Alfred the Great and Athelstan, the Kings that made England (ALL PARTS-ALL BATTLES) FULL DOCUMENTARY

"The saddest thing about any man is that he be ignorant, and the most exciting thing is that he knows." Alfred the Great's life had been one of great success for the Anglo-Saxon people. In the face of overwhelming odds, he united the Anglo-Saxons into one nation and beat back those who sought to end Anglo-Saxon England. His reign paved the way for the future unified Kingdom of England. Alfred's grandson, Athelstan, cemented his legacy by finishing off the Viking threat and forming the Kingdom of England.
🚩 This video is made possible by the generous support of our Patrons. If you'd like to help us make more free content like this, consider supporting us on / historymarche
📢 Narrated by David McCallion
🎼 Music:
EpidemicSound.com
Filmstro
#vikings #history #ragnar

[@HistoryMarche]

*_"The saddest thing about any man is that he be ignorant, and the most exciting thing is that he knows."_* Alfred the Great's life had been one of great success for the Anglo-Saxon people. In the face of overwhelming odds, he united the Anglo-Saxons into one nation and beat back those who sought to end Anglo-Saxon England. His reign paved the way for the future unified Kingdom of England. Alfred's grandson, Athelstan, cemented his legacy by finishing off the Viking threat and forming the Kingdom of England. Happy 2024 everyone! Thank you for all the views, likes, and comments. I wouldn't be here without you! 🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

These 2 are among the greatest in English history For good reason

[@Avinkwep]

I feel like Alfred’s son Edward is pretty underrated. He managed to reconquer East Anglia and cement his rule over Mercia, he was just crushed between two giants of history

[@Validboy]

@@danielsantiagourtado3430 Yes well the men your "heroes" fought, was small landowners not even large enough to be mentioned in Denmarks history. A farmer and his 5 sons took over England, how is that being a hero and not totally pathetic? Just because dumb historians still use old propaganda and call it "the great heathen army" doesnt make it "heathen" or "great". It was probably less than 500 guys and you're divided nations fell like a house of cards.

[@Validboy]

@@Avinkwep ? Giants? In this clip a son of a small landowner did that, Ivar but you think its more impressive when a man born king and given an army does the same? How does that work? What else was he supposed to do, the nation he just became king of was under threat. You know what is underrated and never gets told? How the brits massacred their their way into Africa and America. Where's the clip on that? Not being told, because if they did that like they did this clip, prepare to be told the history like the brits are men of god trying to bring god to the savages. Will you believe that too, I wonder? And will you also call Columbus a "great man"? People need to read history differently, its not as pure and truthful as you may think. Look at how the media cover war today, is it truthful?

[@sirgoo9962]

@@Validboy Completely uncalled for breakdown. He never said Edward the Elder was "more impressive" than Ivar, he just said he was underrated because he was sandwiched between two more important kings, suggesting that his deeds deserve more attention than they are otherwise given. This does not diminish Ivar in anyway, though Ivar too was a king in command of a large army. Regardless, the power of the Vikings was a match for that of Wessex, Ivar too commanded a large army, but he conquered East Anglia in avarice -- Edward in liberation. Edward's conquest is the reason East Anglia is a part of England; his legacy is thus of far more import than Ivar's adventures. "You know what is underrated and never gets told? How the Brits massacred their way into Africa and America." So completely and utterly false.🤦‍♂ Firstly, this is basic, common, fundamental and undeniable information for anyone with a brain. It has been told and retold a thousand times, it is by no means hidden, and few but the very few spin these events as a "good" thing, or as purely attempts by the British to proselytize the Africans and Americans. It is plain that Britain's colonization was entirely geopolitical, as but another member of a tournament of empires contending for European and -- later -- world domination. If you've eyes to see with you can search and view a host of videos on these topics if you seek them. Secondly, Britain tread no path untrodden -- the Spanish had seized most of America through much bloodshed centuries before Britain possessed there a single colony, the Dutch, too, in Africa before Britain. Thirdly, the fellow to whom you replied offered absolutely not the slightest inclination he considered Columbus a "great man". In fact, he might have suggested the opposite, as Edward fended his people and kingdom from colonization -- as one is rightly wont to do, as opposed to Columbus's indorsement of it. Fourthly, you say "People need to read history differently" which, coincidently, is exactly what the commenter is proposing in challenging the status quo of Edward's obscurity. 🤣🤣🤣

[@TheStrategos392]

To watch a first rate documentary of this quality for free is truly a blessing.

