The rise of Alfred the Great

Welcome to the History Extra podcast. We've got the second instalment today of our four-part Sunday series exploring the Viking Great Heathen Army, as Dr. Eleanor Baraclough tells James Osborne about the rise of a figure whose name has become famous down the centuries, Alfred the Great. As it became clear that the Vikings' great heathen army had no intention of leaving Anglo Saxon England, how did the Anglo Saxons respond? And how did this land's fate fall into the hands of Alfred the Great?

I'm James Osborne, and in this second episode of a four part series on the Viking invasion of Anglo Saxon England in the late 9th century, I'm joined by historian Dr. Eleanor Baraclough to discuss the Anglo Saxon lands that fell victim to the Vikings and the rise of the man who had become Alfred the Great. Eleanor, we should probably begin this episode by talking about the land that this great heathen army has actually landed at. What is the Anglo Saxon context at this time?

Culturally, socially, politically, religiously, and for ordinary people. Oh, okay. So let's start at the top. We can look at the overall structure.

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