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There is a well known story of a king who, after being defeated in battle, was forced to take refuge in the swamps and act as a serving man for a poor woman living there.  One day the woman asked him to watch some cakes she was baking, and the hapless king assented.  The king was quickly lost in his thoughts, and after some time awoke with a start to see the woman gesticulating towards the charred cakes and rating him for his carelessness and lack of thrift.

There is a well known story of a king who, after being defeated in battle, was forced to take refuge in the swamps and act as a serving man for a poor woman living there.  One day the woman asked him to watch some cakes she was baking, and the hapless king assented.  The king was quickly lost in his thoughts, and after some time awoke with a start to see the woman gesticulating towards the charred cakes and rating him for his carelessness and lack of thrift.

The King was Alfred the Great, who ruled West Saxony A.D. 871-899.  It is among the greatest ironies of history that, as the historian and author G.A. Henty once remarked, “The incident of the burned cakes is, of all the actions of a great and glorious reign, the most prominent.”  In fact, the story of King Alfred and his followers and their desperate struggle to defend their homeland is among the greatest stories of perseverance, valor and wisdom in all of recorded history.   

The King was Alfred the Great, who ruled Wessex A.D. 871-899.  It is among the greatest ironies of history that, as the historian and author G.A. Henty once remarked, “The incident of the burned cakes is, of all the actions of a great and glorious reign, the most prominent.”  In fact, the story of King Alfred and his followers and their desperate struggle to defend their homeland is among the greatest stories of perseverance, valor and wisdom in all of recorded history.   

It was in the year 870, when Alfred ruled as coregent with his brother Ethelred that the Danes (Vikings) began to invade his kingdom in force.  In 871, the Saxons fought the Danes in eight pitched battles, with varying fortunes.  Although King Ethelred fell in the last of these battles and his kingdom was worn out by fighting, King Alfred was able to make a treaty with the Danes by which they withdrew in 872.  For several years the peace was kept, and Alfred dedicated himself to restoring his kingdom to a state of defense.  

It was in the year 870, when Alfred ruled as coregent with his brother Ethelred that the Danes (Vikings) began to invade his kingdom in force.  In 871, the Saxons fought the Danes in eight pitched battles, with varying fortunes.  Although King Ethelred fell in the last of these battles and his kingdom was worn out by fighting, King Alfred was able to make a treaty with the Danes by which they withdrew in 872.  For several years the peace was kept, and Alfred dedicated himself to restoring his kingdom to a state of defense.