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That's Better H-E-L-P. dot com slash History-E-N-G. Hello and welcome to the history of England episode 8

reconstruction and defence. I am pretty sure that as Alfred watched the defeated Viking horde lumbering off to East Anglia in 878,

he'd have had mixed feelings.

Okay, glad to see the back of them, but on the other hand pretty confident that sooner or later they'd be back.

This time, unlike their departure in 871, Alfred was going to make darn sure that their next visit was a good deal less comfortable.

Broadly speaking and with 2020 hindsight the next 14 years or so are about reconstruction.

But not just reconstruction, reform.

In his work over these years Alfred established a template that his successes would build

on.

And it's worth noting that these are carried out against a background of renewed Viking

...