ALFRED THE GREAT, king of England, was the fourth son of Ethelwolf; and, at the age of 23 years, succeeded his brother Ethelred, in 87I. Ile was called to the throne, in preference to his brother's children, both by the will of his father, and by the wishes of the whole nation. The dangers, which threatened the king dom, required an actke and intelligent prince to be im meniately placed at the head of ailides; and scarcely had Alfred passed through the ceremony of coronation when he had to contend with a formidable enemy in the heart of his dominions. The Dams, mil() were in pos session of Northumberland and East Anglia, had seizea upon Wilton, and eommenced their usual ravages. Al fred collected hastily a iew troops, and marcned against them ; engaged them considerable success at first, hut was by the superior ity of their numbers, to leave the field. He recruited his army, however, so vigorously, and the Danes had suffered so severely in the late contest, that they sued for peace ; and agreed to depart Irian his te rritories, on condition that he should not appear against them in any other part of England. They mired to London, and turned their anus against Alercia, whose king, Buthred, they laid under heavy contributions, and forced at length to abandon his king dom. A fresh body of Danes arrived, in 875, under Haldene their chief; but Alfred, trusting to the late treaty, took no measures against them. They made a sudden incursion into the centre of his dominions, and seized Wercham, one of his strongest fortresses. He soon reduced them to enter into a treaty ; and bound them to the observance of it. by making them swear on the holy relics. This new compact they broke almost instantly ; surprised and routed the army of Alfred; marched to Exeter, and made themselves masters of the place. The prince, collecting and aldrnating his troops, pressed them with the greatest vigour, and, by means of a few galleys which lie had fitted out, reduced them to such extremities, that they capitulated, gave hosta ges, and agreed to settle peaceably in the country. These new settlers, however, finding themselves straitened for want of territory, and the old settlers being afraid of losing their possessions, and some fresh bands haying arrived from Deinnaik, these all united in a body, and poured into Essex. The subjects of Alfred, worn out by so many continued struggles, and affrighted by this torrent of invaders, deserted their prince, and submitted their enemies. Ile was obliged to dismiss'even the few faithful attendants, who were is Ming to follow him; disguised himself in a peasant's dress ; and sought con cealment in a neat-herd's cottage, where he continued for some patiently submitting to be treated as a servant. From this retreat, he passed with a few adhe rents, whom lie had collected, to the isle of Athelney, in Somersetshire, where he was secured in the centre of a morass, and from which he made frequent excur sions. In the mean time, the earl of Devonshire, who had taken shelter with a few followers in Kenwith cas tle, was besieged by the Danes. Being pressed with
the want of provisions, and observing that his enemies were not very watchful against any attempt from Iris little garri:Jon, he made a vigorous sally upon the Danish forces, threw them into the utmost confusion, slew Hubba their chief, and took their famous standard, which was supposed to he possessed of a prophetical power, and of magical influence. Alfred, haying heard of this success, began to concert measures with his friends; collected small bodies of men in different parts, ready to unite at the shnrtest warning ; and, in order to discover the state of the enemy, entered the Danish camp in the disguise of a harper. Having examined it 101' SC \ cral days, and ascertained its unguarded condi tion, be returned to his adherents ; appointed Selwood forest as the rendezvous of his troops ; and, before the Danes could have any intelligence of his motions, ap peared before them with a numerous army, attacked them in the midst of their surprise, and defeated them with great slaughter. Those who escaped. soon sub mitted to his power, and had their lives spared, upon condition either of immediately leaving the island, or of becoming Christians, and settling among his subjects. The greater part, with Guthruni their general, accepted the latter proposal ; and the rest, with Hastings at thei: head, sailed to Flanders in quest of plunder. Alfred. freed from his enemies, began to pursue the most pru dent and active measures for the security of his king dom, formed his subjects into a regular mditia, erected fortresses, and surrounded his towns with walls. He particularly repaired and strengthened the city of Lon don, and increased and improved Iris naval force. By these, and other wise regulations, he prevented farther invasions from the Danes, and kept those, who were in the kingdom, in quiet submission. This tranquillity, which had continued about ten or twelve years, was in terrupted in 893, by the return of Hastings with an im mense fleet, and by the rebellion of the Danish settlers in Northurubria. With these invaders, Alfred carried on a long and arduous struggle, defeated them in many en gagements; pursued their divided bands from place to place; drove them at length from his dominions, or re duced them to subjection ; and, having established peace over all England, reigned in full tranquillity during the remainder of his life. After having filled the throne nearly thirty years, highly respected and beloved by his subjects, he died in the fifty-second year of his age, A.D. and was interred in the church of Great Driffield, in Yorkshire. By his wife Ethelswitha, he had three sons and three daughters. The eldest of his sons, Ed mund, died before his father ; the second, Ethelwold, retired to a primate life, and devoted himself to study ; and the third, Edward, succeeded to the throne.