{"id":3571,"date":"2022-02-17T10:41:40","date_gmt":"2022-02-17T10:41:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/?p=3571"},"modified":"2022-03-04T08:57:29","modified_gmt":"2022-03-04T08:57:29","slug":"king-alfred-the-great","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/middle-ages\/king-alfred-the-great\/","title":{"rendered":"King Alfred the Great"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Name: King Alfred the Great Alfred (\u00c6lfred) was born at Wantage in England, historically in Berkshire, but currently in Oxfordshire, the youngest son of \u00c6thelwulf (d. 858), king of the West Saxons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 870 Alfred and his brother \u00c6thelred fought many battles against the Danes. Alfred gained a victory over the Danes at Ashdown in 871, and succeeded \u00c6thelred as King in April 871 after a series of battles in which the Danes had been defeated. Not all his campaigns were so successful; on a number of occasions he had to resort to buying off the Danes for a brief respite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Five years of uneasy peace followed while the Danes were occupied in other parts of England. In 876 the Danes attacked again, and in 878 Alfred was forced to retire to the stronghold of Athelney which was at that time an island in the Somerset Levels. The legend of him burning the cakes probably comes from this period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His come back and great victory over the Vikings at Edington (Ethandun). in 878 secured the survival of Wessex and thus England. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He began to use the word English <\/em>to decribe the people joining the Angles and Saxons under one name as well as meaning the common language they spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Born: c.849 at Wantage, Berkshire
Parents: \u00c6thelwulf and Osburh
House of: Wessex
Became King: 871
Married: Ealhswith of Mercia
Children: 5 children, \u00c6lfthryth, \u00c6thelflaed<\/a>, \u00c6thelgifu, Edward<\/a>, \u00c6thelweard
Died: October 26, 899
Buried at: Winchester Cathedral
Succeeded by: his son Edward<\/p>\n\n\n\n