The White Horse King: The Life of Alfred the Great

by Benjamin R. Merkle

  Viking communication with settlers, ♣

  Danish Vikings, ♣n. See also Vikings

  Denis (Saint), monastery, ♣

  Denmark, Ragnar’s return to, ♣

  Devon, ♣, ♦, ♥

  fyrd mobilization in 878, ♣–♦

  divine favor, ♣

  domboc (law code), ♣–♦

  as foundation for justice, ♣

  on oath-breaking, ♣–♦

  preface, ♣

  revenge killings, ♣–♦

  Ten Commandments in, ♣

  Dorset, ♣, ♦

  Danish ships smashed by storm, ♣

  double-burh, ♣–♦

  dragon, carving on Whitehorse Hill as, ♣

  “Dragon Hill”, ♣

  dragon stories in Anglo-Saxon literature, ♣n

  Dublin, Ivar’s death, ♣

  Dyfed, ♣, ♦

  Eadburh (queen of Wessex), ♣

  ealdormen of Wessex, ♣–♦

  resistance by, ♣

  scorched-earth tactic of, ♣–♦

  sense of principle for, ♣

  Ealswith

  estates left to, ♣

  marriage to Alfred, ♣, ♦

  as Mercian royalty, ♣–♦

  East Anglia, ♣n, ♦

  Æthelstan rule of, ♣

  Danish army from, ♣–♦

  Guthrum control of, ♣

  help for Hastein, ♣

  lack of aid from, ♣

  and oath for peace from Danish rulers, ♣–♦

  provisions for Viking camps, ♣

  Viking advance on, ♣

  Easter of 871, ♣

  Eastern Mercia, ♣

  Edington, ♣, ♦–♥, ♠

  Alfred’s continued press in battle, ♣–♦

  Alfred’s leadership, ♣

  berserkergang, ♣–♦

  Saxon shieldwall, ♣–♦

  sword and axe fighting, ♣

  Viking shieldwall break, ♣–♦

  Edmund (king of East Anglia), ♣, ♦

  commemorative coins, ♣ danegeld from, ♦

  death by Vikings, ♣

  Viking resources from, ♣

  Edward (Alfred’s son), ♣–♦ expansion of kingdom, ♥

  negotiation of exit of Vikings, ♣

  Edward the Elder (Alfred’s son), ♣, ♦

  Egbert’s stone, ♣

  fyrds of Wessex gathering, ♣–♦

  Egill (Viking warrior), ♣n

  England

  early rulers, ♣

  map under Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, ♣

  Englefield, ♣–♦, ♥, ♠

  English people, ♣–♦n

  Epiphany, ♣

  Essex, ♣n, ♦

  city walls refortification, ♣

  fall of, ♣

  estates, inheritance by Æthelred’s and

  estates, inheritance by Alfred’s sons, ♣

  Ethelred (king of Northumbria), ♣

  Europe

  danegeld payments by Christian rulers, ♣

  plague causing famine, ♣

  Viking armies in, ♣

  Vikings return to, ♣

  Excalibur, ♣

  Exeter, ♣, ♦–♥

  Exodus (scripture), ♣

  exsufflatio, ♣

  familial connections, baptism for

  creating, ♣

  families of Vikings

  capture by Edward, ♣ reported arrival in England, ♦–♥

  family tree,♣

  famine in Europe, ♣

  farmers as soldiers, impact on economy, ♣

  Farnham, ♣–♦

  “Father of England’s navy”, Alfred as, ♣

  fear, impact on shieldwall, ♣

  feasting in mead hall, ♣–♦

  Flanders, ♣, ♦

  flyting (insult exchange), ♣–♦

  folk-moot, ♣

  forgiveness, by Alfred, ♣

  frithwebba (“peace-weaver”), ♣

  Frome river,♣

  Fulham, ♣

  Fullham, ♣

  Vikings departure from, ♣ fyrd, ♦–♥

  delay in formation, ♣

  Devon mobilization in 878, ♣–♦

  release by Edward, ♣

  gar (Anglo-Saxon spear), ♣

  Gaul, ♣

  Gee, George, ♣–♦

  generosity of Alfred, ♣

  George (saint)

