Battle of Ashdown, 871 ⚔️ Alfred the Great takes on the Viking 'Great Heathen Army' ⚔️ Part 1/2
2023 ж. 30 Мау.
573 054 Рет қаралды
🚩 In January 871, Alfred the Great, then a prince of only 21, led an army in battle against the invading Vikings, commanded by Halfdan, one of Ragnar Lothbrok's sons. For his valiant defence of his kingdom against a stronger army and his reforms in the reconstruction of Wessex and beyond, he became known as 'the Great' - no other English king or queen earned that sobriquet.
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📢 Narrated by David McCallion
🎼 Music:
EpidemicSound.com
Filmstro
#vikings #history #ragnar
🚩 This video is made possible by the generous support of our Patrons. If you'd like to help us make more free content like this, consider supporting us on www.patreon.com/historymarche
You truly are great man! Thanks for all your amazing work!
Yes
Where is part 20 hannibal att
Can't wait for part 2, see you next week.
You can make series of videos in this story.
What's impressive about Alfred is that pretty much everything was going against him to become king. He was a surprise baby, the youngest of 4 sons, and his parents were elderly (for the time) when they had him. He was such a surprise to them that they didn't give him the Aethel part of the names of nearly all the Wessex Kings, instead giving him the name Alfred, Elf-counsel. He wasn't exactly weedy from what I understand but his brothers were much more the warrior type than he was. He was also scholarly minded and it's theorized he suffered from a chronic irritation of the bowels that could leave him on his back for days at a time. But somehow he managed to be astoundingly fearless in battle and always led from the front during every fight he led.
One may wonder if his fearlessness was partly due to the knowledge that if he died in battle, he would not have to suffer his bowels any more, along with knowing that he'd be fondly remembered.
Aelfred = Real man = English man
He probably had some seriously good Lieutenants to help him out.
@@galactica0433 English Man = 17th-20th Century = Land = Grabbing = Bastrads!!
Elderly for the time?
As an Alfred who is not nearly so great, I'm so glad you made this video.
You are great mate.
Alfred the less great
Alfred the Average
Alfred the dude...
Alfred the coomer
As a fan of The Saxon Tales, it's great to see the historical non fiction version of events as well!
"I am Uhtred, son of Uhtred..."
@@jonbaxter2254 Books are better than the show. Very fun reads. Told from Uhtred's perspective, and it's entertaining how he holds almost everyone else in complete contempt.
@@desmondd1984- the books are always better haha !! But the show was great. This is the battle from s1 that Uhtred was locked away for….
The books are great, though I can’t unsee Bernard Cornwalls writing style/tropes. Rough around the edges protagonists, asshole institutional Christians, the outsider sidekick, battles where the protagonists are rescued after forcing the hands of those in power, being rich then impoverished to rich again. He’s got a lot of recurring tropes, though to be fair, he does it so well!
You have excellent taste! Love that book series as well.
Alfred the Great. A man who was truly great. He may not have lived to see his dream of a united England, but without him it would not have existed.
So why is he called the "Great" if he never fully unified England?
@theawesomeman9821 the man saved Wessex from destruction at the hands of the Danes. Was largely responsible for helping stop the tide of Danish conquest and laid the foundation for a unified England.
@@SmilingGator96 word
@@theawesomeman9821 He also understood the massive importance of education, for both his nobility and local leadership. The man was not a conqueror, but a defender and a builder of what would become civilisation in England. It is simple to conquer and destroy, compared to healing and building a nation while also undersiege. He truly was a great King
@@theawesomeman9821 He set everything up that allowed his children to reconquer England.
It’s amazing how much history is packed into England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Every Cross Roads has a story going back to Stonehenge. Amazing.
Very much so all over Europe, although not as popularized as the English and the stories of what happened in early dark ages, quite possibly because the language was changing and the written word more often due to the accounts of Latin scholars like priests and monks wasn't as prevalent as in the Christian parts of Europe. Accounts of battles in Scandinavia pre-Christian period is much more vague and part of the folklore more than proper written account, but go to southern Europe and other places you'll find a rich history too.
