Alfred the Great: The King Who Defeated the Vikings and Helped Unite England

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[@Biographics]

Check out Squarespace: squarespace.com/BIOGRAPHICS for 10% off on your first purchase.

[@michaelmayhem350]

Simon we need DTU March 8 1994 Michigan Please

[@russellcavender352]

Video of constance markievicz please

[@xinaro8682]

If you could consider a video of Willy Brandt, I'd be really happy. :)

[@Tremont24]

Please do Booker T. Washington next

[@yojishinkawa378]

No Ronnie James Dio video yet?

[@theawesomeman9821]

The fact that no other English king has ever been referred to as "The Great" tells you are amazing this Alfred guy was.

[@Filome]

.👍🎁🎁⤴️⬆️.

[@goodwillhumping7904]

or how mediocre the english kings and queens have been

[@synchc]

@@goodwillhumping7904 Mediocre? Which angry and jealous bit of the commonwealth are you from?

[@JJaqn05]

@@goodwillhumping7904 Aethalstan the Glorious, William I, Henry II, Edward I, Edward III, Henry V, Henry VII, Elizabeth I would disagree

[@theawesomeman9821]

@@goodwillhumping7904 you're not a monarchist are you?

[@charlesbunten2588]

I can’t believe how he didn’t mention Alfred’s right hand man. The infamous Uhtred Of bebbanburg!

[@GetRidOfCivilAssetForfeiture]

Some would say not infamous, just insufficiently credited with the saving and uniting of England from the Vikings, in particular, the Danes, who were ultimately not so great.

[@papisn2679]

Uhtred the Bold was born about 20-30 years after Alfreds death

[@GetRidOfCivilAssetForfeiture]

@@papisn2679 don’t be a buzzkill …

[@olliesb9868]

@@papisn2679yeah… don’t educated or spit facts the kids hate that nowadays 😅

[@_celooo5374]

THANK YOU

[@keiththorpe9571]

With the construction of the burghs, Alfred pioneered what Muhammad Ali would, many centuries later, call his "Rope-a-dope Strategy". Letting your opponent wear themselves out attacking impenetrable defenses, as the Danes were neither inclined toward nor adept at laying long, protracted sieges to and then storming fortified defensive structures. The burghs were a stroke of both tactical and strategic genius. As Sun Tzu would have said (and approved of), Alfred truly understood his enemy.

[@michaelsinger4638]

Alfred was a badass. His children were pretty awesome in their own right as well.

[@Filome]

🎁🎁⬆️⬆️⤴️

[@tomben6180]

His grandson was the Greatest Englishman that ever lived

[@smartypants4998]

@@tomben6180 Æthelstan?

[@tomben6180]

@@smartypants4998 Yep.

[@Rowlph8888]

@@tomben6180 Well, That is a matter of opinion and is highly competitive, for sure. Your talking about the most influential culture, on the modern world, the groundbreaking impact globally and in launching the human race forward, of historical Englishmen (and Brits), are far too numerous to mention.For me, it is George Orwell, but Yes, He and Alfred Would-be 2nd and 3rd( May be), Followed by Newton, Maxwell and Shakespeare, then a load of Globally Groundbreaking inventors, Pioneers oI Human rights legislation, and Constructors of the Free Market, democratic parliamentary system, Pioneers of the antislavery movement. That's not even mentioning the Explorers, colonialists, and Greats in literary, music, or other Individual genres Although, Really, if we talking about objective and dramatic impact of an Englishman, or Brit, Or any other individual, on global history, It's Obviously Newton(Possible exception of Jesus and Mohammed)

[@devastator6570]

I’m surprised you didn’t talk about his health. Alfred’s chronicler kept detailed records of him including appearance and health which is why we have a pretty good idea of what he looked like. He also detailed many of Alfred’s symptoms, that he suffered in his life so well modern scientists and historians believe he had Crohns Disease

[@Beofware]

Alfred is my all-time favorite historical figure. I love learning about him and the time period in which he lived. Truly one of the great men.

