- Battle of Reading (871)
Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Reading (871)
partof= Viking invasion
caption=
date=4 January 871
place=Reading, Berkshire
result=Saxon defeat with great losses
combatant1=Anglo-Saxons
combatant2=Danish Vikings
commander1=Ethelred of Wessex and Alfred
commander2=
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=
casualties2=:"See also
Siege of Reading (1642-1643),Battle of Reading (1688) "The first Battle of Reading was a
battle onJanuary 4 871 near Reading in what is now the English county ofBerkshire . The battle occurred whenEthelred of Wessex and his brotherAlfred the Great attacked a Danish army, which was invading Britain and was camped near Reading. Although many Danes were killed, the Saxons under Ethelred were defeated and driven from the field with great losses.According to the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , a West Saxonealdorman named Aethelwulf was killed here. Aethelwulf had been the victorious West Saxon leader four days earlier at theBattle of Englefield .The description of this battle in the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is the first mention of the town of Reading.External links
* [http://www.berkshirehistory.com/articles/reading_vikings.html Berkshire History article]
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