Citizendia
Your Ad Here

For other meanings see Alfred the Great (disambiguation).
Alfred the Great
King of the Anglo-Saxons
Statue of Alfred the Great, Winchester
Statue of Alfred the Great, Winchester
Reign 23 April 871 – 26 October 899
Predecessor Æthelred of Wessex
Successor Edward the Elder
Spouse Ealhswith
Issue
Ælfthryth
Ethelfleda
Ethelgiva
Edward the Elder
Æthelwærd
Full name
Ælfrēd of Wessex
Royal house House of Wessex
Father Æthelwulf of Wessex
Mother Osburga
Born c. 849
Wantage, Berkshire
Died 26 October 899 (around 50)
Burial c. 1100
Winchester, Hampshire, now lost. For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south Winchester or Winton ( archaic) is a historic city in southern England, with a population of around 40000 within a radius of its centre Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Events By Place Europe Nine battles are fought between the Danes and Wessex. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Events By place Europe Edward the Elder becomes King of Wessex. King Ethelred of Wessex ( Old English: Æþelræd) (c 840 &ndash April 23, 871) was the fourth son of King Ethelwulf of Wessex Edward the Elder ( Old English: Ēadweard se Ieldra) (c 870 &ndash 17 July 924) was King of England (899 &ndash Ealhswith (or Ealswitha) of the Gaini was born c 852 in Mercia. Ælfthryth, also known as Elfrida (died 929 was the last child of Alfred the Great, the Saxon King of England and his wife Ealhswith. Edward the Elder ( Old English: Ēadweard se Ieldra) (c 870 &ndash 17 July 924) was King of England (899 &ndash Æthelwærd of Wessex was the youngest son of King Alfred the Great and Ealhswith. A royal house or royal dynasty is a familial designation or Family name of sorts used by Royalty. The House of Wessex, also known as the House of Cerdic or the Saxon royal house, refers to the family that ruled a kingdom in southwest England Æthelwulf, also spelled Aethelwulf or Ethelwulf; Old English: Æþelwulf, means 'Noble Wolf' (c Osburga or Osburh was the first wife of King Æthelwulf of Wessex and mother of Alfred the Great, "a religious woman noble both by birth and by nature" Circa (often abbreviated c, ca, ca or cca and sometimes Italicized to show it is Latin) means "about" Wantage is a Town and Civil parish in the Vale of the White Horse, near the Thames Valley, in the English county of Oxfordshire Berkshire (ˈbɑːkʃə or /ˈbɑːkʃɪə/ say Baak-shuh/-sheer sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a Home County in the South Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Events By place Europe Edward the Elder becomes King of Wessex. Circa (often abbreviated c, ca, ca or cca and sometimes Italicized to show it is Latin) means "about" Winchester or Winton ( archaic) is a historic city in southern England, with a population of around 40000 within a radius of its centre Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain

Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd, pronounced [ˈælfreːd]) (c. 849 – 26 October 899) was king of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. Events Asia In the Tang Dynasty Chinese capital city of Chang'an, an imperial prince was impeached from his position by officials at Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Events By place Europe Edward the Elder becomes King of Wessex. For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation. Events By Place Europe Nine battles are fought between the Danes and Wessex. Events By place Europe Edward the Elder becomes King of Wessex. Alfred is noted for his defence of the kingdom against the Danish Vikings, becoming the only English King to be awarded the epithet "the Great". The term Dane may refer to People with a Danish ancestral or ethnic identity whether living in Denmark, emigrants or the descendants of emigrants A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas The English people (from the adjective in Englisc) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to England who predominantly speak English An epithet (from Greek ἐπίθετον - epitheton, neut of ἐπίθετος - epithetos, "attributed added" is a [1] Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself "King of the Anglo-Saxons". This is a list of monarchs of Wessex until 924. For later monarchs see the List of monarchs in the British Isles. The Kings of Wessex, who conquered Kent and Sussex from Mercia in 825 became increasingly dominant over the other kingdoms of England during Details of his life are discussed in a work by the Welsh scholar Asser. The Welsh people ( Welsh: Cymro ("Welshman" Cymraes ("Welsh woman" Cymry ("Welshmen/women" Cymry Asser (d 908/909 was a Welsh Monk from St David's, Dyfed, who became Bishop of Sherborne in the 890s Alfred was a learned man, and encouraged education and improved his kingdom's law system as well as its military structure. Law is a system of rules enforced through a set of Institutions used as an instrument to underpin civil obedience politics economics and society A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking

Contents

Childhood

Further information: House of Wessex family tree

Alfred was born sometime between 847 and 849 at Wantage in the present-day ceremonial county of Oxfordshire (in the historic county of Berkshire). The following chart is a Family tree of the Kings of the House of Wessex, a Dynasty whose members were Kings of Wessex, and then from Athelstan Wantage is a Town and Civil parish in the Vale of the White Horse, near the Thames Valley, in the English county of Oxfordshire The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies History See also History of Oxfordshire The county of Oxfordshire was formed in the early years of the 10th century and is broadly situated in the The historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England. Berkshire (ˈbɑːkʃə or /ˈbɑːkʃɪə/ say Baak-shuh/-sheer sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a Home County in the South He was the fifth and youngest son of King Æthelwulf of Wessex, by his first wife, Osburga. Æthelwulf, also spelled Aethelwulf or Ethelwulf; Old English: Æþelwulf, means 'Noble Wolf' (c Osburga or Osburh was the first wife of King Æthelwulf of Wessex and mother of Alfred the Great, "a religious woman noble both by birth and by nature" [2] In 868 Alfred married Ealhswith, daughter of Ethelred Mucill. Events By Place Asia 11 May — The Diamond Sutra, the oldest dated book is printed [3]

