House Guthrum

Lore & Background

Guthrum arrived in Cambridge, East Anglia, after separating from Halfdan Ragnarsson's forces. By 875, his army eluded West Saxon levies and occupied Wareham, exchanging hostages and oaths for payment before slipping away to Exeter. In autumn 877, they concluded a 'firm peace' in Gloucester, promising to leave Alfred's kingdom. Instead, they attacked Chippenham in midwinter after Twelfth Night, likely on the night of 6/7 January 878. This forced Alfred to retreat with a small force into Athelney. The subsequent Battle of Edington, fought between 4–7 May 878, saw Guthrum's army routed and besieged for two weeks in their stronghold. Unlike previous treaties at Wareham and Exeter, this agreement was enforced by military defeat. Guthrum accepted baptism, promised to leave the kingdom, and established a lasting peace that preserved Wessex as an independent kingdom.

In Their Own Story

In the seventh week after Easter 878, Alfred called a levy at Ecgbryhtesstan, where men from Somerset, Wiltshire, and Hampshire rallied. The next day, they moved to Iley Oak, located about seven miles from Guthrum's camp. On the third day, the forces met at Eðandun, where Alfred secured a decisive victory. According to the Life of King Alfred, 'Alfred arrived with his army at Edington in Wiltshire, and there he fought against the Vikings and put them to flight.' The Danes retreated to their fortress, where they were besieged for two weeks until they sued for peace. They gave hostages and solemn oaths that they would leave the kingdom, promising Guthrum's baptism. This outcome marked a turning point in the Viking wars, laying foundations for the eventual unification of England by preserving Wessex.

Reader's Guide

Guthrum led a faction within the Great Heathen Army alongside other Danish lords, though he lost support from figures like Ivar the Boneless and Ubba before attacking Wessex. His forces suffered significant losses in a storm off Swanage during 876–877, with 120 ships wrecked. The leadership structure relied on Guthrum's ability to negotiate treaties while maintaining military pressure. After Edington, his strategy shifted from conquest to settlement, establishing control over East Anglia under Christian rule. The faction's cohesion was tested by internal divisions and the ideological shift caused by baptism. While modern estimates suggest the Great Heathen Army numbered between five hundred and a thousand men, Guthrum's specific warband size remains unrecorded. His legacy is defined by the Treaty of Wedmore, which ended immediate hostilities and allowed Danish settlement in East Anglia.

Did You Know?

• Guthrum attacked Chippenham in midwinter after Twelfth Night, likely during the night of 6/7 January 878.
• The Battle of Edington was fought between 4–7 May 878 at Eðandun near Edington, Wiltshire.
• After his defeat, Guthrum agreed to be baptized and swore oaths to leave Alfred's kingdom.
• The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that a storm wrecked 120 ships at Swanage in 877, after the army left Wareham and before they occupied Exeter.
• The Great Heathen Army's size is estimated between five hundred and a thousand men, though annals do not report exact numbers.