Battle of Basing The Saxon army, led by King Ethelred, was beaten by the Danes. But just like its predecessors, this battle was indecisive, and it was followed two months later by the Battle of Marton, where the Vikings again prevailed. In April Ethelred died, to be succeeded by Alfred the Great, and much of King Alfred's 28-year reign was taken up with the Danish conflict. Battle of Basing The Battle of Basing was a battle on 22 January 871 at Old Basing in what is now the English county of Hampshire. It was one of a series of battles that took place
Battle of Ashdown to charge. However, his brother Ethelred had decided that he must pray before the battle and refused to advance until his prayer service was complete. Seeing that the Danish movement would cost him the advantage of high ground, Alfred decided to attack without help from his brother. The Anglo-Saxons' charged on the Danes on their side of the ridgeway. Although nothing specific is known about the fighting, it is likely that both sides employed shieldwalls from which to push and batter against each other. Eventually the Danes broke and fled across the downs. Only later did Ethelred launch his own