The History of England

from Celts through 20th century

Archives for the ‘09th century’ Category

Changes in the Administration

Category: 09th century

By  the  beginning  of  the  9th  century  changes  had  come  about  in  Anglo-Saxon  society.  There  were  now  big  landed  estates  with  bond  peasants  working  on  them  for  the  owners.  With  the  development  of  feudal  relations  great  changes  were  taking  place  in  administration  too.  Rich  landowners  were  given  great  power  over  the  peasants.



Unification of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms

Category: 09th century

ESTABLISHMENT  OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF ENGLAND For  three  centuries  a  struggle  went  on  between  the  little  Anglo-Saxon  kingdoms  set  up  in  the  5th-6th  centuries. As  feudal  relations  develop  the  owners  of  the  big  landed  estates  strive  to  unify  the  separate  kingdoms  into  one  state  under  the  power  of  one  king.



Danish Raids on England

Category: 09th century

The  Danes  were  of  the  same  Germanic  race  as  the  Anglo-Saxons  themselves  and  they  came  from  the  same  part  of  the  Continent.  But  unlike  the  Anglo-Saxons  whose  way  of  life  had  changed  greatly  ever  since  they  came  to Britain,  the  Danes  still  lived  in  tribes.  They  were  still  pagans.  They  worshipped  Woden,  the  god  of  […]



Strengthening of the Kingdom in the Reign of Alfred the Great (871-899)

Category: 09th century

In  871  the  Danes  invaded  Wessex  again.  But  it  was  not  so  easy  to  devastate  Wessex  as  other  parts  of England.  Wessex  had  united  the  small  Anglo-Saxon  kingdoms  and  under  the  reign  of  Egbert’s  grandson,  King  Alfred  (871-899)  who  became  known  in  English  history  as  Alfred  the  Great,  Wessex  became  the  centre  of  resistance  against  the  […]



KING ALFRED THE GREAT AND HIS ENGLAND

Category: 09th century

They are many in these busy days — who, if they were sud­denly asked just what the name of Alfred the Great meant to them would promptly answer with one or more of the fol­lowing: “He conquered the Danes, whoever they were in those times”; “Wasn’t he the king who burned some cakes in some […]



A King They All Agree Was “Great”

Category: 09th century

Alfred is the only English king to whom this title “Great” has been given. One may add that of the monarchs so called he is the only one whose right to it has never been seriously contested. How strange this is! Here was the ruler of a small, ob­scure, semibarbarian kingdom, at the edge of […]