[@HistoryMarche]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@fideliselan]

Very well said, and to HistoryMarche, very well done and thank you.

[@thoughtpolice9847]

@@HistoryMarche those goofy chat bubbles almost ruin it for me.. but everything else is pretty sweet.

[@Nitidus]

Normally I would say those are not documentaries simply because there's usually zero critical evaluation of sources and things like battle formations are often depicted like it's a historical fact even when there is no evidence for it for the respective battle. But on a positive note, this time I liked how at least a few times certain important biases of specific sources were pointed out, at least incidentally. That's so important. In almost all so-called "documentaries" of this kind events are presented as if we knew exactly how they played out, but in reality more often than not we know very little aside from (generally grossly overinflated, especially in Antiquity) numbers of combatants. It's very rare to have actual accounts on how exactly a battle played out and if we do, you always need to question critically how reliable a source is and how they might want to paint participants in a certain light. Stuff like that is almost never mentioned in these kinds of videos and to me, that's a distinct requirement for something to be called a _documentary._ In that sense I'm glad to see it in this video, at least a little bit.

[@Avinashm7]

See last Kingdom It has been compared to game of thrones

[@malekiththeeternityking5433]

"Sir, these are not the days of Alfred the Great, we can't just chop a man's head off and blame it on the Vikings." Edmund Blackadder

[@charliereader3462]

‘Can’t I by god?!’

[@inthenameofchristamen]

😂😂😂.

[@maxschreiner271]

❤

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

These guys truly deserve the names of Alfred the great and Athelstan the Glorious! ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@ShaneBraaten]

I was kidding 😂 Lol

[@ObjectiveMedia]

They were genocidal imperialist war criminals

[@EvoraGT430]

Yet ask most English the name of their first king and they have no clue. The Normans suppressed this history far too well.

[@mgaus]

​@@EvoraGT430 Æthelstan will be remembered as the first king of England regardless of the average person's grasp of that fact

[@SandileNgwenya-gv7nx]

​@@EvoraGT430Almost all English people know Aethelstan is the first King of England and in a survey for the best king of England people voted for Aethelstan

[@yojlik]

Bernard Cornwell's The Saxon Stories is a historical fiction account of these battles, and more! Told from the perspective of Uhtred of Bebbanburgh (Bamburgh), they are excellent reads! If, you know, you like words and stuff

[@josephlongbone4255]

Is that what the BBC based "the last kingdom" on?

[@yojlik]

@@josephlongbone4255 yes

[@charliereader3462]

@@josephlongbone4255yes, Cornwell even has a cameo appearance in season 3

[@ivanmontes9645]

I read his novels, they are amazing. I could learn a lot about English history thanks that series of novels. Of course I was looking into that matter every time that I finished a book, We mustn’t forget that at the end of the day they are books of historical fiction. Of course, the work is thoroughly researched, and more importantly, it triggers your curiosity about one of the most important empires has ever existed in our western history. Actually England has been one of the most important empire has ever existed in the whole world. Greetings from Argentina!

[@umungus518]

Those are truly amazing books. He is a very good author.

[@Mustlovemom]

I don’t know why but Edward the elder/Alfred’s heir got so overshadowed he he conquered Mercia and east anglia and practically united south and central england and expanded Wessex to Winchester to York and he stopped the Vikings momentarily until Athelstan was old and matured enough to rule Wessex he need a documentary about him.

[@derrickstorm6976]

People just "remember" the absolute highlights of history and nothing else

[@david-468]

I also believe hes an orthodox saint though, so funnily enough he’s only overshadowed by his own people

[@neilog747]

Edward did not conquer Eastern Mercia or East Anglia. Conquering is about f***ing people over. He simply brought them back into the fold. The King of East Anglia, Edmund, who was murdered by Danes became the patron saint of England for many centuries. This indicates what the East Anglians would have thought about the Danes and Edward's liberation respectively.

[@dbz9393]

Mercia was better off independent tbh should never have joined England

[@Mustlovemom]

@@dbz9393i don’t agree with you because Mercia fell to England because their queen Æthelflead[edwards sister] died she was basically the only thing holding Mercia together and if they didn’t submit to England they probably been invaded by the Vikings.

[@wutnut9225]

You guys have been killing the content lately!!! I appreciate all the hard work going on over there to get these awesome long videos!

[@user-yc9ev3uk5s]

VERY good documentary. Unlike many others, video is relevant to the simultaneous narration. Informative, well-organized, and entertaining. Thank you.

