BattlefieldsAethelwold Revolt and Seizure of Wimborne 899
Early Medieval

Aethelwold Revolt and Seizure of Wimborne 899

899
Dorset, England
Also known as: Aethelwold at Wimborne 899 · Aethelwold Revolt 899
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Dorset, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Edward the Elder
Forces
Edward the Elder with West Saxon fyrd
VS
Victor
Aethelwold (initially)
Forces
Aethelwold and followers
Outcome
Aethelwold seizes Wimborne and Christchurch; defies Edward; escapes to Northumbrian Danes
The Battle

History & Significance

On Alfred death in October 899, his nephew Aethelwold immediately seized Wimborne (where his father Aethelred I was buried) and Christchurch, claiming the kingdom. Edward the Elder besieged Wimborne but Aethelwold slipped away by night and fled to Northumbria where the Danes accepted him as king. This challenge to Edward succession set up the crisis that culminated at the Battle of the Holme in 902.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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