Alfred the Great

Book Categories: Contemporary Sources, Biographies, Alfred's Times, Wessex, Anglo-Saxons, England, Vikings, Fiction, Documentary

Contemporary Sources

Alfred the Great: Asser's Life of King Alfred and Other Contemporary Sources edited by Simon Keynes. Asser was a Welsh monk who became Bishop of Sherborne. The other contemporary sources include the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and King Alfred's laws, will, and writings.

Writings of King Alfred edited by Frederick Harrison. Alfred in his own words.

Modern Books

Alfred the Great: War, Kingship, and Culture in Anglo-Saxon England by Richard Philip Abels. Biography that presents Alfred as a great warlord, an effective ruler, and a passionate scholar.

Alfred the Great: The King and His England by Eleanor Duckett. A vivid biography, filled with drama and action.

The White Horse King: The Life of Alfred the Great by Benjamin Merkle. How a great man came to power during one of the most difficult periods in English history and laid the groundwork for England's triumphs on the global stage.

The Life and Times of Alfred the Great by Charles Plummer. A biography, expanded from six lectures delivered at Oxford, with special emphasis on Alfred's literary works and military campaigns. Maps.

Alfred the Great: The Man Who Made England by Justin Pollard. Strips back centuries of myth to reveal the individual behind the legend, offering a new interpretation of what inspired Alfred to create England.

King Alfred: Burnt Cakes and Other Legends by David Hoorspool. Alfred the Great is inextricably linked to the legends that surround him. This book explores how Alfred's image was formed, and how myth influences the way history is written.

The Political Thought of King Alfred the Great by David Pratt. Assesses Alfred's rule and analyzes royal texts.

King Alfred the Great by Alfred P. Smyth is a scholarly examination of King Alfred's life and his place in history. Out of print, but available at Alibris.

The Golden Dragon: Alfred the Great and His Times by Alf Johnson Mapp. Relates the military, political, legal, social, and literary achievements of the king.

Alfred the Great edited by Timothy Reuter. Collection of papers reassessing Old English literature associated with Alfred, government and society in late 9th century England, and Alfred's reputation in the centuries following his death.

Alfred's Family & Times

Edward the Elder, 899-924 edited by N. J. Higham and David Hill. The son of Alfred the Great, Edward the Elder conquered Danish invaders to become the ruler of most of England.

Rulers and Ruling Families in Early Medieval Europe: Alfred, Charles the Bald, and Others by Janet L. Nelson. The ideas and practices in early medieval royal family politics are the central theme of this collection of papers.

The Making of English Law: King Alfred to the Twelfth Century by Patrick Wormald. An examination of English laws before and after Alfred. First of two volumes on the history of English law.

The Anglo Saxons by James Campbell, Eric John, and Patrick Wormald. An introduction to Anglo-Saxon history and society.

Books About the Kingdom of Wessex
Books About the Anglo-Saxons
Books About the Vikings
Books About Vikings in Britain

Fiction and Poetry

The Last Kingdom: A Novel by Bernard Cornwell. First book in Cornwell's series "The Saxon Tales" about the reign of King Alfred the Great. The following books are The Pale Horseman, The Lords of the North, Sword Song, The Burning Land, and Death of Kings.

The Ballad of the White Horse by G. K. Chesterton. Epic poem about Alfred the Great's unlikely victory over Gunthrum and the Danes at the Battle of Ethandune. A Catholic allegory relying more upon legends than historical facts.

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Movies & Documentaries

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Great Kings of England: King Alfred the Great is a documentary, sometimes available from Amazon.

Other Documentaries and Movies About Royalty