Among the many cool characters from the Viking Age that are brought to life in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is Alfred the Great. Before his military success against the vikings, Alfred also boasts one of the all-time great comeback stories. In January 878 all looked lost: Alfred was hiding in marshlands, his army defeated and scattered, and the Vikings controlled his kingdom. The key event that almost saw the end of Anglo-Saxon England was the Battle of Chippenham.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla recreates the battle and puts players in the heart of combat. But what do we really know about the battle? How big was a viking army? What did the Anglo-Saxons count as a 'real' battle?
To help answer these questions, Matt Lewis is joined by Professor Ryan Lavelle from the University of Winchester. In addition to writing Alfred's Wars: Sources and Interpretations of Anglo-Saxon Warfare in the Viking Age, he consulted on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Watch these interviews and exclusive videos on our YouTube channel.
Hosted by: Matt Lewis
Edited by: Michael McDaid
Produced by: Robin McConnell
Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff
Production Manager: Beth Donaldson
Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett
Music:
Leofirth's Honor by Jesper Kyd
Frozen Lands by Sarah Schachner
Kingdom of Wessex by Jesper Kyd
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Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com
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