Battlefields›Tempsford 917 — Edward the Elder Destroys Danish Stronghold
Early Medieval

Tempsford 917 — Edward the Elder Destroys Danish Stronghold

917
Bedfordshire, England
Also known as: Battle of Tempsford · Destruction of Tempsford Fort 917
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Bedfordshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Danish East Anglians
VS
Victor
Edward the Elder (Wessex)
Outcome
Danish fort taken by storm; King Toglos and Jarl Mann killed; East Anglian Danish resistance broken
The Battle

History & Significance

Tempsford was the principal Danish fortress of East Anglia in 917, built as a base for raids into English territory. Edward the Elder besieged and stormed it, killing its Danish leaders including King Toglos. This victory was decisive in the East Anglian campaign: the fall of Tempsford effectively ended organised Danish resistance in the region and opened the way for the submission of the East Anglian Danes later that year. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the event in detail.

Forces Involved

Edward the Elder: West Saxon and Mercian forces. Danish garrison: East Anglian Danish army with their king and senior jarls

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Tempsford 917 — Edward the Elder Destroys Danish Stronghold

Moated enclosure and associated building platforms, The Lane, Wyboston.
Scheduled monument · ~0.4 miles
Chawston Manor moated site and associated fishpond
Scheduled monument · ~1.1 miles
The Hillings, Castle Hills: a ringwork castle associated with a Saxon vill, shifted medieval village and a windmill mound
Scheduled monument · ~1.3 miles
Tempsford Bridge
Scheduled monument · ~1.5 miles
Bowl barrow, known as the `Round Hill', 440m WNW of College Farm
Scheduled monument · ~1.6 miles
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