Scandinavian-Britain

80 SCANDINAVIAN BRITAINhave been a nominal marriage of policy, for as he hadgiven his daughter to the Mercian king in order tostrengthen Wessex on the north against the Vikings, sonow he made an alliance with the Franks to secure asfar as possible the co-operation of the great southernpower in the same cause. On his arrival home hefound his son ^Ethelbald in possession of the throne,and thenceforward contented himself with the easternhalf of his old kingdom.no more Viking attacks ;During his lifetime we hear ofhis policy was successful, notonly for himself, but for ^Ethelbald, who succeededhim, and the peace lasted into the days of ^Ethelberht,the brother who followed. So secure did the West-Saxons feel, that when at last a body of Vikings, perhapsunder Volund who was adventuring at this timein France, suddenly landed and made a dash uponWinchester, the capital city of the realm,it was onlyafter the storm and sack of the town that the localfyrd was got together. Then the Hampshire andBerkshire men intercepted the raiders, and put themto flight with great slaughter. But the tide wasbeginning to turn.In" 865 the heathen army sat down in Thanet, andmade peace with the men of Kent, and the men ofKent promised them money for the peace and dur-;ing the peace and the promise of money, the armystole away by night and ravagedall Kent to the eastward."This is a noteworthy entry, for it marks thefirstpayment of the Danegeld which afterwards becamesuch a burden to England and it is ;the firstexample of the " Danish breach of faith " of which