Guthrum

Guthrum

Guthrum (d. 890). Viking leader, king in East Anglia, and major opponent of King Alfred. Guthrum probably first appeared in England as the leader of the ‘great summer army’ which joined the forces commanded by Halfdan at Reading in 871. When the army split up in 875, Guthrum returned with his contingent to Wessex. In 878 he was nearly successful in capturing Alfred when the latter was taken by surprise at Chippenham and received the submission of many West Saxons, but was defeated by Alfred at the battle of Edington later the same year. Guthrum was subsequently baptized with Alfred as his godfather and took the new name of Athelstan. He retired with his forces to rule East Anglia and issued coins there in his baptismal name. The text of a treaty survives which Guthrum made with Alfred at some point between 878 and his death in 890.

Barbara Yorke

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JOHN CANNON. "Guthrum." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 12 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN CANNON. "Guthrum." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (February 12, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-Guthrum.html

JOHN CANNON. "Guthrum." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved February 12, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-Guthrum.html

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Guthrum

Guthrum (d. 890). Viking leader, king in East Anglia, and major opponent of King Alfred. Guthrum probably first appeared in England as leader of the ‘great summer army’ which joined the forces commanded by Halfdan at Reading in 871. When the army split up in 875, Guthrum returned with his contingent to Wessex. In 878 he was nearly successful in capturing Alfred at Chippenham, but was defeated by Alfred at the battle of Edington later the same year. Guthrum was subsequently baptized with Alfred as his godfather and took the new name of Athelstan. He retired with his forces to rule East Anglia and issued coins there in his baptismal name.

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Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

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JOHN CANNON. "Guthrum." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 12 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN CANNON. "Guthrum." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 12, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-Guthrum.html

JOHN CANNON. "Guthrum." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved February 12, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-Guthrum.html

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