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People "ABCDE"
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 Alfred
the Great. (c. 849-c. 901)
King of Wessex from 871. He defended England against Danish invasion,
founded the first English navy, and put into operation a legal code. He
encouraged the translation of works from Latin (some he translated
himself), and promoted the development of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
Alfred was born at Wantage, Oxfordshire, the youngest son of Ethelwulf
(died 858), King of the West Saxons. In 870 Alfred and his brother
Ethelred fought many battles against the Danes. He gained a victory over
the Danes at Ashdown 871, and succeeded Ethelred as king April 871 after
a series of defeats. Five years of uneasy peace followed while the Danes
were occupied in other parts of England. In 876 the Danes attacked
again, and in 878 Alfred was forced to retire to the stronghold of
Athelney, from where he finally emerged to win the victory of Edington,
Wiltshire. By the Peace of Wedmore 878 the Danish leader Guthrum (died
890) agreed to withdraw from Wessex and from Mercia west of Watling
Street. A new landing in Kent encouraged a revolt of the East Anglian
Danes, which was suppressed 884-86, and after the final foreign invasion
was defeated 892-96, Alfred strengthened the navy to prevent fresh
incursions.
Places in Somerset associated with Alfred: Athelney
Wedmore |
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| Arthur,
King. (lived 6th century AD) |
Legendary British king and hero in stories of Camelot and the quest
for the Holy Grail. Arthur is said to have been born in Tintagel,
Cornwall, and buried in Glastonbury, Somerset. He may have been a
Romano-Celtic leader against pagan Saxon invaders. The legends of Arthur
and the knights of the Round Table were developed in the 12th century by
Geoffrey of Monmouth, Chrétien de Troyes, and the Norman writer Wace.
Later writers on the theme include the anonymous author of Sir Gawayne
and the Greene Knight 1346, Thomas Malory, Tennyson, T H White, and Mark
Twain.
Places associated with Arthur in Somerset: Cadbury
Glastonbury |
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