General Notes

Alfred the Great, son of Ethelwulf, succeeded his brother
, Ethelred I., reigning from 871 to 900. Alfred began as se
cond-in-command to his eldest brother, King Ethelred I. The
re were no jealousies between them, but a marked differenc
e of temperament. Ethelred inclined toward a religious view
point that faith and prayer were the prime agencies by whic
h the heathen would be overcome. Alfred, though also devout
, laid the emphasis upon policy and arms. He was born in 84
9 and died in 900. At twenty-four he became King. He marrie
d Lady Alswitha (Ealhswith), daughter of Ethelan, the Ear
l of Mercia, lineally descended from Crioda, 1st Earl of Me
rcia, who died in 594. She died in 904. Alfred was regarde
d as one of the noblest monarchs in British history. No nam
e in English history is so justly popular as his. That he t
aught his people to defend themselves and defeat their enem
ies, is the least of the many claims to our grateful admira
tion; he did much more than this; he launched his people up
on a great advance in civilization, and showed a horde of u
ntaught countrymen that there were other and worthier pursu
its than war or the pleasure of the table. "He was indeed o
ne of those highly gifted men that would seem to be especia
lly raised up by Providence to protect and advance his peop
le." (Wurts, Vol I, p. 171). Alfred was born at Wantage, i
n Berkshire, in the year 849, ascended the throne in 871 a
t the age of 23, and reigned for thirty years. Young Alfred
, according to the historian Asser, Bishop of Sherborne, wa
s a comely person and of a sweeter disposition than his old
er brothers and consequently became the favorite of both hi
s parents and was sent by them to Rome, while still a chil
d in order that he might be anointed king by the Pope. Bu
t though Ethelwulf showed this especial instance of regar
d for his son, he altogether neglected his education, and t
he young prince in his twelfth year had not learned to rea
d or write. But if he could not read for himself, he nevert
heless loved to listen to the rude but inspiring strains o
f Saxon poetry when recited by others, and had he not bee
n a king and statesman, he might easily have been a poet. I
n 871, Alfred succeeded as king, at a period when the whol
e country was suffering under the ravages of the Danes, an
d the general misery was yet further increased by a ragin
g pestilence, along with the general dissentions of the peo
ple. Alfred now for the first time took the field against t
hese ruthless invaders with such skill and courage, that h
e was able to maintain the struggles till a truce was concl
uded between the combatants. Neither was this the worst o
f the evils that beset the Saxon prince. Any compact he mig
ht make with one party, had no influence whatever upon othe
rs of their countrymen, who had different leaders and diffe
rent interests. No sooner had he made terms with one hord
e of pirates than England was invaded by a new force of the
m under Rollo; and when he had compelled these to abandon W
essex, he was attacked by fresh bands of Danes settled in o
ther parts of England. So long, however, as they ventured t
o meet him on the open field, his skill secured him the vic
tory; till, taught by repeated defeats, they had recourse t
o other tactics. That is, suddenly to land and ravage a apa
rt of the country, and when a force opposed them, they reti
red to their ships, and passed to some other part, which i
n a like manner they ravaged, and then retired as before, u
ntil the country, completely harassed, pillaged and waste
d by their incursions, was no longer able to resist them. T
hen they ventured safely to enter and to establish themselv
es. Therefore, Alfred, finding a navy necessary, built Engl
and's first fleet. After much fighting over the years he a
t last routed the Danes at Ethendune (Edington) in 878 wit
h so much slaughter that they were glad to obtain peace o
n such