787 The first Vikings land at Dorcester.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 802 Accession of Egbert. He learnt warfare at the court of Charlemagne. He
became King of Wessex in 827 and achieved submission of Mercia and other kingdoms 833-835 (East
Anglia and the north were still independent). There were some Danish ships in Charmouth, Dorset,
but the main Danish raids were in France as the pickings there were easier. Ruled with his son
Ethelwulf from 854 then resigned, amicably it appears.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 839 Resignation of Egbert. Accession of Ethelwulf. He had good advisers; Ealstan
(practical) and Swithin (spiritual). He kept the country united and the Danes at bay though
they overwintered in Thanet in 853.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) c850?
A translation of a paragraph about Kettle the Christian
from 'Historia Britonum' which was written by the Welsh historian Nennius c850AD 858 Death of Ethelwulf. Accession of Ethelbald. No Danish trouble. A hereditary
weakness probably appeared in this generation.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 860 Death of Ethelbald. Accession of Ethelbert. Danish attacks intensify - In
865 'ships without number' arrive in East Anglia. The Danes overwintered there and then
marched north to York.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 866 Ethelbert dies. Accession of Ethelred I. In 869 the Danes gut Bardney
monastery, battle at Kesteven, Croyland Abbey, Medhamstede (Peterborough), Huntingdon, Ely,
and Hoxne. A major battle is won by the English, led by Ethelred and Alfred in the Vale of
the White Horse. The king of East Anglia at this time is called Edmund.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 869 In the autumn part of the Danish army moved south from York, (which they
had already captured), mostly by road, crossed Mercia without hindrance and settled down to winter
quarters in Thetford. They were attacked by the local alderman Ulfketel, who was killed in the
battle; eventually the Danes won complete victory.
Source: The Warrior kings of Saxon England - Ralph Whitlock 871 Ethelred I dies, Accession of Alfred. In 871 the Danes win and Alfred buys
peace for five years. Literary and craft skills are encouraged. In 876 some Danes settle. In 885 East Anglian
Danes broke the treaty. Alfred has no claim to East Anglia, where ?Guthrum? is king.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 875 The Danish army split, part going north and the larger part to
Cambridge, where that camped for a year. The cambridge army was under the leadership of
Guthrum, Oscytel and Anund. By this time Vikings were starting to settle in East Anglia,
though the fighting and plunder with King Alfred in Mercia continued.
Source: The Warrior kings of Saxon England - Ralph Whitlock 896 Vikings had settled East Anglia and Northumbria and other areas had
repulsed them.
Source: The Warrior kings of Saxon England - Ralph Whitlock bef 901Alfred made a treaty with the Danes, allowing them to live peacefully in
England north of the Roman road called Watling Street which runs from London to Chester. Soon
the Danes broke the peace, raiding and burning farms on the border.
Source: Kings and Queens of England - L. Du Garde Peache - A Ladybird book 900 Alfred dies. Accession of Edward I (The Elder). His younger brother
stirred up rebellion in East Anglia - the book is not clear whether this is against Edward
or the Danes. Edward attacked East Anglia and the Danes submitted.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 902 Alfred's grandson 'enticed the army in East Anglia to rebellion' The Danes
won the battle and Ethelwald died. A peace treaty was signed.
Source: The Warrior kings of Saxon England - Ralph Whitlock 903 In this year the æthling Æthelwold induced the [Danish]
army in East Anglia to ... harried all over Mercia until they reached Cricklade ... across
the Thames ... Braydon. But King Edward ... harried all their land between the Dykes and the
Ouse [Devil's Dyke and Fleam Dyke] ... The Danish army overtook them there. King Edhric
[of East Anglia] was killed and ... Oscetel the hold [a Scandinavian title applied to a class
of nobleman with a wergild double that of a thegn.]
Source: Anglo Saxon Chronicle 912 Edward built two forts, one each side of the river Lea at Hertford.
Source: The Warrior kings of Saxon England - Ralph Whitlock c914 Edward advanced in Eastern England. Alarmed, the Danish earl of Bedford,
Thurketil, offered his submission to Edward. The Danes were now losing because of the
fortified burghs, they had no central leader and they preferred quick plunder over persistent
attack.
Source: The Warrior kings of Saxon England - Ralph Whitlock 914 King Edward went to Buckingham with his army ... and Earl Thurcetel came
and accepted him as his lord.
Source: Anglo Saxon Chronicle 916 Earl Thurcetel went across the sea to France, along with the men who were
willing to serve him, with King Edward's peace and support.
Source: Anglo Saxon Chronicle c917 The Danish army in East Anglia swore union with Edward.
Source: The Warrior kings of Saxon England - Ralph Whitlock 924 Edward I dies. Accession of Athelstan. England is prosperous; embassies
are sent to Harald Fairhair, the first king of a united Norway. Harald Fairhair's son is
brought up at the English court. Literacy is common.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 924-939Athelstan won a great victory over them (the Danes) at a place called
Brananburg.
Source: Kings and Queens of England - L. Du Garde Peache - A Ladybird book 934 King Athelstan summoned provincial commanders including Danes from East
Anglia.
