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Wessex was one of the seven Anglo-Saxon areas that divided England. These seven areas, known as the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy, included Wessex, Sussex, Mercia, East Anglia, Northumbria, Kent and Essex. Wessex was the area running along the south and south-west coasts of England and was lived in by the West Saxons. Kings of Wessex include Alfred the Great (871 - 899) and Edward the Elder (899 - 924). The capital of Wessex was Winchester.

Mini Timeline

837		Battle of Hingston Down
		A Viking raiding party assisted by local Cornish men was defeated by Egbert of Wessex.
839		Ethulwulf becomes king of Wessex
		Egbert was followed by his son Ethulwulf as King of Wessex.
849		Alfred 'the Great' is born
		Alfred was the fifth son of Ethelwulf, King of Wessex. ¹
858		Ethelbald becomes King of Wessex
		Unhappy with his father's marriage to Judith and absence from the country, Ethelbald, Ethelwulf's second son claims the kingdom of Wessex for himself. When Ethelwulf later dies, Ethelbald marries Judith, his stepmother.¹
860		Ethelbert becomes King of Wessex
		Upon the death of his elder brother, Ethelbert became the King of Wessex.¹
865		Ethelred becomes King of Wessex
		Following the death of his elder brother, Ethelred became the King of Wessex. Alfred (the Great) became his deputy.¹
867		Danes are attacked and move south
		Armies from Northumbria attacked the Danes at York but were defeated. The Danes moved south attacking Nottingham and taking the city. The king of Mercia asked Ethelred and Alfred for assistance and an army from Wessex went to help.¹
870	Dec	The Danes attack Wessex
		The Danes moved south into the Wessex area and captured Reading.¹
871	Apr	Alfred 'The Great' becomes king of Wessex
		After fighting the Danes all winter Aethelred died. He was only in his twenties. He was buried at Wimborne and was succeeded by his younger brother Alfred 'the Great'.¹
875		Danes move against the north.
		Led by Halfdan the Danes moved north to attack the Picts and the area of Strathclyde. The Danes divided Northumbria taking York for themselves and creating the area known as Danelaw. A second Danish King called Guthrum took his army back south to Cambridge where he prepared plans to attack Wessex.¹
879		Start of reorganisation
		After the success at Edington Alfred decided to construct of a series of fortified villages or burhs to help protect Wessex. He set up a system that provided Wessex with both a standing army and defence at a local level.
899	Oct 26	Alfred dies, Edward 'The Elder' becomes King
		Alfred the Great died on October 26th and Edward, his son, became king of Wessex. Apart from the English people under Danish rule, Alfred had ruled over all the English in the country.¹
925	Sep	Athelstan becomes King of Wessex and Mercia
		At this point Aethelstan was not king of all England, and had to wait until 927 to become overlord of all other kings.
946	May	Eadred becomes King of Wessex
		Eadred became King of Wessex. He followed his brother Edmund who was murdered. Edmund left two sons, Eadwig and Edgar, who were both too young to rule.
955		Eadwig becomes King of Wessex
		Eadwig became the King of Wessex on the death of Eadred.
1013		Swein Fork-Beard and Canute attack England
		Swein Fork-Beard and his son Canute sailed from Denmark to attack England. Again London defended itself and the Vikings moved elsewhere, taking Wessex, Mercia and Northumbria.
1016	May	Canute attacks London
		Edmund had gone to Wessex to accept the support of the people there as the new king of England but Canute had reached London and was besieging its inhabitants. The Londoners held out against Canute's attempts to defeat them while Edmund travelled back to help. Edmund's army grew as he advanced towards Canute. The English won a couple of battles forcing the Danes to retreat and regroup but the Danes won the important battle at Ashingdon.²
	Oct 18	Treaty between Canute and Edmund
		Canute defeated Edmund Ironside at Ashingdon and a treaty was signed leaving Edmund with only the area of Wessex.
1052	May	Godwines invade England
		Godwine, Earl of Wessex, his son Harold and a large fleet sailed up the Thames to London forcing Edward to reinstate them into their previous positions of power.
1053	Apr	Harold becomes Earl of Wessex
		Godwine, Earl of Wessex, died and Harold inherited his title.