Download or read book The Viking Wars of Alfred the Great written by Paul Hill and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the spring of 878 at the Battle of Edington the tide of English history turned. Alfred's decisive defeat of Guthrum the Dane freed much of the south and west of England from Danish control and brought a halt to Guthrum's assault on Alfred's Wessex. The battle was the continuation of a long period of preparation by Alfred in the wilderness - a victory snatched from the jaws of catastrophic defeat. As such, this momentous turning point around which an entire nation's future pivoted, has given rise to legends and misconceptions that persist to the present day. Paul Hill, in this stimulating and meticulously researched study, brings together the evidence of the medieval chronicles and the latest historical and archaeological research to follow the struggle as it swung across southern England in the ninth century. 40 b/w photos

Download or read book The Viking Wars written by Max Adams and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-08-07 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A history of Britain in the violent and unruly era between the first Scandinavian raids in 789 and the final expulsion of the Vikings from York in 954. In 865, a great Viking army landed in East Anglia, precipitating a series of wars that would last until the middle of the following century. It was in this time of crisis that the modern kingdoms of Britain were born. In their responses to the Viking threat, these kingdoms forged their identities as hybrid cultures: vibrant and entrepreneurial peoples adapting to instability and opportunity. Traditionally, Alfred the Great is cast as the central player in the story of Viking Age Britain. But Max Adams, while stressing the genius of Alfred as war leader, law-giver, and forger of the English nation, has a more nuanced narrative approach to this conventional version of history. The Britain encountered by the Scandinavians of the ninth and tenth centuries was one of regional diversity and self-conscious cultural identities, depicted in glorious narrative fashion in The Viking Wars.

Download or read book The Viking Wars of Alfred the Great written by Paul Hill and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2008-09-18 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the spring of 878 at the Battle of Edington the tide of English history turned. Alfred's decisive defeat of Guthrum the Dane freed much of the south and west of England from Danish control and brought to a halt Guthrum's assault on Alfred's Wessex. The battle was the culmination of a long period of preparation by Alfred in the wilderness - a victory snatched from the jaws of catastrophic defeat. As such, this momentous turning point around which an entire nation's future pivoted, has given rise to legends and misconceptions that persist to the present day. Paul Hill, in this stimulating and meticulously researched study, brings together the evidence of the medieval chronicles and the latest historical and archaeological research to follow the struggle as it swung across southern England in the ninth century. He dispels the myths that have grown up around this critical period in English history, and he looks at Alfred's war against the Vikings with modern eyes.

Download or read book Alfred s Wars written by Ryan Lavelle and published by Boydell & Brewer. This book was released on 2010 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Collection of source material and crucial interpretations, offering a comprehensive guide to Anglo-Saxon warfare.

Download or read book Alfred the Great written by Richard Abels and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-11-26 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This biography of Alfred the Great, king of the West Saxons (871-899), combines a sensitive reading of the primary sources with a careful evaluation of the most recent scholarly research on the history and archaeology of ninth-century England. Alfred emerges from the pages of this biography as a great warlord, an effective and inventive ruler, and a passionate scholar whose piety and intellectual curiosity led him to sponsor a cultural and spiritual renaissance. Alfred's victories on the battlefield and his sweeping administrative innovations not only preserved his native Wessex from viking conquest, but began the process of political consolidation that would culminate in the creation of the kingdom of England. Alfred the Great: War, Kingship and Culture in Anglo-Saxon England strips away the varnish of later interpretations to recover the historical Alfredpragmatic, generous, brutal, pious, scholarly within the context of his own age.

Download or read book Aelfred s Britain written by Max Adams and published by . This book was released on 2018-05-03 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 865, a great Viking army landed in East Anglia, precipitating a series of wars that would last until the middle of the following century. It was in this time of crisis that the modern kingdoms of Britain were born. In their responses to the Viking threat, these kingdoms forged their identities as hybrid cultures: vibrant and entrepreneurial peoples adapting to instability and opportunity. Traditionally, Ælfred the Great is cast as the central player in the story of Viking Age Britain. But Max Adams, while stressing the genius of Ælfred as war leader, law-giver, and forger of the English nation, has a more nuanced and variegated narrative to relate. The Britain encountered by the Scandinavians of the ninth and tenth centuries was one of regional diversity and self-conscious cultural identities: of Picts, Dál Riatans and Strathclyde Britons; of Bernicians and Deirans, East Anglians, Mercians and West Saxons.

