King Alfred the Great

"Rarely has it fallen to one man to bring his nation

back from near disaster."

KK

"Without him, England as we know it would not exist!"

KK

A wrong turning led to the Danes abandoning their

longboats in the River Lea and fleeing overland.

KK

Alfred is regarded as the 'Father of the English Navy'.

KK

Danish invaders rowed up the Thames Estuary to capture London. Progress was slow and difficult, they were weighed down with 3000 fighting men, weapons and armour.  Alfred was outnumbered and facing disaster when for some inexplicable reason they turned into the River Lea. Seizing his opportunity, he blockaded the Lea. The Danes  were trapped - they had sailed into a bottleneck and Alfred had sealed it with a cork. They moved north-westwards and wintered at near Bridgnorth. Soon after they gave up the struggle. Some retired to Northumbria, some to East Anglia. Those who had no connections in England withdrew back to the continent.

KK

A victory that saved England and won Alfred the epithet 'the Great'.

"The Vikings are coming!"

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