Alfred the Great




King from 871-901 A.D.


I


The Danes were neighbors of the Norwegian Vikings, and like them
were fond of the sea and piracy. They plundered the English coasts
for more than a century; and most of northern and eastern England
became for a time a Danish country with Danish kings.

What saved the rest of the country to the Saxons was the courage
of the great Saxon king, Alfred.

Alfred was the son of Ethelwulf, king of the West Saxons. He had
a loving mother who brought him up with great care. Up to the age
of twelve, it is said, he was not able to read well, in spite of
the efforts of his mother and others to teach him.

When Alfred was a boy there were no printed books. The wonderful
art of printing was not invented until about the year 1440--nearly
six hundred years later than Alfred's time. Moreover, the art of