logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2020
35m 22s

Alfred the Great

History Hit
About this episode
Ever since his reign in the 9th century, Alfred the Great has been celebrated as one of the most accomplished of our kings. A learned and religious man who encouraged education, Alfred defended his lands against Viking invaders. But how did Alfred, King of Wessex become Alfred the Great? How effective was he in fighting the Vikings? And why did he burn those cakes? Rob Weinberg asks the big questions about this unforgettable king to historian Justin Pollard, author of Alfred the Great: The Man who made England.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Oct 2020
King David
One of the Old Testament’s most compelling figures, David was anointed as king of a united Israel, conquering Jerusalem and bringing the Ark of the Covenant into the city. First renowned for his musicianship and killing Goliath, David was feted by King Saul who then turned agains ... Show More
25m 37s
Sep 2020
The South African Boer War
From 1899 to 1902, a bloody war was fought between the British Empire and two independent Boer states – the Republic of Transvaal and the Orange Free State – over the Empire's influence in South Africa. But how and why did the war come about? How did the Boers achieve initial suc ... Show More
31m 8s
Sep 2020
The Great Fire of London
In September 1666, the Great Fire of London destroyed more than 13,000 houses, 87 Parish churches as well as St Pauls Cathedral, and uprooted hundreds of thousands of Londoners. But how did the fire start and spread so rapidly? Why did King Charles II intervene and what took him ... Show More
30m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2022
250. Alfred the Great: Fury of the Vikings (Part 1)
Alfred the Great is under invasion from the Vikings. Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss Alfred's anointment by the Pope in Rome, his duality as both a fearsome warrior and a man of poetry, plus his unbelievable escape from a Christmas ambush from Viking invaders. The second e ... Show More
55m 6s
Nov 2022
251. Alfred the Great: Return of the King (Part 2)
Battling with the expanding power of the Vikings, listen to Tom and Dominic discover how King Alfred the Great earned his name in the second instalment of our two part series on England's Founding Father. Join The Rest Is History Club (www.restishistorypod.com) for ad-free liste ... Show More
51m 49s
Nov 2021
122. Athelstan: England's Greatest Monarch
After an intense tournament featuring sixteen of the finest Kings and Queens this island has to offer, the people have decided the greatest king of England also happens to be the first. The 10th century grandson of Alfred the Great united the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and saw off the ... Show More
57m 35s
Jan 2020
Alcuin
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Alcuin of York, c735-804AD, who promoted education as a goal in itself, and had a fundamental role in the renaissance at Charlemagne's court. He wrote poetry and many letters, hundreds of which survive and provide insight into his life and times. H ... Show More
56m 3s
Aug 2016
212 – Alfred the Last AEtheling
It’s mid April of 871. For four long months, the House of Wessex has been battling against an invasion army of Danes who are holding the Royal Tun of Reading. Battle after battle had resulted in bruising defeats at the hands of these pagans. They had won against the Danes in Ashd ... Show More
30m 27s
Jan 2024
William the Conqueror
<p>When his cousin King Edward the Confessor died childless, Duke William of Normandy saw the throne of England as his birthright. But one man stood in his way, Harold Godwinson, whom Edward had named as king on his deathbed.</p><br><p>In the third episode of our special series e ... Show More
42m 8s
Jun 2023
Ragnar Lothbrok: The Viking Legend
<p>The ninth century Danish king and warrior Ragnar Lothbrok became notorious again most recently through the TV series <em>The Vikings</em>. But what do we know about the real Ragnar Lothbrok? In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis finds out from Professor Carolyne Larring ... Show More
51m 13s
Oct 2023
The Venerable Bede
<p>Bede, whose name towers over early medieval English literature, is often referred to as the “father of English history.” He calculated the first tide-tables, played a role in the creation of the Lindisfarne Gospels, wrote the earliest extant Old English poetry and did the earl ... Show More
47m 40s
Mar 2019
The Danelaw
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the effective partition of England in the 880s after a century of Viking raids, invasions and settlements. Alfred of Wessex, the surviving Anglo-Saxon king and Guthrum, a Danish ruler, had fought each other to a stalemate and came to terms, with Gu ... Show More
50m 6s
Feb 2024
The Real King Arthur
<p>If King Arthur never existed, why does he loom so large in England's history? Dan traces the real-life figures who could have been the legendary King Arthur- the medieval king who pulled the sword from the stone and led the English against the Anglo-Saxons who arrived in Engla ... Show More
1h 18m