Figure 1.--There are no contemporary portraits of King Alfred, except perhaps Alfred's Jewel. This depiction shows him with his son Edward and wife Ealhswith at the Witan -- Assembly of the Wise. We're not sure who the illustrator was and when this work was executed.

The Anglo-Saxon tribes invaded Britain and set up number of competing kingdoms based on tribal alegiance. They made war on the Romanized Celtic Britons. The legend of King Arthur is based on the efforts of the Britins to resist the Anglo-Saxons. It was a war of extermination. The leading warlord founded several different tribally based kingdoms. The Anglo-Saxons drove the Britons to the remote west where they became known as the Welsh ("forigners"). The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms dominated modern England for four centuries. The term England is derived from the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes participating in the invasion of Britain. We do know the names of many of the Anglo-Saxon monarchs, although often not very much about them. The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were almost all destroyed by Viking invaders known as Danes at the time. Only one of the Anglo Saxon kingdoms, Wessex under Alfred managed to resist the Danes. Thus Wessex served as the basis for the English kingdom. Alfred who is the only English king with the title of Great can also be considered the first actual English king. Alfred managed to restore Anglo-Saxon power, but he could not defeat the Danes. A compromised was reached. The Danes were allowed to settle in the area to the north and east of a line between London and Chester. This was the old Roman Watling Street. The area conceded became known as the Danelaw. The Danes in the Danelaw continued to compete for power. An iladvised military adventure by King Aethelred the Unready resulted in his exile and control by the Dane Canute. The last Anglo-Saxon king was Harold who in fact was more of a Viking himself. Harold was defeated by Duke William of Normandy at Hastings (1066), ending Anglo-Saxon rule in fact as well as in name.

Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms

The Anglo-Saxon tribes invaded Britain and set up number of competing kingdoms based on tribal alegiance. They made war on the Romanized Celtic Britons. The legend of King Arthur is based on the efforts of the Britins to resist the Anglo-Saxons. It was a war of extermination. The leading warlord founded several different tribally based kingdoms. The Anglo-Saxons drove the Britons to the remote west where they became known as the Welsh ("forigners"). The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms dominated modern England for four centuries. The term England is derived from the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes participating in the invasion of Britain. We do know the names of many of the Anglo-Saxon monarchs, although often not very much about them.

Viking Invasions

At the time Saint Augustine arrived, the Anglo Saxons controlled most of southern England and were expanding north and west (late 6th century). The Anglo Saxon invaders had no central organization as Roman Britain had or as the Normans would institute after Hastings. They gradually colonised England northwards and westwards, pushing the native Britons to the western fringes of island. Thus Roman Britain was replaced by Anglo Saxon Britain, The Anglo-Saxon invaders formed several new kingdoms. The Anglii settlements evolved into the kingdoms of East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria. The Saxons settlements appeared to have founded the kingdoms of Sussex, Wessex, and Essex. The Jutes apprear to have predominated in Kent and the Isle of Wight. Wars between these kingdoms gradually resulted in the consolidation of three impotant kingdoms into Mercia, Northumbria and Wessex. War cointinued between these kingdoms as well as raids from the west and north, but they were stronger than the Romanized Britons and able to deal with these raiders. This was the England that the Vikings found when they began to raid. When the Viking insursions began, there was not coordinated Anglo-Saxon response. The Viking incursions culminated with a "Great Army" landing in East Anglia (865). It made wide territorial gains, and the kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria had succumbed (by 875). Only Wessex survived the Viking onslaught. The Vikings while devestating large areas also played a role in the spread of commerce and the evolution of democracy in England.

Alfred the Great (849-99)

Few of the Anglo-Saxon kings were of major historical importance. One was, however, central to English history. Alfred of Wessex is the only English soverign with the title of Great and some consider him the first actual English king. We know a great deal about King Alfred as a result of a chronicle written by Asser, Bishop of Sherborne (about 888). Only one of the Anglo Saxon kingdoms, Wessex under Alfred managed to resist the Danes. Alfred is a pivotal figure in English history. Without him the history of England would have been very different. Under Alfred the small independent kingdom of Wessex would provide the Anglo-Saxon kernal for modern England. Alfrd was a scholar-philosopher in a time in which often naer barabric war lords ruled. He was also a devoted Christian. The Danish armies had snashed Mercia, Northumbria, and East Anglia and almost succeeded in conquering Wessex as well. Alfred's military camapaigns are the source of epic legends, but theu laid the foundation for today's England. He was much more than a war lord. He also intriduced codified law to a largely barbaric and deeply framented people. Given the importance of English law in history, not the least to the United States, this can be a seminal step.

England: The House of Wessex (899-1066)

Overtime the medieval kingdom of England grew out of Alfred's Wessex. Alfred founded the House of Wessex which managed that evolution. Alfred managed to restore Anglo-Saxon power, but he could not totally defeat and expel the Danes. A compromised was reached. The Danes were allowed to settle in the area to the north and east of a line between London and Chester. This was the old Roman Watling Street. The area conceded became known as the Danelaw. The Danes in the Danelaw continued to compete for power. And the Danes in Denmark were a continuing threat. Today Denmark is a small, peaceful country. At the time of England's emergence it was a major European country and a constant threat to Anglo-Saxon England. Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians (c870 – 918) was Alfred's eldest daughter. It is not entirely clear if Mercia was a revived independent kingdom or a vassal kingdom of Wessex. Gradually member's of the House of Wessex began referring to themselves as Kings of England. There were quite a number of uneven capability. Some reigned only brief periods. Others faced family challenges. Others served only brief periods. All had the Danisg threast from the east to contend with. There greatest threat was Cnut the Great, but finally they would be brought down by the Normans in the south. In the End it was Alfred's succes that would be paramount. He confirmed the Anglo-Saxon character of the population which only grew the reign of the House of Wessex despite the Danish challenge.

Souurces

Cantor, Norman. The Civilisation of the Middle Ages (1995).

Lawson, M. K. (2004), Cnut: England's Viking King 2nd ed. (Stroud: Tempus: 2004)

Created: 6:58 AM 1/12/2008
Last updated: 10:03 PM 9/24/2022