The Unbelievable Story of how Alfred the Great got his Name

Alfred the Great deserves his name due to his magnificent reign. Here is one of the many exciting stories I have included in my 'Secret English History' book. Enjoy!

In all English history there has only ever been one leader called Great and his name is Alfred. Quite why this came about owes much to the character of Alfred, the way he handles the terrifying Vikings rampaging throughout England during the 870s and the legacy he leaves behind. 

To understand Alfred it is necessary to know about his tough, tumultuous upbringing. From an early age his life is dedicated to survival and war against the relentless onslaught from the Vikings. In 871 when he is just a young man he fights eight battles, killing one King and nine dukes. To add to the responsibilities and pressure he feels he also has to contend with being anointed as King in 871 when he is only 22. As a consequence he now forces himself to make life and death decisions on a regular basis on behalf of others too. Undoubtedly this harsh upbringing has a bearing on him and probably accounts for his firm, resolute character and military prowess. 

In 877 after seven years of rule and almost continuous warfare, King Alfred looks to be managing the impossible and bringing peace at long last. This is a testament to the success of Alfred as a military tactician. It is also due to a slice of good luck. Whilst he deserves credit for creating our nation’s first naval fleet it is also the case that good fortune plays a role. This has the effect of wrecking a great Viking army that has set sail for England with 120 ships and 5,000 men. Such is the storm’s ferocity few survive to land ashore. As a consequence their Viking leader Guthrum signs a treaty of peace in return for him and his men being allowed to stay in Mercia (modern day Wessex).

At this point King Alfred probably believes that he has earned a well deserved rest. He retires back to his Chippenham villa fortress and lets his nobles go back to their estates. If the story ended here then his reign would still go down in history as very successful. Unfortunately for him his good luck runs out.

What he has not counted on is the duplicity and treachery of Guthrum. Alfred makes a critical error in failing to appreciate the character of his Viking opponent for not only is Guthrum very slippery and conniving but he is also a proud and ferociously violent man with the will to gain more land by any means.

On 12^th January 878 the folly of letting his guard down is cruelly exposed. Guthrum joins up with a separate marauding force from South Wales and carries out a lightning attack by night on the kingdom of King Alfred. Caught by surprise, Alfred and his men have no chance and lose their land to the marauding Vikings. Soon after Guthrum decides to call himself the King of Mercia.

Almost as surprising as the attack is the fact that Alfred somehow manages to escape to fight another day. Never the less by the time of 878 the Viking hordes are all over southern England and Alfred’s prospects look very poor. Forced to beat a retreat to the Isle of Athelney tidal marshes in Somerset he has only his royal bodyguard and a small army of followers. Isolated and left standing as the only West Saxon leader who has not submitted to the marauding Vikings he is in no position to take on any foreign army.

In fact just surviving and evading capture is all Alfred can manage. Whilst in these marshes he is often forced on the move ‘under difficulties through woods and into inaccessible places’. It is from here that he takes shelter during the winter. To survive he has to rely on his good reputation to rally the men in the surrounding region and to encourage them to join his cause. This proves not to be a problem as he is held in such high esteem that men flock to join him from all over the areas we now know as Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire. For them Alfred is a source of uplifting joy as many thought he was dead.

It is during this time that the story of King Alfred being confused with a soldier by a woman and being asked to look after some cakes. When she returned apparently he had either fallen asleep or been in such deep thought that the cakes were burnt so she scolded him. This shook Alfred out of his lethargy and he started his comeback. Unfortunately this story is probably fictional. Cakes did not exist at that time, only loaves and it appears this story was borrowed from an earlier story about the Viking warlord, Ragnar Hairybreeks.  

Alfred uses his winter productively. He builds up his military strength, practices fighting drills, creates a fortified base and develops a campaign of guerrilla warfare much like the Dane Vikings have used before against him. Eventually during the Spring he has enough confidence in his men to come out of hiding in the Athelney marshes and rally his soldiers at Egbert Stone near Selwood forest. Here he speaks passionately to all the men in an eloquent rousing speech that inspires his men into a fervour.

The next day Alfred moves to Okely and prepares for war. All the time more and more men flock to join his army. The day after is the crucial day as it is this day that he moves with his army to Edington in Wiltshire. This catches the Danes under Guthrum completely unaware as they have no idea that a mighty threat exists on their doorstep.

Battle is inevitable. Just before the great battle commences, Alfred reminds his men that it is their duty to rescue themselves and their country from the intolerable oppression of a horde of pagan idolaters; that God is on their side and that he has promised victory. Finally he urges them to act like men, so as reap the rewards of victory.

Alfred then quickly puts his men into position and begins advancing. For their part the Danish Vikings are not ready for battle and so are not in formation when they are attacked. This also put them at another crucial tactical disadvantage to add to the psychological momentum against them. Alfred’s strong leadership also inspires his men to fight very hard too. According to early chronicles he is supposed to be someone who ‘fought like a wild boar’ and in turn his own army fights with matching spirit. Further motivation comes from the knowledge that this is their last chance to avoid defeat and a lifetime of degrading servitude and humiliation under the Vikings.

Alfred's fyrd (army) give themselves a further chance as they used a tactic familiar to the Roman infantry, called a shield wall. This means placing shields side by side to create a solid wall and attacking in dense order. Spears are then thrusted through small openings in the shield wall. Even so a fierce battle ensues and lasts all day as it is so bitterly contested.

Finally Alfred's men wear down the Danes so much so they break apart and flee. Guthrum and the remnants of his army are forced to race back to their base at Chippenham, an ironic turn of fate. Whilst here they are besieged for two weeks all the time desperately hoping for a rescue that will never come. Eventually the starving Guthrum accepts his fate and surrenders. He agrees to retreat from the Kingdom of Wessex ruled by Alfred, accept baptism as a Christian and become Alfred’s godson. This means that he is also now bound by personal honour to follow the peace treaty. The baptism is solemnized at Wedmore, in Somerset, some weeks later, giving us what is known as the Peace of Wedmore. Then following this agreement the Danes retreat to East Anglia.

Not content and concerned not to be caught out again King Alfred further stabilises affairs for his Wessex Kingdom by creating a more stable law and order in his kingdom through a change of our laws that come to be known as the Book of Dooms (Book of Laws). In addition he follows up these measures by encouraging the emergence of burhs, or fortified towns that were looked after groups of soldiers on a rota basis. His people are then persuaded to settle in each collection of towns (that are built in a row to act as a string of border fortresses) so as to ensure their protection. Each burh is also armed and kept in a continuous state of alert to deal with any possible Danish incursions.

This system does much to stabilize the political situation and bring a measure of peace to the ravaged islands. It is not until 895 that the Dane Vikings finally leaves following a succession of defeats due once again to King Alfred. It is because of all these tremendous achievements that he is rightly praised so highly and here on ever after known as Alfred the Great.

For more exciting stories like this go ahead and read my book 'Secret English History'

It is now available for purchase at the link below.