Alfred the Great was an Anglo-Saxon king (871 – 899) of Wessex, an Anglo-Saxon kingdom that existed from 519 to 927 south of the river Thames in England. In the late 9th century, the Vikings had overrun most of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms that constituted England at the time. Alfred's reign has become regarded as pivotal in the eventual unification of England, after he famously defended Wessex and southern England against the Viking invasions, winning a decisive victory at the Battle of Edington in 878. The majority of what we know about the historical Alfred comes his biography Life of King Alfred written, during Alfred reign by his direction, in 893 by a Welsh monk Asser. It was not until the English Reformation in the sixteenth century, that Alfred was first given the epithet "the Great" when he was seen as the ideal Christian sovereign. Over 600 years after his life, that Alfred began to inspired many artistic and cultural works from the sixteenth century onwards, with a height in the Victorian Period, when the cult of Alfred developed into a significant cultural force in literature, the visual arts, and national consciousness. The lists and images on this page cover depictions or references to Alfred in a wide range of media, including works of art, literature, histories and plays all usually favourably or heroically; and educational establishments named in his honour. Also listed are more recent representations of Alfred in popular culture including - film, television, modern historical fiction and video games. (en)
Alfred the Great was an Anglo-Saxon king (871 – 899) of Wessex, an Anglo-Saxon kingdom that existed from 519 to 927 south of the river Thames in England. In the late 9th century, the Vikings had overrun most of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms that constituted England at the time. Alfred's reign has become regarded as pivotal in the eventual unification of England, after he famously defended Wessex and southern England against the Viking invasions, winning a decisive victory at the Battle of Edington in 878. (en)