In 876 the Danish army under Guthrum captured the fortress of Wareham in Dorset, occupying it as part of a broader campaign of pressure against the Kingdom of Wessex. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, cited in the Danelaw article, it was at this point that the Danes proceeded to "plough and support themselves", indicating their intention to settle rather than merely raid. Guthrum and the Danes brokered a peace with Wessex following their occupation of Wareham, yet the Danes subsequently broke the terms of that agreement.
After Wareham, the Danes went on to capture Exeter, where Alfred laid siege to them. The Danish forces were compelled to surrender after reinforcements sent to relieve them were lost in a storm at sea. Despite this setback, Guthrum launched a further attack on Alfred two years later in 878, surprising the West Saxon forces wintering at Chippenham, demonstrating that the treaty made at Wareham had not brought lasting peace.
The occupation of Wareham in 876 marked a significant shift in Danish ambitions, with the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle recording that the Danes at this time proceeded to "plough and support themselves", signalling their intent to settle the land permanently rather than merely extract tribute and withdraw.
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