Anglo-Saxon England

King Alfred, before He was Great

Jan 18, 2023

Explore the life and legacy of King Alfred, the scholar turned war leader who saved England from Scandinavian invasion. Discover his passion for learning, struggles with illness, and battles against the Vikings. Learn about the treaty he made with Guthrum, which brought peace to Wessex and influenced English history.

26:30

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Quick takeaways

King Alfred's biography provides valuable details about his early life and challenges faced during the Viking invasions.

Alfred's military strategies, including guerrilla warfare and decisive battles, led to the truce with the Danes and the establishment of boundaries and trade agreements.

Deep dives

Alfred's Biography by Asa

Asa, a monk and possibly Bishop of St. David's, wrote the most complete biography of King Alfred in the 9th century. Although there were doubts about its authenticity, the general consensus now is that it was genuinely written by Asa. The biography provides valuable details of Alfred's early life, such as his interest in learning and poetry, his mysterious illnesses, and his marriage to Elswith. However, it should be treated with caution due to its potential propagandistic intent.

Introduction

3min

The Life and Legacy of King Alfred

8min

King Alfred's Suffering and Women in History

2min

Alfred's Defeat and Surrender to the Vikings

11min

The Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum

6min

It’s probably no exaggeration to say the Alfred the Great is one of the most, if not the most, famous Anglo-Saxon of them all. The only British monarch given the epithet ‘the Great’, the traditional account of his life is one of a scholar forced into the role of a war leader who defied the odds to save and unite not just his people, but all the English. Indeed, Alfred is usually cast as the man who saved England, without whom all of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms would have fallen to Scandinavian invasion. However, it is not just for his military successes that Alfred is remembered. He was also celebrated as a wise king who cared deeply for law, religion, and learning. The revival of Latin and Old English learning that is called by scholars the ‘Alfredian Renaissance’ is usually attributed to Alfred’s vision of a just and pious English nation which he sought to realise by gathering to himself the learned man of Britain, Ireland, and the Continent. It is important to be wary, though, of mythmaking and the ‘great man’ interpretation of history. While Alfred was without question a great leader, we must take a step back and look at his life with dispassionate eyes so that we can cut through the layers of legend to reach the core of the man who saved England.

Credits –

Music: 'Wælheall' by Hrōðmund Wōdening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfdqIyqJ4g&list=LL&index=5&ab_channel=Hr%C5%8D%C3%B0mundW%C5%8Ddening

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