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Alfred the Great

Type Figure Region Wessex Time c. 849–899 Also known as Alfred

Alfred the Great (c. 849–899), King of Wessex and one of the most outstanding Anglo-Saxon rulers, secured the western defenses amid Viking invasions …

Timeline

  1. c. 849–871Wantage · WessexSon of King Æthelwulf of Wessex; in his youth he took part in campaigns against the Vikings alongside his father and brothers, receiving religious and classical education that laid the foundation for his later rule.
  2. 871–886Edington · WessexSucceeded to the throne after his brother's death in 871; under heavy Viking pressure he at one point withdrew to the island of Athelney; after his great victory at Edington in 878 he forced Guthrum to sign a treaty, gradually recovering London and other places and consolidating the defenses.
  3. 886–899Winchester · WessexIn his later years he enacted the Laws of Alfred, sponsored scholarly translations, established a system of fortified burhs, and organized a chronicle, markedly improving the kingdom's governance and culture; he died in 899.

Sources