Events By place Europe Nine battles are fought between the Danes and Wessex. Of two of them the place and date are not recorded, the others are: 31 December, 870 – Englefield 4 January – Reading 8 January – Ashdown 22 January – Battle of Basing 22 March – Merton May – Battle of Wilton Alfred the Great succeeds as king of Wessex after Ethelred's death. Reading, England is occupied by the Norse. After the battle at Wilton, peace is made, with the Danes and… (More on 871)