At five years old, Alfred is said to have been sent to Rome where, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, he was confirmed by Pope Leo IV who "anointed him as king. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of Annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. Pope " Victorian writers interpreted this as an anticipatory coronation in preparation for his ultimate succession to the throne of Wessex. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a Monarch with regal power specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head and the However, this coronation could not have been foreseen at the time, since Alfred had three living older brothers. A letter of Leo IV shows that Alfred was made a "consul" and a misinterpretation of this investiture, deliberate or accidental, could explain later confusion. Consul (abbrev cos; Latin plural consules) was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire [4] It may also be based on Alfred later having accompanied his father on a pilgrimage to Rome and spending some time at the court of Charles the Bald, King of the Franks, around 854–855. Charles the Bald ( 13 June 823 – 6 October 877) Holy Roman Emperor (875–877 as Charles II) and King of West Francia The Franks were originally led by dukes (military leaders and reguli (petty kings On their return from Rome in 856, Æthelwulf was deposed by his son Æthelbald. Æthelwulf died in 858, and Wessex was ruled by three of Alfred's brothers in succession. This article is about the year 858 AD. For the terrorist attack on Korean air see Korean_Air_Flight_858.

Asser tells the story about how as a child Alfred won a prize of a volume of poetry in English, offered by his mother to the first of her children able to memorize it. This story may be true, or it may be a legend designed to illustrate the young Alfred's love of learning.

Under Ethelred

During the short reigns of his two eldest brothers, Æthelbald and Ethelbert, Alfred is not mentioned. King Æthelbald of Wessex or Ethelbald ( Old English Æþelbald) (Means roughly 'Noble Bold' was the second of the five sons of King King Ethelbert or Æþelberht of Wessex (meaning "Magnificent Noble" was the third son of Ethelwulf of Wessex and was born around However with the accession of the third brother, Ethelred, in 866, the public life of Alfred began. King Ethelred of Wessex ( Old English: Æþelræd) (c 840 &ndash April 23, 871) was the fourth son of King Ethelwulf of Wessex Events By Place Asia Fujiwara no Yoshifusa becomes regent of Japan, starting the Fujiwara regentship It is during this period that Asser applies to him the unique title of "secundarius", which may indicate a position akin to that of the Celtic tanist, a recognized successor closely associated with the reigning monarch. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Tanistry was a system for passing on titles and lands In this system the Tanist ( Irish Tánaiste; Scottish Gaelic Tànaiste It is possible that this arrangement was sanctioned by the Witenagemot, to guard against the danger of a disputed succession should Ethelred fall in battle. The Witenagemot or the Witena gemot (ˈwɪtənəgɪˌməʊt also known as the Witan (more properly the title of its members was a political institution in The arrangement of crowning a successor as Royal prince and military commander is well-known among Germanic tribes, such as the Swedes and Franks, with whom the Anglo-Saxons had close ties. Germanic monarchy, also called barbarian monarchy, was a monarchical systemof government which was predominant among the Germanic tribes of Late Antiquity The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic The Franks or Frankish people (Franci or gens Francorum) were West Germanic tribes first identified in the 3rd century as an Ethnic group

In 868, Alfred is recorded fighting beside his brother Ethelred, in an unsuccessful attempt to keep the invading Danes out of the adjoining Kingdom of Mercia. Events By Place Asia 11 May — The Diamond Sutra, the oldest dated book is printed Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. For nearly two years, Wessex was spared attacks because Alfred paid the Vikings to leave him alone. A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas However, at the end of 870, the Danes arrived in his homeland. Events By Place Europe Prague Castle is founded The Great Summer Army invades England and conquers The year that followed has been called "Alfred's year of battles". Nine martial engagements were fought with varying fortunes, though the place and date of two of the battles have not been recorded. In Berkshire, a successful skirmish at the Battle of Englefield, on 31 December 870, was followed by a severe defeat at the Siege and Battle of Reading, on 5 January 871, and then, four days later, a brilliant victory at the Battle of Ashdown on the Berkshire Downs, possibly near Compton or Aldworth. Englefield is a Village and Civil parish in Berkshire, England, mostly within the bounds of the private walled estate of Englefield House Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. Events By Place Europe Prague Castle is founded The Great Summer Army invades England and conquers See also Siege of Reading (1642-1643 Battle of Reading (1688 The first Battle of Reading was a Battle on Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Events By Place Europe Nine battles are fought between the Danes and Wessex. The Battle of Ashdown, in Berkshire (possibly the part now in Oxfordshire) took place on 8 January 871. The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB is located in the English counties of Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire Local government Compton is a civil parish with an elected parish council Aldworth is also the name of a stately home in Blackdown Sussex Aldworth is a small Village and Civil parish Alfred is particularly credited with the success of this latter conflict. However, later that month, on 22 January, the English were again defeated at Basing and, on the following 22 March at the Battle of Merton (perhaps Marden in Wiltshire or Martin in Dorset) in which Ethelred was killed. Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus. Old Basing is a Village and civil parish in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire. Events 238 - Gordian I and his son Gordian II are proclaimed Roman emperor. The Battle of Merton was fought in April 871. It was one of eight known to be fought that year by King Ethelred of Wessex in England, who was defending Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast The two unidentified battles may also have occurred in between.

