GREAT, King of Wessex Alfred the
849 - 899 (50 years)
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Name GREAT, Alfred the Title King of Wessex Birth 849 Oxfordshire, England 
Gender Male Differentiator He is one of only two English monarchs to be given the epithet "the Great", the other being the Scandinavian Cnut the Great. He was also the first King of the West Saxons to style himself "King of the Anglo-Saxons". Relation to Me 36 GGF Royalty & Nobility Between 23 Apr 871 and 26 Oct 899 Wessex, England King of the Anglo-Saxons Name Alfred the Great aka King Alfred and Alfred I Religion Roman Catholic Death 26 Oct 899 Winchester, Hampshire, England Burial Hyde Abbey, Winchester, Hampshire, England Person ID I7173 My Genealogy Last Modified 4 Feb 2024
Father AETHELWULF King of Wessex, b. Oxfordshire, England d. 13 Jan 858 Relationship natural Mother Living Relationship natural Family ID F1727 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 EALHSWITH d. 5 Dec 902 Marriage 868 Children + 1. WESSEX, Elftrudis of, b. 877 d. 7 Jun 929 (Age 52 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] + 2. EDWARD, b. 874 d. 17 Jul 924 (Age 50 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] Family ID F1725 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 4 Feb 2024
Children + 1. BALDWIN, Second Margrave (or count) of Flanders II, b. 865 d. 10 Sep 918 (Age 53 years) [Father: natural] Family ID F6738 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 4 Feb 2024
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Event Map 
Birth - 849 - Oxfordshire, England 
Royalty & Nobility - King of the Anglo-Saxons - Between 23 Apr 871 and 26 Oct 899 - Wessex, England 
Death - 26 Oct 899 - Winchester, Hampshire, England 
Burial - - Hyde Abbey, Winchester, Hampshire, England = Link to Google Earth
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Photos 
Statue_d'Alfred_le_Grand_à_Winchester
Documents 
Alfred the Great - Wikipedia Wessex - Wikipedia
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Notes - Alfred is venerated as a saint by some Christian traditions, but an attempt by Henry VI of England in 1441 to have him canonized by the pope was unsuccessful. The Anglican Communion venerates him as a Christian hero, with a feast day or commemoration on 26 October, and he may often be found depicted in stained glass in Church of England parish churches.
Alfred commissioned Bishop Asser to write his biography, which inevitably emphasised Alfred's positive aspects. Later medieval historians, such as Geoffrey of Monmouth also reinforced Alfred's favourable image. By the time of the Reformation Alfred was seen as being a pious Christian ruler, who promoted the use of English rather than Latin, and so the translations that he commissioned were viewed as untainted by the later Roman Catholic influences of the Normans. Consequently, it was writers of the sixteenth century who gave Alfred his epithet as 'the Great', rather than any of Alfred's contemporaries.The epithet was retained by succeeding generations of Parliamentarians and empire-builders who saw Alfred's patriotism, success against barbarism, promotion of education and establishment of the rule of law as supporting their own ideals.
Alfred successfully defended his kingdom against the Viking attempt at conquest, and by the time of his death had become the dominant ruler in England. Alfred had a reputation as a learned and merciful man of a gracious and level-headed nature who encouraged education, proposing that primary education be taught in English, and improved his kingdom's legal system, military structure and his people's quality of life. In 2002, Alfred was ranked number 14 in the BBC's poll of the 100 Greatest Britons.
- Alfred is venerated as a saint by some Christian traditions, but an attempt by Henry VI of England in 1441 to have him canonized by the pope was unsuccessful. The Anglican Communion venerates him as a Christian hero, with a feast day or commemoration on 26 October, and he may often be found depicted in stained glass in Church of England parish churches.