After joining forces with Lennard, Theobwulf, and others, Ivar now commanded a total of eight thousand soldiers, marching along muddy roads toward Tamworth.
By this time, Gunnar's army had already crossed the River Thames. He ordered his infantry to construct siege engines outside the city, while two thousand cavalry swept the surrounding countryside—forcing barons and knights among the lesser nobility to surrender, confiscating grain and livestock.
As Ivar's army drew ever closer, unease spread among the Frankish high command. Hastings and Rother Fortress tied down a thousand troops, leaving fewer than six thousand men available for field operations.
Across the river, the city itself held two thousand defenders, and Ivar was rumored to be approaching with eight thousand soldiers—far outnumbering the attackers. Frankish morale plummeted, and desertions increased by the day.
To reverse the situation, Gunnar continued to press for surrender within the city while urgently seeking reinforcements from home.
Because he had launched this campaign without authorization, "Charles the Bald" was furious and offered no support. Other great lords were likewise unwilling to help without compensation. Fortunately for Gunnar, monasteries in Reims, Lyon, and other regions endorsed this holy war against pagan evil, calling on the faithful to donate wealth. With these funds, Gunnar raised fifteen hundred devout militia.
Every gain came at a price.
The newly recruited soldiers harbored intense hatred for pagan Vikings and began looting Viking villages indiscriminately, driving Gunnar's relationship with the Viking populace to rock bottom.
Having alienated his own people, Gunnar also found no favor among the remaining Anglo-Saxons. Though he had converted to Roman Catholicism, he was still a pirate by birth—unworthy, in their eyes, of ruling Londinium.
Left with few options, Gunnar dispatched chaplains to appeal to Wessex and East Anglia in the name of shared faith, urging them to join forces against Ivar's pagan army.
Winchester — The Palace
After hearing the priest's appeal, Æthelbert stared in disbelief.
"A Viking savage like him dares to call on us to fight?"
Years ago, Gunnar had followed Ragnar in the sack of Winchester, reducing Wessex to a province of the British Kingdom. Every time Æthelbert recalled that humiliation, his hatred surged.
He took several deep breaths. Restraining himself, he did not mistreat the priest and instead claimed that he cherished peace and wished to stay out of the conflict.
"On my way here," the priest countered, "I saw militias gathering from all over to Winchester. My lord, you shouldn't lie to a man of the cloth."
Æthelbert took a half-glass of wine.
"It's only for self-defense. We are not targeting anyone."
Wessex had long been recognized as the wealthiest region in Britain. After adopting northern agricultural techniques, its grain output had surged. Sensing an opportunity, Æthelbert mobilized four thousand soldiers, including four hundred cavalry and one thousand heavy infantry, waiting to profit from the coming war.
Once Gunnar's envoy departed, Ivar's envoy arrived almost immediately.
"My lord, His Majesty requests that you lead your troops to join him."
Æthelbert rejected him as well.
"The harvest was poor. The peasants are unwilling to fight."
Seeing this, the envoy sweetened the offer: if Wessex joined the war, it would receive Cornwall to the west after victory.
"Is that all?" Æthelbert leaned forward slightly. "I also want Oxfordshire and Sussex to the east."
The envoy shook his head. Cornwall was already Ivar's bottom line. There was no reason to strip Theobwulf or Orm of their lands just to satisfy Wessex.
In Æthelbert's view, Oxfordshire already belonged to him. Refusing to return it at such a critical moment showed a complete lack of sincerity.
"Very well. You may leave."
Two days later, Gunnar sent another envoy—this time with extraordinarily generous terms:
If Wessex joined the war, it would receive Theobwulf's lands (half of Mercia), Wales, and Cornwall. Moreover, Wessex would regain its status as an independent kingdom, with both states coexisting as equals after the war.
"Now that sounds reasonable."
Æthelbert ordered wine poured for the guest as his mind raced.
In this war of succession for the British throne, five powers mattered:
Ivar commanded the largest force and possessed the highest legitimacy among the Vikings.
Gunnar lacked legitimacy but fielded two thousand cavalry and two thousand heavy infantry, giving him unmatched combat power.
Wessex was slightly weaker militarily, but its ruler shared culture and faith with the Anglo-Saxon populace, granting strong legitimacy in their eyes.
Aslaug, Queen Mother and regent, ruled only in name. Her forces awaited Ivar's arrival, and she had already lost any hope of reversing her fate.
As for Vig, Æthelbert could not understand why he remained holed up in the north. Rumor had it that he had refused Ivar outright—sheer foolishness.
"We'll deal with you after we crush Ivar."
The North lacked horses—at most five hundred cavalry—insufficient against the Frankish mounted forces. Even if Vig formed pike formations, heavy infantry could be sent to grind them down. Combined, Æthelbert and Gunnar possessed three thousand heavy infantry, more than enough to win any infantry engagement.
After weighing all options, Æthelbert accepted Gunnar's proposal and agreed to an alliance.
That night, he went alone to the treasury and retrieved an ancient golden crown from a locked bronze chest. His father's crown had been seized years ago and added to Ragnar's collection.
Running his fingers over the cold metal, he felt an immense release.
"After more than ten years of bowing to Vikings, liberation has finally come."
The Following Day — Winchester Cathedral
Sunlight streamed through towering stained-glass windows, casting brilliant colors across the congregation. The choir's ethereal voices echoed through the nave as Æthelbert knelt. A bishop in white robes raised the crown and solemnly intoned:
"Do you renounce evil?"
"I do," Æthelbert replied, holding back emotion.
He felt the crown settle upon his head. As he rose, the church erupted in unified acclaim:
"God bless Wessex!"
"God bless King Æthelbert!"
After the ceremony, the newly crowned king led four thousand soldiers northward, occupying Reading on the south bank of the Thames—then halted.
Despite Gunnar's repeated urgings, Æthelbert refused to advance further. His strength was limited; once across the river, Ivar might strike him first. Better to wait safely within his own territory and observe Ivar's next move.
Oxfordshire
Ivar convened a high-level council. Most nobles opposed continuing the advance, fearing a pincer attack from Gunnar and Wessex.
Lennard advised calmly:
"The rain hasn't stopped for weeks. Frankish casualties from sickness are mounting. If we wait, they'll only grow weaker. Londinium's defenses are strong. According to our scouts, Gunnar's siege engines are far from complete—we can delay at least another month."
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