Classic campaign:
The battle of Edington
A Saxon shield wall would have been witnessed at the battle of Edington in AD 878. At this time, England was divided into a number of kingdoms, some of which had their own native kings, while others were settled or held to ransom by the Vikings.
Æthelred and his brother Alfred ruled the kingdom of Wessex – the land of the West Saxons – which covered a large area of south-west Britain. In 871, after a number of clashes with the Vikings on the Berkshire Downs, Æthelred died and Alfred became sole ruler. After further skirmishing and several defeats, Alfred paid off the Danes, who then left Wessex alone for five years.
Shock attack
In 875/6, the Vikings under their leader Guthrum launched another attack. After limited success, they withdrew to widen their influence elsewhere, only to return a third time in 878 with the aim of finally conquering the West Saxons. A shock attack at Chippenham in Wiltshire caused great concern, and resulted in the shires of Hampshire and Wiltshire submitting to the Danes.
Alfred slipped back into the Somerset marshes and his base at Athelney from where he could launch harrying attacks and gather his forces. He now had a price on his head.
Limited options
The Danes moved south from Chippenham, deep into Alfred's territory, setting up their base on high ground of the Edington (Wiltshire) ridge and in the adjacent Iron Age hillfort at Bratton. Alfred mustered his forces and marched to meet them, approaching from the west under cover of the undulating landscape. On hearing Alfred's approach Guthrum ordered his men to form a shield wall.
Alfred now had limited options. If he had more troops, he could attack the wall from the flanks, but he only had about the same number of men as the Vikings. He probably decided on a frontal attack using his own moving shield wall. Small gaps would open in it to release groups of harrying attackers, only to receive them back once they were spent. When a sufficiently weak spot in the enemy's defences had been identified, Alfred could change formation into the 'boar's nose' or a 'V' and charge his wall into the opposition's like a ram.
Put to flight
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Alfred 'fought against the entire host and put it to flight'. Following this decisive battle, in the Peace of Wedmore, Guthrum accepted defeat and even consented to be baptised a Christian. Both sides settled in peace and agreed on their territories (Guthrum became a king of East Anglia).
Alfred proved to be a shrewd diplomat and competent king, who devoted the latter part of his reign to education and learning. Considered by many as the ideal king of the Middle Ages, he is still remembered today as Alfred the Great.
