Bagsecg (d. c.8 January 871), also known as Bacgsecg, was a viking and a leader of the Great Army, which invaded England. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Bagsecg and Healfdene (Norse Hálfdan) were "heathen kings" (hæþnan cyningas) and joint commanders of the Great Army that invaded the Kingdom of Wessex during the northern winter of 870/71.
The Great Army is recorded as setting up camp at Reading and fighting the forces of Æthelred, King of Wessex, in several engagements during 871. At one of these, the Battle of Ashdown, Bagsecg and five Viking earls were killed.
After Bagsecg's death, Healfdene seems to have become the sole leader of the Great Army. He was the principal leader when the vikings overwintered in London in 871/72. In addition, three other viking kings had emerged by 875 (according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle); some of these may have been elevated to kingly status as a consequence of Bagsecg's demise.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Bagsecg was erroneously associated with Wayland's Smithy, a Neolithic long barrow in south Oxfordshire. A folk legend arose that the barrow was his tomb or a memorial to Bagsecg. Likewise, other prehistoric sites in south central England, such as the Seven Barrows, have been erroneously regarded as memorials to those who fell at the Battle of Ashdown.
Origins and Name
Bagsecg's origins are obscure. He is one of the first Vikings to be named by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.Townend (2002) p. 112; Lehiste (1958) pp. 7–8. He and Healfdene are the first principal Viking leaders attested by all versions of this source, after the Great Army's arrival in Wessex.McLeod, SH (2011) p. 123; Ó Corráin (1979) p. 316. Nothing further is known regarding Bagsecg's background.Keynes; Lapidge (2004) ch. asser's life of king alfred § 37 n. 68; Whitelock (1996) p. 198 n. 2; Brooks (1979) p. 8.
The precise historical phonology and etymology of the name Bagsecg are also obscure.Townend (2002) pp. 112–113; Lehiste (1958) pp. 7–9. It appears only in sources relating to this particular historical individual, in England during the 9th century. (By comparison, Healfdene clearly corresponds to the relatively common Old Norse name Halfdan meaning "half Dane".Townend (2002) pp. 114–115.) Surviving sources give many differing forms of Bagsecg's name. The "A" version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle gives "" and "";Cowen (2004) pp. 46–47; Irvine (2004) p. lii; Lehiste (1958) p. 8; Plummer; Earle (1892) p. 70 § 871; Thorpe (1861a) p. 138 § 871. the "B" version gives "";Irvine (2004) p. lii; Taylor (1983) pp. lvi, 35 § 872; Lehiste (1958) p. 8; Plummer; Earle (1892) p. 70 n. 3; Thorpe (1861a) p. 138 § 871; Bagsecg 1 (n.d.). the "C" version gives "";Irvine (2004) p. lii; O'Keeffe (2001) p. 59 § 872; Lehiste (1958) p. 8; Plummer; Earle (1892) p. 70 n. 3; Thorpe (1861a) p. 138 § 872; Bagsecg 1 (n.d.). the "D" version gives "";Irvine (2004) p. lii; Lehiste (1958) p. 8; Plummer; Earle (1892) p. 70 n. 3; Thorpe (1861a) p. 139 § 871; Bagsecg 1 (n.d.). the "E" version gives "" and "";Irvine (2004) pp. lii, 49 § 871, 148; Lehiste (1958) p. 8; Plummer; Earle (1892) p. 71 § 871; Thorpe (1861a) p. 139 § 871. the "F" version gives "" and "";Baker (2000) p. 69 § 871; Irvine (2004) p. lii; Lehiste (1958) p. 8; Thorpe (1861a) p. 137 § 871; Bagsecg 1 (n.d.). and the "G" version gives "".Lehiste (1958) p. 8; Bagsecg 1 (n.d.). The edition of Vita Alfredi preserved by Cambridge Corpus Christi College (100) gives "";Stevenson, WH (1904) p. 31 n. 20. the edition preserved by British Library (Cotton Otho A xii) gives "";Anscombe (1920); Stevenson, WH (1904) p. 31 n. 20. and the edition of preserved by Cambridge University Library (Additional 3825) gives "". One late 10th century source, the Latin Chronicon Æthelweardi, varies notably, in that it records the name as .Townend (2002) pp. 112–113; Giles (1906) p. 27 bk. 4 ch. 2; Stevenson, J (1854) p. 428 bk. 4 ch. 2; Bagsecg 1 (n.d.). Although this name is unattested by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, forms of it are recorded by the Durham Liber vitae, and it appears to represent the Old Norse , a name otherwise uncommon in Anglo-Saxon England.Townend (2002) pp. 112–113. (Subsequent sources revert to the more conventional forms in Anglo-Saxon. The account of the 12th century Chronicon ex chronicis gives "".Stevenson, WH (1904) p. 31 n. 20; Stevenson, J (1853) p. 217; Forester (1854) p. 63; Thorpe (1848) p. 85. The 12th century Annals of St Neots gives "".Stevenson, WH (1904) p. 31 n. 20; Gale (1691) p. 163.)
