Alfred the Great
At a glance:
- Series: Dictionary of World Biography: Middle Ages
- Categories: Government and Politics, Religion, Ethics, Royalty, Rulers, Nobility, Military History
- Subcategories: Kings, Queens, Kingdoms, Monarchy
- Curriculum: British History, Medieval History/Middle Ages
Article abstract: Through courage, leadership, and practical good sense, Alfred preserved the English kingdom of Wessex from Viking armies and laid the foundation for the later reconquest and unification of all England.
Early Life
Alfred was born in Wantage, Berkshire, the fifth son and sixth child of King Ethelwulf of Wessex and his Mercian first wife, Osburh. Even these few facts reveal important implications for Alfred’s future. One is that as a fifth son he could never have expected to be king; even his name is significant, for all of his elder...
[The entire page is 2099 words long]
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