  dragon, ♣

  and white horse, ♣

  Ghent

  Abby of Saint Peter, ♣

  Viking base, ♣

  Gloucester, Guthrum in, ♣

  God, ability to understand wisdom of, ♣

  godparent

  Alfred as, for Guthram, ♣, ♦

  relationship of, ♣–♦

  Gokstad, Norway, burial mound excavation, ♣–♦

  gold,♣

  Golden Rule,♣

  “the great battle”, ♣–♦

  Great Britain. See Britain

  Gregory the Great (pope), Pastoral Care, ♣, ♦,♥

  Grendel, ♣

  Grimbald, ♣

  guerrilla warfare resistance, by Alfred, ♣

  Guthrum, ♣, ♦–♥. See also

  Æthelstan (formerly Guthrum) AD 876 march toward Wessex, ♣–♦

  Alfred as godfather, ♣, ♦

  army preparation for attack, ♣

  army reinforcements, ♣

  baptism at Alfred’s insistance, ♣, ♦–♥

  broken pledge, ♣–♦,♥

  control of East Anglia and Mercia, ♣

  flight to Chippenham, ♣

  occupation of foreign nation, ♣–♦

  strategy, ♣

  surrender, ♣

  Gwynedd, alliance with Vikings, ♣–♦

  Halfdan, ♣, ♦, ♥, ♠

  and Ashdown battle, ♣

  danegeld and, ♣

  family captured by Edward, ♣

  in Northumbria, ♣

  ritual sacrifice of King Ælle, ♣

  troop movement on Thames, ♣

  half-penny, introduction, ♣

  Halwell, defense for, ♣–♦

  Hampshire, ♣, ♦, ♥

  and Alfred’s army, ♣

  Harold (Viking earl), ♣

  harvest, fyrd protection of, ♣

  Hastein (Viking chieftain), ♣

  Alfred’s meeting with, ♣–♦

  departure from England, ♣

  in England, ♣

  perception of Alfred, ♣

  recruits from Danelaw, ♣

  Hastings, defense for, ♣

  Heahmund, ♣

  Hebrews (scripture), ♣

  helmet, ♣

  Henry ♣, ♦

  hide, ♣

  Higbald, Alcuin’s letter to, ♣

  Holy Island (Lindisfarne Island), ♣–♦, ♥

  sacking,♣

  holy ring of Thor, ♣

  hope, Easter promise of, ♣

  Horik, king of Danes, ♣

  horns, Viking helmet and, ♣

  horse, chalk outline in hill, ♣, ♦–♥

  horses, ♣, ♦

  as food,♣–♦

  from Normandy, ♣

  in Viking battle, ♣

  Viking demand for, ♣

  hostages

  Alfred’s taking of, ♣

  exchange of,♣

  Halfdan’s family as, ♣

  hours, candles for tracking, ♣–♦

  Hugin (“thought” raven), ♣

  humility, ♣

  ignorance of Anglo-Saxons, Alfred’s

  efforts to change, ♣–♦

  Iley Oak, ♣–♦

  illuminators, ♣

  India, common law foundation, ♣

  Ine (king of Wessex), ♣

  insults, exchange of, ♣–♦

  intimidation, psychological warfare of, ♣

  Iona, Viking attack, ♣

 
Iron Age fortress of Uffington Castle, ♣

  Isle of Wight, ♣

  Ivar the Boneless, ♣, ♦

  death, ♣

  in Northumbria, ♣

  in Nottingham, ♣, ♦

  in York, ♣

  Jarrow (monastic community), ♣

  Jesus

  parable on sown seeds, ♣

  Sermon on the Mount, ♣–♦

  words to Nicodemus, ♣

  John (priest from Old Saxony), ♣

  John (scriptures), ♣

  Jorvik (York), ♣. See also York

  Judith, ♣–♦

  as Æthelbald’s wife, ♣–♦,♥

  justice, ♣, ♦

  domboc as foundation, ♣

  Justus, ♣

  Kennet river,♣

  Kent, ♣n,♦,♥, ♠

  Hastein attack of, ♣

  king of Assyria, ♣

  kings

  as ring-givers,♣

  role in battle, ♣

  Kingstanding Hill, ♣

  as location for battle of Ashdown, ♣–♦

  kinship, bond by baptism, ♣

  Kipling, Rudyard, ♣

  “Dane-geld”, ♣–♦

  “Lady of Mercia”,♣

  Lambourn (estate), ♣

  landed class, in battlefield, ♣

  lantern, Alfred’s design, ♣

  Latin, ♣, ♦, ♥

  Alfred and,♣, ♦

  Alfred’s improvement in reading, ♣–♦

  translation into Anglo-Saxon, ♣, ♦–♥

  law code. See domboc (law code)

