The Great Heathen Army and Alfred the Great

What happened

In 865 a 'Great Heathen Army' of Danes landed in England, bent not on raiding but on conquest, and overran three of its four kingdoms. Only Wessex held out, under King Alfred, who after years of struggle won a decisive victory at Edington in 878. A treaty then divided England, leaving the Danes to rule the north and east as the 'Danelaw.'

Why it matters

Alfred's survival preserved an English kingdom and began the long unification of England, while the Danelaw made much of the country Scandinavian in law and language for generations.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Alfred the Great · Reputable source