Alfred
Alfred (849-899 AD), King of Wessex from 871 and founder of the English nation. During his entire reign Alfred was at war with the Danes and in 878 he was forced to take refuge from invaders in the Somerset marshes. A swift counter-attack restored the situation, and thereafter Alfred’s naval and land defenses made the Danish raids less effective. A notable administrator, he had special concern for education and personally translated several Latin works into English. He was regarded as the greatest Western European ruler since Charlemagne.
