Alfred the Great

Abstract

Alfred the Great lived from the late 840s to 899 and was king of Wessex (871–99). He preserved and strengthened Wessex against the Vikings, prepared the way for a single kingdom of England, and made significant contributions to law, literature, and learning. His law code preserves his own laws and those of his predecessor, Ine. In his preface to the Old English Pastoral Care , Alfred announced a program to translate Latin texts into Old English and educate young men who could be spared from work to read in English. He himself is credited with four translations: the Pastoral Care , the Boethius , the Soliloquies , and the first 50 Psalms. His patronage may have supported Wærferth's translation of Gregory the Great's Dialogues , the Old English Orosius , the Anglo‐Saxon Chronicle, Asser's Latin Life of Alfred , the Old English Bede , and the production of art objects.