Source: The Warrior kings of Saxon England - Ralph Whitlock 939 Athelstan dies. Accession of Edmund I. The Danes of East Anglia are attacked
by Norsemen.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 939-946 Edmund the Elder won from the Danes the Five Boroughs of Leicester, Lincoln,
Nottingham, Stamford and Derby.
Source: Kings and Queens of England - L. Du Garde Peache - A Ladybird book 940 Danes and Norwegians were bitter enemies. Norsemen controlled York and
Ireland, Danes controlled Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham, Stamford, Derby) The Danes
were on good terms with the tolerant English kings, frequented the court etc.
Source: The Warrior kings of Saxon England - Ralph Whitlock 946 Edmund I murdered. Accession of Edred. Fought and eventually defeated
Eric Bloodaxe, the Norse king of York. In Norway, the son of Harald Fairhair is deposed because
he is too bloodthirsty.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 946-955 He (King Edred) chose the cleverest man in England, the Abbot Dunstan
to be his adviser.
Source: Kings and Queens of England - L. Du Garde Peache - A Ladybird book 951-955 ... Bishop Oscetel is to receive 400 pounds and keep it at the see of
Dorcester ... 2000 mancuses of gold are to be taken and minted into mancuses [a ceremonial
gold coin] and the archbishop is to receive one part, the second Bishop Ælfsige, the third
Bishop Oscetel and they are to distribute them throughout the Bishoprics for the sake of God
and the redemption of my soul.
Source: Old English will of King Eadred 946-955 According to a tradition related to Orderic Vitalis at Crowland in the
early twelfth century, the abbey had been refounded by Thurketel already in Edred's reign.
Source: The Conversion of the English Danelaw by D Whitelock 955 Edred dies. Accession of Edwy. He antagonised the church in the person
of Dunstan, so got a bad press. He died young, but we don't know how.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 955-957? Edwy ... quarelled with Dunstan and banished him.
Source: Kings and Queens of England - L. Du Garde Peache - A Ladybird book 956 ... to my beloved bishop, Oscetel, in inheritance, part of my land at a
place called Southwell, 20 hides with pastures, meadows, woods and all things great or small
duly belonging to it. He is to possess it profitably for as long as he lives and after his death
to leave it to whomever he sees fit, whether to persons known or unknown. This aforesaid donation
of the king is to be [free] from every worldly hindrance apart from these three: preparing
of bridges, and the construction of fortresses and military service. [Here was founded Southwell
minster] These are the villages which belong to Southwell with sake and with soke [rights of
private jurisdiction] Farnsfield, Kirklington, Normanton, Upton, Morton, Fiskerton, Gibsmere,
Bleasby, Goverton, Halloughton, Halam ... I Oscetel have corroborated
Source: Grant by King Eadwig of Southwell to Oscetel Archbishop of York
'I Oscetel have corroborated' is inserted by a copyist after 958 957? Edwy dies. Accession of Edgar. Recalled Dunstan and restored
monasteries. He exacted fierce penalties for crimes so there was very little unrest. The
country was prosperous.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author) 958 ... I Oscetel, bishop [of Dorcester] have consented and subscribed.
Source: Grant by King Edgar to his thegn Ealhstan of land at Staunton, Herefordshire
and a house at Hereford. 969 ... I, Oscetel, have speedily consented ...
Source: Grant by King Edgar bef 971 Archbishop Oscytel owned land in Beeby, Lincs and his kinsman
Thurcytel, Abbot of Bedford possessed estates in Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.
The conversion of the English Danelaw by D Whitelock 971 In this year died Archbishop Oscetel who was first consecrated as a
diocesan bishop of Dorchester and afterwards consecrated archbishop of York by the consent
of King ædred and of all his councillors. And he was bishop for 22 years and he died on
All Saints eve, ten days before Martinmas, at Thame. And his kinsman, Abbot Thurcetel, took the
bishop's body to Bedford because he was abbot there at that time. [Thurcetel was afterwards
abbot of Crowland.]
Source: Anglo Saxon Chronicle aft 971 Sale by Abbot Thurkytel to Bishop Æthelwold of Doddington
and half Weremere in order to obtain the land at Bebui which Bishop Oscytel had left to
Æthelwold. Among the estates given by Thurketel to Crowland, according to Oderic, is
Beeby, Leics. [Hee also gave Wellingborough, Elmington, Wothorpe in Northants and Cottenham,
Oakington in Cambs.]
Source: Historia Eliensis (Book II Cap 22)
D Whitelock in the 'Conversion of the English Danelaw' says that Abbot Thurkytel is
mistakenly called the Abbot of Ramsey.
aft 971
Abbot Thurkytel after he was expelled from Bedford, asked Bishop Ælfstan of London
[961-995/6] and his clergy to admit him to their confraternity. Though this was at first
refused, they agreed when he gave them an estate at Milton which they afterwards exchanged
with Ely.
Source: Historia Eliensis (Book II Cap 31)
D Whitelock in the 'Conversion of the English Danelaw' gives this as evidence that
Abbot Thurkytel could not have refounded Crowland until after 971 (see the tradition of
946-955) 975 Edgar dies. Accession of Edward II (The Martyr). Dunstan was
powerful. Edward was given to violent outbursts of rage.
Source: The House of Wessex & Danish Kings (I didn't note the author)
Kettle in England before 978