King Alfred the Great as One of the Greatest Rulers of English History

King Alfred the Great as One of the Greatest Rulers of English History

King Alfred the Great can, in many ways, be considered one of the

greatest rulers of England. His defeat of the Danes, unification of

England, many successful reforms and insistence upon the restoration

of ecclesiastical culture are the result of his superior leadership

and command. The epithet, "The Great," attached to his name by writers

of the sixteenth century and given to no other English king is another

reflection of the kind of ruler he was.1 A twelfth century writer

notes the prestige that was given to Alfred when he wrote, He reigned

for twenty and eight years; there are few such men living: for he was

wise and a good warrior; he knew well how to curb his enemies; there

was not a better scholar than he, for he had learned in his infancy.

He caused an English book to be written of deeds, and laws, of battles

in the land, and of the kings who made war; and he caused many books

to be written, which the learned men often went to read. May God and

the kind lady Saint Mary have mercy on his soul!2

Born the fourth son of King Ethelwulf and his wife, Osburgh in 849 AD

at Wantage in Berkshire, Alfred was brought up in a time of constant

war. The various kingdoms of England had been at war for a long time.

England had previously consisted of seven kingdoms: Northumbria,

Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Sussex and Wessex. At the time of

Alfred's birth, England was made up of four separate kingdoms,

Northumbria, East Anglia, Mercia and Wessex. Alfred's grandfather,

King Egbert, had conquered Kent, Sussex and Wessex, expanding the

territory of Wessex.3 Alfred's fami...

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...red's creative abilities. The formation of a navy prove

that Alfred knew what he was up against and needed to conform in order

to be on the same level as his opponent. His genius in purchasing a

truce proved highly successful in that he was able to buy enough time

to reorganize his defense to result in defeating the Vikings and

uniting England under one king. The establishment of an educational

system showed that Alfred was not completely focused on combat but

rather on the well being of his kingdom. By having an educated clergy

as well as a knowledgeable upper class, his kingdom would be able to

advance. All of Alfred's successes are legendary. He gained the

epithet "The Great" because of his superior leadership and command. As

a warrior, scholar, and statesman, Alfred is among the greatest

leaders of English history.