 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - kupinda pachigaro kwaAethelred kwakabvumirana nokusvika kweViking Great Heathen Army muEngland. Mumakore mashanu akatevera vaViking vakakunda Northumbria neEast Anglia, uye pakupera kwa870 vakatanga kurwisa Wessex zvizere. Mukuvamba kwaJanuary 871, Æthelred akakundwa muHondo yeReading. Mazuva mana gare gare, akakunda muhondo yeAshdown, asi izvi zvakateverwa nekukundwa kaviri paBasing neMeretun. Akafa nokukurumidza pashure peIsita. Alfred akamanikidzwa kubhadhara maViking, asi akavakunda zvine mutsindo makore manomwe gare gare paHondo yeEdington. 