Medieval Kings and Queens
Kings and queens have ruled Britain since the Romans. Some were very successful, powerful warriors in their own right, expanding their kingdom and governing their subjects with authority. But others were quite the opposite!
King Alfred the Great King of Anglo-Saxons
In 871, Alfred the Great ruled over the kingdom of Wessex (871-899), which was the sole English territory kept from the invading Vikings. He ensured a single Saxon stronghold remained steady and strong, in an increasingly Viking England. Alfred the Great is the only English king to be given the glorified nickname "the Great", and indeed he deserved it.