The Viking wars of Alfred the Great

176 Pages·2009·2.38 MB·English

by  King of England Alfred

OTHER TITLES IN THE
CAMPAIGN CHRONICLES
SERIES
Armada 1588
John Barratt

Napoleon’s Polish Gamble
Eylau and Friedland 1807
Christopher Summerville
Passchendaele
The Hollow Victory
Martin Marix Evans
Attack on the Somme
Haig’s Offensive 1916
Martin Pegler
Salerno 1943
The Invasion of Italy
Angus Konstam
The Siege of Malta
1940–1942
David Williamson

First published in Great Britain in 2008 by
Pen & Sword Military
an imprint of
Pen & Sword Books Ltd
47 Church Street
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S70 2AS

Copyright © Paul Hill 2008
Maps © Paul Hill and Christopher Summerville 2008
9781844684854

The right of Paul Hill to be identified as Author of this work has been
asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act 1988.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is
available from the British Library.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or trans-
mitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including
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system, without permission from the
Publisher in writing.

Typeset in Linotype Centennial
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Printed and bound in England
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Table of Contents
OTHER TITLES IN THE CAMPAIGN CHRONICLES SERIES
Title Page
Copyright Page
List of Maps, Dynastic Chart and Plates
Epigraph
Preface
Background
Campaign Chronicle
Aftermath
Appendix I: Orders of Battle
Appendix II: Biographical Notes
Appendix III: Campaign Glossary
Appendix IV: Regional Lists
Sources and Bibliography
Index
List of Maps, Dynastic Chart and
Plates
A popular image of Alfred burning the cakes, an allegorical tale from his months
in the wilderness Statue of King Alfred at his birthplace in Wantage
York, the centre of the northern world. The Scandinavians sought to link York
and Dublin to challenge the power of southern English kings The Westbury
White Horse supposedly marks the site of the battle of Edington, 878. The Danes
were apparently camped here amid the steep ramparts of Bratton Camp Built by
Henry Hoare between 1762–72 this magnificent tower commemorates the
meeting place at Egbert’s Stone of the Anglo-Saxon army prior to the battle of
Edington, 878
Alfred the Great as commemorated at the Temple of British Worthies, Stowe
The Statue of King Alfred stands proud in the ancient West Saxon capital of
Winchester
King Alfred’s Castle. Built by Jeremiah Dixon (1726–82) on Tunnel Howe Hill,
outside Leeds, as a tribute to the king of the Anglo-Saxons Statue of Alfred in
Trinity Square, Southwark. Reputedly one of the oldest statues in London
Fragment of commemorative plaque from Shaftesbury
The face of the man from Repton, based on an archaeological reconstruction.
This could be Ivarr Ragnarson Sculpture of Æthelflæd, Alfred’s daughter and the
young Athelstan at Tamworth. Between them they would re-conquer the
northern world for the Anglo-Saxons Coronation Stone in Kingston, Surrey. The
son and grandsons of Alfred were crowned at this famous place in the tenth
century.
Neere unto this, Eastward lieth Edinton, in old time Eathandune, where King
Alfred in as memorable a battell as any time else, most fortunatly vanquished the
bold, insolent and outragious Danes, and drave them to this hard passe, that
they swore in set forme of oath forthwith to depart out of England.