Philosophy & Ideas: Of Darkness and Light

Late in the ninth century in southwest England, Alfred, a Saxon prince fifth in line to the throne of Wessex, came to power following the death of his last brother, Ethelred. It was an unlikely accession; Alfred himself never expected to be in the role. Yet he was to become one of the most influential of all English kings, with a profound effect on the future of his people by sharing his philosophy and ideas on the values of learning. His reign lasted 28 years, during which time he held the invading Viking Danes at bay, ultimately making peace with them as they settled in East Anglia. While his later successes against a new Danish invasion from Europe in the 890s was reason enough for his subsequent fam View the rest of this article