King at war

In April 871, King Ethelred died, and Alfred succeeded to the throne of Wessex and the burden of its defence, despite the fact that Ethelred left two young sons. April holidays and events National Poetry Month - in United States National Sexual Assault Awareness Month - in United Events By Place Europe Nine battles are fought between the Danes and Wessex. Although contemporary turmoil meant the accession of Alfred—an adult with military experience and patronage resources—over his nephews went unchallenged, he remained obliged to secure their property rights. While he was busy with the burial ceremonies for his brother, the Danes defeated the English in his absence at an unnamed spot, and then again in his presence at Wilton in May. Wilton is a town in Wiltshire, (of which it was once the County town) England, with a rich heritage dating back to the Anglo-Saxons. Following this, peace was made and, for the next five years, the Danes occupied other parts of England. However, in 876, under their new leader, Guthrum, the Danes slipped past the English army and attacked Wareham in Dorset. Events Births Deaths Louis the German, King of East Francia Map-bms876 Simple876 Guthrum (died c 890 christened Æthelstan, was king of the Danish Vikings in the Danelaw. Wareham is a historic Market town and under the name Wareham Town, a Civil parish, in the English county of Dorset. From there, early in 877, and under the pretext of talks, they moved westwards and took Exeter in Devon. Events By Place Asia Indravarman II succeeds Jayavarman III as ruler of the Khmer Empire. Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name There, Alfred blockaded them, and with a relief fleet having been scattered by a storm, the Danes were forced to submit. They withdrew to Mercia but, in January 878, made a sudden attack on Chippenham, a royal stronghold in which Alfred had been staying over Christmas, "and most of the people they reduced, except the King Alfred, and he with a little band made his way by wood and swamp, and after Easter he made a fort at Athelney, and from that fort kept fighting against the foe" (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle). Events By Place Europe May 21 — After a siege of eight months Syracuse is captured by the Muslims of Sicily. Chippenham is a Market town in Wiltshire, England, located at, some 21 km (13 miles east of Bath and 163 km (96 miles west of London Athelney is located between the villages of Burrowbridge and East Lyng in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England.

Statue of Alfred the Great at Wantage
Statue of Alfred the Great at Wantage

A popular legend tells how, when he first fled to the Somerset Levels, Alfred was given shelter by a peasant woman who, unaware of his identity, left him to watch some cakes she had left cooking on the fire. The Somerset Levels (or Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly called is a sparsely populated Wetland area of central Somerset Preoccupied with the problems of his kingdom, Alfred accidentally let the cakes burn and was taken to task by the woman upon her return. Upon realizing the king's identity, the woman apologised profusely, but Alfred insisted that he was the one who needed to apologise. From his fort at Athelney, a marshy island near North Petherton, Alfred was able to mount an effective resistance movement while rallying the local militia from Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire. North Petherton is a small Town in Somerset, England, situated on the edge of the eastern foothills of the Quantocks, and close to the edge of Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain

Another story relates how Alfred disguised himself as a minstrel in order to gain entry to Guthrum's camp and discover his plans. minstrel was a medieval European Bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories about distant places or about real or imaginary historical events This supposedly led to the Battle of Edington, near Westbury, Wiltshire. The Battle of Edington (May 878) was a Battle which took place near Edington (then known as "Ethandun" in the county of Wiltshire Westbury is a Town and Civil parish (population 11135 in the 2001 census in the west of the English county of Wiltshire, most famous for the The result was a decisive victory for Alfred. The Danes submitted and, according to Asser, Guthrum and 29 of his chief men received baptism when they signed the Treaty of Wedmore. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted The Peace of Wedmore is a term used by Historians for an event referred to by the monk Asser in his Life of Alfred outlining how in 878 the Viking leader As a result, England became split in two: the southwestern half was kept by the Saxons, and the northeastern half including London, thence known as the Danelaw, was kept by the Vikings. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The Danelaw, as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (also known as the Danelagh; Old English: Dena lagu; Danish: By the following year (879), both Wessex and Mercia, west of Watling Street, were cleared of the invaders. Events By Place Europe Pope John VIII recognizes the Dukedom of Croatia as an independent state Watling Street is the name given to an Ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Celts mainly between the modern

For the next few years there was peace, with the Danes being kept busy in Europe. A landing in Kent in 884 or 885 close to Plucks Gutter, though successfully repelled, encouraged the East Anglian Danes to rise up. Plucks Gutter is a small hamlet in Kent, England where the River Little Stour and River Great Stour meet East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. The measures taken by Alfred to repress this uprising culminated in the taking of London in 885 or 886, and an agreement was reached between Alfred and Guthrum, known as the Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum. Events By Place Europe The Vikings besiege Paris. Godfrith the Sea King is killed in Lobith. For the processors see 80886 - 8th generation x86 like Opteron and Core 2. The Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum is an agreement between Alfred of Wessex and Guthrum, the Viking ruler of East Anglia. Once more, for a time, there was a lull, but in the autumn of 892 or 893, the Danes attacked again. Events By Place Europe Poppo of Thuringia, count of the march in Thuringia, is deposed by the German Carolingian king This article refers to the year 893 The number 893 can also refer to Japanese traditional organized crime groups Yakuza. Finding their position in Europe somewhat precarious, they crossed to England in 330 ships in two divisions. They entrenched themselves, the larger body at Appledore, Kent, and the lesser, under Haesten, at Milton also in Kent. See Appledore for other places with the same name Appledore is a Village and Civil parish in the Ashford District Hastein (also recorded as Haesten, Hæsten, Hæstenn or Hæsting and alias Alsting) was a notable Viking chieftain of the Milton-next-Gravesend was and still is one of the ancient Ecclesiastical parishes in the NW of the county of Kent, England The invaders brought their wives and children with them, indicating a meaningful attempt at conquest and colonisation. Alfred, in 893 or 894, took up a position from whence he could observe both forces. This article refers to the year 893 The number 893 can also refer to Japanese traditional organized crime groups Yakuza. Events By Place Europe Northumbrians and East Angles swear allegiance to Alfred the Great, but promptly break their truce by attacking While he was in talks with Haesten, the Danes at Appledore broke out and struck northwestwards. They were overtaken by Alfred's eldest son, Edward, and were defeated in a general engagement at Farnham in Surrey. Edward the Elder ( Old English: Ēadweard se Ieldra) (c 870 &ndash 17 July 924) was King of England (899 &ndash Farnham is a Town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. They were obliged to take refuge on an island in the Hertfordshire Colne, where they were blockaded and were ultimately compelled to submit. The Colne is a River in England. It flows mainly through Hertfordshire and forms the boundary between the South Bucks district of Buckinghamshire The force fell back on Essex and, after suffering another defeat at Benfleet, coalesced with Haesten's force at Shoebury.