[@erinesque1889]

Mine too! I found out about him because I love names, and went searching for old English ones. I got so captured by him that I had to draw a scene of him, his wife and his children.

[@Rowlph8888]

@@erinesque1889 Yes, I wonder if the modern French culture, has a lot to thank Alfred for. He was the 1st king in Europe (at least the landmass we now refer to as Europe) to manage to properly defend against the Vikings.Frankish cities, were still being ravaged, enslaved and massacred, on a mass scale for almost another century, after this.Alfred assimilated Viking battle tactics, just like the Frankish eventually started doing, recruiting marauders and making them into mercenaries, with his incredibly balanced temperament in those times I wonder if the kingdoms communicated about this, because the Vikings were much more scary than people think, many of the groups were intending to settle, and if the decisions that were made had not been, you would see an entirely different culture in England and France in the modern day, than, we are experiencing right now.

[@pushingprofound2064]

Same! I love Alfred the Great and his indomitable spirit. I recently listened to the 'Alfred the Great' episode on Hacks From the Past podcast and i've been obsessed with Alfred ever since. Such an incredible story, and the podcast made me feel like I was there while history was being made.

[@Aemilius46]

Alfred The Great is certainly one of my favorites as well!! (I actually have family in England, plus my entire Ancestral bloodline is of Europe!!)

[@Aemilius46]

​@@erinesque1889That's awesome!! 😁 (My middle and last name are actually of English origins!!)

[@RonnieOP]

The "Great Heathen Army" must be the most badass name for an invading force ever

[@jameshall1300]

I've always been curious as to whether that was the name the English gave them or if the Vikings themselves adopted it to taunt the English/Christians.

[@alexmugo2519]

Heard of it in vikings and tlk

[@Wotsitorlabart]

@@jameshall1300 Apparently so called by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles.

[@lettucearsebiscuits8375]

@@jameshall1300 Well i mean its an apt description. Youd have to have a large number of forces (hence great) to subjugate an island full of quarelling petty kings who consider you hostile even before you set foot.

[@rogerpenske2411]

Simon, you can do as many episodes on the history of the kings and royalty of England as you like! I love it! As an American, I find it absolutely fascinating.

[@christophergraham5575]

Check out Rex Factor podcast! Truly incredible podcast about the British Monarchs :)

[@sugarnads]

Acknowledge the king and join the commonwealth. We will show u how to have proper elections

[@francesfuego6950]

seriously though , i cant decide which history i find the most interesting, this or japanese.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:20 - Chapter 1 - Enter the viking age 3:45 - Chapter 2 - Rise to the throne 7:05 - Mid roll ads 8:25 - Chapter 3 - The viking scourge overwhelms england 11:55 - Chapter 4 - Alfred vs guthrum 16:30 - Chapter 5 - Visions of a united england

[@razorramzan-inc]

You're a genius

[@theinquisitorisamage1653]

Thank you, you absolute legend.

[@Shadefinder1]

Yes

[@superhond1733]

Thx

[@pushingprofound2064]

Anyone else here after listening to Hacks From the Past podcast?? Alfred's story is so inspiring!

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

YES! One of the Greatest English Kings finally got his video! Let's keep the greatness rolling and do Constantine the Great next. The Founder of Constantinople and Savior of Christianity!

[@kittycatwithinternetaccess2356]

Based!

[@Viroh]

Ugh religion for low iq

[@balabanasireti]

@@kittycatwithinternetaccess2356 Please stop using that dumb and overused word already

[@kittycatwithinternetaccess2356]

@@balabanasireti make me

[@kittycatwithinternetaccess2356]

@@Viroh bigot

[@jamesenglebert9149]

After playing Assassins creed Valhalla I was curious to see how history truly remembers Alfred.

