Not all historical epithets were accurate. Aethelred wasn’t so much “Unready” as “Ill-advised”, for instance. Edgar the Peaceful was actually rather a tough cookie while Edward the Martyr – an angry chap prone to fits of rage – only became a martyr because he was killed in suspicious circumstances. And Richard the Lionheart may have been brave, but he was arguably not the world’s best crusader. He gave up on the job of trying to reclaim Bethlehem for the Christians and slunk back homeward, only to get himself kidnapped – twice – on the way. More about him when we reach the 12th century, which may be some time.
But King Alfred does seem to have been pretty Great. He managed to suppress the marauding Danes and instead of slaughtering the lot, he had the leaders baptised as Christians who then became allies. He re-established London as a stronghold city; he reformed the military and he promoted learning. His children were educated at court alongside the children of nobles, plus the gifted offspring of some poorer people he came across. Yes, Alfred the Great was an excellent warrior, a negotiator, a shrewd strategist and a liberal. No wonder there’s a huge statue of him in Winchester, but nothing for other ninth century kings such as Beorhtwulf, Wigstan or Ceolwulf.
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