Cross Of StGeorge- Alfred the Great

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Alfred the Great was as the title suggests a great man but in more ways that one. Not only did he save Anglo-Saxon England from the Danes but he was also a great scholar and established schools, he founded the English navy and united the many Kingdoms that made up the Country that is now England. It could therefore be said that he was the Father of England.

He lived in the same era as the famous King Canute and the unfortunately named Ethelred the unready. He was a devoutly religious man who believed that the Danes had been sent by God as a punishment.

His Kingdom was Wessex and his capital Winchester. Although there is nothing left of Alfred's capital there is a large statue to him in the middle of the City the inscription is printed below

Alfred's Life

849
Alfred is born; his name means "wise-counselor".

858
Ethelwulf, Alfred's father dies, in peace. His remains are laid in Winchester.

865
Danes begin to settle in East Anglia.

866
Alfred is named Secundarius after his brother, Ethelred, becomes king. East Anglia makes "peace" with money and horses when hordes of Danes pour in.

868
Alfred marries Ealhswith, a Mercian noblewoman, daughter of Ethelred chief of the Gaines (Gainsborough). The wedding takes place in Mercia. At his marriage feast, Alfred is seized with pain and lives with it off and on the rest of his life.

869
The Danes wreck double vengeance because of their slim pickings the year before. On August 26th, they sack Crowland monastery. The monks hid their treasures in a well. The elderly remained to meet the Vikings and continued mass on schedule. The younger were sent away. The Vikings, furious at not being able to find treasure killed all the old monks and burnt their bodies.

871
Alfred and king Ethelred advance against Danes with a large force, but are repulsed trying to take the Dane earthworks. Danes refuse to come out and fight. Alfred and Ethelred shadow the Danes, having drawn them out by pretending retreat. When Danes are far enough from Reading not to run back, Alfred and Ethelred expose their troops. Golden dragon pennant of Alfred, raven pennant of the Danes. King Ethelred dies, probably from wounds received at Maretun. Alfred becomes king.

875
Alfred builds a small navy. It engages seven Danish ships, captures one, drives the other six away. The monks of Lindisfarne take their relics and the Lindisfarne gospel and leave, wandering for seven years with all this in a coffin. Danes settle Northumbria as farmers.

876
Five years of hard-bought peace comes to an end. In the Autumn, the Vikings make a surprise attack. Alfred is virtually encircled on sea and land. Danes attack from Wareham. Alfred fights them to a standstill. They swear on their holy bracelets that they will keep peace. They say they've never taken such an oath before for anyone.

877
The Danes make peace, unable to escape Alfred's resistance. Most keep their word and move into Mercia.

878
Alfred has only the royal bodyguard to support him. Alfred gathers the men of Somerset, conducting guerrilla warfare from the moors and forests. Ethelnoth, ealdorman of Somerset joins Alfred, bringing his own band of a few loyal followers sworn to his defence. Alfred moves to Athelny with his bodyguard of probably a few hundred men. He builds a fort and begins to harass the Danes in earnest. From Athelny Alfred supposedly went into Danish camp as a harpist. Here, hiding incognito, he supposedly burnt the cakes. Alfred meets the Danes at Ethandun. Alfred's forces lock their shields in a shield wall. Alfred wins the battle of Ethandun.

879
Alfred begins construction of a great wall of burhs to act as local forts; he develops the system which gives him both a standing army and a local defence.

881
Alfred's navy engaged at sea. Captures two Danish ships. Two ships flee.

884
Alfred's ship crews are killed while resting. Danes break their treaty with Alfred. A new mass of Danes arrives.

885
Alfred's navy raids off the coast of Anglia captures sixteen Viking ships. Alfred coaxes Asser to join him. Asser says he will come back in six months. This is probably the year work began on the revised, updated Anglo Saxon Chronicle. In this year Alfred appointed Mercian scholars to the work of restoring learning.

886
Alfred recaptures London. This helps ease the threat of the East Anglian Danes.

887
Asser returns to Alfred. He learns of Alfred's Commonplace Book. Asser begins to teach the 38 year old Alfred how to translate Latin.

890
Alfred issues his own simplification and codification of the laws; his doombook. He requires his judges to either learn the law or leave their posts. Many old men begin learning to read and write, or at least to have the laws read to them so they may memorize them.

892
Alfred is now a competent Latin scholar. He orders copies of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle to be made and sends them to several major religious houses. A large army of Danes from Boulogne arrives. 250 ships. Another army of 82 ships comes under Haesten. Alfred's new system of forts works beautifully. Alfred buys peace with the Danes who have landed in Kent.

899
King Alfred the Great died on October 26, 899, aged 50, at Chelsea, planning the rebuilding of London, and was buried in the Old Minister at Winchester, the burial place of the West Saxon royal family. He is the only English monarch to be known as "the Great".

