12
Alfred the Great
(849–899 Ƌƍ
The most famous Anglo-
Saxon king is, without
question, Alfred the Great of
Wessex. Born in 849 and
crowned in 872, Alfred ruled
during a chaotic time. The
land that would become
England was under siege by
Danish invaders seeking
more land and profit. The
history of conflict between
the English and the Danes
far outlasted Alfred.
However, his successful
defense of his lands served as
an important victory for the
Anglo-Saxons.
Despite the fact that Alfred
suffered from a chronic illness,- believe to be Crohn’s Disease,
he proved himself a great
general. When the Danish
leader Guthrum attacked his
royal base at Chippenham in
878, Alfred, along with some of
his men, escaped to the swamps
of Somerset and began to fight
back (see illustration at left).
Eventually, he gathered enough
support and won his kingdom
back from Guthrum. The treaty
agreed to by the two kings
established the Danelaw, a
portion of England operating
under Danish rule. Looking to
the future, Alfred strove to
strengthen his own kingdom’s
defenses through a system of
fortresses called burhs. His
actions reshaped the political
and military landscape of
England for more than
a century.
Alfred may have been
admired as a warrior, but
his greatest strength was his
mind. He was a devoted patron
of the Church and brought
scholars and clergymen into
his country and his inner circle.
It is largely through one of
these scholars, a Welsh monk
named Asser, that his legacy
was secured. Asser wrote the
Life of King Alfred in his honor,
and Alfred’s descendants would
continue to shape the history
of England.Crohn’s Disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the intestines.Protected by the
swamps, Alfred
prepares to win
back his kingdom
from the Danes.