfstan
Comments Off on Border Skirmishes, 876 A.D. (Cadbury, October 2016)
The Scot(ish) Day, 876 A.D. (Horley Scout Camp, June 2016)
Now proudly bearing the Raven Banner, the Westmen marched even futher north to continue to fight the Norwegian invaders, and to reclaim their homes on the isles off the coast of the lands of the Scots (especially Halgerd’s home on Canna). There they encountered local politics… King Causantin of Alba, ruler of the combined thrones […]
Tagged 2016, 876, Alba, Alt Clud, Beath map Beath of Alt Clud, Canna, Cynric, Dál Riata, Éremón of Dál Riata, Grimkell, Hallgerd, Jarl Sigurd, King Aed of Alba, King Alfred of Wessex, King Arthgal of Alt Clud, King Causantin of Alba, King Cináed mac Ailpín of Alba, King Domnall of Alba, King Eochaid of Alba, King Giric the Pict, King Halfdan Ragnarsson of Jorvik, King Harald Fairhair of Norway, King Ivar the Boneless, King Rhun of Alt Clud, Lathir the Pict, Oestvikingae, Picts, Scotland, The Kingdom of the Isles, Westmen
Comments Off on The Scot(ish) Day, 876 A.D. (Horley Scout Camp, June 2016)
The Raven Banner Falls, 876 A.D. (Earleywood, March 2016)
In 875 news arrived that King Harald Finehair of Norway’s fearsome warlord Jarl Rognvald had conquered the islands off the north coast of Britain, from the Orkneys to the Hebrides to Mann: the lands that many of the Westmen call home. His army had also landed in Northumbria, attempting to bring all the Vikings in […]
Also posted in Uncategorised
Tagged 2016, 876, Athelstan, Cilternsaete, Halla, Herewulf Thegn, Herjólf, Holmbyggjar, Jarl Rognvald, Jarl Sigurd, King Alfred of Wessex, King Guthrum of East Anglia, King Halfdan Ragnarsson of Jorvik, King Harald Fairhair of Norway, Northumbria, Oestvikingae, Raven Banner, Sumorsaete, Thorhelm, Westmen, Wulfgar
Comments Off on The Raven Banner Falls, 876 A.D. (Earleywood, March 2016)
DAS in 2016 / Britain in 876
In 2014 we followed the events of 874, building up to King Burhred being driven out of Mercia by a coalition of Viking leaders and Ceolwulf ascending to the throne of Mercia as a Viking puppet king. However, in exchange the Vikings lost their unifying leader, Ivar ‘the Boneless’ Ragnarsson. In 2015 we looked at […]
Also posted in 9th Century History
Tagged 2016, 876, King Alfred of Wessex, King Guthrum of East Anglia, King Halfdan Ragnarsson of Jorvik, King Harald Fairhair of Norway, King Rollo of Normandy, Ragnvald
Comments Off on DAS in 2016 / Britain in 876
Looting the Looters, 875 A.D. (Flaunden, November 2015)
The Vikings, laden down by loot from Medhamstead Abbey and fleeing the forces of Wessex, pushed into East Anglia to meet up with King Guthrum’s forces who were busy putting down the uprisings there. However, they found themselves slowed by their riches, harried by Englisc and also by those Vikings without treasure. In the ensuing […]
Tagged 2015, 875, Chalice of St. Botolph, Cynric, East Anglia, Flaunden, Guthwald Thegn, Hallgerd, Hauk Hersir, Holmbyggjar, Holy Sheep's Shoulder Blade, King Ceolwulf of Mercia, King Guthrum of East Anglia, King Harald Fairhair of Norway, Relics of Medhamstead Abbey, Thorhelm, Wessex, Westmen
1 Comment
Shipwrecked, 875 A.D. (Cadbury, October 2015)
This summer King Alfred went out to sea with an armed fleet, and fought with seven ship-rovers, one of whom he took, and dispersed the others. With the Vikings leaderless and facing rebellions in their holdings in Northumbria and East Anglia, King Alfred of Wessex spent 875 building up his forces. This included developing a […]
The Hunt for Ivar’s Treasure, early 875 A.D. (Earleywood, March 2015)
At the end of 874 King Burhred of Mercia was driven out of his kingdom, and the Viking king Ivar Ragnarsson died (see 2014’s Flaunden event). The Vikings crowned Ceolwulf as their puppet in Mercia, and he declared a peace. However, it was not universally respected, as some Mercians did not acknowledge Ceolwulf… Meanwhile the […]
Tagged 2015, 870, 875, 878, Bulverk, Ceolred Monger Thegn, Cilternsaete, Cuthwin, Earleywood, Earleywood Monastery, East Anglia, event, Glora, Guðrún, Hauk Hersir, Herewulf Thegn, Ingibjorg, King Burhred of Mercia, King Ceolwulf of Mercia, King Guthrum of East Anglia, King Halfdan Ragnarsson of Jorvik, King Harald Fairhair of Norway, King Ivar the Boneless, Kingslayer, Medhamstead, Mercia, Relics of Medhamstead Abbey, Scrolls of St. Swithun, Styrkar, Thorhelm, Ubba, Wulf, Wulfgar
Leave a comment