871
| Years: 867 868 869 870 - 871 - 872 873 874 875 | |
| Decades: 840s 850s 860s - 870s - 880s 890s 900s | |
| Centuries: 8th century - 9th century - 10th century | |
Events
- Nine battles are fought between the Danes and Wessex. Of two of them the place and date are not recorded, the others were Englesfield (31 December 870), Reading (4 January), Ashdown (8 January), Basing (22 January), Merton (22 March), Wilton (May).
- Alfred the Great succeeds as king of Wessex after Ethelred's death.
- After the battle at Wilton, peace is made, with the Danes and Alfred each governing part of England.
- Rhodri the Great inherits Seisyllwig, thus uniting most of Wales under his rule
- Louis II captures Ban, the headquarters of the Saracens.
- Alfred makes Winchester to his capital.
- An incomplete marriage contract, dated to October 6 of this year, is the earliest dated document in the Cairo Geniza.
Deaths
- Ethelred of Wessex (died in the battle of Merton)