Alfred the Great
King of the West Saxons and Anglo-Saxons; defeated Vikings and reformed England.
He became king in April 871 after the death of his brother Æthelred.[1] Æthelwulf, the ruler of Wessex, and his wife Osburh had Alfred as their youngest child.[1]
Last updated 2026-10-02 from the source article.
Quick Facts
- Reign
- 23 April 871 – c. 886
- Predecessor
- Æthelred I
- House
- Wessex
- Born
- 847–849
- Died
- 26 October 899 (aged c. 50–52)
- Place of death
- Winchester, Hampshire, Wessex
- Burial date
- c. 1100
- Burial place
- Hyde Abbey (now lost), Winchester, Hampshire, England
Facts from the source article.
Life and work
He established a court school for both nobles and commoners to be educated in English and Latin.[2] He improved the legal system, military structure, and his people's quality of life.[2] Alfred was reputed as a learned and merciful man of a gracious and level-headed nature.[2] Following his accession, Alfred devoted multiple years to combating Viking incursions.[3]
After retaking London from the Vikings in 886, Alfred started to use the title "King of the Anglo-Saxons".[3]
What the cited sources add
Yorke 2001 provides information on Alfred's conflicts with Vikings and the subsequent division of England.[3] Firth 2024 is the source for details on Alfred's reputation and his initiatives in education.[2] Keynes 1995 and Abels 1998 document the Anglo-Saxon dominance over England in the early ninth century.[4] Charles-Edwards 2013, Nelson 2004, and Abels 1998 cover Ecgberht's military successes and the installation of Æthelwulf as Kent's king.[5]
Nelson 2004, Stenton 1971, and Swanton 2000 are the authorities for Viking raids and the initial documented naval engagement in English history.[6] Abels 1998 is the reference for Alfred's birth occurring in Wantage, Berkshire.[1]
References
- Wikipedia, "Alfred the Great" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Abels 1998, p. 28–29 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alfred the Great" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Firth 2024 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alfred the Great" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Yorke 2001, p. 27–28 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alfred the Great" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Keynes 1995, p. 28, 39–41; Abels 1998, p. 28–29 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alfred the Great" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Charles-Edwards 2013, p. 431; Nelson 2004; Abels 1998, p. 28–29 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alfred the Great" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Nelson 2004; Stenton 1971, p. 244; Swanton 2000, p. 64; Abels 1998, p. 28–29 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Alfred the Great (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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