Saxons versus Vikings: Alfred the Great and the Birth of England, by Ed West

A witty and concise return to the very beginning of English history.

England. 871. The land is overrun by Vikings: the unrelenting, impervious, bloodthirsty Scandinavian assailants who have instilled terror across early medieval Europe.

For the kingdom of Wessex, prospects look bleak following the deaths of two of their kings: one by murdered by arrows, the other tortured to death, with his lungs ripped out...

Worse still, the Saxons are now led by a young man barely out of his teens, more interested in God than fighting for his kingdom.

But within a matter of years, England is transformed. Alfred - the only English king known as 'the Great' - has forced the Vikings out of half of England, and his descendants will go on to unite England within the decade.

The period covered in Saxons vs. Vikings - popularised by TV shows such as Vikings and The Last Kingdom - was one of revolutionary change: the creation of England as a nation state, the implementation of Alfred's first national law code, and the establishment of an education system alongside immense architectural development.

This fascinating introduction to the early days of England also covers the period before Alfred, such as ancient Britain, the Roman occupation, and the Dark Ages, exploring defining historical episodes in English history such as Boudicca, King Arthur, and Beowulf.