32 KING ALFRED AND THE DANES.
sea in long open boats, high at prow and stern, a moved by sails and oars. When they landed, the threw up an intrenchment to defend their boats, an then they seized all the horses they could find, an galloped over the country, burning and pillaging fa and wide.
5. King Egbert did his best to beat off these pirates but he died in 839, and the kings who succeeded hin were not so strong or so skilful as he was. Con sequently the Danes grew bolder. In 855 they passed a winter in the Isle of Sheppey; and from that tim: forward they began to settle in the country. Thl was the first step in the Danish conquest of England
6. Alfred was then a child. He was born in 84 the fourth son of King Ethelwulf, who succeed! Egbert. Erom his childhood he showed great lor of learning, but his early life was too active for hit to learn much from books.
7. Alfred’s three elder brothers were all kings England in turn; and with the third of them, Etlui red, Alfred shared the government. By this time I Danes had practically conquered the north and ■ of England, and it was all that Alfred and his brol I could do to defend Wessex against them. In H they fought nine great battles with the Danes.
8. Next year Ethelred died, and Alfred beca.....
king at the age of twenty-two. He had a heavy 11 before him, for his kingdom was reduced to the west half of Wessex, while fresh swarms of DancM W constantly landing in England. For seven years kept up a gallant struggle, but in 878 he was I'm to take refuge in the marshes of Athelney in Somei and was almost driven to despair.
%Iimi I Ihii;"1. looked worst, however, Alfred lulil v >llni I in which he was nobly sup-IIn immi ol VVchhcx, and he won a decisive IiihI Ill'1 l*aiiisli host at Ethandun, in ■Ml fill In tv ell 111 ■ the victory by blockading
sea in long open boats, high at prow and stern, a moved by sails and oars. When they landed, the threw up an intrenchment to defend their boats, an then they seized all the horses they could find, an galloped over the country, burning and pillaging fa and wide.
5. King Egbert did his best to beat off these pirates but he died in 839, and the kings who succeeded hin were not so strong or so skilful as he was. Con sequently the Danes grew bolder. In 855 they passed a winter in the Isle of Sheppey; and from that tim: forward they began to settle in the country. Thl was the first step in the Danish conquest of England
6. Alfred was then a child. He was born in 84 the fourth son of King Ethelwulf, who succeed! Egbert. Erom his childhood he showed great lor of learning, but his early life was too active for hit to learn much from books.
7. Alfred’s three elder brothers were all kings England in turn; and with the third of them, Etlui red, Alfred shared the government. By this time I Danes had practically conquered the north and ■ of England, and it was all that Alfred and his brol I could do to defend Wessex against them. In H they fought nine great battles with the Danes.
8. Next year Ethelred died, and Alfred beca.....
king at the age of twenty-two. He had a heavy 11 before him, for his kingdom was reduced to the west half of Wessex, while fresh swarms of DancM W constantly landing in England. For seven years kept up a gallant struggle, but in 878 he was I'm to take refuge in the marshes of Athelney in Somei and was almost driven to despair.
%Iimi I Ihii;"1. looked worst, however, Alfred lulil v >llni I in which he was nobly sup-IIn immi ol VVchhcx, and he won a decisive IiihI Ill'1 l*aiiisli host at Ethandun, in ■Ml fill In tv ell 111 ■ the victory by blockading