BattlefieldsTreaty of Alfred and Guthrum 886
Early Medieval

Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum 886

886
Essex, England
Also known as: Danelaw Treaty 886 · Alfred Guthrum Treaty
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Skirmish
Location
Essex, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
None
Forces
Guthrum East Anglian Danish kingdom
VS
Victor
None (diplomatic settlement)
Forces
Alfred West Saxon court
Outcome
Formal treaty fixes Danelaw boundary along Watling Street and the Ouse; legal framework established
The Battle

History & Significance

The Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum, preserved in Old English, formally divided England between English and Danish rule. The boundary ran up the Thames, then the Lea, to the source of the Lea, then straight to Bedford, then up the Ouse to Watling Street. The treaty also established legal arrangements for settling disputes between English and Danes, giving Danes equal wergild to English free men. It is one of the most important legal documents of the Anglo-Saxon period and the foundation of the concept of the Danelaw.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Essex

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near Essex