[@Assassin_King23]

Fr same 😂

[@supernova7848]

So “Hvitserk” getting baptized by Alfred ( in Vikings show ) and being renamed Athelstan was actually Guthrum’s story

[@alexmugo2519]

Yess......the last kingdom is more accurate

[@Soul93Taker]

Damn Batman's butler has a hell of a background story.

[@Filome]

🎁🎁⬆️⬆️⤴️

[@literallyanangrymoose7717]

Let's be real. Alfred was a straight badass in every way.

[@rodrigogil1921]

Ok now please do one on Ethelred the Unready and how he got his Monty Python-esque name

[@Rougeification]

Æthelred 'the Unready' comes from the old English word 'Unræd' which means 'Poorly Advised'. It was a joke because his name, Æthelred, means 'Well Advised'. He was the son of Edgar the Peaceful and when his brother, Edward the Confessor, died, he ascended at 12. See, the Danes are settled in England, but raiding still happens. So, at the end of the 10th century, Æthelred ordered the St. Brice's Day massacre (a massacre of Scaninavian-Anglos in England) which led to another mass invasion from the Vikings in retaliation and resulted in Sweyne Forkbeard (King of Denmark) taking the throne of England, so Æthelred fled to Normandy until around about 1013(I think?). Sweyne died, Æthelred returned and died two years later. Then their sons, Cnut the Great and Edmund Ironsides fought until Cnut won and ruled England, Denmark and Norway, though he did allow Edmund Ironsides (named for his attempt to fight back against Cnut) to also retain his title as King of England. In short: Æthelred made some dumb decisions, and because his name meant 'Well-Advised', the called him Æthelred Unræd, or 'Æthelred the Poorly-Advised'.

[@woodsplitter3274]

I think the Frankish kings were named for their attributes: Charles the Bald; Louis the Fat, etc.

[@Rougeification]

@@woodsplitter3274 Well... yes, but not exactly - Charles the Bald was an ironic nickname because he was famously *very* hairy. Edit: I mean, Charlemagne is French for 'Charles the Great', who was originally King of the Franks before he became Emperor. I think the point I'm trying to make is that the Franks were really like anyone else, y'know? Like, Áed Findlaith means 'Aed Fair-haired', but then you also have Niall Caille (so named after he drowned in the river Caille). Then you have the Norse Kings, Harald 'Hard-Ruler' and Harald 'Fair-Hair', Sweyn 'Fork-Beard' and Björn 'Iron-Sides'. Physical descriptors, jokes, names of praise - us humans can be pretty inventive. (I realise I just went on a tangent, but hope this was worth reading).

[@woodsplitter3274]

@@Rougeification Yup pretty much. I don't think I would want to be remembered as "The Fat". 😄

[@erinesque1889]

@@Rougeification as someone who loves, nay, adores names, this was extremely wonderful to read!

[@goldenageflash5924]

Most enlightening history. What inspired me to watch this particular period of English history was from watching last weekend's Time Tunnel Marathon on the Decades Channel. One of the episodes featured Merlin the Magician, a young assumer of the throne, Arthur and young maidenn, Guinevere. Again, excellent history lesson Thanks Simon!

[@CatOfSchroedinger]

FINALLY !!!! I've waited so long for a sensible comprehensive video on AElfred. His riverboat strategy, the tiny forts etc. There was a movie (mediocre but enjoyable) about him once that is almost impossible to get. I just know I will enjoy this one. I can't wait to see what you have been able to pack into 20 minutes. ;-)

[@Filome]

🎁🎁⬆️⬆️⤴️

[@Beofware]

You should watch The Last Kingdom

[@Beofware]

And read the book series. :)

[@liamCOMEDYscarborian]

@@Beofware haah I came to say that, should a great series

[@jsrover4265]

“The vikings were startled but would soon be back and in greater numbers “ 😎

[@danielalozovska2050]

Thank you, Simon! Great video. I hope one day you'll record audio books, your voice would be perfect for that. Cheers! 💕

[@redbaron0949]

Being an Engineering Major, I have learned so much History from you Simon. Thank you.

