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.