[@botanozsan7843]

Lol, at the beginning of the video, I was totally on the side of the Vikings because historically I don't like Anglo-Saxons at all. At the end of the video, I found myself cheering for Alfred and his brave men. It proves how successful this video was made. I appreciate your work!

[@Avinkwep]

What language do you speak

[@Avinkwep]

@@botanozsan7843 oh ya non Americans exist. Sorry I forgot

[@jjf8370]

“Who fancies a raid!?” “Capital idea my hairy friend!” As a historian, i agree this is accurate. 🤣💀

[@montgomeryfish6847]

Top video, excellent and entertaining pot history, really well executed. The graphics and info panels really help bring the story to life and the narration doesn't have me grinding teeth for once. Keep up the good work you have a fan.

[@theawesomeman9821]

Now we know why Alfred is the only English king known as "The Great".

[@Nortrix87]

Canute the Great. Well Danish but...

[@Angelcynn_2001]

The Father of England and of the English.

[@the98themperoroftheholybri33]

​@@Nortrix87in English history we don't call him great, most people know him for going insane and trying to command the sea

[@Nortrix87]

@@the98themperoroftheholybri33 Wrong focus perhaps. "Medieval historian Norman Cantor called him "the most effective king in Anglo-Saxon history". He ruled a north sea empire. Making Alfred " the great" look small. But he was Danish. An unpopular thing among todays English. Who for some reason have adopted Anglo saxons as their identity.

[@the98themperoroftheholybri33]

@@Nortrix87 yeah, the English, adopting Anglo Saxons as their own, imagine that... (Are you dense or something?)

[@adnaanu]

Watching whilst in the town of Kingston upon Thames. 5 minutes away from the coronation stone where the Saxon kings were crowned. Athelstan, Ethelred etc names on the coronation stone. Feel so connected to history and to the land.

[@college54114]

I’m obsessed with this channel. I love the regular uploads! Such high quality content

[@HistoryOfEmpiresXI]

Hey, I just want to say thanks for these videos. I can’t imagine how much effort it takes you to make these videos, I tried to make one myself yesterday, it took me half the day to make one 2 minutes long. So thank you for the effort and for what you do.

[@abelani969]

Awesome video, very detailed and great narration as always. Great job 👍

[@psychedexplorer163]

Love your work❤ thank you for making such a wonderful content ❤ As an Iranian audience, I would love to see more about great empires of ancient Persia. Victory and loss

[@EvelynFair]

Love your information and really appreciate the humor!

[@themutualfriend5286]

Excellent video, watched it all the way through

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

It was an informative and a great historical coverage...thank you (history Marche ) channel for sharing

[@ageingviking5587]

Great stuff H M . Thank you! 🙂

[@Matti133]

Fantastic coverage of the battles.

[@samlloyd3286]

Great content please keep it up! Love your consistency of videos

[@halefomkahsay2931]

After watching Tv Series Vikings and the last kingdom, this doc illuminated some of the facts and myths of the Viking age. Thank you.

[@bigsarge2085]

Happy New Year and thank you for another year of great history documentaries!

[@HistoryMarche]

Happy new year!

[@JamesEvanswhite-oq3fx]

Great job, love your work

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Love your content man! You're amazing! And wish You a hapoy new year!😊😊😊😊😊

[@HistoryMarche]

Happy new year!

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

@@HistoryMarche 🔥🔥🔥

[@dminard1]

Love your content. Its rich in details and fun to watch.

[@HistoryMarche]

I appreciate that! Thanks so much for supporting my work. Very kind of you.

[@KHK001]

Thank you for your hard work as always HM!

[@HistoryMarche]

Cheers man. Happy 2024!

[@KHK001]

Thanks same for u!

[@milabugtcher990]

great video, thanks!

[@Idk-ys7rt]

Let's get HistoryMarche to over 1M!

[@alexandruursu3323]

Amazing stuff, as usual.

[@bmohamed3213]

Great content!

[@cgsather3309]

I saw the movie “Alfred the Great” in the early 70’s as a kid, I still remember it. Starring David Hemmings and Michael York, totally worth seeing if you can find it.

[@Stemsoup]

This is EXACTLY what we're looking for, Historymarche!

[@fob_studios]

Great documentary on Alfred and Athelstan! There are many channels that present documentaries, but their quality is no match than yours! (cant disagree with this that all content creators have their own type of great content)

[@dominicp9296]

I love your videos man but me personally I love the long videos I'm talking 2 3 hours lol the more the better I hope you make some videos like that your one or the best with kings and general and epic TV so no matter what I want you to know that. Keep up the great work my friend

[@coyote4237]

Thank you. Hope you have a wonderful 2024.