Alfred had been on his way to relieve his son at Thorney when he heard that the Northumbrian and East Anglian Danes were besieging Exeter and an unnamed stronghold on the North Devon shore. Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. This article is about the region of England For the breed of cattle see North Devon cattle. Alfred at once hurried westward and raised the Siege of Exeter. The fate of the other place is not recorded. Meanwhile the force under Haesten set out to march up the Thames Valley, possibly with the idea of assisting their friends in the west. The Thames Valley generally implies the region that drains into the River Thames (the Thames catchment) from west of Cirencester to London But they were met by a large force under the three great ealdormen of Mercia, Wiltshire and Somerset, and made to head off to the northwest, being finally overtaken and blockaded at Buttington. Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Buttington is a village in Powys, Wales. The Montgomery Canal passes through the village Some identify this with Buttington Tump at the mouth of the River Wye, others with Buttington near Welshpool. This article is about the river that flows along or close to the Anglo-Welsh border Welshpool (Y Trallwng is a Town in Powys, Wales, only 4 miles (6 km from the border with England. An attempt to break through the English lines was defeated. Those who escaped retreated to Shoebury. Then after collecting reinforcements they made a sudden dash across England and occupied the ruined Roman walls of Chester. Chester is the County town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77040 The English did not attempt a winter blockade but contented themselves with destroying all the supplies in the neighbourhood. Early in 894 (or 895), want of food obliged the Danes to retire once more to Essex. Events By Place Europe Northumbrians and East Angles swear allegiance to Alfred the Great, but promptly break their truce by attacking Births Athelstan of England King Eric I of Norway Gaozu of Later Han Liu Min At the end of this year and early in 895 (or 896), the Danes drew their ships up the Thames and Lea and fortified themselves twenty miles (32 km) north of London. Births Athelstan of England King Eric I of Norway Gaozu of Later Han Liu Min Events By Place Europe The Bulgarians under Simeon I, defeat the Byzantine Empire at Bulgarophygon The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. River Lee may refer to The River Lee (England The River Lee (Ireland A direct attack on the Danish lines failed, but later in the year, Alfred saw a means of obstructing the river so as to prevent the egress of the Danish ships. The Danes realised that they were out-manoeuvred. They struck off northwestwards and wintered at Bridgenorth. Bridgnorth is a Town in Shropshire, England, along the Severn Valley. The next year, 896 (or 897), they gave up the struggle. Events By Place Europe The Bulgarians under Simeon I, defeat the Byzantine Empire at Bulgarophygon Events By place Asia Emperor Uda of Japan is succeeded by Emperor Daigo. Some retired to Northumbria, some to East Anglia. East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. Those who had no connections in England withdrew back to Europe.

Reorganization

After the dispersal of the Danish invaders, Alfred turned his attention to the increase of the navy, partly to repress the ravages of the Northumbrian and East Anglian Danes on the coasts of Wessex, and to prevent the landing of fresh invaders. This is not, as often asserted, the beginning of the English navy. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) There had been earlier naval operations under Alfred. One naval engagement was fought under Æthelwulf in 851, and earlier ones, possibly in 833 and 840. Æthelwulf, also spelled Aethelwulf or Ethelwulf; Old English: Æþelwulf, means 'Noble Wolf' (c Events By Place Europe Vikings plunder London and Canterbury. Events By Place Asia Al-Mu'tasim succeeds his brother Al-Ma'mun as Abbasid Caliph. Events By Place Europe After the death of Louis the Pious, his sons Lothar, Charles the Bald and Louis the German The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, however, does credit Alfred with the construction of a new type of ship, built according to the king's own designs, "swifter, steadier and also higher/more responsive (hierran) than the others". However, these new ships do not seem to have been a great success, as we hear of them grounding in action and foundering in a storm. Nevertheless both the British Royal Navy and the United States Navy claim Alfred as the founder of their traditions. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service)

Alfred's main fighting force, the fyrd, was separated into two, "so that there was always half at home and half out" (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle). The institution known as leiðangr ( Old Norse) leidang ( Norwegian) leding, ( Danish) ledung The level of organisation required to mobilise his large army in two shifts, of which one was feeding the other, must have been considerable. The complexity which Alfred's administration had attained by 892 is demonstrated by a reasonably reliable charter whose witness list includes a thesaurius, cellararius and pincerna—treasurer, food-keeper and butler. Events By Place Europe Poppo of Thuringia, count of the march in Thuringia, is deposed by the German Carolingian king Despite the irritation which Alfred must have felt in 893, when one division, which had "completed their call-up (stemn)", gave up the siege of a Danish army just as Alfred was moving to relieve them, this system seems to have worked remarkably well on the whole. This article refers to the year 893 The number 893 can also refer to Japanese traditional organized crime groups Yakuza.

