Alfred was born at Wantage in Oxfordshire in 849, fourth or fifth son of Aethelwulf, king of the West Saxons. Following the wishes of their father, the sons succeeded to the kingship in turn. At a ...

Save guides, add subjects and pick up where you left off with your BBC account. One of the most famous Anglo-Saxon kings was Alfred, one of the only kings in British history to be called 'Great'.

Few kings in English history deserve the epithet great more than Alfred King of Wessex In an age and country blighted by Viking invasions Alfred inflicted repeated defeats upon the Norsemen and ...