General Notes

He prevented the Danish conquest of England, defeating them atEdington in 0878, after a campaign of guerrila warfare. Afterhis victory, he allowed the Danes to keep their conquests inMercia and East Anglia provided that Guthrum, their King, wasconverted to Christianity. Alfred built a navy of Warships todefend the south coast against further Danish invasions(0885-0886; 0892-0896) and protected Wessex with a chain offortifications. He took London (0886), this gaining control ofall England except the Danish areas.

Founder of the British Navy, organized the Militia, compiled acode of laws, built schools and monasteries and invited scholarsto live at his court.

Alfred  succeeded his brother, Ethelred I. Alfred began assecond-in-command to his eldest brother, King Ethelred I. Therewere no jealousies between them, but a marked difference oftemperament. Ethelred inclined toward a religious viewpoint thatfaith and prayer were the prime agencies by which the heathenwould be overcome. Alfred, though also devout, laid the emphasisupon policy and arms. At twenty-four, he became King. He marriedLady Alswitha (Ealhswith), daughter of Ethelan, the Earl ofMercia, lineally descended from Crioda, 1st Earl of Mercia, whodied in 0594. Alfred was regarded as one of the noblest monarchsin British history. No name in English history is so justlypopular as his. That he taught his people to defend themselvesand defeat their enemies, is the least of the many claims to ourgrateful admiration; he did much more than this; he launched hispeople upon a great advance in civilization, and showed a hordeof untaught countrymen that there were other and worthierpursuits than war or the pleasure of the table. "He was indeedone of those highly gifted men that would seem to be especiallyraised up by Providence to protect and advance his people."(Wurts, Vol I, p. 171).

Young Alfred, according to the historian Asser, Bishop ofSherborne, was a comely person and of a sweeter disposition thanhis older brothers and consequently became the favorite of bothhis parents and was sent by them to Rome, while still a child inorder that he might be anointed king by the Pope. But thoughEthelwulf showed this especial instance of regard for his son,he altogether neglected his education, and the young prince inhis twelfth year had not learned to read or write. But if hecould not read for himself, he nevertheless loved to listen tothe rude but inspiring strains of Saxon poetry when recited byothers, and had he not been a king and statesman, he mighteasily have been a poet. In 0871, Alfred succeeded as king, at aperiod when the whole country was suffering under the ravages ofthe Danes, and the general misery was yet further increased by araging pestilence, along with the general dissentions of thepeople. Alfred now for the first time took the field againstthese ruthless invaders with such skill and courage, that he wasable to maintain the struggles till a truce was concludedbetween the combatants. Neither was this the worst of the evilsthat beset the Saxon prince. Any compact he might make with oneparty, had no influence whatever upon others of theircountrymen, who had different leaders and different interests.No sooner had he made terms with one horde of pirates thanEngland was invaded by a new force of them under Rollo; and whenhe had compelled these to abandon Wessex, he was attacked byfresh bands of Danes settled in other parts of England. So long,however, as they ventured to meet him on the open field, hisskill secured him the victory; till, taught by repeated defeats,they had recourse to other tactics. That is, suddenly to landand ravage a part of the country, and when a force opposed them,they retired to their ships, and passed to some other part,which in a like manner they ravaged, and then retired as before,until the country, completely harassed, pillaged and wasted bytheir incursions, was no longer able to resist them. Then theyventured safely to enter and to establish themselves. Therefore,Alfred, finding a navy necessary, built England's first fleet.After much fighting over the years he at last routed the Danesat Ethendune (Edington) in 0878 with so much slaughter that theywere glad to obtain peace on such terms as he chose to dictate.He was as merciful as he was good and brave.