The Battle of Assandun 1016
The Battle of Assandun took place on the 18th October 1016 and was the decisive battle that led to the end of almost 600 years of Saxon rule in England which now passed to the Danish under Cnut (Canute).
This battle was documented in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Knytlinga Saga and the Encomium Emmae Reginae. These accounts are limited and because of this we cannot be sure of the precise location of the battle, although it is widely accepted that it took place at one of the two Essex villages, Ashdon or Ashingdon.
The Battle of Assandun is as pivotal in the history of the English nation as the Battle of Hastings in 1066 but is far less renowned. This battle was preceded by many other battles within a short period and great upheaval in English society.
After a series of Danish raids Sweyn Forkbeard (the King of Denmark) finally forced Ethelred the Unready from England and became the King of England on 25th December 1013. However, he only ruled for 5 weeks before he died - once again throwing the country into turmoil.
His eldest son, Harald II, was proclaimed King of Denmark whilst his younger son, Cnut, set out to claim the English throne. The Witan (the ruling council of English Earls) rejected Cnut but instead elected the exiled Ethelred The Unready as King.
By 1015 Cnut had gathered a sizable invading force which quickly occupied Essex and Northumbria. In April 1016 Cnut besieged London and Ethelred died during this siege. Ethelred's son Edmund Ironside was then proclaimed king and immediately left London to raise a force to combat the Danes.
In October Cnut and Edmund's forces met at Assandun and the battle was bloody and Edmund was betrayed by one of his earls, Eadric Streona, passing the victory to Cnut.
Cnut and Edmund agreed that Edmund would continue to rule Wessex and Cnut would rule the remaining English kingdoms. Edmund died on 30th November 1016 and Cnut became King of all England.