![]() The King Alfred (Master Richard Storm) broke in two, the bow sank and the stern was sunk by HMS Vanoc (H 33) (LtCdr J.G.W. Launched as War Azalea, completed in September 1919 as King AlfredĪt 03.35 and 03.38 hours on 4 August 1940, U-52 fired torpedoes at convoy HX-60 about 300 miles west-northwest of Bloody Foreland and sank the King Alfred and Gogovale. This was important because trust in the coinage relied on its precious metal value.Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgartġ919 - William Doxford & Sons Ltd, Sunderland ![]() © Granger, Historical Picture Archive / Alamy Stock Photo. He carried out economic reformĪlfred reformed his coinage to bring the silver content back up to acceptable standards to help give economic stability after the chaos of the invasion. Symbolic of Alfred’s literacy campaign were the reading pointers or ‘aestels’ given to favoured churchmen.Ī beautiful example of these, known as the ‘Alfred Jewel’, was found near Athelney with the inscription ‘Alfred had me made’. © Heritage Image Partnership Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo. The Jewelled terminal of a pointer or aestel, known as the Alfred Jewel. He was a great supporter of learningĭocumentary sources tell us that the Vikings seriously disrupted learning, effectively monopolised by the church.Īlfred encouraged learning and literacy for the monks and clergy by encouraging writing in Old English and Latin. ![]() Reconstruction by artist Peter Dunn showing how the Saxons re-used the Roman fort at Porchester. The best-preserved earthworks are at Wareham, Dorset.Further burhs were old hillforts or former Roman towns or forts (like Porchester, Hampshire) whose defences were repaired.Others were large earthwork enclosures containing settlements that would grow into towns (such as Cricklade, Wiltshire).Earthwork rampart of the Saxon ‘burh’ on the east side of Wareham in Dorset. We know them from documentary sources, as well as through archaeology. He built fortificationsĪlfred organised a network of defended places known as ‘burhs’. His work enabled his successors to finish the task of uniting England under the House of Wessex. Through clever politics and a marriage alliance, he influenced neighbouring territory in western England (western Mercia). ![]() A map of England showing the situation after King Alfred’s treaty and the areas of Viking control. He did not rule over all of EnglandĪlfred has been called called ‘the founder of the English Nation’, but this was not the case.Īfter the battle of Ethandune, Alfred made a treaty with the Vikings, dividing up England so that they controlled the North, East Anglia and the East Midlands as ‘the Danelaw’, and he held southern England. He built up his forces and defeated the Vikings decisively at Ethandune, probably near Edington, Wiltshire. © Historic England Archive PLB/N050053.īut even after a surprise attack on him at Chippenham, Wilshire, Alfred waged war against the Scandinavian invaders from his base at Athelney in the Somerset marshes. Reenactment of a battle between Vikings and Saxons. He fought off Viking invaders from his KingdomĪll the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms had fallen to the Vikings. He lived at a turbulent time when the course of English history hung in the balance as the Vikings invaded the small kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxons. Alfred was the King of Wessex from AD 871 to 899.
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