Click on the image to see a larger picture of Afred's statue in Winchester

And on this one to see the inscription on the statue

Cascade DTP V4 Contents Home Merchandise Blog The England Quiz Links Forum Art Patriotic poems Jerusalem History Section Harold Godwinson Alfred The Great Agincourt Northallerton Flodden Culloden Oliver Cromwell The first civil war and the Levellers Execution of the King, Ireland The Scots and the restoration	Alfred the Great was as the title suggests a great man but in more ways that one. Not only did he save Anglo-Saxon England from the Danes but he was also a great scholar and established schools, he founded the English navy and united the many Kingdoms that made up the Country that is now England. It could therefore be said that he was the Father of England. He lived in the same era as the famous King Canute and the unfortunately named Ethelred the unready. He was a devoutly religious man who believed that the Danes had been sent by God as a punishment. His Kingdom was Wessex and his capital Winchester. Although there is nothing left of Alfred's capital there is a large statue to him in the middle of the City the inscription is printed below Alfred's Life 849 Alfred is born; his name means "wise-counselor". 858 Ethelwulf, Alfred's father dies, in peace. His remains are laid in Winchester. 865 Danes begin to settle in East Anglia. 866 Alfred is named Secundarius after his brother, Ethelred, becomes king. East Anglia makes "peace" with money and horses when hordes of Danes pour in. 868 Alfred marries Ealhswith, a Mercian noblewoman, daughter of Ethelred chief of the Gaines (Gainsborough). The wedding takes place in Mercia. At his marriage feast, Alfred is seized with pain and lives with it off and on the rest of his life. 869 The Danes wreck double vengeance because of their slim pickings the year before. On August 26th, they sack Crowland monastery. The monks hid their treasures in a well. The elderly remained to meet the Vikings and continued mass on schedule. The younger were sent away. The Vikings, furious at not being able to find treasure killed all the old monks and burnt their bodies. 871 Alfred and king Ethelred advance against Danes with a large force, but are repulsed trying to take the Dane earthworks. Danes refuse to come out and fight. Alfred and Ethelred shadow the Danes, having drawn them out by pretending retreat. When Danes are far enough from Reading not to run back, Alfred and Ethelred expose their troops. Golden dragon pennant of Alfred, raven pennant of the Danes. King Ethelred dies, probably from wounds received at Maretun. Alfred becomes king. 875 Alfred builds a small navy. It engages seven Danish ships, captures one, drives the other six away. The monks of Lindisfarne take their relics and the Lindisfarne gospel and leave, wandering for seven years with all this in a coffin. Danes settle Northumbria as farmers. 876 Five years of hard-bought peace comes to an end. In the Autumn, the Vikings make a surprise attack. Alfred is virtually encircled on sea and land. Danes attack from Wareham. Alfred fights them to a standstill. They swear on their holy bracelets that they will keep peace. They say they've never taken such an oath before for anyone. 877 The Danes make peace, unable to escape Alfred's resistance. Most keep their word and move into Mercia. 878 Alfred has only the royal bodyguard to support him. Alfred gathers the men of Somerset, conducting guerrilla warfare from the moors and forests. Ethelnoth, ealdorman of Somerset joins Alfred, bringing his own band of a few loyal followers sworn to his defence. Alfred moves to Athelny with his bodyguard of probably a few hundred men. He builds a fort and begins to harass the Danes in earnest. From Athelny Alfred supposedly went into Danish camp as a harpist. Here, hiding incognito, he supposedly burnt the cakes. Alfred meets the Danes at Ethandun. Alfred's forces lock their shields in a shield wall. Alfred wins the battle of Ethandun. 879 Alfred begins construction of a great wall of burhs to act as local forts; he develops the system which gives him both a standing army and a local defence. 881 Alfred's navy engaged at sea. Captures two Danish ships. Two ships flee. 884 Alfred's ship crews are killed while resting. Danes break their treaty with Alfred. A new mass of Danes arrives. 885 Alfred's navy raids off the coast of Anglia captures sixteen Viking ships. Alfred coaxes Asser to join him. Asser says he will come back in six months. This is probably the year work began on the revised, updated Anglo Saxon Chronicle. In this year Alfred appointed Mercian scholars to the work of restoring learning. 886 Alfred recaptures London. This helps ease the threat of the East Anglian Danes. 887 Asser returns to Alfred. He learns of Alfred's Commonplace Book. Asser begins to teach the 38 year old Alfred how to translate Latin. 890 Alfred issues his own simplification and codification of the laws; his doombook. He requires his judges to either learn the law or leave their posts. Many old men begin learning to read and write, or at least to have the laws read to them so they may memorize them. 892 Alfred is now a competent Latin scholar. He orders copies of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle to be made and sends them to several major religious houses. A large army of Danes from Boulogne arrives. 250 ships. Another army of 82 ships comes under Haesten. Alfred's new system of forts works beautifully. Alfred buys peace with the Danes who have landed in Kent. 899 King Alfred the Great died on October 26, 899, aged 50, at Chelsea, planning the rebuilding of London, and was buried in the Old Minister at Winchester, the burial place of the West Saxon royal family. He is the only English monarch to be known as "the Great".
		Click on the image to see a larger picture of Afred's statue in Winchester And on this one to see the inscription on the statue