Soo, if you want to be remembered/venerated throughout the ages you had better respect your bars, your historians. ie, be nice to nerds. @@N0rdman
If one ignore the rest of Europe sure one can belief that.
This dude has by far the best voice of the history channels
Yes! A video on the Savior of the Saxons and Vanquisher of the Great Heathen Army! He's one of my favorite Kings of all time! Thanks for this man! You're the best!
A brilliant man who believed in education and written accounts for provenance
@@gcanada3005 And accidentally burned cakes.
Hahahaha
The only english monarcj to ever be styled as "the great" and for good reason. He was simply a very strong king
@@jonathangodin4775King Canute was also called 'the great,' he wasn't english though. But he was king of england.
For those who want to experience this better, the Mount & Blade Warband: Viking Conquest DLC has this battle as it’s final story, with a few historical licenses. Edit: and you can choose your side a few missions earlier.
This part of European history deserved to be featured more in movies/shows. The Viking era was short, but brutal in every aspect. Great job as always.
I remember when I was 9 or 10 my father took me to see the movie Alfred the Great. Young Alfred studied ancient Greek or Roman texts and learned of the shield wall formation. The Danes were beating on their shields before battle shouting "Valhalla! Valhalla!". I soon wrote a novel inspired by the story.
Ashdown was a key victor for the west saxons as it not only broke the back of the myth of the invincibility of the great army, as well as giving them a belief that they could and would defeat the enemy. That would prove vital in the dark days ahead. Given that the history of the first part of Alfred's reign is that of a triumph against all the odds and overcoming adversity by never giving up the fight, even when it looked hopeless.
To me, Alfred the Great ranks high up there with Julius Caesar. He may not be a great conqueror like Caesar, but his defensive strategies are to be commended, not to mention, his civic duties as well.
I’m far more impressed with Ivar and Halfdan. A supposed cripple, Ivar, to have the will too keep the Scandinavians in line, and defeat a more advanced people on their land is incredible.
@@Vandelbergerjust fiction
Considering the education of Alfred and the still extant usage of Roman tactics and strategy which were taught when most adolescent elites learned Latin.
@@Vandelberger Ivar wasnt a cripple thats just fiction. No norse would viking with a cripple.
@@aurelian2668You know this because you were there , right?
Born and bred Wessex boy, grew up near King Alfred's Tower(one of the mustering points), dad was born in Athelney where King Alfred burnt the cakes so the videos about the great heathen army and the battles with the forces of Wessex are of special interest to me. Thank you for the excellent videos
Anyone else immediately think of Saxon Tales and Uhtred the Wicked when Lindisfarne was mentioned?
Great books!
@@NathanMulderhave you read all 13?
@@willgibbons1733 Yes! A few of them a couple times actually. I really like the humor and sarcasm in the books as well as the compelling story that keeps you on your toes with many of the twists. Although from like book 11/12 it did become predictable and kind of the same old.
The show
These are super great videos! It's history brought to life. Not made into boring date lists, not made grotesquely funny, not pushed into anything. We just look back in time to see who was doing what to who, how, and what they wanted. Amazing.
Thanks for uploading this. Great work, i hope a great overall documentary about Alfred's heroics and reformation of his kingdom comes next! I have studied the life and deeds of Alfred the Great and i have to say that he stands out as the greatest Anglo-Saxon king, a merciful and learned man who had a deep interest in learning and a talent for just administration. His military victories were just as important as his law-giving and revival of education in Wessex. His work set the basis for the formation of England by his successors (son and grandson). Keep up the good work, respect from Greece ;)
I appreciate the responsible assertions and supplementary detail boxes! This channel is standing out among others of its kind.
Another great video by HM. What I like about HM over some other historical channels is that they always consider the primary source material while trying to present an outside POV of other alternate sources & a common sense approach that continues to have people debate about a specific event's own narrative. For example, from 17:26 to 17:46, regarding the King's record during the battle
your simple and enjoyable version of history will interest many of the young. For that I am grateful
We should get more stories from the Viking Invasions! Not only in England, but also in Scotland, Ireland, Russia, France, Lithuania, and many more!
