King Alfred the Great
King Alfred the Great (871-899) was one of the best kings ever to rule. He defended his kingdom from Viking raids, enacted a code of laws, and helped to give rebirth to religious and scholarly activity. During Alfred's reign, he demonstrated military and strategic skills, sound authority and the capability to inspire men and plan for the future, great devotion to the support of religion, personal scholarship and the promotion of education. King Alfred was born in 849 AD at Wantage, Berkshire. Aethelwulf, the King of Wessex and Alfred's father, had four sons and one daughter. Alfred was the youngest of the four other children. At the age of four, Alfred had the desire to become a monk. As a result, his father sends him to accompany Pope Leo IV in Rome. Alfred would go to Rome again with his father in 855 on a pilgrimage. In 858, Aethelwulf dies, leaving Wessex to be governed by his three other brothers, Ethelbald, Ethelbert, and Elthred. (Alfred the Great)In 865 a "great heathen army" ("Alfred the Great") arrived in England seizing a dispute in Northumbria in order to control the divided kingdom. By 870, the army had built multiple roads into Mercia, subdued East Anglia, and killed its king Edmund. By 871
In 868, Alfred marries Ealhswith, the daughter of Aelthelred Mucill. In return, the West-Saxons and the Mercian's combine forces and attack the Danes. Once Alfred prepared his forces he moved out of Athelney and joined forces with the levies of Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire. To make this plan work he gave half of his income to the church and to the schools. Alfred's towns were very innovative for the time period. In return for protection the men soldiers were given free plots of land within the burh. The construction of these fortified towns also known as "burhs" were to protect the people from Dane invasion. Alfred created a plan to educate his people. He was so dedicated, that he brought scholars from Europe into his kingdom. Alfred would not ascend to the throne until the death of his brother Elthred, in Easter of 871. As a result, Alfred did not learn to read or write until he became king. But his rally ended quickly when Alfred blockaded Guthrum, forcing him to retreat to Mercia. (Alfred the Great)Now that Alfred is King of Wessex, he must protect his insecure kingdom from invasion.
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