The Saxons & Vikings
years. In 876 the Danes attacked again. Alfred won several victories and defeated the Danes in
AD 878.
The treaty of Wedmore in 878 divided England. The Danes promised to leave Wessex & part
of Mercia. They settled in the north-western part in a region which from that time was called
the Danelaw. The Danes spoke their language & kept to their way of life.'
In time of peace the Great King Alfred managed to raise an army, the fyrd, in which every
free peasant had to serve. They formed a levy of infantrymen. Knights with good armour
formed and army on horseback. Half of the infantrymen were serving, half working at home.
Then changed. So all men were trained to fight. Alfred built the first Navy.
He built walled settlements, called ,,burghs". They became rich market towns. Alfred the
Great also took measures to improve the laws in the interest of the great landowners & raise
the standard of culture among them. He himself could read & write, knew Latin & Greek. He
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