One of the weaknesses of pre-Alfredian defences had been that, in the absence of a standing army, fortresses were largely left unoccupied, making it very possible for a Viking force to quickly secure a strong strategic position. Alfred substantially upgraded the state of the defences of Wessex, by erecting fortified burhs (or boroughs) throughout the kingdom. Burh is an Anglo-Saxon name for a fortified town or other defended site such as a Hill fort. During the systematic excavation of at least four of these (at Wareham, Cricklade, Lydford and Wallingford) it has been demonstrated that "in every case the rampart associated by the excavators with the borough of the Alfredian period was the primary defence on the site" (Brooks). Wareham is a historic Market town and under the name Wareham Town, a Civil parish, in the English county of Dorset. Cricklade Cricklade is a small town in north Wiltshire in England, on the River Thames situated midway between Swindon and Cirencester. Lydford, sometimes spelled Lidford, is a village once an important town in the western parliamentary division of Devonshire in Devon situated six miles (13 Wallingford is a small Market town and Civil parish in the upper Thames Valley in Oxfordshire, England. The obligations for the upkeep and defence of these and many other sites, with permanent garrisons, are further documented in surviving transcripts of the administrative manuscript known as the Burghal Hidage. The Burghal Hidage is an Anglo-Saxon document providing a list of Wessex 's fortified burhs Dating from, at least, within twenty years of Alfred's death, if not actually from his reign, it almost certainly reflects Alfredian policy. Comparison of town plans for Wallingford and Wareham with that of Winchester, shows "that they were laid out in the same scheme" (Wormald), thus supporting the proposition that these newly established burhs were also planned as centres of habitation and trade as well as a place of safety in moments of immediate danger. Thereafter, the English population and its wealth were drawn into such towns where it was not only safer from Viking soldiers, but also taxable by the King.

Alfred is thus credited with a significant degree of civil reorganisation, especially in the districts ravaged by the Danes. Even if one rejects the thesis crediting the "Burghal Hidage" to Alfred, what is undeniable is that, in the parts of Mercia acquired by Alfred from the Vikings, the shire system seems now to have been introduced for the first time. A shire is an Administrative division of Great Britain and Australia. This is probably what prompted the legend that Alfred was the inventor of shires, hundreds and tithings. A tithe (from Old English teogoþa "tenth" is a one-tenth part of something paid as a (usually voluntary contribution or as a Tax or levy Alfred's care for the administration of justice is testified both by history and legend; and he has gained the popular title "protector of the poor". Of the actions of the Witangemot, we do not hear very much under Alfred. The Witenagemot or the Witena gemot (ˈwɪtənəgɪˌməʊt also known as the Witan (more properly the title of its members was a political institution in He was certainly anxious to respect its rights, but both the circumstances of the time and the character of the king would have tended to throw more power into his hands. The legislation of Alfred probably belongs to the later part of the reign, after the pressure of the Danes had relaxed. He also paid attention to the country's finances, though details are lacking.

Legal reform

Main article: Doom book

Alfred the Great’s most enduring work was his legal code, called Deemings, or Book of Dooms (Book of Laws). For the Code of Alfred the Great, see the Doom book. The Doom Book was a list kept in the 1930s by United States censor Will A Code is a type of legislation that purports to exhaustively cover a complete system of laws or a particular area of law as it existed at the time the code was enacted by a Sir Winston Churchill believed that Alfred blended the Mosaic Law, Celtic Law, and old customs of the pagan Anglo-Saxons. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to A number of law codes have in the past been in use in Celtic countries For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south [5] Dr. F. N. Lee traced the parallels between Alfred’s Code and the Mosaic Code. [6] However, as Thomas Jefferson concluded after tracing the history of English common law: "The common law existed while the Anglo-Saxons were yet pagans, at a time when they had never yet heard the name of Christ pronounced or that such a character existed". Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence Common law refers to law and the corresponding legal system developed through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive [7] Churchill stated that Alfred’s Code was amplified by his successors and grew into the body of Customary Law administered by the Shire and The Hundred Courts. This led to the Charter of Liberties, granted by Henry I of England, AD 1100. The Charter of Liberties, also called the Coronation Charter, was a written proclamation by Henry I of England, issued upon his ascension to the throne in Henry I (c 1068/1069 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William I the Conqueror, the first King of England after the Norman

Foreign relations

Asser speaks grandiosely of Alfred's relations with foreign powers, but little definite information is available. His interest in foreign countries is shown by the insertions which he made in his translation of Orosius. Paulus Orosius (b circa 375 d 418? was a Christian Historian, theologian and disciple of St He certainly corresponded with Elias III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and possibly sent a mission to India. Elias III was the Patriarch of Jerusalem from the dates 878 AD to 907 AD The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem is the head Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, ranking fourth of nine Patriarchs in India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Contact was also made with the Caliph in Baghdad. The Caliph is the Head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous Embassies to Rome conveying the English alms to the Pope were fairly frequent. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Around 890, Wulfstan of Haithabu undertook a journey from Haithabu on Jutland along the Baltic Sea to the Prussian trading town of Truso. Wulfstan of Hedeby (Latin Haithabu) was a late 9th century traveller and trader Hedeby (ˡheðəby Old Norse Heiðabýr, of heiðr = heathland and býr = yard thus "heath yard" sometimes known This article is about the region of Denmark. For the World War I naval battle see Battle of Jutland. The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state Distinguish from Trousseau. Truso, situated on Lake Druzno, was an Old Prussian ( Pomesanian town near the Baltic Alfred ensured he reported to him details of his trip.

