Alfred the Great's Downfall: The Battle of Chippenham

Alfred the Great's Downfall: The Battle of Chippenham

Author: History Hit & Assassin's Creed January 5, 2026 Duration: 1:12:18

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


If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here.


Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Step into the past and discover how history is woven into the fabric of our most compelling stories. Echoes of History, presented by History Hit and Assassin’s Creed, explores the rich, authentic details that breathe life into the legendary game series. This isn't just a behind-the-scenes look; it's a journey to the source material itself. Each episode unpacks the real events, figures, and settings that inspired iconic game worlds. You'll hear about the political intrigue of Renaissance Florence, the vast trade networks of the ancient Silk Road, the brutal realities of piracy in the Caribbean, and the complex codes of honor in Feudal Japan. The podcast connects these historical dots with clarity and narrative flair, offering context that deepens appreciation for both the games and the eras they depict. It’s for anyone curious about where creative fiction meets documented fact, proving that the most thrilling adventures are often rooted in truth. Tune in to find the history hidden in plain sight.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Echoes of History
Podcast Episodes
Who Were The Nabataeans? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:14
Assassin's Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory takes players to the haunting tomb city of Hegra, a remarkable memento of the Nabataeans. Hewn from the hard rock of the mountainside are spectacular, seemingly countless tombs t…
The Roman Empire in Anno 117: Pax Romana [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:01
Anno 117: Pax Romana puts you in the place of a new Roman Governor at a crucial point in the history of the Roman Empire. Rome has never been more powerful but the mighty Emperor Trajan has died. You must choose how to k…
Daily Life in the Roman Empire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:46
Anno 117: Pax Romana presents a different side of the Roman Empire - a multicultural world where people from diverse backgrounds lived side by side, and the necessities of everyday life are essential to success as a play…
Isaac Newton vs Counterfeiters at the Royal Mint [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:06
Everyone knows the great achievements of Sir Isaac Newton. Or do they? Assassin's Creed Gold focuses not on the first half of Newton's career, describing gravity and the fundamental laws of physics, but on the second hal…
Revolutionary Paris In Assassin's Creed Unity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:11
Assassin’s Creed Unity offers a stunning recreation of 18th century Paris, which in modern times is the home of Ubisoft. How did this setting affect the developers’ work? Did this personal connection make things easier o…
Vinland: Did Vikings "Discover" America? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:51
Vinland, the mysterious place that may be somewhere in North America, and that players of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can explore in The Last Chapter, as a grand finale to the epic story. And story is the key word, because…
The Russian Revolution: What Really Happened? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:47
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia transports us to the tense atmosphere of World War One as Russia made the difficult transition from an imperial state to a socialist republic.But what was it like for the ordinary pers…
Life as a Samurai [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:45
Assassin’s Creed Shadows recreates everyday life in Japan during the Sengoku jidai - the Warring States period - and highlights how reality doesn’t always align with pop culture perceptions of samurai as a noble elite.Ma…
Ancient Egyptian Architecture In Assassin's Creed Origins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:08
Historians Review & Ubisoft Developer Interview with Maxime DurandIn Assassin’s Creed Origins players can do what no tour group today can do: clamber all over and inside the monuments of Ancient Egypt, from the Sphinx to…
The Ottoman-Venetian Wars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:46
Ezio Auditore, the hero of Assassin’s Creed II, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood and Assassin’s Creed Revelations, travels from Venice to the Ottoman Empire.For centuries, these two rivals in the Mediterranean were at war in…