  Lea river, ♣

  leaders

  qualities of, ♣–♦

  and shieldwall, ♣

  Leo IV (pope), ♣

  dispute over successor, ♣

  libraries, ♣

  Life of Alfred, ♣

  Life of Saint Neot, ♣

  Lindisfarne Island (Holy Island), ♣–♦, ♥

  sacking, ♣

  literacy as qualification

  as qualification for office holders, ♣–♦

  revival, ♣, ♦–♥,♠, †

  Loddon river,♣

  Loire river, ♣

  Lollards,♣

  London, ♣,♦

  Alfred travel to, ♣–♦

  Halfdan in,♣

  mint, ♣

  as Viking destination, ♣, ♦

  loyalties of national fyrd, ♣–♦

  Luna, Hastein in, ♣

  Lympne river, ♣

  Lys river, ♣

  mail “byrnie”, ♣

  marketplace in town, ♣

  Markward, ♣

  marriage, for connecting kingdoms, ♣–♦

  Matthew (scriptures), ♣, ♦–♥

  mead hall, feasting in,♣–♦

  Mediterranean Sea, ♣

  Medway river, ♣

  Mercia, 4n, ♣

  Æthelstan control of, ♣

  Alfred as king, ♣–♦

  Ceolwulf as puppet king, ♣, ♦

  danegeld and, ♣

  fall of, ♣

  Guthrum control of, ♣

  Hastein’s attacks on, ♣

  kingdom division, ♣

  lack of aid from, ♣

  rebuilding infrastructure, ♣

  Torksey within, ♣

  Viking settlement in, ♣

  Mersea Island,♣,♦

  Merton, ♣–♦,♥, ♠,†

  Meuse river, ♣

  Middle-Earth,♣

  military reforms, Alfred’s consideration, ♣–♦

  moats for cities, ♣

  monasteries, ♣, ♦

  Viking raids on, ♣–♦

  monks, decline of Christian zeal, ♣

  mons fraxini, ♣

  Moselle river, ♣

  Moulsford, ♣

  Munin (“memory” raven), ♣

  Muslim mosques, Hastein’s plundering, ♣–♦

  myrcna hloefdige, ♣

  naval force of Wessex, ♣

  Nehemiah (scriptures), ♣

  Neot (monk), ♣

  New Zealand, common law foundation, ♣

  Nicodemus, Jesus’ words to, ♣

  nobility, principles of, ♣

  nobles of Wessex, ♣

  betrayal of Alfred, ♣

  school for children of, ♣

  North Africa, ♣

  “Northmen”, ♣n

  Northumbria, ♣n, ♦, ♥

  Danish army from, ♣–♦

  fall of,♣

  Halfdan in, ♣

  help for Hastein,♣

  invasion, ♣

  lack of aid from, ♣

  and oath for peace from Danish rulers, ♣–♦

  puppet king removal,♣

  Viking move to, ♣

  Nottingham, ♣

  failed siege, ♣, ♦

  Viking capture, ♣

  oath for peace, ♣

  from Danish rulers, ♣–♦

  oath-breaking penalties, ♣

  prohibition, ♣–♦ oath-helpers, ♥

  Odda (ealdorman of Devon), ♣, ♦, ♥

  Odin (Norse god), ♣

  sacrificing captive to, ♣

  oestel, ♣–♦

  Oise river, ♣

  Old Saxony, ♣

  Old Testament canon law,♣

  Osberht, civil war with Ælle, ♣, ♦–♥

  Osbern (Viking earl), ♣

  Osburh (wife of Æthelwulf ), ♣n and Alfred’s birth, ♦

  death, ♣ Oscetel,♦

  Oxford, Ashmolean

  Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, ♣–♦

  ox-horn lantern, ♣

  Pakistan, common law foundation, ♣

  Palm Sunday, ♣

  Paris, siege, ♣–♦

  Parrett river, ♣

  Pastoral Care (Gregory the Great), ♣, ♦, ♥

  peace after Alfred’s victory over Guthrum, ♣

  marriage to secure, ♣

  “peace-weaver” (frithwebba), ♣

  Pentecost, ♣

  piles (disease), ♣

  pilum (Roman spear), ♣

  pious living, ♣

  Plegmund, ♣

  poetry, Anglo-Saxon, ♣–♦n, ♥

  poisoning, ♣

  poles (measurement), ♣

  Poole Bay, ♣

  Porchester, wall measurement, ♣

  posse, to locate accused murderer, ♣–♦

  Powys, alliance with Vikings, ♣–♦

  priests, as military leaders, ♣n

