Famous Men of the Middle Ages · Ch. XIII · Unit 5: Northmen, Danes and Saxons
20. Alfred the Great
Goal: Your child can tell several famous stories about Alfred (the book prize, the burnt cakes, the minstrel in the Danish camp) and why he is called "the Great."
You'll need
- The book, open to this chapter
- A map of Europe and the Mediterranean (a free online map or a globe)
- Paper and colored pencils
- Your timeline strip (see the tips at the top)
What's in the book
Chapter XIII (871-901 A.D.): the Danes hold much of England. Young Alfred learns to read to win his mother's book of Saxon ballads. He becomes king in 871, builds the first English navy, but is driven into hiding. A cowherd's wife scolds him for letting her cakes burn. Disguised as a minstrel he spies on the Danish camp, then defeats Guthrum, who becomes a Christian. Alfred rebuilds towns, starts a school and translates Latin books into Saxon.
The lesson, step by step
Set the scene
Find England, then Denmark across the North Sea. Say: In Alfred's time the Danes held the north and east of England. Alfred was king of the West Saxons, in the south.
Read the chapter
Read Chapter XIII aloud. It begins:
The Danes were neighbors of the Norwegian Vikings, and like them were fond of the sea and piracy.
Tell it back
Prompts:
- How did Alfred win the book of ballads?
- What happened in the cowherd's hut?
- How did Alfred find out about the Danish army?
- What did Alfred ask of Guthrum in return for his freedom?
Legend or history?
SayAlfred was a real king, and his wars with the Danes really happened. The burnt cakes and the minstrel are famous old stories. Nobody knows for sure if they happened just this way, but English children have heard them for hundreds of years.
Talk it over
Read what Guthrum cried out:
You, then, King Alfred, were the wandering minstrel?
Ask:
- Alfred let Guthrum go. Was that wise or risky?
- Why do you think the book says Alfred did more for education than any other English king?
Remember it
Add to the timeline: "871 Alfred becomes king" and "875 first English naval victory."
Extra (optional)
The book describes Alfred's mother's book: brightly colored letters and pictures of knights and ladies on parchment. Make one decorated capital letter for your child's own name.
Afterwards
Ask your child to tell the story of the burnt cakes, with the cowherd's wife's words, to someone in the family.
Tip
The book points out that there were no printed books or even paper in Alfred's time. Feeling a piece of thick paper and imagining it is sheepskin makes this real.
Answers to the book's problems
He studied hard all week while his brothers played and read best at the end of the week. He was told to watch the cakes but forgot them while thinking of his troubles; they burned and the woman drove him out. He went into the Danish camp disguised as a minstrel with a harp. He asked Guthrum to become a Christian and never again make war on his people.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.