Alfred's relations with the Celtic princes in the western half of Britain are clearer. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Comparatively early in his reign, according to Asser, the southern Welsh princes, owing to the pressure on them of North Wales and Mercia, commended themselves to Alfred. South Wales (De Cymru is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south and Mid Wales and West Wales North Wales (Gogledd Cymru is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales and to the east by England. Later in the reign the North Welsh followed their example, and the latter cooperated with the English in the campaign of 893 (or 894). North Wales (Gogledd Cymru is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales and to the east by England. This article refers to the year 893 The number 893 can also refer to Japanese traditional organized crime groups Yakuza. Events By Place Europe Northumbrians and East Angles swear allegiance to Alfred the Great, but promptly break their truce by attacking That Alfred sent alms to Irish as well as to European monasteries may be taken on Asser's authority. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world The visit of the three pilgrim "Scots" (i. e. , Irish) to Alfred in 891 is undoubtedly authentic. Events By Place Europe Arnulf of Carinthia defeats the Normans at the Battle of Leuven. The story that he himself in his childhood was sent to Ireland to be healed by Saint Modwenna, though mythical, may show Alfred's interest in that island.

Religion and culture

Very little is known of the church under Alfred. The Danish attacks had been particularly damaging to the monasteries, and though Alfred founded two or three new monasteries and enticed foreign monks to England, monasticism did not revive significantly during his reign. The Danish raids had also an impact on learning, leading to the practical extinction of Latin even among the clergy: the preface to Alfred's translation of Pope Gregory I's Pastoral Care into Old English bearing eloquent, if not impartial witness, to this. Pastoral care is the ministry of care and Counseling provided by Pastors Chaplains and other religious leaders to members of their Church,

Alfred established a court school, following the example of Charlemagne [8]. Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his To this end, he imported scholars like Grimbald and John the Saxon from Europe, and Asser from South Wales. Saint Grimbald or Grimwald ( 827 - July 8, 901) was a Benedictine, invited to England by King Alfred the Great Not only did the King see to his own education, he also made the series of translations for the instruction of his clergy and people, most of which survive. These belong to the later part of his reign, probably the last four years, of which the chronicles are almost silent.

Apart from the lost Handboc or Encheiridion, which seems to have been merely a commonplace book kept by the king, the earliest work to be translated was the Dialogues of Gregory, a book greatly popular in the Middle Ages. In this case the translation was made by Alfred's great friend Werferth, Bishop of Worcester, the king merely furnishing a foreword. Werferth ( Wærferth, Werfrith, or Waerfrith) was an English Bishop of Worcester, from 873 to 915 The Bishop of Worcester heads the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury in England. The next work to be undertaken was Gregory's Pastoral Care, especially for the good of the parish clergy. In this, Alfred keeps very close to his original; but the introduction which he prefixed to it is one of the most interesting documents of the reign, or indeed of English history. The next two works taken in hand were historical, the Universal History of Orosius and Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Paulus Orosius (b circa 375 d 418? was a Christian Historian, theologian and disciple of St Bede (ˈbiːd (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin Beda (beda (c The Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (in English: Ecclesiastical History of the English People) is a work in Latin by the The priority should likely be given to the Orosius, but the point has been much debated. In the Orosius, by omissions and additions, Alfred so remodels his original as to produce an almost new work; in the Bede the author's text is closely stuck to, no additions being made, though most of the documents and some other less interesting matters are omitted. Of late years doubts have been raised as to Alfred's authorship of the Bede translation. But the skeptics cannot be regarded as having proved their point.

Alfred's translation of The Consolation of Philosophy of Boethius was the most popular philosophical handbook of the Middle Ages. Consolation of Philosophy ( Consolatio Philosophiae) is a philosophical work by Boethius, written in about the year AD 524. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480&ndash524 or 525 was a Christian philosopher of the 6th century Here again Alfred deals very freely with his original and though the late Dr. G. Schepss showed that many of the additions to the text are to be traced not to Alfred himself, but to the glosses and commentaries which he used, still there is much in the work which is solely Alfred's and highly characteristic of his genius. It is in the Boethius that the oft-quoted sentence occurs: "My will was to live worthily as long as I lived, and after my life to leave to them that should come after, my memory in good works. " The book has come down to us in two manuscripts only. In one of these[9] the writing is prose, in the other[10] a combination of prose and alliterating verse. The latter manuscript was severely damaged in the 18th and 19th centuries,[11] and the authorship of the verse has been much disputed; but likely it also is by Alfred. In fact, he writes in the prelude that he first created a prose work and then used it as the basis for his poem, the Lays of Boethius, his crowning literary achievement. The Lays of Boethius is King Alfred 's 9th century Old English version of the Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius He spent a great deal of time working on these books, which he tells us he gradually wrote through the many stressful times of his reign to refresh his mind. Of the authenticity of the work as a whole there has never been any doubt.

The last of Alfred's works is one to which he gave the name Blostman, i. e. , "Blooms" or Anthology. The first half is based mainly on the Soliloquies of St Augustine of Hippo, the remainder is drawn from various sources, and contains much that is Alfred's own and highly characteristic of him. The last words of it may be quoted; they form a fitting epitaph for the noblest of English kings. "Therefore he seems to me a very foolish man, and truly wretched, who will not increase his understanding while he is in the world, and ever wish and long to reach that endless life where all shall be made clear. "

Beside these works of Alfred's, the Saxon Chronicle almost certainly, and a Saxon Martyrology, of which fragments only exist, probably owe their inspiration to him. A prose version of the first fifty Psalms has been attributed to him; and the attribution, though not proved, is perfectly possible. Psalms ( Hebrew: Tehilim, תהילים, or "praises" is a book of the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament) included Additionally, Alfred appears as a character in The Owl and the Nightingale, where his wisdom and skill with proverbs is attested. The Owl and the Nightingale is a 12th or 13th century Middle English poem detailing a debate between an Owl and a Nightingale as overheard by the poem's Additionally, The Proverbs of Alfred, which exists for us in a thirteenth century manuscript contains sayings that very likely have their origins partly with the king. The Proverbs of Alfred is a collection of the putative sayings of Alfred the Great of England in late Anglo-Saxon or early Middle English

The Alfred jewel, discovered in Somerset in 1693, has long been associated with King Alfred because of its Old English inscription "AELFRED MEC HEHT GEWYRCAN" (Alfred Ordered Me To Be Made). The Alfred Jewel is an Anglo-Saxon ornament dating from the late 9th century, first discovered in 1693. Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county This relic, of unknown use, certainly dates from Alfred's reign but it is possibly just one of several that once existed. The inscription does little to clarify the identity of the central figure which has long been believed to depict God or Christ.