  Protestant Reformation, ♣

  Proverbs (scripture), ♣

  Psalms (scriptures), ♣

  translation from Latin, ♣, ♦–♥

  psychological warfare, of intimidation, ♣

  Ragnar Lothbrok (Ragnar “Hairy Breeches”), ♣–♦, ♥ sons, ♠

  raiding parties, Alfred’s defense against, ♣–♦

  raven, ♣

  Reading,♣,♦, ♥

  additional Viking ships arrival, ♣

  Saxon assault on, ♣

  Viking capture, ♣

  reformed Anglican church, ♣

  reforms. See Alfred the Great (king of Wessex) reforms

  repentance, Alcuin’s call for, ♣

  Repton, ♣

  revenge killings, ♣–♦

  Rheims, ♣

  Rhine river, ♣

  “ring-givers”, ♣, ♦

  ritual dance by Vikings before battle, ♣

  rivers battles, ♣

  benefits to Vikings, ♣

  road system Alfred’s planning inside city walls, ♣–♦

  from Roman Empire, ♣

  between Wessex cities, ♣

  Robin Hood, ♣

  Rochester, ♣, ♦

  city walls refortification, ♣

  siege, ♣–♦

  Viking attack, ♣–♦

  Roman Empire England under control, ♣n

  road system, ♣
<
br />   ruins for defense foundations, ♣

  Rome

  Æthelwulf ’s pilgrimage, ♣–♦

  Alfred’s pilgrimage to, ♣–♦

  Burgred and Æthelswith in, ♣–♦

  fortification, ♣–♦

  Hastein in, ♣–♦

  Rother river, ♣

  safety, burhs defenses and,♣

  Saint Bertin (monastery), ♣

  Viking attack, ♣

  Saint David’s (monastery), ♣

  Saint Edmund penny, ♣

  Saint Maria church, ♣n

  Burgred in graveyard, ♣

  Saint Martin’s Day, ♣

  Saint Paul’s basilica, ♣

  Saint Peter’s basilica, ♣

  Saracen invaders in Rome, ♣, ♦

  sarsen stone, ♣–♦

  sax, ♣

  Saxons. See also Anglo-Saxons

  English Channel crossing by, ♣n

  impact of loss of life in battle, ♣

  life under Viking rule, ♣

  Scheldt river, ♣

  Schola Saxonium, ♣n, ♦, ♥, ♠

  schools, for Anglo-Saxon children, ♣

  scop,♣–♦n

  song of, ♣

  scorched-earth tactic of ealdormen, ♣–♦

  scribes, ♣

  scriptures dangers from translating, ♣–♦

  Hebrews, ♣

  John, ♣

  Matthew, ♣, ♦–♥

  Nehemiah, ♣

  opportunities to study, ♣–♦

  Proverbs, ♣

  Psalms, ♣, ♦, ♥–♠

  Ten Commandments, ♣

  sea battle, ♣

  Seine river, ♣, ♦, ♥

  Selwood Forest, ♣

  Severn river, ♣, ♦

  Shaftesbury (monastery), ♣

  “shield boss”, ♣–♦

  shields, ♣, ♦–♥

  shieldwall, ♣–♦

  importance of holding formation, ♣

  replacement of wounded on, ♣

  Saxon at Bratton Camp, ♣–♦

  success of, ♣

  vulnerability to break, ♣

  254 shipbulding, Alfred and, ♣–♦

  shire fyrds, problems mobilizing, ♣

  shire-moot, ♣

  Shoebury, ♣

  shorelines, need to defend, ♣

  Sidroc (Viking earl), ♣ Sidroc the Elder (Viking earl),

  Sidroc the Elder (Viking earl), ♣

  Sidroc the Younger (Viking earl), ♣

  silver pennies, Alfred’s order for, ♣

  Snotengaham, ♣n. See also Nottingham

  solar eclipse, ♣

  Soliloquies of Augustine, ♣

  Somerset, ♣, ♦, ♥, ♠

  Somme river, ♣, ♦

  Spain, ♣

  spears, ♣, ♦

  to attack shieldwall, ♣–♦, ♥–♠

  spiritual birth, ♣

  starvation, Viking deaths from, ♣

  Stour river, ♣

  strake, ♣

  Surrey, ♣

  Sussex, ♣n,♦

  city walls refortification, ♣

  Danish longboats in, ♣–♦, ♥–♠

  Swanage, shore of, ♣

  Swinbeorg, ♣

  swords, ♣, ♦

  in Edington battle, ♣

  Tarrant river, ♣

  taxes, ♣

  for danegeld, ♣

  Ten Commandments, ♣