Battle of Reading (871)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

See also Battle of Reading (1688)

The first Battle of Reading was a battle in 871 near Reading in what is now the English county of Berkshire. The battle occurred on January 4 of that year, when Ethelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred 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 slaughter.

According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a West Saxon ealdorman named Aethelwulf was killed here. Aethelwulf was the victorious West Saxon leader four days earlier at the Battle of Englefield, where the Danish jarl Sidroc was killed.