Do the other countries have anything like the Saxon Chronicle? Or contemporary accounts to draw on for those stories? I'm sure the Viking written material covers it but from what i understand due to the time it was written that also heavily focuses on England as well.
These clips are so well made and the narration is so damn good I feel myself on the battlefield watching these videos!
I love English history all the wars we've had over 2000 years has made us what we are ,the best 🏴
DESTINY IS ALL!
Incredible documentary as always, learned something new, thank you!
An admirer told Winston Churchill that he was the greatest ever Englishman. Churchill denied this. He replied that Alfred was the greatest ever Englishman. There were times in 1940 when he must have seen himself in the same position as Alfred.
The footnotes at the end as a sort of epilogue was a good touch. That pushed me over the edge to subscribe.
Great video - appreciate the details that you provide!
Netflix has the BEST TV series on this subject, it's called The Last Kingdom. The shows begins after the fall of Northumbria. The King was killed in battle and his son is taken captive.
Amazing. I love your videos of the most famous battles in history!!
Thanks for this- an excellent video and very well narrated
Thank you. Entertaining and informative.
great review of this important historical events.
Always a pleasure to watch your videos!
This just made my Saturday morning!
There's a lot about Alfred which wasn't said. He was never expected rule, as he was very far down the list of succession with many older brothers. Suffering from bouts of pain when stressed/exhausted, he spent his time with books instead of hunting and feasting like his family. This might explain his sweeping reforms later once he had finally dealt with the Viking conquorers.
Great history video love the Viking battles in England!
Your videos are great, and you have a nice voice. Also, when I can't sleep I play the Hannibal playlist. Thanks for all the effort and energy you put into these videos.
Thank you I love your videos!!! Keep up the good work!!!😊
It's rather amusing how many times I've heard, "If you've stayed around this far...". You make fantastic videos. It's a pleasure to stick around. Thank you.
There are so many historical events that are more epic than any novel or screenplay. The Great Heathen War is among them
So much great History! has been lost to those of us over here in "the Colonies"!
Happiness is seeing "Part 1" 🎉😁🙌
The trailer is impeccable as always man! And as a suggestion you need to tackle the battle of Edington at some point!
Envisioning characters from Vikings and The Last Kingdom as the video proceeds. Very interesting and clear to follow the historical events dramatized by the shows. Very interesting and well done.
If you want all the details and more read The Viking Wars: War and Peace in King Alfred's Britain: 789 - 955 by Max Adams It was a very complicated and interesting time
We meet again to see war in square form fight for hours...😊😊 Loving the series
Hey HistoryMarche, could you make a video on the battle of Brunanburh? Schwerpunkt already made an excellent tactical analysis of it, it comes out well schematically on the base of the accounts.
I cannot put to words how much I enjoy your content. Great history, very well portrayed! Keep'em coning!
What a great video! I hope to see more from "the anarchy" in this channel
Good video, please more of viking history
Excited for this series
Thanks for the video
Good video. Thanks
Fascinating video❤
Great video! as always HM!
What I find truly heartwarming is Alfred and Æthelred's relationship. They were just a year apart in age, and once Æthelred became king, Alfred rarely left his side (according to what we can glean from his biography). The two effectively ruled together, with Alfred serving as his brother's secundarius.
Always great videos!
Great video!
Just awesome in your voice Please make some on the life of Ragnar Lothbrok
Excellent animation, unbiased perspective, quality information and legendary narrative style, I would like to thank you for your efforts and I really congratulate you, I am a Turk and I am very happy to hear from you with these excellent perspectives. Can you make more video about Turkish history? Like the Battle of Manzikert or the Battle of Ankara. Thanks! I wish you continued success in this excellent success!..
It can be good!
Aren't you guys tired of gloating over Manzikert?