The Great Army
There is a historical consensus that an invading viking army coalesced in Anglo-Saxon England, during the 860s. The "A version" of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle – dating from the 9th or 10th century – describes the invading force as the "",Downham (2013a) p. 13; McLeod, SH (2011) pp. 9, 27 n. 96; Sheldon (2011) p. 12, 12 n. 13; McLeod, S (2013) p. 64, 64 n. 16; Swanton (1998) p. 68 § 866; Gomme (1909) p. 58 § 866; Hervey (1907) pp. 2–3 § 866; Plummer; Earle (1892) p. 68 § 866; Thorpe (1861a) p. 130 § 866; Thorpe (1861b) p. 59 § 866. an Old English term that can translate as "big army",Downham (2013a) p. 14; Downham (2013b) p. 52; Downham (2012) p. 4; Sheldon (2011) p. 12. or "great army".Naismith (2017) p. 279; Somerville; McDonald (2014) p. 230; Downham (2013a) p. 14; Downham (2013b) p. 52; McLeod, SH (2011) pp. 9, 27 n. 96; McLeod, S (2013) p. 64; Halsall (2007) p. 106; Williams, A (1999) p. 69.
Contemporary sources make mutually-contradictory claims regarding the origins of the Great Army.Downham (2013a) p. 13; Woolf (2007) p. 71. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle usually identifies the Vikings simply as "Danes" or "heathens".McLeod, S (2013) p. 64; Woolf (2007) p. 71. The 10th century Vita Alfredi seems to allege that the invaders came specifically from Denmark.Downham (2013a) p. 13; Downham (2013b) p. 53; McLeod, SH (2011) p. 140; Downham (2007) p. 64; Keynes; Lapidge (2004) ch. asser's life of king alfred § 21, asser's life of king alfred § 21 n. 44; Smyth (2002) pp. 13 ch. 21, pp. 217–218 n. 61, 224 n. 139; Conybeare (1914) p. 98 § 24 ch. 21; Cook (1906) p. 13 ch. 21; Giles (1906) p. 50; Stevenson, WH (1904) p. 19 ch. 21; Stevenson, J (1854) p. 449, 449 n. 6. However, a more general Scandinavian origin may be evident in the Chronicon Æthelweardi (late 10th century), which states that "the fleets of the tyrant Ingware (Norse Ivár) arrived in England from the north".Lewis (2016) p. 18; Downham (2013a) p. 13, 13 n. 23; Downham (2007) p. 64; Keynes; Lapidge (2004) ch. asser's life of king alfred § 21 n. 44; Kirby (2002) p. 173; Swanton (1998) p. 68 n. 5; Whitelock (1996) p. 196 n. 5; Ó Corráin (1979) pp. 314–315; McTurk, RW (1976) pp. 117 n. 173, 119; Stenton (1963) p. 244 n. 2; Conybeare (1914) p. 156 bk. 4 ch. 2 § 1; Giles (1906) p. 25 bk. 4 ch. 2; The Whole Works of King Alfred the Great (1858) p. 30; Stevenson, J (1854) p. 427 bk. 4 ch. 2. The documentary evidence as a whole, and modern archaeological research, suggests that the Great Army was not a homogeneous force, but a composite of warbands from different parts of Scandinavia (and possibly other parts of Europe).Hadley; Richards; Brown et al. (2016) p. 55; McLeod, S (2013) pp. 75–76, 79 n. 77; McLeod, SH (2011) p. 10; Budd; Millard; Chenery et al. (2004) pp. 137–138.
