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Battle at Reading: Ethelred I of Wessex defeated by Danish invasion army

Æthelred I (alt. Aethelred, Ethelred; Old English: Æthel-ræd, lit. 'noble counsel'; 845/848 – 871) was King of Wessex from 865 until his death in 871.

Æthelred I (alt. Aethelred, Ethelred; Old English: Æthel-ræd, lit. 'noble counsel'; 845/848 – 871) was King of Wessex from 865 until his death in 871. He was the fourth of five sons of King Æthelwulf of Wessex, four of whom in turn became king. Æthelred succeeded his elder brother Æthelberht and was followed by his youngest brother, Alfred the Great. Æthelred had two sons, Æthelhelm and Æthelwold, who were passed over for the kingship on their father's death because they were still infants. Æthelwold later unsuccessfully disputed the throne with Alfred's son and successor, Edward the Elder.

Æthelred's accession coincided with the arrival of the Viking Great Heathen Army in England.

Events Before

  1. "The Diamond Sutra", the world's oldest surviving and dated printed book is printed in Chinese and made into a scroll

    "The Diamond Sutra", the world's oldest surviving and dated printed book is printed in Chinese and made into a scroll

  2. 4th Council of Constantinople (8th Ecumenical Council) opens

    An ecumenical council, also called general council, is a meeting of bishops and other church authorities to consider and rule on questions of Christian doctrine, administration, discipline, and other...

  3. Charles the Bald is crowned king of Lotharingia

    Lotharingia was a historical region and an early medieval polity that existed during the late Carolingian and early Ottonian, from the middle of the 9th to the middle of the 10th century.

  4. 8th Ecumenical council ends in Constantinople

    An ecumenical council, also called general council, is a meeting of bishops and other church authorities to consider and rule on questions of Christian doctrine, administration, discipline, and other...

  5. Skirmish at Englefield: Ethelred of Wessex beats a section of the Viking Great Heathen Army, camped at Reading

    Skirmish at Englefield: Ethelred of Wessex beats a section of the Viking Great Heathen Army, camped at Reading

Events After

  1. John VIII elected as Catholic Pope

    John VIII elected as Catholic Pope

  2. Charles the Bald crowned emperor of Rome

    Charles the Bald (French: Charles le Chauve; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877) was a king of West Francia (843–77), king of Italy (875–77) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–77).

  3. Battle at Andernach: East Frankish king Louis the Younger heavily defeats the West Frankish king Charles the Bald

    Louis the German (German: Ludwig der Deutsche; c. 806/810 – 28 August 876), also known as Louis II of Germany (German: Ludwig II.

  4. Alfred, King of Wessex, is surprised by a nighttime attack in Chippenham, by the Great Viking Army led by Guthrum the Da

    Alfred, King of Wessex, is surprised by a nighttime attack in Chippenham, by the Great Viking Army led by Guthrum the Dane. Alfred escapes into the Somerset marshes.

  5. Syracuse is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily

    Syracuse is a city and municipality, capital of the free municipal consortium of the same name, located in the autonomous region of Sicily in Southern Italy.

More from the 870s

Alfred, King of Wessex, is surprised by a nighttime attack in Chippenham, by the Great Viking Army led by Guthrum the Da

Alfred, King of Wessex, is surprised by a nighttime attack in Chippenham, by the Great Viking Army led by Guthrum the Dane. Alfred escapes into the Somerset marshes.

Battle of Basing: Danish invasion army beats Saxon Ethelred of Wessex

Battle of Basing: Danish invasion army beats Saxon Ethelred of Wessex

8th Ecumenical council ends in Constantinople

An ecumenical council, also called general council, is a meeting of bishops and other church authorities to consider and rule on questions of Christian doctrine, administration, discipline, and other...

Battle at Marton: Æthelred I of Wessex beats a Danish invasion army

Battle at Marton: Æthelred I of Wessex beats a Danish invasion army

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on January 4, 871?
Æthelred I (alt. Aethelred, Ethelred; Old English: Æthel-ræd, lit. 'noble counsel'; 845/848 – 871) was King of Wessex from 865 until his death in 871.
Why is Battle at Reading: Ethelred I of Wessex defeated by Danish invasion army historically important?
Æthelwold later unsuccessfully disputed the throne with Alfred's son and successor, Edward the Elder. Æthelred's accession coincided with the arrival of the Viking Great Heathen Army in England.

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January 4 in HistoryYear 871