Download or read book Saxons vs Vikings written by Ed West and published by Skyhorse. This book was released on 2023-06-06 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A witty and concise look at the beginnings of English history, when the nation consolidated after clashes between the Saxons and invading Vikings--now in paperback! In 871, three of England's four kingdoms were overrun by Vikings, the ruthless, all-conquering Scandinavian raiders who terrorized early medieval Europe. With the Norsemen murdering one king with arrows and torturing another to death by ripping out his lungs, the prospects that faced the kingdom of Wessex were bleak. Worse still, the Saxons were now led by a young man barely out of his teens who was more interested in God than fighting. Yet within a decade Alfred—the only English king known as the Great—had driven the Vikings out of half of England, and his children and grandchildren would unite the country a few years later. This period, popular with fans of television shows such as Vikings and The Last Kingdom, saw the creation of England as a nation-state, with Alfred laying down the first national law code, establishing an education system and building cities. Saxons vs. Vikings also covers the period before Alfred, including ancient Britain, the Roman occupation, and the Dark Ages, explaining important historical episodes such as Boudicca, King Arthur, and Beowulf. Perfect for newcomers to the subject, this is the second title in the new A Very, Very Short History of England series. If you’re trying to understand England and its history in the most informative and entertaining way possible, this is the place to start.

Download or read book King Alfred the Great written by Alfred P. Smyth and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 816 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soldier, statesman, and scholar, Alfred the Great was a fascinating and highly successful king, pushing back the Vikings to command what is now thought of as the heart of England as ruler of Wessex from 871-899. In this, the first major biography of King Alfred since 1902, his life, career and enduring legacy are given a radical new interpretation, putting into question most of our assumptions about this singular monarch. Alfred P. Smyth's portrait of King Alfred rejects the image of a neurotic and invalid king who supposedly remained a pious illiterate until he was almost 40. Instead, we are shown a man of remarkable energy and intelligence who took necessary steps to defend his people from the Norsemen. We see, too, a king who had been a scholar all his life and who used his great knowledge to bolster the powers of his own kingship. Smyth also provides a detailed examination of the much-disputed medieval biography of King Alfred, attributed to the King's tutor, Asser. Alfred Smyth argues that Asser's Life may, in fact, have been a late medieval forgery--a revelation with profound implications for our understanding of the whole of Anglo-Saxon history. Smyth's King Alfred also contains major studies on the writings of this gifted king, on the controversial charters of his reign, and on the origins of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. (Smyth shows this work to have been much more closely connected with the court of King Alfred than previously realized and suggests a new date for the completion of the earliest Alfredian section of the Chronicle.) A monumental and intriguing work of historical scholarship, King Alfred the Great will dramatically change the way we understand this early period of western civilization.

Download or read book The White Horse King written by Benjamin Merkle and published by HarperChristian + ORM. This book was released on 2009-11-02 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The unlikely king who saved England. Down swept the Vikings from the frigid North. Across the English coastlands and countryside they raided, torched, murdered, and destroyed all in their path. Farmers, monks, and soldiers all fell bloody under the Viking sword, hammer, and axe. Then, when the hour was most desperate, came an unlikely hero. King Alfred rallied the battered and bedraggled kingdoms of Britain and after decades of plotting, praying, and persisting, finally triumphed over the invaders. Alfred's victory reverberates to this day: He sparked a literary renaissance, restructured Britain's roadways, revised the legal codes, and revived Christian learning and worship. It was Alfred's accomplishments that laid the groundwork for Britian's later glories and triumphs in literature, liturgy, and liberty. "Ben Merkle tells the sort of mythic adventure story that stirs the imagination and races the heart?and all the more so knowing that it is altogether true!" ?George Grant, author of The Last Crusader and The Blood of the Moon

Download or read book The Viking Great Army and the Making of England written by Dawn Hadley and published by Thames & Hudson. This book was released on 2021-06-22 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Featuring the latest scientific techniques and findings, this book is the definitive account of the Viking Great Army’s journey and how their presence forever changed England. When the Viking Great Army swept through England between 865 and 878 CE, the course of English history was forever changed. The people of the British Isles had become accustomed to raids for silver and prisoners, but 865 CE saw a fundamental shift as the Norsemen stayed through winter and became immersed in the heart of the nation. The Viking army was here to stay. This critical period for English history led to revolutionary changes in the fabric of society, creating the growth of towns and industry, transforming power politics, and ultimately leading to the rise of Alfred the Great and Wessex as the preeminent kingdom of Anglo-Saxon England. Authors Dawn Hadley and Julian Richards, specialists in Anglo-Saxon and Viking Age archaeology, draw on the most up-to-date scientific techniques and excavations, including their recent research at the Great Army’s camp at Torksey. Together they unravel the movements of the Great Army across England like a detective story, while piecing together a new picture of the Vikings in unimaginable detail. Hadley and Richards unearth the swords and jewelry the Vikings manufactured, examine how they buried their great warriors, and which everyday objects they discarded. These discoveries revolutionized what is known of the size, complexity, and social make-up of the army. Like all good stories, this one has plenty of heroes and villains, and features a wide array of vivid illustrations, including site views, plans, weapons, and hoards. This exciting volume tells the definitive account of a vital period in Norse and British history and is a must-have for history and archaeology lovers.

