Reading, Berkshire from the "Readingas", an Anglo-Saxon tribe whose name means "Reada's People" in Old English, or less probably the Celtic "Rhydd-Inge", meaning "Ford over the River". In late 870, an army of Danes invaded the kingdom of Wessex and set up camp at Reading. On 4 January 871, in the first Battle of Reading, King Ethelred and his brother Alfred the Great attempted unsuccessfully to breach the Danes' defences. The battle is described in the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle", and that account provides the earliest known written record of the existence of Reading. The Danes remained in Reading until late in 871, when
Battle of Ashdown the 's expansion 'Viking Conquest'. The battle might take place before its historical date though, depending on player's choices. During the battle, the player character will clash against the Dane invaders aided by the West Seaxe army, and take revenge on Sven Bull Neck, a fictional Viking character and main antagonist. Apart from this, most of the battle is historically accurate, as it takes place in a similar location and involves some historical figures who took action during the battle. Battle of Ashdown The Battle of Ashdown, in Berkshire (possibly the part now in Oxfordshire), took place on 8 January