TimeRef - Medieval History Timelines

850 - 859 (10 Year Overview)

Main Key People Battles Construction

Ruler	Country	Start of Reign	Age at 850
Kenneth I	Scotland	843	?
Donald I	Scotland	858	?

Viking Invasions

851		Danish invasion defeated
		The Danes landed at Wembury near Plymouth and were defeated by forces from Devon. A sea battle off the coast of Kent led by Athelstan (eldest son of Ethelwulf) defeated a Danish fleet of vessels and Ethelwulf defeated an army of Danes at the battle of Ockley who had arrived in the Thames and were attacking the south of the country.
852	Winter	Vikings spend winter in England
		The first Viking raiding party to stay in England for a period of time landed at the Isle of Thanet in Kent. They spent the winter in England.
854		Danes attack Paris
		More information required.

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People who played important roles in this time period

Athelwulf (King of Wessex 839-858)
King of Wessex, son of Egbert and father of Alfred the Great. Athelwulf had the responsibility of protecting his kingdom from the invasion by the Danes. In 851 Athelwulf defeated a Danish army at the battle of Oakley (believed to be somewhere south of the Thames), while his eldest son Althelstan fou (more...)

ALFRED (The Great, King of Wessex 871-899)
The youngest son

Alfred the Great, King of Wessex from 871 to 899, is probably the most famous of the Saxon kings because a large amount of information was written about him. His life was documented by a Bishop called Asser, but this account may not be entirely true. Alfred was the sixth c (more...)

Athelbald (King of Wessex 858-860)
King of Wessex from 858 until he died in 860. First (or second if Athelstan was a son) of Athelwolf.

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Battles that took place in this time period

No battles found for this time period in the current database.

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Building work undertaken in this time period

No building work found for this time period in the current database.

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