Alfred The Great Essay Research Paper Alfred

Alfred The Great Essay, Research Paper

Alfred, the King of the West Saxons, was a truly influential

man who was given the title “Great” by his people. He was,

and still is today, the only English king to have been given

this title1 and for good reason. Alfred was an accomplished

military leader and leader in the development of education

among his people and for this he is credited with helping to

make modern English speaking society what it is today. This

essay will examine his military feats, his planned defence

of his kingdom, his part in the development of education in

his society, his compassion as a leader and how these

accomplishments made him a key historical figure.

In the 860’s, Saxon England was ruled by Alfred’s elder

brother Ethelred.2 It was around this time that the kingdom

was in grave danger of being overtaken by the Vikings who

had already conquered many of the surrounding villages.

Ethelred was seen as the only king left who could stop the

Vikings and save what was left of Saxon England from total

foreign domination. He was perhaps capable of this, but

ironically his downfall was that he was a very religious man

who placed great value in Mass. He was attending a mass

when the Vikings approached in their attempt to overtake the

kingdom. Ethelred insisted on finishing the mass before

confronting them.3 When Alfred heard this, he led the

Wessex men into battle without his brother and when Ethelred

joined much later on, they were well on their way to victory. This battle may have been lost and the kingdom

overtaken if it had not been for Alfred’s quick thinking and

leadership.

Later that year Ethelred passed away and although not

next in the monarchical system to be king, Alfred was chosen

by the people, because they believed he was the most

suitable person for the job during the crisis they were

facing. Their choice proved correct when the Danes began to

attack Wessex and Alfred, knowing his kingdom may not be

triumphant, paid the Vikings for five years of peace.4 In

876, when the five years were up, the attacks began again

and Alfred again paid for a few more months of peace.5 By

Christmas of 877 it was thought that Wessex was safe from

the Vikings. Alfred spent that Christmas at Chippenham

which was in Wiltshire.6 During his stay there, the Danes

attacked and only Alfred and a few followers were able to

escape. Afraid of being caught and killed, they took refuge

in a wooded swampland called the Isle of Athelney and

remained there until 878 when they were joined by enough

village men to organize an attack.7 This attack was an all

day battle which was fought at Ethandune on the Wiltshire

Downs.8 The Wessex men and Alfred were triumphant in

driving the Danes out. The kingdom was now secure and

strong enough to withstand any counter attacks from the

Vikings. In 8869, Alfred led his men in the seizure of

London and created a treaty to secure the south and west parts of England. Alfred.s strong leadership

qualities, determination and military tactics were the main

contributing factors to the rightful seizing of the English

land by the Wessex men and the safeguarding of what we now

know as the modern English speaking world.

After the Wessex land was won back under Alfred.s

command in 878, he had to deal with pillagers who attacked

by sea, raided livestock and property and quickly escaped

the area without punishment.10 The main reason for this was

because Wessex did not have a permanent army that patrolled

the kingdom. It was difficult to acquire soldiers because

most were also farmers who would only fight when great

rewards and money was promised to them. Alfred knew that a

permanent army would solve many of their problems so he

implemented a program within the kingdom to obtain this.

This program required all landowners who held estates to

supply troops for the king.s army. Alfred then split this

army in to two parts. The first was a militia which guarded

the farms and villages within the kingdom and the second was

required to fight the Vikings. Everyone in the king.s army

was made to take a turn in each of these groups. Alfred

also had thirty strongholds built surrounding the kingdom11

which were manned by those in the militia and provided a

safe area in which the villagers could live.

The last great improvement Alfred made in the defence of his

kingdom was to start England.s first navy. He designed the

ships which were to be used by the navy and with the help of

a few top offficials, began the training of the individuals

who were to be sailors. When these ideas and plans of

Alfred.s were implemented, the defence of the kingdom

greatly improved. The village people no longer had to worry

a

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