871 - Definition and Overview

Events

• Nine battles are fought between the Danes and Wessex. Of two of them the place and date are not recorded, the others were:
  • Englesfield (31 December 870)
  • Reading (4 January)
  • Ashdown (8 January)
  • Basing (22 January)
  • Merton (22 March)
  • Wilton (May)
• Alfred the Great succeeds as king of Wessex after Ethelred's death.
• Reading, England occupied by the Norse.
• After the battle at Wilton, peace is made, with the Danes and Alfred each governing part of England.
• Rhodri Mawr ('the Great') of Gwynedd inherits Seisyllwig, thus uniting most of Wales under his rule
• Louis II captures Ban, the headquarters of the Saracens.
• Alfred makes Winchester to his capital.
• An incomplete marriage contract, dated to October 6 of this year, is the earliest dated document in the Cairo Geniza.
• Foundation of Tønsberg, the oldest surviving town in Norway
• Svatopluk becomes prince of Great Moravia

Births

• Zwentibold, king of Lotharingia

Deaths

• Ethelred of Wessex (died in the battle of Merton)