fbpx

KidsKonnect

Alfred The Great Facts & Worksheets

Alfred the Great was Anglo-Saxon, the King of Wessex, England, from 871 to 899. He lived and reigned during the Viking period and played a key role in making peace between the Anglo-Saxons and the invading Danes.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /People /Royalty /Alfred The Great Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Alfred the Great Worksheets
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

Alfred the Great was Anglo-Saxon, the King of Wessex, England, from 871 to 899. He lived and reigned during the Viking period and played a key role in making peace between the Anglo-Saxons and the invading Danes.

See the fact file below for more information on the Alfred the Great or alternatively, you can download our 19-page Alfred the Great worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY AND PERSONAL LIFE

  • Born in 849, Alfred the Great was the fifth son of the king of the West Saxons, Aethelwulf. As a young boy, Alfred never desired to become king since he had four elder brothers.
  • Educated by his mother, he developed an interest in learning Latin and English poetry.
  • In 868, Alfred received formal military arts training during his first active service against the Danes in East Anglia.
  • In 867, Alfred married Ealhswith, a descendant of the Mercian Kings. Together, they had five children.

KING’S SUCCESSION

  • When the Danes invaded Wessex in 871, Alfred fought several battles with his brother, Aethelred, who died in the same year. As a result, Alfred succeeded the throne. As the new king, Alfred was required to fight against the Danes. However, Alfred managed to come to a peaceful agreement with the leader of the Danish invasion, Guthrum. The agreement was that Alfred would retain control of Wessex, and Guthrum would retain control of East Anglia. The two nations lived in relative peace.
  • In 886, Alfred the Great turned his attention to London and began rebuilding the city, adding fortifications to the walls around the city so it was safe for people to live there. London had previously been invaded by the Vikings but Alfred returned it to the Anglo Saxons.
  • Alfred the Great played a key role in strengthening the Anglo Saxon army. He implemented a system whereby landowners were required to do military service, fortress work, and bridge building – a sort of ‘tax’.
  • Around 890, Alfred introduced new laws of the land, known as the law code.
  • He also implemented ‘burghs’ or ‘boroughs’. These were fortified towns around the country. Many had walls, ditches or rivers around them, or were only accessible by manned bridges. The burghs made it difficult for the Vikings to invade.
  • Alfred the Great believed strongly in education, particularly learning the English language. Alfred was responsible for many books being translated from Latin into English, as he believed that English was the more important language.
  • Alfred the Great personally translated many books from Latin to English.
  • The coins used by the Anglo Saxons referred to him as ‘King of the English.’ Many believe that he was the first true King of England.
  • The council that helped Alfred the Great rule the country was known as the Witan and was made up of noblemen and church leaders.
  • He was known for defeating two attempted invasions of the Vikings at the battles in Ashdown in 871 and in Edington in 878.
  • Alfred the Great was 50 years old when he died on October 26, 899. It is believed that Alfred the Great died because of an illness but the true cause is unknown.
  • Alfred the Great was originally buried at the Old Minster in Winchester; however, his grave has been moved many times. Although unproved, his remains are believed to be buried at Hyde Abbey.

Alfred the Great Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Alfred the Great across 19 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Alfred the Great worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Alfred the Great who was Anglo-Saxon, the King of Wessex, England, from 871 to 899. He lived and reigned during the Viking period and played a key role in making peace between the Anglo-Saxons and the invading Danes.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Alfred the Great Facts
  • King of the English
  • English Kings
  • Of Men and Women
  • Contribution Mapping
  • Anglo-Saxon England
  • Monarchtionary
  • Magnify Manuscript
  • The King’s Time
  • Alfred and Religion
  • Vis a vis

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Alfred The Great Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 6, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources