Anglo-Saxon England Alfred: King of the Anglo-Saxons
Although he had no way of knowing it, in 878 Alfred secured for Wessex over a decade of peace from Viking attack. In that time, Alfred would set about remaking his kingdom so that it could withstand any future invasions. This program would see innovations on many fronts which would provide greater security for the English people, a more reliable military force, and the emergence of a new polity which had at its core not the old ethnic kingdoms but a new conception of a single English kingdom. Behind this political and military innovation was an ideological basis which saw Viking invasion as divine punishment for impiety. To this end, Alfred spearheaded a program of intellectual and spiritual renewal which ran alongside and supported his vision of a more secure kingdom. This rebirth of Latin and Old English learning, the so-called Alfredian Renaissance, will be the focus of the next two episodes. In today’s episode, we will focus on Alfred’s military and political achievements. Between them, these episodes will demonstrate why Alfred remains the only English king to have the appellation ‘the Great’.
Credits –
Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening
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