[@twimisize]

Thank you to the Biographics Team, I've been wanting this one for a while!

[@Filome]

.👍🎁🎁⤴️⤴️.

[@amandajones661]

I love this video. My family can trace our ancestors back to this time. Babies born during this turbulent time between the heathens and Christians ( from either rape or love) went on to make my family.

[@EpicGamerWinXD69]

Fantastic!!! I’ve been waiting for this one!!!

[@l.a.t.1810]

Enjoyed this so so much!

[@mmyers5261]

Been waiting for this one 🔥🔥

[@matthewlrutledge]

I love that Simon’s writers can troll him by sneaking obscure Star Wars quotes into scripts. 11:42

[@Filome]

.👍🎁🎁⤴️⤴️✅

[@Aemilius46]

As someone who's Ancestral bloodline is from Europe, and I have family in England, I love this video and Alfred The Great! 🛡️🗡️

[@Iamtheliquor]

Fantastic and about time we had some of our great and some not so great monarchs! Keep em coming

[@chroniclesoflaura]

Yay! Our King! Lol I live in Wantage and that second whiter statue you showed is in our town centre. Our little town museum is very interesting.

[@ProbablyNotLegit]

Used to get fish and chips from the place sorta by the fire station, if it's still open?

[@justinweber4977]

Holy crap, two comments, up two minutes and 37 views. This is the earliest I've ever gotten into one of Simon's videos. Now I feel like I deserve "The Great" in my title!

[@andrewsurowiec80]

FINALLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Been wanting a video on him for years

[@cherryllcooper679]

Really enjoyed this one!

[@Dustbinlid1]

Man this ones been a long time coming!

[@AKAZA-kq8jd]

Now im fully motivated to watch The Last Kingdom again check it out awesome series.

[@Sirianstar10]

I've watched it 3x

[@SirEricArthurBlair]

Another great video!

[@SkippySpiral]

Love your channel‼️❤

[@benjaminepstein5856]

Hi Simon!!

[@ladybarbarapinsonartist431]

Simon, well done!

[@Filome]

🎁🎁⬆️⬆️⤴️

[@markironside9818]

Good Job Grandad. Always love your 1200 year old war stories

[@hannahvankuiken4664]

Hi, Simon! 'Great' episode, I enjoyed every minute of it! Do you have any books or sites that you would recommend for further researching this era in England's history and possibly the culture/literature of the time? The Passion of St. Edmund is one of my favorite stories.

[@wisekodiak2668]

Would love suggestions to answer this question!

[@anthonyhind1308]

I recently read a book called Viking Britain by Thomas Williams which is excellent.

[@wisekodiak2668]

@@anthonyhind1308 duuuuuuuuude, thank you!

[@literallyanangrymoose7717]

What's with the 'great'? Are you being snide or sarcastic? Are you mocking Simon or the video?

[@hannahvankuiken4664]

@@literallyanangrymoose7717 On the contrary. I was merely playing with words. 😊

[@flygirl4983]

I love me some Simon, any, channel, when I need to relax & escape.

[@joemagnus5085]

I like the music & humorous bits. Biographics has improved in entertainment value

[@Filome]

.👍🎁🎁⤴️⤴️✅

[@maxwellt91]

I think Simon read my mind because I've been watching a lot of stuff on the Great Heathen Army this week

[@jeffthompson4242]

The star wars quote "be back and in greater numbers" comment had me laughing!

[@Angel.Custodio]

Pretty cool, I’m starting the Nexflix show about the this era.

[@dansmith4394]

A story you need to continue!

[@tgmccoy1556]

"There comes a temptation by an armed and agile nation to call upon it's neighbor and to say: " We've invaded you last night and are quite prepared to fight,-unless you pay us money to go away". "Danegeld" by Rudyard Kipling.

