Introduction, Section I, King Alfred the Great Summary and Analysis

King Alfred the Great ruled England from 871 to 899 A.D. During his reign, the kingdom of Wessex was protected against Viking conquest, and this battle ultimately led to English unification. King Alfred emerges as one who met many challenges to help his kingdom survive. Not much is known about the period but we do know that a Viking army invaded England in 865 and quickly crushed a variety of smaller kingdoms. Alfred was the king of Wessex and had come to rule the West Saxons in 871, when they were already under siege.

It was not clear whether Wessex would remain free until Alfred defeated the Vikings at Edington in 878, which discouraged another Viking Army. Alfred then focused on reform, created a defense system for the kingdom, changing procedures of government...