Vikings – Lesson 3 Why did Alfred sign a treaty with Guthrum? Subject Knowledge Notes Guthram was one of the leaders, alongside Halfdan, of the Viking Great Army that invaded Britain in 871. The Viking army attacked the Anglo-Saxon states of Wessex, Northumbria and Mercia. In 875 the army split in two. Half, led by Halfdan, went north into Scotland and breifly into Ireland while the other half, led by Guthrum, went into East Anglia and set up base there. In the following year Guthrum moved his army into Wessex and advanced as far as Exeter. Possibly it is here that the Vikings were defeated by Alfred but defeated or not the Vikings did not stay long and they went to Mercia. In early 878 during the winter months Guthrum attacked Wessex and caught Alfred unprepared. Alfred was forced to flee and he took refuge at Athelney. Alfred rebuilt his army and defeated Guthrum at the Battle of Edington. Alfred converted Guthrum to Christianity and gave him land as part of Danelaw where he ruled until his death in 890. Taken from http://www.timeref.com/people/hpr1085.htm In around 880, King Alfred the Great agreed the following treaty with Guthrum (d. 890), one of the viking leaders. The text begins: ‘This is the peace which King Alfred and King Guthrum and the councillors of all the English people, and all the people who are in East Anglia, have all agreed and confirmed with oaths. First concerning our boundaries: up the Thames, and then up the Lea, and along the Lea to its source, then in a straight line to Bedford, then up the Ouse to Watling Street’. This treaty is important for revealing the extent of Alfred’s enlarged kingdom, comprising Wessex and parts of the former kingdom of the Mercians. London, in particular, remained on the ‘English’ side. The text also suggests that Scandinavian settlement was already taking place in East Anglia. Before the treaty was agreed, Guthrum had left his base at Cirencester and taken his army back to East Anglia, where they settled and ‘shared out the land’. Much may lie hidden beneath the bare record of these events. The treaty is preserved in a book compiled around 1100, which contains an important collection of legislation from the time of Alfred to that of Cnut. Taken from https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/treaty-between-alfred-and-guthrum Resources Further reading: http://www.earlyenglishlaws.ac.uk/laws/texts/agu/ ; https://www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk/oms/making-peace-scandinavian-migrants-in-the-reign-of-king-alfred Useful videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K6P3T0NIjo Lesson Three: Why did Alfred sign a treaty with Guthrum? • Display the question for today’s lesson (slide 2) • Ask pupils to complete the review from last lesson (slide 3) in silence. • Circulate to spot which misconceptions or difficulties are apparent 5 minutes • Display answers for the quiz (slide 4) and ask pupils to self- or peer-mark. • • Read Great Heathen Army (slide 5) – emphasise that the image is of a re-enactment. • Note that these weren’t the small raids and invading, the Vikings joined together to create a big army that could attack all of Britain. • Ask pupils to answer question 1, check answer (865) and then continue reading. 5 minutes • Ask pupils to discuss why the Vikings hadn’t attacked Wessex. • They should discuss how Alfred the Great had paid them not to attack. Remind them of the connection with last term’s unit and the way prior learning strengthens our understanding. 5 minutes • Display a map of Britain (slide 6) to show how the Viking armies split and attacked different places. • Continue reading Guthrum vs Alfred (slide 7) • Display the map again, to show the Viking forces taking all of the east of England. • Note how Alfred defeated Guthrum. 5 minutes • He is often referred to as Alfred the Great. • However, note that he then signed a treaty. Vikings – Lesson 3 Why did Alfred sign a treaty with Guthrum? • You could question the pupils about why he would do this? (Better to strike a deal when you are in a position of power, wanted to create a peace, etc. • Ask pupils to reorder the events of the battles between Guthrum and Alfred (slide 8). • Pupils should complete this in partners, referring back to the text. • This will give pupils a chance to use the language of battles, treaties (agreements/deals), Danegeld etc. 10 minutes • Display the answers for pupils to correct their work • Now all pupils have the correct order, they can tell the story of Alfred versus Guthrum throughout the 870s. • Circulate as pupils retell the story, and push for them to use specific language. 10 minutes • Read Aftermath and display the image of Guthrum being baptised (slide 9) • Ask pupils what the image shows. They might notice the text of Alfred and Guthrum • Ask pupils about the significance of this baptism (they now worshipped the same God, Alfred was Godfather to Guthrum). • Ask pupils about how this would be an advantage to both Alfred and Guthrum (Guthrum may inherit 5 minutes Wessex, Alfred would stop the attacks and could call himself King of all the English) • Ask pupils to complete the “but, because, so” exercise (slide 10). • Share different responses as a class. Praise pupils who use specific language/events/dates in their answers. • Ask pupils to then redraft their answers to improve them. 10 minutes • Ask pupils to complete their learning review (slide 11). • They should jot down the most important things they learnt today. • You could share some of these. 5 minutes .