Born – not known
Died – not known
Father – not known
Mother – not known
Spouse – Aethelswith (m. 853)
Children – not known
King of Mercia – 852 – 874
Preceded by Beorhtwulf – 840 – 852
Succeeded by Ceolwulf – 874 – 883
852 (during)
Burgred succeeded Beorhtwulf as King of Mercia.
853 (during)
Burgred married Aethelswith, daughter of King Aethelwulf at Chippenham. The marriage sealed an alliance between Mercia and Wessex.
853 (Autumn)
Burgred and King Aethelwulf joined forces to defeat the Welsh led by Cyngen ap Cadell.
865 (during)
A huge Viking force known as The Great Heathen Army arrived in England. They were led by the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, Ivar the Boneless, Ubba, Halfdan and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye and had come to avenge the death of their father, Ragnar Lothbrok.
866 (during)
The Great Heathen army marched north and invaded Northumbria.
866 (1st November)
The Great Heathen Army took Jorvik (York) and used it as a base to make raids into Mercia.
867 (21st March)
Osberht and Aelle, rivals for the Northumbrian throne made an alliance and marched to expel the Vikings from York. They were badly defeated. Osberht was killed during the battle. Aelle was executed, allegedly by being subjected to the blood eagle as revenge for his killing Ragnar Lothbork.
867 (after 23rd March)
Ecgbert was installed as puppet king of Northumbria.
868 (during)
The Great Heathen Army invaded Mercia and captured Nottingham. Burgred appealed to King Aethelred for support. Aethelred and his brother Alfred marched north, but by the time they arrived Burgred had paid the Vikings off.
870 (during)
The Great Heathen Army attacked East Anglia. Legend states that the Vikings tied King Edmund to a tree and shot arrows into him until he died. Ubba may have remained in Northumbria during this attack.
871 (4th January)
Battle of Reading
The Vikings had fortified Reading with a dyke and palisade. The Saxons led by King Aethelred and his brother Alfred attempted to lay siege to Reading but were defeated.
The Vikings had fortified Reading with a dyke and palisade. The Saxons led by King Aethelred and his brother Alfred attempted to lay siege to Reading but were defeated.
871 (8th January)
Battle of Ashdown
This was another battle between the Vikings led by Halfdan and the forces of King Aethelred and his brother, Alfred. The Saxons won the battle and Bagsecg, leader of the Great Summer Army, was killed.
This was another battle between the Vikings led by Halfdan and the forces of King Aethelred and his brother, Alfred. The Saxons won the battle and Bagsecg, leader of the Great Summer Army, was killed.
871 (22nd January)
Battle of Basing
King Aethelred’s Saxon army was defeated by the Vikings.
King Aethelred’s Saxon army was defeated by the Vikings.
871 (22nd March)
Battle of Merton
This was another battle between the Vikings led by Ubba’s brother, Halfdan and King Aethelred, supported by his brother Alfred. The battle was inconclusive and both sides withdrew. Aethelred had been badly injured in the battle.
This was another battle between the Vikings led by Ubba’s brother, Halfdan and King Aethelred, supported by his brother Alfred. The battle was inconclusive and both sides withdrew. Aethelred had been badly injured in the battle.
871 (23rd April)
King Aethelred of Wessex died from injuries sustained in the Battle of Merton. His brother, Alfred became King.
871 (early Summer)
Battle of Wilton
The Vikings led by Halfdan, defeated the Saxons led by King Alfred.
The Vikings led by Halfdan, defeated the Saxons led by King Alfred.
874 (during)
Burgred was expelled from Mercia after the Vikings led by Halfdan conquered Mercia. A puppet King, Ceolwulf was installed.
874 (during)
Burgred and his wife left England and travelled to Rome where they remained for the rest of their lives. Burgred died before Aethelswith and was buried in Rome.
Published Jan 25, 2019 @ 1:46 pm – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2019 – 2020). King Burgred of Mercia. https://www.thetimelinegeek.com/king-burgred-of-mercia/