Explore the White Tower
Explore all four floors of the White Tower at the Tower of London using the Unity 3d game engine.
A Medieval Mystery
There appear to be some strange connections between the fourteenth century Old Wardour Castle and ancient stone circle Stonehenge.
1: Location
Old Wardour Castle appears to be aligned to ancient sites in the Stonehenge landscape.
2: Alignment
Stonehenge is aligned to the Summer Solstice. Old Wardour has a very similar alignment.
3: Size
Could the builders of Old Wardour used mesaurements from Stonehenge to layout the geometrical keep?
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851 .. 875
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Historical events occurring between 851 and 875
3D Virtual Reconstructions
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851
Regnal years: -
...
Danish invasion defeated
The Danes landed at Wembury near Plymouth and were defeated by forces from Devon. A sea battle off the coast of Kent led by Athelstan (eldest son of Ethelwulf) defeated a Danish fleet of vessels and Ethelwulf defeated an army of Danes at the battle of Ockley who had arrived in the Thames and were attacking the south of the country. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
852
Regnal years: -
Winter
Vikings spend winter in England
Winter
The first Viking raiding party to stay in England for a period of time landed at the Isle of Thanet in Kent. They spent the winter in England.
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
See Also
853
Regnal years: -
...
Alfred goes to Rome
Alfred is sent to Rome by his father to see Pope Leo IV. ¹
855
Regnal years: -
Births
Aethelred (of Mercia) (b.855 - d.911)
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Ethelwulf and Alfred visit Rome
Ethelwulf and Alfred visit Rome to see Pope Leo IV. ¹
858
Regnal years: -
Deaths
Aethelwulf (King of Wessex 839-858) (b.795 - d.858)
MacAlpin, Kenneth (I, Ruler of the Scots 843 - 858) ( - d.858)
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Ethelbald becomes King of Wessex
Unhappy with his father's marriage to Judith and absence from the country, Ethelbald, Ethelwulf's second son claimed the kingdom of Wessex for himself. When Ethelwulf later died, Ethelbald married Judith, his stepmother. ¹
859
Regnal years: -
...
Vikings raid the Mediterranean
A Viking fleet spent several years raiding the cities around the Mediterranean, including Valence on the River Rhone and Pisa on the Italian coast. They sailed through the straits of Gibraltar from their base in Brittany.
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
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860
Regnal years: -
Deaths
Athelbald (King of Wessex 858-860) ( - d.860)
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Ethelbert becomes King of Wessex
Upon the death of his elder brother, Ethelbert became the King of Wessex. ¹
865
Regnal years: -
...
The 'Great Army' invade
A large army of Danes landed in East Anglia led by King Ivar the 'Boneless' and King Halfdan. No attempts were made to get rid of the invaders. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
...
Ethelred becomes King of Wessex
Following the death of his elder brother, Ethelred became the King of Wessex. Alfred (the Great) became his deputy. ¹
866
Regnal years: -
Deaths
Aethelbert (King of Wessex 860-866) (b.836 - d.866)
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The Danes invade Northumbria and York
The Danes led by the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok, Ivar the boneless and Halfdan, attacked Northumbria and York. They wanted revenge for the death of their father who had been killed by Aella, the King of Northumbria. (Aella could have been an Irish Prince.) The Danes destroyed many churches and monasteries including Whitby Abbey. The monasteries remained ruined for two hundred years. (This may be a legend as Aella was supposedly killed at York)
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
...
Witenagemot held at Woodstock
Ethelread held a Witenagemot (Witan) at the palace of Woodstock. ¹
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The 'Great Army' arrive in East Anglia
A large number of Vikings landed in East Anglia and gathered horses and supplies from the surrounding areas in preparation for their assault on Northumbria. Their leaders were Ivar the Boneless, son of Ragnar Lodbrok, and possibly Anlaf (Olaf) Cuaran, the King of Dublin. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
...
