Alfred The Great Lived In A Swamp

One of the interesting facts about Alfred the Great is that he lived in a swamp. The Vikings launched a rapid attack on Wessex in the year 878, taking control of much of the region. Alfred, his family, and some of his troops were able to flee and sought sanctuary in Athelney, which was then a small island in Somerset's marshes. It was a very strong, nearly impregnable position against the Vikings. For four months, Alfred's kingdom was limited to the little island of Athelney and the swamps that lay around it.

Being a cunning warrior, Alfred revised his plan and embraced the Danes' methods. Living off the land and relying on the locals for food and shelter while waging a guerilla war against the Vikings, Alfred and his soldiers were hidden in the Somerset swamps and marshes. He established a fortified stronghold at Athelney in the Somerset marshes and gathered a mobile army of soldiers from Wiltshire, Somerset, and some of Hampshire to wage guerilla warfare against the Danes. At the Battle of Edington in May 878, Alfred's army routed the Danes.