The increasingly deep thrusts of Danish Vikings into Britain brought on the major battle of Aclea (Oakley), south of The Thames. King Ethelwulf, son of Egbert and father of Alfred, deployed his Wessex Army to meet the invaders. In a fierce struggle his men repelled the Danes. The successful defense helped establish Wessex as the premier state among the heptarcial kingdom of Britain. But it was the only major victory of the west saxons over the Danes during Ethelwulf's lifetime.