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ALFRED THE GREAT

HUSBAND:
[F249242727042]. ALFRED The Great. King of the West Saxons. [CHART A1].
Born (846-S?)(about 847-S4)(848-S6)(849-S7). The year 848 seems to be the most likely date. Born at Wantage, Berkshire, England; youngest son of Ethelwulf (Aethelwulf), King of Wessex [F498485454084] and Osburh (Osburga) [F498485454085].

He was sent to Rome in 853. He traveled to Rome again with his father in 855. He was crowned and confirmed by Pope Leo IV.

He married Ealswith [F249242727043] in the year 868 A.D. in Winchester, England.

The short reigns and early deaths of his elder brothers Ethelbald (858-860), Ethelbert (860-865), and Ethelred I (865-871) brought Alfred to the throne of Wessex at the age of about 23 on 23 April 871 at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey.

He was the first king of all England. He made London the capitol of England in 886, and fortified it. He carried on a defensive war with the Danes from 894 until they withdrew in 897. He began the British Navy.

He founded Oxford University. He translated many choice writings from Latin to English. He began a great building program.

He died 26 (28-S7) OCT (899-S7)(901-S6)(905-S7) in Winchester, Hampshire, England, at age 51. He was buried at Hyde Abbey, Winchester.

WIFE:
[F249242727043]. Ealswith. (Ealhswith, Ethelswida, Alswitha). Of the Gaini.(S7).
Born about 852 in Mercia, England; daughter of Aethelred [F49848545086], Ealdorman of the Gainas, and Eadburga. She married Alfred [F249242727042] in 868 A.D. at Winchester, England. At Alfred’s death, she became a nun. She died 5 Dec (902-S7)(905-S7) A.D. at St. Mary’s Abbey, Winchester, Dorset (?), England. (S7).

CHILDREN of Alfred the Great [F249242727042] and Ealswith [F249242727043] :


SOURCES:

APPENDIX 1:
Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius
ca 480-524/6

Synopsis

BOËTHIUS, Anicius Manlius Severinus, b. in Rome, 480; beheaded at Pavia, 525; descended from a wealthy and influential Roman family; studied in Athens, and occupied for several years a very prominent position in the Roman world, equally revered by the people, and esteemed by the Ostrogothic king, Theodoric, the ruler of Italy. The decree of the Emperor Justin against the Arians was the first event which made Boëthius suspected; but Theodoric now banished him to Pavia, where he afterwards had him confined in a dungeon, and finally beheaded. By his translations of Aristotle’s Analytica, Topica, Soph. Elench., and of the Isagoge of Porphyry, by his elaborate commentaries on these works, and by his own independent writings, Introductio ad Categoricas Syllogismos, De Syllogismo Categorico, De Syllogismo Hypothetico, De Divisione, De Definitione, etc., Boëthius became the connecting link between the logical and metaphysical science of antiquity and the scientific attempts of the middle ages; and a still greater influence he came to exercise on medieval thought by his De Consolatione Philosophæ and the various theological writings which were ascribed to him. The Consolatio Philosophicæ was written during the imprisonment of the author at Pavia; but though it is certain that Boëthius was a Christian, at least nominally, it never touches Christian ground: all the comfort it contains it owes to the optimism of the neo-platonic school and to the stoicism of Seneca. Nevertheless, during the middle ages this book was read with the greatest reverence by all Christendom. King Alfred translated it into Anglo-Saxon, which translation was edited by Rawlinson, Oxford, 1698; and Thomas Aquinas wrote a commentary on it. Having thus advanced from the position of a mere logician to that of a moralist, he finally reached that of a theologian. It is not probable that he has written any of the theological works ascribed to him; but the tradition is very old. He is mentioned by Alcuin as author of De Sancta Trinitate; by Hinemar of Rheims, as author of Utrum Pater et Filius et Spinitus Sanctum de Divinitate instantialiter praedicentur, etc. Collected editions of the works of Boëthius appeared at Venice, 1492; Basle, 1546 and 1570; and in MIGNE: Patrol., tom. 68 and 64. The theological works were published at Louvain, [306] 1633. The Consolatio Philosophæ was translated into English by Preston, 1695.