Editing 899 (section)

==== Britain ====
* [[October 26]] &ndash; King [[Alfred the Great]] dies after a 28-year reign in which he has forced invading Danish [[Vikings]] to withdraw, consolidated [[England]] around [[Wessex]], divided parts of [[Mercia]] into shires, compiled the best laws of earlier kings, encouraged learning by bringing famous [[Scholarly method|scholar]]s to Wessex and made his own translations of [[Latin]] works. He is succeeded by his eldest son, [[Edward the Elder]] as king of Wessex.
* Winter &ndash; [[Æthelwold's Revolt]]: Following the death of Alfred the Great, [[Æthelwold]] (youngest son of the late king [[Æthelred of Wessex|Æthelred I]]) disputes the succession of Edward the Elder. He seizes the royal estates at [[Wimborne Minster|Wimborne]], the ancient symbolic burial place of West Saxon kings, and [[Christchurch, Dorset|Christchurch]]. Edward set up his [[Military camp|army camp]] at [[Badbury Rings]]. Æthelwold first declares that he will 'live or die' at Wimborne, but then flees to [[Kingdom of Northumbria|Northumbria]].<ref>Paul Hill (2009). ''The Viking Wars of Alfred the Great'', pp. 142–143. {{ISBN|978-1-59416-087-5}}.</ref>