Notes

Alfred was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf of Wessex and Osburga.Alfred was born in 849 in the royal village of Wantage then in Berkshire.When he was about four, Alfred's mother, Osburga, died.Before he was seven years old, he had traveled to Rome twice.While Alfred and his father were in Rome and France, 855-856, his older brother Athelstan had died.7] In 858 king Æthelwulf died. that year he succeeded his brother there was a great Viking raid on the south coast of England. The Vikings plundered Winchester the chief city of Wessex and obtained a great deal of plunder. As they returned to their ships they were ambushed by Anglo-Saxons from Hampshire and Berkshire.[16] A few survived and returned to their ships. For the next three years Southern England was free of Viking raids.[16] But the year 865 saw the arrival of the Great Heathen Army in East Anglia.[17] For a time they were more interested in Northumbria. They gained control of York and moved south into Mercia then made their winter camp in Nottingham.[17]But their forces together could not defeat the Danes.[17] By 871 the Mercians and East Anglians had been defeated. Only Wessex could mount an army against the Vikings.Alfred became king in the middle of this conflict. But before the end of the year he succeeded in effecting a peace, probably by paying a sum of money to the invaders.Alfred earned the name 'the Great' by defending the kingdom from Viking invasions. Alfred was a scholar and encouraged education in the kingdom as well as improving the legal system.by the close of the ninth century the four independent kingdoms of England had been reduced to just one.[21] Wessex was the only remaining kingdom not destroyed by the Vikings.Beginning about 886 Alfred claimed to be the king of all the English. There were still Viking attacks and Alfred was still telling his people to continue fighting and not give up.[26] Alfred died in 899.[27] He was succeeded by his son, Edward the Elder who was crowned on Whitsunday (8 June) 900.[27]For many Alfred was the first king of the English. But he did not technically rule all of England.Alfred was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf of Wessex and Osburga.Alfred was born in 849 in the royal village of Wantage then in Berkshire.When he was about four, Alfred's mother, Osburga, died.Before he was seven years old, he had traveled to Rome twice.While Alfred and his father were in Rome and France, 855-856, his older brother Athelstan had died.7] In 858 king Æthelwulf died. that year he succeeded his brother there was a great Viking raid on the south coast of England. The Vikings plundered Winchester the chief city of Wessex and obtained a great deal of plunder. As they returned to their ships they were ambushed by Anglo-Saxons from Hampshire and Berkshire.[16] A few survived and returned to their ships. For the next three years Southern England was free of Viking raids.[16] But the year 865 saw the arrival of the Great Heathen Army in East Anglia.[17] For a time they were more interested in Northumbria. They gained control of York and moved south into Mercia then made their winter camp in Nottingham.[17]But their forces together could not defeat the Danes.[17] By 871 the Mercians and East Anglians had been defeated. Only Wessex could mount an army against the Vikings.Alfred became king in the middle of this conflict. But before the end of the year he succeeded in effecting a peace, probably by paying a sum of money to the invaders.Alfred earned the name 'the Great' by defending the kingdom from Viking invasions. Alfred was a scholar and encouraged education in the kingdom as well as improving the legal system.by the close of the ninth century the four independent kingdoms of England had been reduced to just one.[21] Wessex was the only remaining kingdom not destroyed by the Vikings.Beginning about 886 Alfred claimed to be the king of all the English. There were still Viking attacks and Alfred was still telling his people to continue fighting and not give up.[26] Alfred died in 899.[27] He was succeeded by his son, Edward the Elder who was crowned on Whitsunday (8 June) 900.[27]For many Alfred was the first king of the English. But he did not technically rule all of England.