@@vyckturvon-ozeghe3157 Without Manzikert, the Turks would not have entered Anatolia. Besides, for this important reason, only 50,000 Turks fought with the Byzantine army of 200,000, and this is an important victory for us.
Wonderful video!⚔🔥🏹
Great video. One note is your segement on the East Anglian King, King Edmund. The exact circumstance of his death doesn't matter to his martydom, dead in battle or by torture and execution, it had no effect on the reason for his martyrdom.
Keep making great content 👍👍
Alfred the great is one of my favorite kings
who?
Battle of ashtown is such a cool name
Down
Wondering for next part!
Excellent video, thanks for chilling in the chat.
He’s literally a hero of mine ❤🙏
Great content part 2 now
History Marche is the best channel on KZhead
The narration is superb
It was a great historical episode shared by the (History Marche) channel ... through this informative background, introducing
We gather together once again to watch little rectangles beat each other up. Never gets old.
am really looking forward to the next instalment.
The History Channel “Vikings” was very good, I can follow this with ease because I watched a good series, lol
great narration.
Love this stuff.
I literally just downloaded and beat Thrones of Britannia 3 days ago and now I’ve just been seeing Alfred everywhere. Freaky
Love it you cover a lot of high medevial but not enough early thank you
Make more video about Vikings. I love it ❤️❤️.
Nicely done.
great video!
So amazing!
These are classics more of these videos
I have an Ashdown forest near me with a village called Dane Hill! I thought the battle may have located there but I'm in Sussex so sadly not but something must have gone down at Dane Hill to get the name. Anyway great video, really interesting.
Outstanding.
Thanks!!
Great job
Great video.
As the enemy was in a stronger position in a fortified camp, Alfred do what it was needed to convince them to follow him outside of their fortified battlefield. Intended or not he put a fake retreat. In t0 he was against a fortress without significant numbers advantage, in t1 it was in open field where he choose it. I can see the second part of the battle as having again a fake retreat until the other part of the army joint. Not a perfect executed strategy but still effective.
Very very interesting documentary
I loved Alfred character in the Last Kingdom
Well done !
Please do another on Alfred....this is epic!
It is part 1/2
My favourite battle of the Saxon-Viking conflict has to be Stamford Bridge 1066. We didn't hear much from the mighty Vikings after that one. Unfortunately Harold's army was knackered by the time he met the sneak William at Hastings a few days later, otherwise the history of England might have been quite different.
William invaded and held a small area at Pevensey Bay prior to marching north to meet Harold at Hastings. There's nothing sneaky about that. Harold made a tactical error by not waiting a few more days for the rest of the boroughs to assemble and meeting William with as much force as possible. If William had force marched straight at Londinium, or into Wessex, you'd have a point. He didnt, so your sneak insult is pretty petty and false
Was that the one where the unknown Viking berserker held the bridge by himself to give the rest of the Vikings a chance to retreat?
@@ianwilkinson5069 sure was. A lone Dane with a two handed Dane axe. Only stopped by getting a spear up through the bridge and into his groin. The old Stamford bridge was only possible to cross two at a time, so it was pretty easy for a well trained fighter to hold it
@@shrubby-ov4yw Funny to call it Londinium when it was called Lundenburh by the Anglo-Saxons at the time. Furthermore, William the Conqueror is not someone to defend. His claim to the throne was illegitimate, and if you want a more emotionally invested argument, he refused to give Harold's body to his mother, even when faced with a large sum of gold as compensation. And when it comes to the English army losing against the Normans in the battle of Hastings, it was more of a tactical error, rather than a strategic error that caused their defeat. Harold likely would've beaten the Normans if he has seen through William's ruse and ordered his men not to pursue the fleeing cavalry.
William the conqueror was a Viking descendant so in a way, they did win in the end
The very famous English patriotic song "Rule Britannia" - music by Thomas Arne is from a musical work about King Alfred and specifically when he decided to build a fleet to combat the Vikings.
Thanks for covering the northern frontiers
Great video
It is great to see the history behind the fiction!