[@Filome]

🎁🎁⬆️⬆️⤴️

[@GrndAdmiralThrawn]

Interestingly, Alfred left Athelney with his army at Easter. There’s a theory that he did this on purpose, intentionally drawing on Christ parallels, to contrast himself against the heathen Vikings.

[@PaoloGiovanni]

Nice quote of Ben Kenobi’s description of the Sand People’s initial skittish nature 😂.

[@indiekidd150]

Just finished watching all six season of -Vikings- so this was cool watching with that show in mind.

[@joebond545]

The last kingdom is miles better on Netflix and King Alfred is the MVP of that show. Truly one of the best written characters of all time u should watch

[@williamkirk1156]

One of my favorite kings.

[@bludluva]

Alfred the great had a very measured and surprisingly humane response to the Vikings, who got treated more fairly than they probably deserved. The sign of a clearheaded leader to not kick the enemy when he’s down. If he chose to go an eye for an eye, it probably would have given later Viking generations a justification to keep fighting

[@VWdude278]

5:40 Fact Boy weaves a quote from Lethal Weapon into a video about 8th century England. Well played fact boy. Well played.

[@Filome]

.👍🎁🎁⤴️⬆️

[@kal69]

Great narration,nicely scripted. One of the first kings that we learn of. I'm sure that many remember the burning of the cakes story from primary school lessons. So,... not too long 'til the next part? 🙂

[@Filome]

🎁🎁⬆️⬆️⤴️

[@Elizalustof]

I love this channel!!! I’d like to see your takes on: Theda Bara the silent movie vamp Mother shipton and her cave/predictions ✨🙏🏼💗

[@OmegaTaishu]

Epic story

[@soetkinjehaes5040]

Please do an episode on Casimir the Great! 🙏🙏

[@joeyr7294]

I wish you would just up through sucession from Alfred's death on....because all their stories are linked essentially so why not just do a long series on them lol thanks for posting Simon and Co. 👌🍻💯

[@manny2themaxxx333]

I'm not a fan of monarchies but Alfred The Great was AMAZIN'!!! ⚔️

[@robertlukacs4954]

I appreciate the fact that you actually show historical illustrations rather than ridiculous LARP men.

[@marklowery8193]

For once I’m early to a Biographical video. Fav is Bismarck

[@johnpaulgonzaga5997]

Hey Simon fact boy! Love your vids. Can you do 1 for Canute the Great? Much obliged and more power!

[@deniseroe5891]

Woohoo, my grandfather, 30th great, but still grandfather. This was such a turbulent time in what became England. It’s hard to keep it straight. Thanks.

[@deannagiuliani8541]

Lololol Alfred the great is my husband and my first common ancestor. I suppose I should be glad its so far in the past 😂🤷

[@deniseroe5891]

My closest connection to my husband, besides marriage is his granddad is my 1st cousin five times removed. Alfred is my 30th great grandfather

[@jorgecrowtatsrodriguez4793]

So cool

[@invincibleluis]

Great strategic leader and diplomat.

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

Lol I was so confused at first as I read the title as “The King who DATED the Vikings and helped unite England”.

[@mktf5582]

Please do Ethelflaed Lady of Mercia - Canute The Great - Edmund Ironside - Siward Jarl/Earl of Northumbria.

[@aarondemiri486]

An amazing king and one that stands out in history.

[@lospollinos1978]

There’s a statue of old Alfred in the town centre of Wantage, now of Oxfordshire.

[@Hamzakhan-dt3gv]

Nice biography

[@Filome]

.👍🎁🎁⤴️⤴️✅

[@infinitytoes7424]

Do Uhtred the bold next!!!

[@RBYU001]

Great choice here!! I love this period of history!

