Battle of Chippenham
The Battle of Chippenham was a January 878 battle between a Viking army led by Guthrum and an Anglo-Saxon army led by Alfred the Great. The Vikings forced Alfred to flee Chippenham and managed temporarily to gain control over most of Wessex.
| Battle of Chippenham | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Viking invasions of England | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Great Heathen Army | Wessex | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Guthrum | Alfred the Great | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 5,000 | Unknown. At least 300 of Alfred's Hearthweru guard deployed. | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Heavy | ||||||
Chippenham Modern day Chippenham shown within Wiltshire | |||||||
The battle was part of a coordinated strike on Wessex led by Guthrum and Ubba, breaking an earlier truce between the two sides. Alfred, spending the winter at Chippenham, was without his army and was forced to flee to Athelney.
Following Ubba's defeat to Odda, Ealdorman of Devon, Alfred managed to muster his forces and reclaim Wessex following the Battle of Edington in May 878. Guthrum would not attack Wessex again, agreeing to the Treaty of Wedmore. Alfred would then reorganise the army of Wessex to ensure there was always a standing force ready to meet a threat.