Alfred laid the foundations for the creation of England.
Whilst at no point in his reign did Alfred rule over England as we know it today
he put the foundations in place on which his successors would build, in order to
create one country, England.
Alfred's legacy created a Wessex that was secure from
Viking attack, through his new buhrs and new army structure. As such he ensured
that there was a bastion of Catholicism in England, and that the Danes did not
conquer the entire nation.
The most impressive thing about Alfred is the resilience
shown by him, to be able to fight his way from a small island in the middle of
the Somerset marches, with his allies abandoning his cause and fleeing to the
continent, to defeat the Vikings and by the end of his life hold the
overlordship of half the country.
It is worth noting that the two main sources of the time,
the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Asser's 'Life of Alfred' were both written under
Alfred's supervision. This means that they are likely to praise Alfred. That
being said even if these sources over-emphasise the positive attributes of
Alfred it is indispituable that he achieved great things as king.
Although Alfred was not neccessarily the first king of England he was vital in
securing the dynasty that was to follow him and secure this title, with his
grandson, Æthelstan, becoming the first king of the English. Edward the Elder,
Alfred's son, took East Anglia and Mercia from Viking hands, with Æthelstan
eventually conquering the last Viking kingdom, York, in 927.
Statue of Alfred in
Wichester, made to commemorate 1000 years since his death
Odejea,
Statue d'Alfred le Grand à Winchester,
CC BY-SA 3.0
If you wish to read more one the subject I would recommend:
Simon Keyes and Micheal Lapige's 'Alfred the Great : Asser's 'Life of King Alfred' and Other Contemporary Sources'
Geoffrey Hindley's 'A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons'
David Starkey's 'The Monarchy of England : Volume 1, The Beginnings
Timothy Venning's The Anglo-Saxon Kings
