The Battle of Sceaftesburg occurred in Dorset, England in 878 AD when the rebel leader Aethelfrith of Shaftesbury was defeated and slain in battle by King Alfred the Great of Wessex.
Background[]
After decades of Viking raids, the Wessex succession passed from brother to brother down to Alfred the Great, whose temperament, some said, was best suited to a life of piety and learning. However, having defeated the Vikings in battle, he negotiated for a lasting peace in 878 AD. Unfortunately, the Vikings reneged, and their raids intensified, even driving Alfred from his capital for a while. Naturally, Alfred prepared to fight back.
Rumors abounded of new Viking incursions in the south. Alfred had to build up his defenses there to make sure that he was not caught off guard when they struck, but he also had to deal with the southern rebellion of Aethelfrith of Shaftesbury, as dealing with the threat promptly would bring much-needed stability to Alfred's lands.
Battle[]
Alfred the Great led his army south to fight the rebels in a pitched battle near Sceaftesburg (Shaftesbury). The rebels and the royal army met in some woods, and the royal forces charged into battle against the rebels. While the rebel cavalry was successful in repelling an attack by the West Saxon scout horsemen, the West Saxon infantry encircled and slew Aethelfrith and several of his foot soldiers before turning to attack the cavalry with their spears. The rebel army collapsed, and Alfred won a decisive victory. 201 of the rebels were killed, while 29 of them were captured and taken on as West Saxon soldiers. Shortly after, the last remnants of the rebels were finished off, pacifying the south.