Danelaw, Danelaugh, or Danelagu

The area of north and east England settled by Danish peoples in the ninth century where Danish rather than West Saxon or Mercian law applied. It's existence was formalised in the Peace of Wedmore that followed the Battle of Edington, in which King Alfred defeated the Danish forces of Guthrum. King Edgar (r.959-75) was the first English king to recognise its separate identity within an English state and the peoples of Danish origin were allowed to maintain their social and legal customs. The term itself was not used to define a geographical area until Cnut's reign (1017-35) and only became commonplace in the reign of Aethelred II, 'the Unready'

The presence of Danish settlers is still recorded in many of the place names in the region, which often end in -by (Derby) rather than the Saxon -ton, or -ley.

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