Veneration

Alfred is venerated as a Saint by the Orthodox Church and is regarded as a hero of the Christian Church in the Anglican Communion, with a feast day of 26 October,[12] and may often be found depicted in stained glass in Church of England parish churches. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world In a Catholic sense the term "saint" refers to any person in Heaven&mdashhowever since the 10th century the title "Saint" is only given to persons who have been officially See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death For the Blackford Oakes novel see Stained Glass (novel The term stained glass refers either to the material of coloured Glass or to the art Position in the Church of England In England, there are parish churches for both the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church. Also, Alfred University was named after him; a large statue of his likeness is in the center of campus. Alfred University is a small comprehensive university in the Village of Alfred in Western New York, United States, an hour south of

Family

In 868, Alfred married Ealhswith, daughter of Ealdorman of the Gaini (who is also known as Aethelred Mucill), who was from the Gainsborough region of Lincolnshire. Ealhswith (or Ealswitha) of the Gaini was born c 852 in Mercia. An ealdorman (modern Alderman) was the prior magistrate of an Anglo-Saxon shire from 900 to the time of the Danes. The Gaini (or the Gainas) were a tribe or former kingdom of early Anglo-Saxon people thought to have settled in the area around modern Gainsborough in northern Gainsborough is a town within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. She appears to have been the maternal granddaughter of a King of Mercia. The Kingdom of Mercia was an important state in the English Midlands from the 6th century to the 10th. They had five or six children together, including Edward the Elder, who succeeded his father as king, Ethelfleda, who would become Queen of Mercia in her own right, and Ælfthryth who married Baldwin II the Count of Flanders. Edward the Elder ( Old English: Ēadweard se Ieldra) (c 870 &ndash 17 July 924) was King of England (899 &ndash Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. Ælfthryth, also known as Elfrida (died 929 was the last child of Alfred the Great, the Saxon King of England and his wife Ealhswith. Baldwin II (c 865 &ndash September 10 918) nicknamed Calvus ( the Bald) was the second Count of Flanders. counts of Flanders were the Rulers over the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the Countship by the French revolutionaries His mother was Osburga daughter of Oslac of the Isle of Wight, Chief Butler of England. Osburga or Osburh was the first wife of King Æthelwulf of Wessex and mother of Alfred the Great, "a religious woman noble both by birth and by nature" Asser, in his Vita Alfredi asserts that this shows his lineage from the Jutes of the Isle of Wight. Asser (d 908/909 was a Welsh Monk from St David's, Dyfed, who became Bishop of Sherborne in the 890s The Jutes, Iuti, or Iutae were a Germanic people who according to Bede were one of the three most powerful Germanic peoples of the time This is unlikely as Bede tells us that they were all slaughtered by the Saxon under Caedwalla. Bede (ˈbiːd (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin Beda (beda (c Cædwalla (c 659 &ndash 20 April 689 was the King of Wessex from about 685 until 688 when he abdicated However, ironically Alfred could trace his line via the House of Wessex itself, from King Wihtredof Kent, whose mother was the sister of the last Island King, Arwald. Wihtred (c 670 &ndash 23 April 725 was king of Kent from about 690 or 691 until his death Arwald (died 686 CE was the last Jutish King of the Isle of Wight and last Pagan king in or of England until the Vikings in the ninth century

Name Birth Death Notes
Ethelfleda 918 Married 889, Eald of Mercia d 910; had issue.
Edward 870 17 July 924 Married (1) Ecgwynn, (2) Ælfflæd, (3) 919 Edgiva
Æthelgiva Abbess of Shaftesbury
Ælfthryth 929 Married Baldwin, Count of Flanders; had issue
Æthelwærd 16 October 922 Married and had issue

Death, burial and legacy

Alfred died on 26 October. Edward the Elder ( Old English: Ēadweard se Ieldra) (c 870 &ndash 17 July 924) was King of England (899 &ndash Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians For the automobile see Porsche 924. Events By Place Europe King Athelstan succeeds to the throne of Mercia Edgiva of Kent, or also Eadgifu (died August 25, 968) was the third wife of Edward the Elder, King of England. Ælfthryth, also known as Elfrida (died 929 was the last child of Alfred the Great, the Saxon King of England and his wife Ealhswith. Baldwin II (c 865 &ndash September 10 918) nicknamed Calvus ( the Bald) was the second Count of Flanders. Æthelwærd of Wessex was the youngest son of King Alfred the Great and Ealhswith. Events 456 - Magister militum Ricimer defeats the Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the western Events By Place Asia The Khitan Empire led by Abaoji, raids Hebei, China. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death The actual year is not certain, but it was not necessarily 901 as stated in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Events By Place Americas The Mesoamerican ballgame court is dedicated at Uxmal. How he died is unknown, although he suffered throughout his life with a painful and unpleasant illness- probably Crohn's Disease, which seems to have been inherited by his grandson king Edred. Crohn's disease is a Disease of the Digestive system which may affect any part of the Gastrointestinal tract from Mouth to Anus King Edred, also known as Eadred or Aedred (c 923 &ndash 23 November, 955) known as 'weak-in-the-feet' was King He was originally buried temporarily in the Old Minster in Winchester, then moved to the New Minster (perhaps built especially to receive his body). The Old Minster was the Anglo-Saxon Cathedral for the Diocese of Wessex and then Winchester from 660 to 1093 Winchester or Winton ( archaic) is a historic city in southern England, with a population of around 40000 within a radius of its centre New Minster Winchester was a royal Benedictine Abbey founded in 901 in Winchester in the English county of Hampshire. When the New Minster moved to Hyde, a little north of the city, in 1110, the monks transferred to Hyde Abbey along with Alfred's body. Hyde Abbey was a Benedictine monastery just outside the walls of Winchester, Hampshire, dissolved and demolished in 1538 His grave was apparently excavated during the building of a new prison in 1788 and the bones scattered. Year 1788 ( MDCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap However, bones found on a similar site in the 1860s were also declared to be Alfred's and later buried in Hyde churchyard. Extensive excavations in 1999 revealed what is believed to be his grave-cut, that of his wife Eahlswith, and that of their son Edward the Elder but barely any human remains. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) [13]

