Alfred

Also known as: King Alfred · Family: West-Saxons · Role: king · First appears: A.D. 449–556

In 853, Ethelwulf sent his son Alfred to Rome, where Pope Leo (A.D. 853) consecrated him king and adopted him as his spiritual son. Alfred was the brother of Ethelbald son of Ethelwulf, Ethelbert son of Ethelwulf, and Ethered, and later became the father of Edward son of Alfred.

In 871, after Ethered died, Alfred took the kingdom of Wessex. He and Ethered had fought the army at Ashdown, where Bagsac was slain; at Wilton Alfred fought with a small force, but the Danes gained the field, and the West-Saxons made peace with the army that year. In 877, the army gave Alfred hostages and swore to observe amity. In 878, the Danish army subdued the West-Saxons, and Alfred “uneasily sought the woods and fastnesses of the moors” with a small band. Soon afterward, Guthrum came to Alfred at Aller and became his godson in baptism.

Alfred fought Danish ship-rovers in 882, capturing two ships, and in 885 the army in East-Anglia broke its truce with him. In 886, Alfred fortified London, entrusted it to Ethered, lord of the Mercians, and the English nation turned to him except those held captive by the Danes. In 894, his army routed Hasten’s force at Barnfleet and destroyed its work; Hasten’s wife and sons were brought to Alfred, who returned them because one son was his godson. Alfred died in 901, and Edward son of Alfred took the government.