Vikings driven out of Ireland
Vikings raiders were driven from the northern coasts of Ireland by Aed Finliath. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
Nov
Northumbria is invaded by the Danes
Nov
The 'Great Army' moved north from their original landing site in East Anglia and into Northumbria where it split into two. One section took boats up the coast and sailed into the Humber while the other section went overland. York was captured and renamed Jorvik. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
867
Regnal years: -
Deaths
Aella, (King of Northumbria 866-7) ( - d.867)
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Danes impose a king on Northumbria
The Danes place a puppet King on the throne in Northumbria called Egbert. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
Mar 21
Battle of York
Mar 21
Armies from Northumbria led by the two kings Aella and Osberht attacked the Danes at York but were defeated. The two kings were killed after gaining access to the city. After the battle the Danes moved south attacking Nottingham and taking control of it. The king of Mercia asked Ethelred and Alfred for assistance and an army from Wessex was sent to help. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
868
Regnal years: -
Births
Aethelwold (b.868 - d.902)
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Alfred marries Ealhswith
Alfred marries the daughter of a Mercian nobleman.
Autumn
A peaceful settlement is reached
Autumn
Ethelred and Alfred married Mercian noble women whilst assisting the King of Mercia with the Danes on his land. A peaceful settlement was reached with the Danes and a Danegeld was paid for them to leave. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
869
Regnal years: -
Births
Aethelflaed (Lady of the Mercians) (b.869 - d.918)
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Danes attack East Anglia
Moving south again from York, The Danes entered East Anglia, attacking and destroying the many religious buildings in the area including the monastery at was what to become Peterborough. The King of East Anglia, Edmund raised an army to attack the Danes but was captured and killed. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
See Also
870
Regnal years: -
Births
Fulk (I, the Red, Count of Anjou) (b.870 - d.942)
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Crowland Abbey destroyed
The Danes attack Crowland Abbey and burn it down. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
...
Siege of Dumbarton Rock
The Vikings laid siege to Dumbarton Rock. The siege lasted for four months after which the defences fell and the Vikings took prisoners and treasures to Dublin.
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
Dec
The Danes attack Wessex
Dec
The Danes moved south into the Wessex area and captured Reading. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
See Also
3D Virtual Reconstructions
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871
Regnal years: -
Births
EDWARD (the Elder, King of West Saxons, 899-924) (b.871 - d.924)
Deaths
Aethelred (King of Wessex 866-871) (b.840 - d.871)
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Alfred rebuilds his defences
During the period between 871 and 875 while the Danes were occupied in the north, Alfred had time to rebuild his defences. ¹
...
Iceland settled by Norwegians
Around this time travellers from Norway were either being shipwrecked on or deliberately landing on Iceland. Possibly setting up a colony.
Qtr 1
Battle of Ashdown
Qtr 1
Aethelred and Alfred defeated the Danes at Ashdown.
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
Apr
Alfred 'The Great' becomes king of Wessex
Apr
After fighting the Danes all winter Aethelred died. He was only in his late twenties or early thirties. He was buried at Wimborne and was succeeded by his younger brother Alfred 'the Great'. Aethelred had two sons but they were too young to rule. The younger son Aethelwold would later rebel against Alfred's son Edward the Elder for the English throne. ¹
Qtr 2
More Danes arrive in Britain
Qtr 2
Another army of Danes landed in London and were joined by those at Reading. The army defeated Alfred at Wilton and so the king decided to pay the Danes some money to keep the peace. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
872
Regnal years: -
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Ivar the Boneless dies
Ivar 'the Boneless', the king of Dublin died. He was succeeded by his brother Halfdan.
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
...
Revolt in Northumbria
In 867 the Danes had installed a puppet ruler in Northumbria called Egbert. In 872 the Northumbrians rebelled and expelled Egbert. The Viking army moved north from Wessex and put down the revolt. They installed a new ruler called Ricsige.
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
873
Regnal years: -
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Forty Years Rest
In 873 the Vikings ceased their attacks on Ireland as they concentrated on England. The period of peace becoming known as the Forty Years Rest.
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
See Also
874
Regnal years: -
...
Vikings colonise Iceland
Vikings landed in Iceland with plans to create settlements and start farming the land.
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
See Also
875
Regnal years: -
...
Danes move against the north.
Led by Halfdan the Danes moved north to attack the Picts and the area of Strathclyde. The Danes divided Northumbria taking York for themselves and creating the area known as Danelaw. A second Danish King called Guthrum took his army back south to Cambridge where he prepared plans to attack Wessex. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
...
Alfred builds a small navy
Alfred the Great organised a small number of ships to attack invading Danes.
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