A number of educational establishments are named in Alfred's honour. These are:

Wantage Statue

The statue of Alfred the Great, situated in the Wantage's market place, was sculpted by Count Gleichen, a relative of Queen Victoria, and unveiled on 14 July 1877 by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the future Edward VII and his wife. Admiral Victor Ferdinand Franz Eugen Gustaf Adolf Constantin Friedrich of Hohenlohe-Langenburg GCB ( 11 December 1833 - 31 December Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. Year 1877 ( MDCCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common [14]

The statue was vandalised on New Year's eve 2007, losing part of its right arm. [14]

See also

References

  1. ^ Canute the Great, who ruled England from 1016 to 1035, was Danish. The Kingdom of England was a State (927-1707 located in Western Europe dating from the ninth or tenth century to the early eighteenth century when it was legally The Lays of Boethius is King Alfred 's 9th century Old English version of the Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius } Canute the Great, also known as Cnut in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, or Knut ( Old Norse: Knútr inn ríki, Norwegian The term Dane may refer to People with a Danish ancestral or ethnic identity whether living in Denmark, emigrants or the descendants of emigrants
  2. ^ Alfred was the youngest of five brothers[1]
  3. ^ The Life of King Alfred
  4. ^ Wormald, Patrick, 'Alfred (848/9-899)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004).
  5. ^ Churchill, Sir Winston: The Island Race, Corgi, London, 1964, II, p. 219.
  6. ^ Lee, F. N. , King Alfred the Great and our Common Law Department of Church History, Queensland Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Brisbane, Australia, August 2000
  7. ^ Reports of Cases Determined in the General Court, appendix. Thomas Jefferson.
  8. ^ Codicology of the court school of Charlemagne: Gospel book production, illumination, and emphasized script (European university studies. Series 28, History of art) ISBN 3820472835
  9. ^ Oxford Bodleian Library MS Bodley 180
  10. ^ British Library Cotton MS Otho A. vi
  11. ^ Kiernan, Kevin S. , "Alfred the Great's Burnt Boethius". In Bornstein, George and Theresa Tinkle, eds. , The Iconic Page in Manuscript, Print, and Digital Culture (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1998).
  12. ^ Gross, Ernie (1990). This Day In Religion. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. .  
  13. ^ Dodson, Aidan (2004). The Royal Tombs of Great Britain. London: Duckworth.  
  14. ^ a b "Wantage Herald Article".

Further reading

External links

Alfred the Great
Born: 849 Died: 26 October 899
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Ethelred		 King of Wessex
871 – 899		 Succeeded by
Edward the Elder
Preceded by
New title		 King of England
878 – 899		 Succeeded by
Edward the Elder
Preceded by
Ethelred		 Bretwalda
871 – 899		 Last holder
Family information
Egbert of Wessex Ethelwulf of Wessex Alfred the Great
Redburga
Oslac Osburga
unknown


Persondata
NAME Alfred the Great
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Ælfred
SHORT DESCRIPTION King of Wessex
DATE OF BIRTH 849
PLACE OF BIRTH Wantage, England
DATE OF DEATH 26 October 899
PLACE OF DEATH  ?
The House of Wessex, also known as the House of Cerdic or the Saxon royal house, refers to the family that ruled a kingdom in southwest England King Ethelred of Wessex ( Old English: Æþelræd) (c 840 &ndash April 23, 871) was the fourth son of King Ethelwulf of Wessex This is a list of monarchs of Wessex until 924. For later monarchs see the List of monarchs in the British Isles. Edward the Elder ( Old English: Ēadweard se Ieldra) (c 870 &ndash 17 July 924) was King of England (899 &ndash The Kings of Wessex, who conquered Kent and Sussex from Mercia in 825 became increasingly dominant over the other kingdoms of England during Edward the Elder ( Old English: Ēadweard se Ieldra) (c 870 &ndash 17 July 924) was King of England (899 &ndash King Ethelred of Wessex ( Old English: Æþelræd) (c 840 &ndash April 23, 871) was the fourth son of King Ethelwulf of Wessex Bretwalda, also Brytenwalda, Bretenanwealda, is an Anglo-Saxon term the first record of which comes from the late ninth century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Egbert (also spelt Ecgberht) (died 839 was King of Wessex from 802 until 839 Æthelwulf, also spelled Aethelwulf or Ethelwulf; Old English: Æþelwulf, means 'Noble Wolf' (c Redburga or Raedburh was the wife of king Egbert of Wessex and may have been the sister-in-law of Charlemagne as the sister of his fourth wife Luitgard Osburga or Osburh was the first wife of King Æthelwulf of Wessex and mother of Alfred the Great, "a religious woman noble both by birth and by nature"
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic