Alfred,

King of Wessex

Presented by : Bruno Alexandre Silva

Sara Silvestre Serrano

• Aelfred and Alfred the great;
• Born in 849 died 899;
• 5th in the line of succession;
• Ruled over Wessex, from 871-899;
• Prevented the fall of England at the hands of the Danes;
• Promoted Literacy and Learning;
• His works were copied as late as the 12th century.

Introduction

Early Life

• Studied literature as a child;
• Went to Rome in 853 and 855;
• Got a military education.

• 868 he fought the Danish army along with his brother, the king;
• He married the Mercian Ealthswith;
• Stopped 3 Danish invasions;
• Advanced and captured London, becoming king of all the Saxons;
• Great Strategist and negotiator.

Path to the Throne

• Scrutinized the administration of justice, protected the weak;
• Promulgated an important code of laws, after studying the Book of Exodus on lawgiving;
• Revised the codes of Aethelbert of Kent, Ine of Wessex and Offa of Mercia;
• Limited the practice of blood feuds (fights between two major families, Game of Thrones like);
• And imposed heavy penalties on breach of oath and/or pledge.

Finances

Learning

• Viking Raids were divine punishment for people’s sins;
• Invited scholars from Mercia, Wales and Europe;
• Learned Latin and began to translate Latin books in 887;
• All young freeman must learn English.

Not translated by him

Translated by him:

​

Translated by him:

​

Learning

• May have also done the translation of the first 50 psalms;
• Influenced the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle;
• New craftsmen and artists came to his court;
• Tried to reinstate monastic life.

Bibliography

Whitelock, D. (2025, Feb 19). “Alfred, king of Wessex”. Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alfred-king-of-Wessex

​

(2014), “Alfred the Great (849 AD - 899 AD)”, BBC.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/alfred_the_great.shtm

​

“King Alfred the Great”, South West Heritage Trust.

https://swheritage.org.uk/king-alfred-the-great/

​

You

Thank