The marshes of Athelney 878
January 878, Somerset. On Twelfth Night the Danes fell upon the royal estate at Chippenham, and King Alfred vanished into the marshes with only a few men. You are one of the handful of thegns who followed the king into the fens.
Historical background
The Danish "Great Heathen Army" that landed in England in 865 destroyed Northumbria and East Anglia and forced Mercia to submit. In Wessex, the last kingdom standing, Alfred — king since succeeding his brother in 871 — alternated between fighting and buying peace. In January 878, around Twelfth Night, a Danish army under Guthrum surprised Chippenham, and Alfred fled to Athelney in the Somerset marshes and fortified it. That same year Ealdorman Odda of Devon defeated another Danish army at Cynwit, while Wulfhere, ealdorman of Wiltshire, lost his lands for deserting the king.
That May Alfred gathered his army at "Egbert's Stone" and defeated Guthrum at Edington. Guthrum was baptised at Aller with Alfred as his godfather, and a later treaty divided the island between Wessex and the Danelaw, where Danish law ruled. Alfred built defended towns called burhs across his kingdom and in 886 took London (Lundenwic).
Who you are
You begin as a 28-year-old thegn, a warrior in the king’s service, hiding in the marshes of Wessex. You have lost your land and are in hiding with the king, but you still have Might and men. Your fellow thegn Osric, Thorstein, a Dane who will later be baptised, and Wynflæd are the people of this life.
The current of history: Alfred and the Danelaw
Right after you start, an invitation asks which side you will take against the "Great Heathen Army". You can follow the king in the marsh to the end — or go over to the Danes.
Sides you can take
- Wessex Prepare the counter-attack from the marshes with Alfred: the way to win the king’s trust and recover your land.
- The Great Heathen Army Join Guthrum's army and seek new land on the conquerors' side.
Tips
Questions and answers
How close is this scenario to real history?
The surprise attack on Chippenham in January 878, Alfred’s refuge at Athelney, Odda and Wulfhere, the Battle of Edington and the baptism at Aller, the Danelaw and the burhs, and the taking of London in 886 are all historical. The starting map, realms, real historical figures and the major events of the current of history follow actual history. You and the companions, rivals and loves around you are fictional people who could have lived then, and once you start, history may diverge according to your choices and those of the AI rulers.
What station do I start in?
You start as a 28-year-old man, a thegn (knightly class) serving the king of Wessex. You have no land and belong to the Kingdom of Wessex.
Is it free? Can I play right away?
Yes. Crown & Plough is a free browser game with no account and nothing to install. The "Start in this scene" button on this page opens the scenario's intro screen directly, and progress is saved automatically in your browser. It works on phones too.
← All scenarios · About the era: Age of Vikings and Coronations →