Alfred the great biography summary worksheet
Who was Alfred the Great?
Why was Alfred called ‘Great’?
One of the most famous Anglo-Saxon kings was Alfred, one of the only kings in British history to be called 'Great'.
His father was king of Wessex, but by the end of Alfred's reign his coins referred to him as 'King of the English'.
He fought the Vikings and then made peace so that English and Vikings settled down to live together. He encouraged people to learn and he tried to govern fairly.
Watch: Who was Alfred the Great?
Excuse me. Yes, you. Did you know that is the statue of Alfred the Great? Ever wondered why he was so great? Well, let’s start at the beginning.
This is a great-o-meter to help you keep score. Plus meet the man himself, Alfred, born in 849 and the youngest of five brothers.He was never expected to be king. What do we think now, great or not?
Alfred learned to read after his mother challenged her sons in recite a poem by heart from her favourite book.
Excellent, we are on our way to greatness. Despite suffering from illness all his life, he outlived all his brothers and takes the throne in 871.
However, he had to immediately defend his throne from Guthrum, a Viking warlord.
Alfred flees and hid in the Somerset Levels. So far, Alfred the not so great.
But eventually Alfred regrouped and raised an Anglo-Saxon army that defeated the Vikings at the Battle of Edington.
Alfred and Guthrum agreed to peace and to divide up the country.
Alfred kept Wessex in the southwest, Guthrum took the Viking lands in the North East, known as the Danelaw.
Over time Alfred brought the English kingdoms together and his coins call him the King of the English.
However, his defining moment of greatest was when he translated books from Latin, which only a few people could understand, into English, so more people could read them.
Beginning a new age of literacy and knowledge. For which he became known as Alfred the Great. Do we agree that Last updated 29 April 2022 Please check that you can access the video before you download these sheets. All the links work when I upload. If my links no longer work, the videos may still be found elsewhere on YouTube etc. Informative and compelling: 18 questions for “Alfred the Great and the Rise of Wessex” (History Matters channel on Youtube): historical context, Ecgberht and Mercia; Viking raids; the Great Heathen Army; Alfred’s succession; Anglo-Danish relations; Edington; Gudrum; Alfred’s military reforms; Alfredian Renaissance; law code; Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Questions right up to the end, no slack time! Creates a great revision / summary resource. Print in colour for maximum clarity for the kids. Answer sheet, .doc & .pdf for all sheets. Link to video on all sheets. Something went wrong, please try again later. This resource hasn't been reviewed yet To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it Report this resourceto let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Share this
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Alfred the Great Facts & Worksheets
Let’s know more about Alfred the Great!
Alfred the Great, or Aelfred, ruled the West Saxons from 871 to 886 and the English from 886 until his death in 899. Alfred was the youngest child of King Aethelwulf and Osburh, who both passed away while he was a young boy. Aethelbald, Aethelberht and Aethelred, three of Alfred’s brothers, each took the throne in turn before him. Significant administrative and military changes were implemented under Alfred’s administration, bringing about long-lasting change in England.
ALFRED AND THE VIKINGS
- Born between 847 and 849 in Wantage, Berkshire, Alfred the Great was the sixth and youngest son of Aethelwulf by his first wife, Osburga. He descended from Ecgberht, King of Wessex from 802 until his death in 839. His father Aethelwulf succeeded him as the King of Wessex. His oldest brother, Athelstan, was appointed sub-king of Kent in 839 while his other three brothers successively ruled as King of Wessex before him.
- The lack of a permanent home disrupted Alfred’s education. However, a pilgrimage to Rome to meet Pope Leo IV in 853 and a revisit in 855 expanded his knowledge of religion.
- Prior to his accession, a number of significant events in Anglo-Saxon England shaped the way he ruled.
- Following the short reigns of his older brothers, Aethelbald and Ethelberht, came the accession of his third brother, Ethelred, in 865. In the same year, the Great Heathen Army of the Vikings had landed in East Anglia with the aim of conquering the four main kingdoms constituting England.
- Scandinavian raids on the Heptarchy began in 793 and were greatly feared by the people of England.
- When the Great Heathen Army led by Ivar the Boneless forced through the Kingdom of Mercia in 868, Alfred fought alongside Ethelred. The Vikings successfully made their way into Alfred’s homeland at the end of 870. Around this time, Bishop Asser appointed Alfred the unique title of secundarius to p
Alfred The Great Facts & Worksheets
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Sign Me UpAlfred the Great was Anglo-Saxon, the King of Wessex, England, from 871 to 899. He lived and reigned during the Viking period and played a key role in making peace between the Anglo-Saxons and the invading Danes.
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Key Facts & Information
EARLY AND PERSONAL LIFE
- Born in 849, Alfred the Great was the fifth son of the king of the West Saxons, Aethelwulf. As a young boy, Alfred never desired to become king since he had four elder brothers.
- Educated by his mother, he developed an interest in learning Latin and English poetry.
- In 868, Alfred received formal military arts training during his first active service against the Danes in East Anglia.
- In 867, Alfred married Ealhswith, a descendant of the Mercian Kings. Together, they had five children.
KING’S SUCCESSION
- When the Danes invaded Wessex in 871, Alfred fought several battles with his brother, Aethelred, who died in the same year. As a result, Alfred succeeded the throne. As the new king, Alfred was required to fight against the Danes. However, Alfred managed to come to a peaceful agreement with the leader of the Danish invasion, Guthrum. The agreement was that Alfred would retain control of Wessex, and Guthrum would retain control of East Anglia. The two nations lived in relative peace.
- In 886, Alfred the Great turned his attention to London and began rebuilding
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