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King Alfred the Great (849-899) was, according to Winston Churchill, the greatest Englishman ever. I agree.
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"We discern across the centuries a commanding and versatile intelligence, wielding with equal force the sword of war and of justice; using in defence arms and policy; cherishing religion, learning and art in the midst of adevrsity and danger; welding together a nation, and seeking always across the feuds and hatreds of the age a peace which would smile upon the land. (...)
"In the grim time of Norman overlordship the figure of the great Alfred was a beacon-light, the bright symbol of Saxon achievement, the hero of the race."
From Winston S Churchill: A history of the English speaking peoples, 1956.
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More on King Alfred's astounding range of achievement and his exceptional personal qualities at: http://orthodoxengland.org.uk/athlifea.htm
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