The Resume

(circa 849-October 26, 899)
Fifth son of King Aethelwulf of the West Saxons
King of the Saxons (871-899)
Defeated the Danish at the Battle of Edington (878)
Rebuilt England after years of Vikings raids
Also known as 'Alfred the Great'

Why he might be annoying:

He drew up a peace treaty with the Danes after realizing he couldn't drive them out of the rest of England.
One of the provisions of this peace treaty was that King Guthrum, leader of the Viking raiders of Denmark, was to be baptized as a Christian.
He then became Guthrum's godfather.
He used marriage to secure an alliance with the strong naval power of Flanders.

Why he might not be annoying:

He defeated the Danes, a highly organized and efficient military machine.
He reorganized the defenses of Wessex, which prevented Danish raiders from attacking and spurred economic prosperity.
He rebuilt his army to serve on a rota basis, allowing himself to maintain a constant attack while the peasants could still tend their farms.
Noticing that the Viking raids had left England without much culture or education, he emphasized the need for literacy and books.
He established a definitive body of Anglo-Saxon law that merged many of the laws of his predecessors.
He set up the unification of Anglo-Saxon England by stopping the Viking advance and consolidating his territorial gains.
He was a rare literate monarch.
He invented a candle-lantern.
He is considered one of the greatest kings ever.
He is the only English monarch to be called 'The Great.'

Credit: Captain Howdy

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• British Royalty: Pre-Plantagenet
• Captain Howdy's Profiles [Series 1]
• Look at Me, I Got My Hands Up
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• Look at My Religious Medallion
• Monarchs, Royalty and Nobles
• Profiles 10751-11000 (Ranked: 10784)
• Top 100 Great Britons [BBC, 2002] (Ranked: 14)

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 72 Votes: 54.17% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 94 Votes: 52.13% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 94 Votes: 53.19% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 92 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 56 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 70 Votes: 54.29% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 25 Votes: 56.00% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 80 Votes: 57.50% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 16 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 11 Votes: 72.73% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 32 Votes: 43.75% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 36 Votes: 36.11% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 36 Votes: 52.78% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 51 Votes: 50.98% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 102 Votes: 49.02% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 211 Votes: 49.76% Annoying
In 2004, Out of 218 Votes: 59.63% Annoying