Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great (849 – 899) was king of Wessex from 871 to 899. Driven by a Danish surprise attack into the Somerset marshes at Athelney in 878, he defeated Guthrum's army at Edington that May, and afterwards held off the Danes with a network of fortified burhs and a reformed army, laying the foundations for a united England. Also known as a patron of learning who had Latin books translated into English, he is the only English monarch called “the Great”.
| Lived | 849 – 899 |
|---|---|
| Active in | Wessex (Somerset, Winchester) · London |
| Known for | The Battle of Edington; the burhs; England's only “Great” king |
| Game start | 878 · age 29 · King of Wessex (ruler) — The marshes of Athelney |
Life at a glance
- 849 Born at Wantage, the youngest son of King Æthelwulf of Wessex.
- 853 Visits Rome as a small boy, and goes to Rome again with his father in 855.
- 868 Marries Ealhswith, of a Mercian noble family.
- 871 When his brother Æthelred I dies he becomes king, and after many battles that year with the great Danish army he makes peace.
- 878 In January, when Guthrum's army surprises Chippenham, he takes refuge in the marshes of Athelney. In May he defeats Guthrum at Edington; Guthrum is baptised with Alfred as his godfather.
- c. 880 Builds fortified towns called burhs across the kingdom and divides the levy into two halves that serve in turn.
- 886 Takes London and is recognised as king of all the English not under Danish rule.
- c. 890 Learns Latin and has books such as Pastoral Care translated into English; compilation of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle begins around this time.
- 892 A great Danish army led by Hastein crosses again, but his son Edward and son-in-law Æthelred hold it off until 896.
- 899 Dies on 26 October and is buried at Winchester.
Family
The family members who appear with this character when you start the game. Years follow the historical record; where none survives, a ? is shown.
| Relation | Name | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Father | Æthelwulf | c. 795 – 858 | King of Wessex (839–858) |
| Mother | Osburh | Dates unknown | Said to have had her son learn a book of English poems by heart |
| Elder sister | Æthelswith | c. 838 – 888 | Queen of King Burgred of Mercia |
| Elder brother | Æthelred I | c. 847 – 871 | King of Wessex (865–871) |
| Nephew | Æthelwold | ? – 902 | Son of Æthelred I. Fought for the throne after Alfred's death and was killed in 902 |
| Wife | Ealhswith | ? – 902 | Of a Mercian noble family; married 868 |
| Daughter | Æthelflæd | c. 870 – 918 | Later fought the Danes as “Lady of the Mercians” |
| Son | Edward (the Elder) | c. 874 – 924 | Succeeded to the throne in 899 |
| Daughter | Æthelgifu | Dates unknown | Abbess of Shaftesbury |
| Daughter | Ælfthryth | c. 877 – 929 | Married Baldwin II, Count of Flanders |
In the game
You begin in January 878 as the twenty-nine-year-old king of Wessex, Chippenham lost, hiding in the marshes of Athelney with a handful of men. The kingdom is still yours but the royal hall is in Danish hands, and the stomach pains that have plagued you since your wedding day are back. You have your wife Ealhswith, your children including Æthelflæd and Edward, your sister Æthelswith and your nephew Æthelwold.
The turning point is “Edington”. In the first scene, “The marshes of Athelney”, whether you go out of the marsh to strike the Danish baggage carts, secretly send word to the levy, or look for a ship to cross the sea moves the odds for May 878. Win, and real history runs to 26 October 899 through the baptism at Aller, the ledger of the burhs, the fyrd in two halves, Lunden, Hastein and the River Lea, and Pastoral Care; lose, and another branch runs to the end in which you stay a king of the marsh, with a broken shield wall and the outlaw Osric.
From 887, Latin study and the king's illness come together. When your health fails, holding on with family and rest long enough to settle the succession is the task of this life.
- Scenario guide The marshes of Athelney
- Era guide Age of Vikings and Coronations
- Related turning points What if Alfred the Great had lost at Edington?
Frequently asked questions
Why is Alfred called “the Great”?
Because he saved Wessex, the last Anglo-Saxon kingdom, from the Danish invasions, and laid the groundwork for the later kingdom of England with his fortresses, army reforms, law code and programme of English translation. The title was given later, and Alfred is the only English monarch to bear it.
Is it true that he burned the cakes?
The story is that while hiding at Athelney he stayed incognito in a swineherd's house, let the cakes he was left to watch burn and was scolded by the swineherd's wife. It is not in contemporary records and first appears in a saint's life of the late 10th century, so it is regarded as legend.
When and where was the Battle of Edington?
In May 878, near Edington in Wiltshire (Ethandun in the old records). After Alfred's victory Guthrum surrendered and was baptised, and the treaty that followed divided England between Wessex and the Danelaw under Danish rule.
Sources
Asser, Life of King Alfred; the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 871–899; general histories of medieval England.