the defence of 335

Chapter Six

­The defence of Kent

Introduction

In 892 a great Viking army, which had previously been active on the Con- tinent, rowed some 250 ships up a river across as far as the , 6km from the mouth of the estuary, where they stormed a fortress (ASC 892 AEF, 893 BCDG; Æthelweard Chronicon § iv.3, 48–49; Fig. 64). The fortress offered little resistance; inside were a few peasants, and it was only partially built, and thereafter the army moved to Appledore on the edge of the Marsh where they made camp. Soon after, a second Viking force of 80 ships, led by the veteran chief Hæsten, journeyed to the Thames estuary, establishing a base at the royal vill of Milton Regis on . From these positions in north and south Kent, the Vikings saw out the winter, plotting their next move. Alfred’s response to this new threat was proactive. Diplomatic relations with the Scandinavian rulers of Northumbria and East Anglia were shored up to ensure the hostile forces did not receive support (ASC 893 AF, 894 BCDG; Æthelweard Chronicon § iv.3, 49). He then manoeuvred his army between the two Viking camps, from which position he, with help from the men of and Rochester,1 harried the invading forces thereby limiting their operations in the region. In the end the stalemate was re- solved through negotiation and military intervention. Peace was made between Alfred and Hæsten, who accepted baptism (and Danegeld) as a concession for withdrawing from Milton to Benfleet in Essex. By contrast, the Viking army at Appledore broke camp around Easter 893, with part of the force sailing to Mersea in Essex, and the other part moving overland to meet up with the fleet. Although they successfully avoided the West Saxon force in Kent, raiding west into Hampshire and Berkshire (included in Æthelweard Chronicon § iv.3, 49), these Vikings were eventually overtaken by Alfred’s son Edward at Farnham (Sr.) and routed.

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