[@eroddy2513]

I think it’s really cute and nice how Guthram and Alfred were bros after their battles

[@kaidenhall2718]

It was uhtred that was really in charge of that battle

[@harrycollett9420]

@@kaidenhall2718lol yano uhtred, lived 200 years after king Alfred

[@kaidenhall2718]

@@harrycollett9420 propaganda

[@harrycollett9420]

@@kaidenhall2718 😂😂😂😂

[@armandotalampas4800]

Please feature more videos of English monarchs: Edward II, Edward III, Henry IV, VI, VII, Elizabeth Tudor, etc

[@nathane9940]

I just wanted to say I love all the channels but you should definitely make a biographics about yourself, Simon Whistler, it would be a great show and I'm sure people would love to see it.

[@alastairbrewster4274]

I wouldn’t

[@Tallenn]

Something I thought was interesting: The legend of Alfred allowing the cakes to burn was written into the show: The Last Kingdom (though with some changes). There is of course a considerable amount of complete fiction in the show, but I like that they included something so seemingly trivial as this. I think it adds to the charm.

[@starkilr101]

The man, the myth, the legend

[@gregorywestmoreland4455]

All of this couldn't have been done without Uhtred of Bebbanburg 🤣🤣

[@kaidenhall2718]

It couldn’t of

[@harley0786]

I Love History brilliant !!!!!!

[@Filome]

🎁🎁⬆️⬆️⤴️

[@misaelfraga8196]

God bless Alfred ✝️

[@multiyapples]

Pretty interesting.

[@multiyapples]

Rest In Peace to those that passed away.

[@generaljuanitopequeno]

Can we get a video on king Canut

[@Mr.Oberman]

Speaking of Vikings. Next Biographics - Harald Fairhair, first king of Norway

[@Filome]

.👍🎁🎁⤴️⤴️✅

[@nickheffernan1782]

Love the Star Wars reference 👍

[@HB-gt6hi]

Can we get a video about Halid ibn Velid, one of the best military commanders in history

[@RexidusUR]

Please do a Biographics on Gaius Marius!

[@Filome]

.👍🎁🎁⤴️⬆️

[@thisistherevolt]

Props to the writer for sneaking in the Sand People line.

[@oliver4693]

Things did indeed get real

[@PinkDevilFish]

My most famous direct ancestor (that I know of)!

[@jamesmartin6050]

Future Video suggestion - Eamon DeValera (1882-1975) - prominent political leader in 20th century Ireland who, after the Irish war of independence from 1919 to 1921, was in the public eye for over forty years from 1922 until his death were he served as head of government (Taoiseach) and head of state (president). He was nearly executed in the Easter Rising in 1916 and was key in putting into place the new constitution on 1937. A very prominent figure in Irish history.

[@Filome]

🎁🎁⬆️⬆️⤴️

[@CxMinette]

OK, never thought I'd hear Simon say my hometown's name. Weirdness.

[@TihetrisWeathersby]

Found out about him from Vikings and the Last Kingdom, A very underrated King

[@sugarnads]

Dude. Hes LITERALLY called 'the GREAT' How fkn underrated can he be?

[@alastairbrewster4274]

Eh??? He’s considered probably the greatest English king by many what you on ?

[@alexmugo2519]

Saaaamee

[@Chadius_Thundercock]

@@sugarnadsyou don’t hear much about this period in English history, more people focus on the Vikings rather than the English

[@sugarnads]

@@Chadius_Thundercock where u went to school perhaps

[@tacitus6384]

The English aren't stingy with The Great title mate, it's just high standards 😅.

[@donmeisner4438]

In Crusader kings 3 my favorite start is as Alfred not yet the great of Wessex.

[@playstation10able]

"would soon be back, and in greater numbers" I see what you did there xD

[@rayf8730]

11:43 Nice Star Wars reference.

[@Filome]

.👍🎁🎁⤴️⤴️..

[@stephenmos]

Nice Star Wars reference! 😉

[@Jdjdbxdj]

Minute 15 into the video and already get slapped with two ads 😂