Viking invasion of Britain
The Vikings later withdrew to York. The next year, 871, the great Viking army grew much larger. After twelve months in York, the great army moved south again into East Anglia. Setting up winter quarters at Thetford they defeated King Edmund of East Anglia. Next, in the fall of 870 they moved to Reading. Athelred with his brother Alfred arrived with their army to meet the new threat. In the battle that followed, the Battle of Reading, both sides suffered many casualties. Athelred's army was defeated. Four days later the two armies met again at the Battle of Ashdown. This time the West Saxons won the victory and the Vikings retreated to Reading. Two weeks later Athelred and Alfred led the West Saxons against the Danes at Basing where the Danes won. Two months passed without any fighting between them. The next battle was at a place called Merantun. After a day long battle which the English were winning, the Danes were able to regain their lost ground. Just after mid-April in 871, Athelred died. At this point Wessex was the last remaining kingdom that hadn't been destroyed by the Vikings. Within a month, Alfred, who replaced his brother as king, was defeated at Wilton. There were nine more battles between the West Saxons and the Danes in the next year. Wessex finally paid the Vikings for peace which ended the fighting. Alfred remained on the throne. Of the two known leaders of the Danes, Ivar the Boneless disappeared from the records after 871. His brother Halfdan Ragnarsson was still the leader when the Danes withdrew from Wessex to winter in London the same year.