[@Angelcynn_2001]

I am Anglo-Saxon, and my family is proud of our long history. I will name my future son Alfred. As I only want marry an English woman

[@rhaego5476]

bro anglo saxons don't exist anymore

[@fyrdman2185]

Shut up you're irish

[@hundun5604]

This is quite a story. Very captivating! I didn't know it was a close call for England (in Wessex). Not like this. You've done well HistoryMarche!

[@Skinnyblaq910]

England is a coward home there kings 😂😂we’re crushed by the Viking

[@paulceglinski7172]

Oh goodie, another long form vid from HistoryMarche. What else could be better, allegedly. Cheers from Tennessee

[@chrisbradshaw6135]

Excellent video!

[@ericmcdonald7313]

Fantastic job

[@sasinator6918]

1 hour video is a late Xmas present from History Marche.

[@willbennett1167]

My ancestor, Eadwulf II High Reeve of Bamburgh was close friends with Alfred the Great. It was said Eadwulf was Alfred's favourite!

[@benbaxter1047]

That was a great video. I new most of this but I did not know that they conqured most of England before 1066.

[@sirwelch9991]

A worthy compilation.

[@jasonthompson6594]

Fantastic!

[@dr.davidhoward3179]

Thanks!

[@HistoryMarche]

Thank you so much for supporting my work. Very kind of you.

[@scottamori3188]

Highly enjoyable.

[@davidhunt8685]

Thank you

[@chasechristophermurraydola9314]

Happy new year to you and your family history Marche.

[@HistoryMarche]

Happy new year!

[@N17Stu]

Loved it

[@AL-ku1zq]

Thank you for this, very interesting. "The unready" lost the battle, just as is playing out now.

[@collintrytsman3353]

excellent

[@tamasz549]

great vid

[@brokenbridge6316]

Nicely done video

[@HistoryMarche]

Thank you very much! Great to see you in the comments.

[@brokenbridge6316]

@@HistoryMarche---Your welcome. This history topic is quite interesting. Glad you covered it.

[@andrechimene6300]

Bravo❤‼️

[@sonnyjim5268]

Alfred had Uhtred of Bamburgh, how could he lose?

[@thegreendragoninn8730]

Destiny is all!

[@jnev5572]

​@thegreendragoninn8730 *plot armour is all, lmao

[@greatnessofthelack1198]

Ive done extensive ancestory research and im nearly a direct descendant of Alfred the great, crazy to think if these events didnt go his way i wouldn't exist

[@daviddouglas5692]

or richard 3rd lol

[@greatnessofthelack1198]

@@daviddouglas5692 that wouldn't change much, you'd still end up likely having some feuding group in the later 1400s as was the nature of medieval society

[@daviddouglas5692]

who knows theres a You tube video ---compelling actually that the real heir OF england lives in AUSTRALIA------because it does take 9 months to make a baby and the King of England was gone more than a year during the 100 yrs war--this is documentaed--yet the bastard was king later

[@dr.davidhoward3179]

Alfred won through wall-building. When he had visited Rome he noticed all the town walls. He did the same. Within a couple centuries the Vikings were defeated throughout Europe. The other Countries had emulated Alfred. The Barbarians had come in the Spring Raids where they had overrun the villages & towns the Spring before. They met walls. They met attacks by bows and spears. They were defeated forever.

[@Guildelin]

Geeat video... tbh I think ive learned more about hsitory watching this channel than i did in k-12

[@Overdrive_Hero]

For the channel ⚔

[@bartekostrycharz3682]

good job lads you make me evening !! please do something about Polish if you can !!👍

[@kennethmoses4900]

47:32 Æthelstan’s got a very high Intrigue count. Definitely an Elusive Shadow.

[@Stallion-EC]

Happy Holidays and enjoy the New Year

[@HistoryMarche]

Happy new year! Thank you so much for the support!

[@johnord684]

Edward and Æthelflæd's contribution was a lot bigger than a brief mention.

[@CW-rx2js]

Yep they did all the leg work lol

[@Tbonedasavage]

🐐 of KZbin 🔥🔥💯💯

[@DarkPassenger]

Really nicely done video, but I'd get rid of the speech bubbles. It kind of cheapens the nicely done presentation.

