West comes out for Alfred!

Dave Harvey
Political Correspondent, BBC West

Chippenham market, Saturday lunchtime: A normal day in the market square suddenly erupts into spectacular life as a dozen Anglo Saxons charge out of the Angel hotel shouting "No Alfred, No England!"

The kingdom of Wessex was secured by Alfred

They are part of the Politics Show's unique vote: a 1000 year election to find the greatest politician ever to come out of the West.

Some famous names are up, most of whom never faced real elections in their time.

John Pym, leader of parliament in the civil war, William Pitt the Elder, who beat the French out of America.

But this week, Alfred the Great is on the hustings.

Warrior yes, but much more, claim his supporters.

"He is the father of the English State" cries Kim Siddorn, a Bristolian who runs the Anglo-Saxon re-enactment society Regia Anglorum.

"Without him, we'd all be speaking old Norse".

He is right, in a way.

When Alfred fled Chippenham in 878 the Danes were rampant.

Overcame the Danes

Guthrum had taken the town at dead of night and Alfred escaped barely with his life and a few loyal Thanes.

They hid in the Somerset marshes, regrouped, and early the next year harried Guthrum and the Viking army.

Near Westbury, at Eddington, the men of Somerset won a famous victory; Guthrum was baptised, the kingdom of Wessex was secured.

But Alfred was more than a warrior.

• He encouraged the Arts, learning and literature.
• He codified the laws for the first time.
• He laid out town plans that still stand today, in London and Chippenham and across the country.

What you should know about Alfred
1	He became ruler of the West Saxons after he and his brother defeated the Danes in the Battle of Ashdown in Berkshire.
2	He was a great warrior as well as a social reformer who built towns and promoted education.
3	In 878, he rallied men from Somerset and Wiltshire and defeated the Danes in the Battle of Eddington.
4	The Danes made peace and England was divided, with the East declared to be Danish territory - the 'Danelaw' - where English and Danes were treated as equals by law.
5	The failure of the Danes to make any more advances against Alfred was largely a result of the defensive measures he undertook during the war.
6	He set about strengthening old forts and building new, and he ensured that his army was well organised. He also built up a navy to meet invasions.
7	Larger ships were constructed to his own design for use against the coastal raids that continued even after 896.
8	Alfred understood the value of diplomacy and formed amicable relations with Mercia and Wales. As an administrator Alfred advocated justice and order.
9	He established a code of laws, after studying the principles of law-giving in the Book of Exodus.
10	He offered patronage to scholars from Wales and the continent and he himself learned Latin, eventually translating books into English.
11	Alfred is still considered the quintessential ruler of the Middle Ages.

"Many politicians can lead in peacetime" says Andrew Murrison, Conservative MP for Westbury.

Some can lead in time of war. But very few can be great leaders in both war and peace.

Tough competition

Alfred's supporters are hoping their man gets off to a flying start this week.

He has strong competition, an impresario, a great Prime Minister, and a religious martyr among others.

Next week, we are in Gloucestershire, on the trail of William Tyndale.

Burnt at the stake in 1536 Tyndale believed that the Bible should be available to every ploughboy and shepherd in the Cotswolds.

In those days, this was more than heresy, it was political dynamite.

Have your say

Have your say, use the comments form below.

The Politics Show

Join David Garmston on The Politics Show West on BBC One on Sundays at Noon.

---