During his reign (871-899), King Alfred revolutionized the governance of Wessex, greatly advancing the process that would culminate two generations later, in the creation of the kingdom of England. His succes in fighting the Vikings not only saved Wessex from conquest but kept Britain from becoming one more outlier of Scandinavia. His administrative and military innovations provided his son and grandsons with the tools to conquer the Danelaw, and established a precocious royal administration that shaped the governance of medieval England. The spiritual and literary renaissance he spearheaded helped create a tradition of vernacular learning that would blossom in later generations. This book offers an analysis of Alfred's achievement and thought. In doing so it illuminates the character and meaning of Anglo-Saxon kingship in general, as well as the particular career of this king.
- ISBN10 0582040485
- ISBN13 9780582040489
- Publish Date 5 October 1998 (first published 30 September 1998)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 12 May 2007
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Pearson Education Limited
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 392
- Language English