Alfred ,the only English King to be given the Title "Great" was the man
responsible for saving the English society from the invasion of the
Danes in around 860AD.Alfred was the King of Wessex and after the other
Saxon Kingdoms had folded to the Danish assaults,it was left to him
to defeat the Danish pagans.
Alfred was a very pious man and very sick,a recent theory suggests he
suffered from Crohns disease which causes accute abdominal pains,and
from Chronic piles
( i know,no laughting matter,but still..)
The Danes were called Northmen and NOT Vikings! the word Viking
describes an activity rather than a race of people or a tribe,to go
Viking meant to go raiding.Even though the Danes were raiders they were
predominantly invaders and occupiers.The Danes made assaults on the
Churches,nunneries and monastries,after all the Danes saw no reason to
spare these places as they were Pagans and the Churches holded wealth.
Ivar the Boneless,Ubba,Halfdan and Guthrum were the main leaders of these invaders,all formidable warriors.
Alfreds fought against these people,naturally he didnt want his Englaland (saxon name)to be over run with smelly pagans
who were destroying his beloved Church.In 878AD he attacked the
Danes and routed there Army,he pursued them to there fortress which he
lay siege for 14 days.The Danes ravaged by hunger (they couldnt have
prepared there supplies very well,if it only took 14 days,smacks of
arrogance to me) sought peace terms.
Alfred realised that it would be impossible to get the Danes out of
England all together so he signed the Treaty of wedmore.Guthrum
converted to Christianity with Alfred as his Godfather and most of the Danes left Wessex and
returned to east Anglia were they settled as Farmers.In 886AD Alfred
negotiated a partiton treaty giving the Danes the North and east of
England (A area known as Danelaw) and he brought west Mercia and Kent
into the boundaries of Wessex.When the peace came Alfred concentrated
on his Defence and Army.he reorganised the Thegns and the Fyrd into a
rotation basis so he allways had a rapid reaction force available
incase of further attacks,He allso started a building programme,making
fortified market towns (Borough comes from the old English word
"Burh"meaning fortress) all along his southern realm.
By stopping the Danish advance and consolidating territorial
gains,Alfred started the process by which his successors would
eventually extend there power over the other Saxon kings and the
ultimat unification of Anglo saxon England was to be led by Wessex.
It is for the defence of his country against a stronger enemy that
Alfred (or AElfred to give him his proper name) gets the title
"Great" ,the only one of the English Kings to do so.
What do you think of AElfred?does he deserve the title "Great"?
gavriel
Edited by Gavriel