BattlefieldsOlaf Guthfrithson Takes York 939
Early Medieval

Olaf Guthfrithson Takes York 939

939
North Yorkshire, England
Also known as: Norse Recapture of York 939 · Olaf York 939
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Siege
Location
North Yorkshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Edmund I
VS
Victor
Olaf Guthfrithson (Dublin Norse)
Outcome
Olaf seizes York within weeks of Athelstan death; Northumbria returns to Norse rule
The Battle

History & Significance

Within weeks of Athelstan death on 27 October 939, Olaf Guthfrithson of Dublin — who had fought at Brunanburh — sailed back to England and seized York. The young King Edmund I, Athelstan brother, could not prevent the recapture. This dramatic reversal illustrated how dependent English supremacy in the north had been on Athelstan personal authority. Northumbria would not be permanently English until 954.

Forces Involved

Dublin Norse fleet and army under Olaf Guthfrithson

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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