I am by no means a historian, but I have tried to adhere as much accuracy as possible to Danethrall. Through many hours of amateur study, I have sifted through different timelines of the Danish ‘Vikings’ and their attack on Britain. With so much varying data I cannot be positive that all the dates are correct. Below is the timeline I decided to follow:
865 CE
– Ragnar Loðbrók is killed at York, Britain.
– The Great Heathen Army attack East Anglia led by the sons of Ragnar.
866 CE
– The Danes establish a kingdom in York, Britain.
867 CE
– At the Battle of York, the Danes defeat and slay Northumbrian Kings Osbert and Ælla.
– Southern Northumbria is conquered.
868 CE
– The Great Heathen Army ravages northern Mercia from their base at Nottingham.
869 CE
– The Great Heathen Army overruns East Anglia.
870 CE
– Halfdan Ragnarsson and the Great Heathen Army seize Wallingford; the ravaging of Mercia and Wessex continues.
– The Great Army seizes and fortifies Reading.
– Settlement of Iceland begins.
871 CE
– Alfred the Great becomes king of Wessex; the Danish advance is halted in Britain.
– Battle of Ashdown: Halfdan defeats King Æthelred I.
– Accession of Alfred after the death of Æthelred I.
– The Danes defeat Alfred at the Great Battle of Wilton.
872 CE
– Rebellion in York, Halfdan and the Great Heathen Army move north to quell the revolt.
873 CE
– The Great Heathen Army seizes Repton; Burgred abdicates and flees to Rome.
– Halfdan proclaims Ceowulf II king of Mercia.
874 CE
– With reinforcement from Scandinavia, Guthrum pacifies East Anglia.
– Halfdan and the Great Heathen Army secure Yorkshire.
875 CE – 877 CE
– Guthrum and the Great Heathen Army invade and ravage Wessex.
877 CE – 879 CE
– Partition of lands in East Anglia to the Great Heathen Army.
– Second settlement of Danish Vikings in Britain begins.
878 CE
– Guthrum and the Great Army capture Chippenham.
– Alfred is driven into exile where he rallies his forces.
– The Danes attack Wessex but are defeated by Alfred at the battle of Edington.
– Guthrum is given East Anglia after converting to Christianity.