The leadership of the Great Army appears to have fallen to Bagsecg and Healfdene after the departure from England, or death, of Ingware,Holm (2015); Abels (2013) p. 125; Yorke (1995) p. 109. the foremost leader of the Great Army and one of the vikings most prominent in 9th century Britain.Downham (2007) pp. 64, 67; Woolf (2007) pp. 71–73; Keynes; Lapidge (2004) ch. asser's life of king alfred § 21 n. 44. In 869, the vikings claimed a pivotal victory, when Edmund, King of East Anglia was killed and the entire Kingdom of East Anglia was captured.Downham (2007) p. 65; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 72; Costambeys (2004b); Gransden (2004); Keynes (2001) p. 54; Stenton (1963) p. 246. It may have been at about this date that Ingware either died or moved on to campaign in the Western Isles, the Scottish mainland or Ireland.Abels (2013) p. 125; Downham (2007) pp. 66–67; Costambeys (2004a); Costambeys (2004b); Keynes (2001) p. 54; Stenton (1963) pp. 247–248. Chronicon Æthelweardi states that Ingware died in the same year as Edmund.Lewis (2016) p. 22; McTurk, R (2015) pp. 42, 46–47, 213; Downham (2013a) p. 16 n. 33; Downham (2011) p. 192; McLeod, SH (2011) p. 127; Downham (2007) p. 66; McTurk, R (2006) p. 681; Costambeys (2004b); Keynes; Lapidge (2004) ch. asser's life of king alfred § 33 n. 61; Ó Corráin (1979) pp. 315, 319; McTurk, RW (1976) p. 117 n. 174; Whitelock (1969) pp. 223, 227 n. 49; Barker (1967) p. 82; Giles (1906) p. 26 bk. 4 ch. 2; Stevenson, J (1854) p. 428 bk. 4 ch. 2. (While there is reason to believe that Ingware is identical to Ímar, a Viking king later active in Ireland and Scotland,Downham (2018) p. 109; Lewis (2016) p. 22; McTurk, R (2015) pp. 42, 46, 49; Downham (2013a) p. 16, 16 n. 33; Downham (2011) p. 192; Gigov (2011) pp. 24–25; McLeod, SH (2011) pp. 127–128; Downham (2007) p. 66; McTurk, R (2006) p. 681; Costambeys (2004b); Keynes; Lapidge (2004) ch. asser's life of king alfred § 21 n. 44; Keynes (2001) p. 54; Jaski (1995) p. 318 n. 29; Brooks (1979) p. 6, 6 n. 22; Ó Corráin (1979); McTurk, RW (1976) pp. 93, 117–119; Whitelock (1969) p. 227; Stenton (1963) pp. 247–248. such an identification has never achieved consensus.Downham (2018) p. 109; Downham (2011) p. 192; McLeod, SH (2011) pp. 127–128; Downham (2007) p. 66; Keynes; Lapidge (2004) ch. asser's life of king alfred § 21 n. 44; Keynes (2001) p. 54; Jaski (1995) p. 318 n. 29; Ó Corráin (1979); McTurk, RW (1976) pp. 93, 118; Whitelock (1969) p. 227; Stenton (1963) p. 248.)
Invasion of Wessex
With the capitulation of the East Angles, the Vikings turned their attention towards the Kingdom of Wessex.Downham (2013a) p. 16; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 72; Keynes (2001) p. 54. This was the final Anglo-Saxon realm to withstand the Vikings,Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 72. which could indicate that the latter sought to isolate the West Saxons before committing to a fullscale invasion.Downham (2013a) p. 16 n. 34. Late in 870, the Great Army arrived at Reading on the banks of the River Thames.Williams, G (2017) pp. 31–32, 34; Downham (2013a) p. 16; Gigov (2011) p. 20; McLeod, SH (2011) p. 11; Halsall (2007) pp. 155, 278 n. 143; Costambeys (2004b); Miller (2004); Page (1987) p. 19; Stenton (1963) p. 246. There is reason to suspect that this seizure of Reading could have been timed to coincide with Christmas.Halsall (2007) pp. 155, 278 n. 143. In any case, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports that the Vikings fought nine battles with the West Saxons in the following months, and elaborates on six of these.Lavelle (2014) ch. 7 ¶ 1; Somerville; McDonald (2014) p. 232 § 871; Downham (2013a) p. 16; Gigov (2011) p. 73; Stodnick (2010) p. 106, 106 n. 45; Costambeys (2004a); Irvine (2004) p. 49 § 871; Keynes; Lapidge (2004) ch. asser's life of king alfred § 42 n. 78; Smyth (2002) pp. 184, 223 n. 118; O'Keeffe (2001) p. 59 § 872; Williams, A (1999) p. 69; Swanton (1998) pp. 72–73 § 871; Whitelock (1996) p. 198 § 871, 198 n. 12; Yorke (1995) p. 110; Taylor (1983) p. 35 § 872; Conybeare (1914) p. 142 § 871; Giles (1914) p. 52 § 871; Gomme (1909) p. 61 § 871; Giles (1903) p. 354 § 871; Plummer; Earle (1892) pp. 72–73 § 871; Thorpe (1861a) pp. 140–141 § 871/872; Thorpe (1861b) pp. 61–62 § 871; Stevenson, J (1853) p. 45 § 871. Vita Alfredi lists eight such engagements, elaborating on only four.Lavelle (2014) ch. 7 ¶ 1; Downham (2013a) p. 16; Keynes; Lapidge (2004) ch. asser's life of king alfred § 42, asser's life of king alfred § 42 n. 78; Smyth (2002) pp. 21 ch. 42, 184, 223 n. 118; Conybeare (1914) p. 106 § 45 ch. 42; Cook (1906) pp. 23–24 ch. 42; Giles (1906) p. 57; Stevenson, WH (1904) p. 33 ch. 42; Stevenson, J (1854) pp. 454–455.