[@k0litsas]

Witch song is at the start of the video please?

[@soumyadiptamajumder8795]

Also make a detailed documentary on Oliver Cromwell and his reign!!! Happy 2024🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@jessepacheco6020]

Here is my offering to the algorithm. Ave! Ave! Ave!

[@johnl5316]

Alfred the Great, king of The Anglo-Saxons is my 33rd great grandfather.

[@TesterAnimal1]

Mine too.

[@Sarge80]

This is nicely made although the way you say francia and Aella need abit of work hahaha Now the thing i am really missing in your history, is Edward the Elder and Aethelflaed, brother and sister who really took the fight to the Vikings, i am so surprised how little these 2 are being taught about in schools, I dare say that Aethelflaed did even more then her father Alfred to secure a saxon england. Yet so little people know about her.

[@luiscamejo2379]

I’m surprised you guys didn’t cover tettonhale

[@markluke9583]

"i embrace the purpose of god and the doom assigned" is attributed to Alfred Lord Tennyson

[@vandodanderson]

Is there a typo at 12:02? Is it meant to say "He was even "one" of England's patron saints"

[@SherzodMadaminov-ql4kz]

Amazing work as always, respect from central asia. May us see some videos about the timurid empire? I didnt support channel, and i have no rights to ask, but, we'll be happy to see, please

[@Trebor74]

Aethelflaed would like a word. She marched from london amd attacked the viking encampment at canvey island(the same viking base that launched the attack on london memorialized in the rhymme "london bridge is falling down") the battle is mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon chronicle as tje nattle of banfleet.

[@fyrdman2185]

Fake

[@scorpian256]

Assassins Creed Valhalla is based off this, glad you made a video about it so I can learn the actual history.

[@YeahYeahb-tch]

Viva Rex Alfredus!!! 👑

[@gordon1545]

One tiny correction, right at the end - by 1066 England had lost the land north of the Tweed. In 1018 (or maybe 1016) a combined Scots and Cumbrian force defeated the Northumbians at the Battle of Carham, effectively settling the border between Scotland and England where it remains today (Berwick excluded).

[@JJadx]

great overview but it saddens me how little i know of mainland europe during this time, compared to the UK.

[@JC-mx9su]

HistoryMarche, there are more two parts battles to combine on video to make such as: Battle of the three kings, 1578 AD First Battle of Tarain, 1191 AD ⚔ The First Islamic Conquest of India and Second Battle of Tarain, 1192 AD ⚔ Muhammad of Ghor Returns. Battle of Targoviste, 1462 AD Battle of Cynoscephalae, 197 BC I hope you can voice and narrate the battle of Targoviste that would be awesome to see your next video. And I hope you narrate the first part of How did Rome Conquer Italy? the Battle of Cynoschephalae, 197 BC by Knowledgia when you combine the second part of the video.

[@johnl5316]

Ragnar 'Lodbrok' Sigurdsson, King of Denmark and Norway, is my 38th great grandfather.

[@Angelcynn_2001]

Liked

[@Nobody-so7jt]

What app is this 0:08

[@ejayaziz470]

History mArche always no1

[@mauricerobson6341]

Alfred: The only British monarch to be named "The Great."

[@bergerbr]

"I'm gonner get you this time, you little..." - Jarl Guthrum, 2024 (probably)

[@batuhankeskin2587]

Sorry I could not see the sources screen can you help me find it .Just want to know where the information comes from.

[@stephenlaine6840]

It's called the anglo saxon chronicles a good place to start

[@Russia-bullies]

At 13:19,the commentary contradicted the screened text.

[@psychedexplorer163]

❤❤❤

[@ndie8075]

cousins....🇩🇪😍💪

[@sawhtoo6778]

I just played these two battles in European War : Medieval

[@alejandroortega7550]

Is it not Medieval Total War II?

[@sawhtoo6778]

no bro It is a game made by Easytech and for andriod. I never played total war. The ga,me I mention is turn base strategy game.@@alejandroortega7550

[@Tenebris_Sint]

“….and there was much rejoicing.”

[@bastianbezon2687]

Upload hannibal series videos

[@QueenBattle-zz7vn]

Make video on Gurjar pratihar empire vs arab war

[@dannyregal]

Br x Very interesting yes But as long as it's used accurately and replaces the in-accurate As you know it's not always what you say but also what you don't say that has significance

[@TruetoCaesar]

who are these people?

[@fireofhislove3395]

When you decidedly go heavy with the Alfredo sauce.