After the surprise attack by Guthrum, Alfred retreats to the marshes in Somerset.
He stays for 5 months and during this time he develops a plan to not only rescue the Kingdom of Wessex, but ensure the survival of his people.
His loyal followers carried out raids on the Danish positions. He sent out messages to his aldermen to encourage them and foster their support. And he then left the marshes on Pentecost 878AD to retake his kingdom.
When we read historical accounts, history writers just try and gives us the ‘facts’. Since the Victorian era, history has been about establishing what ‘really happened’. This is in contrast with the ancient understanding of history. Where, it was to answer the question, ‘Why are we here?”
So with this in mind, the modern historian discounts any part of a historical story which veers into the unverifiable or spiritual. The problem with this, is when we look at the middle to late Anglo-Saxon period, you can’t ignore the spiritual part of their lives.
King Alfred had a deep Christian faith. And this means we can’t understand this part of the story without taking this into account.
For example, at this time King Alfred was visited by St Neot in a vision, who gave him a prophecy.
“In the seventh week after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the depths below, I will head thine army, then reassembled in the east, and in the power of the King Supreme, Who will fight for thee against the profane, I will give thee victory from Heaven."
King Alfred believed in the orthodox doctrine of the Communion of the Saints (I write about that here). This is where Christians believe that those saints who have died are still alive in Christ. And therefore may appear to those on Earth, sharing messages from God.
A modern historian would reject this story of St Neot as unhistorical, or in other words, it didn’t ‘really happen’. It is outside the Modernist framework which treats spiritual experiences as illusionary. But if this is what was believed at the time, then why should we be prejudiced against it. We shouldn’t place our own cultural ideas on the events of history. We should simply let the past speak to us and see it through their eyes.
So during this time in the marshes, King Alfred was seeking God and communing with the holy saints. He likely fasted and prayed, waiting on God for answers.
He probably reflected on Scripture, and the lives of the kings of Israel. Especially David who spent time hiding from King Saul.
He likely thought about Christ and His life, death and resurrection. Seeing the similarities to his own situation.
As a youngster, he spent time in Rome and the court of Charlemagne. Both experiences exposed him to the great histories of kings and civilisations. I wonder whether this would have helped him forge a plan to retake Wessex.
The next part of this series will look into how these would likely have impacted his planning. I’ve also got an interesting take on the burning of the cakes and why that part of the story was the key piece of the puzzle to save Wessex.
Just wanted to say thank you so very much for the work you put into your posts, I feel very blessed to have them to read. I just wanted you to know how appreciated you are. God Bless 🙏😇
Thank you for writing this!
We named our son Alfred David after King Alfred and King David, kings in hard times. We live in hard times, we need good kings.
On his baptismal certificate, it's Ælfred, because our priest is cooler than our state.