Download or read book Alfred the Great written by Jacob Abbott and published by Graphic Arts Books. This book was released on 2020-12-01 with total page 105 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Follow the life and rule of Alfred the Great, King of Wessex circa 871 to 899, and one of best and most famous kings in the history of England. Jacob Abbot's account of the king separates fact from fiction, illuminating readers about the life of this pioneering ruler, who promoted literacy and education, restructured the tax system, and led his kingdom to victory against invading forces. Before he was king, Alfred fought in battle against the invading Danes. When his older brother, and current king, was killed during battle, the throne went to Alfred. Coronated at the young age of twenty-one, Alfred the Great inherited the Anglo-Saxon throne in a time of ongoing war. By the time he assumed the throne, the Danes had been actively invading and overthrowing settlements for five years, though their attacks had started long before that. Maintaining his reputation as an intelligent and merciful man, and using his knowledge as a military veteran, Alfred the Great led his kingdom to victory over the Danes, ending the Viking’s invasion. After the war, King Alfred continued to lead in a virtuous manor, earning the respect and praise of his subjects. King Alfred was a man of strong faith and truly loved his people. He pioneered many social policies, including promoting literacy and education, restructuring the taxation system, and strengthening foreign relations. Though he was among the best rulers in the history of England, much of the information scholars previously held about Alfred the Great was riddled with legends and myths, making it difficult to understand the truth about the great king. Alfred the Great by Jacob Abbott is considered to be a culturally significant and detailed account of the life of Alfred the Great, and was one of the first biographies published about the man that was widely accepted by scholars to be wholly accurate. As an experienced writer for children, Jacob Abbott’s work is accessible and exciting. Now reprinted in an easy to read and modern font, paired with an eye-catching cover design, this edition of Jacob Abbott’s Alfred the Great is an approachable biography, ready to entertain and educate readers of various demographics on a legendary leader.

Download or read book Pastoral Care written by Pope Gregory I and published by e-artnow. This book was released on 2022-01-04 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pastoral Care, or The Book of the Pastoral Rule, is a treatise on the responsibilities of the clergy written by Pope Gregory I in which he contrasted the role of bishops as pastors of their flock with their position as nobles of the church: the definitive statement of the nature of the episcopal office. Gregory enjoined parish priests to possess strict personal, intellectual and moral standards which were considered, in certain quarters, to be unrealistic and beyond ordinary capacities. The influence of the book, however, was vast and became one of the most influential works on the topic ever written. It was translated and distributed to every bishop within the Byzantine Empire.

Download or read book Alfred the Great written by Richard Abels and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-11-26 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This biography of Alfred the Great, king of the West Saxons (871-899), combines a sensitive reading of the primary sources with a careful evaluation of the most recent scholarly research on the history and archaeology of ninth-century England. Alfred emerges from the pages of this biography as a great warlord, an effective and inventive ruler, and a passionate scholar whose piety and intellectual curiosity led him to sponsor a cultural and spiritual renaissance. Alfred's victories on the battlefield and his sweeping administrative innovations not only preserved his native Wessex from viking conquest, but began the process of political consolidation that would culminate in the creation of the kingdom of England. Alfred the Great: War, Kingship and Culture in Anglo-Saxon England strips away the varnish of later interpretations to recover the historical Alfredpragmatic, generous, brutal, pious, scholarly within the context of his own age.

Download or read book The Anglo Saxon Chronicle written by and published by . This book was released on 1912 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Alfred the Great written by Eleanor Shipley Duckett and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2014-12-10 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the author of The Gateway to the Middle Ages, “a fascinating portrait of an enlightened monarch against a background of darkness and ignorance” (Kirkus Reviews). Filled with drama and action, here is the story of the ninth-century life and times of Alfred—warrior, conqueror, lawmaker, scholar, and the only king whom England has ever called “The Great.” Based on up-to-date information on ninth-century history, geography, philosophy, literature, and social life, it vividly presents exciting views of Alfred in every stage of his long career and leaves the reader with a sharply etched picture of the world of the Middle Ages.

Download or read book Asser s Life of King Alfred written by John Asser and published by . This book was released on 1908 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book In the Land of Giants written by Max Adams and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2016-10-11 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A cultural exploration of the Dark Age landscapes of Britain that poses a significant question: Is the modern world simply the realization of our ancient past? The five centuries between the end of Roman Britain and the death of Alfred the Great have left few voices save a handful of chroniclers, but Britain's "Dark Ages" can still be explored through their material remnants: architecture, books, metalwork, and, above all, landscapes. Max Adams explores Britain's lost early medieval past by walking its paths and exploring its lasting imprint on valley, hill, and field. From York to Whitby, from London to Sutton Hoo, from Edinburgh to Anglesey, and from Hadrian's Wall to Loch Tay, each of his ten walking narratives form free-standing chapters as well as parts of a wider portrait of a Britain of fort and fyrd, crypt and crannog, church and causeway, holy well and memorial stone. Part travelogue, part expert reconstruction, In the Land of Giants offers a beautifully written insight into the lives of peasants, drengs, ceorls, thanes, monks, knights, and kings during an enigmatic but richly exciting period of Britain’s history.