Alfred the Great
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c. 849 – 899 · 50 years · Winchester · Europe
Reign: 871 – 899 (England and Britain)
King of Wessex who defeated the Vikings at Edington in 878. He built a network of fortified burhs, created a fleet, issued a law code and promoted translations of books into Old English.
Wikipedia (Russian) · Wikipedia (English) · 9th century
Portrait: CNG - Classical Numismatic Group · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
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Contemporaries around the world
Europe
- Charles the Bald — first king of West Francia, the future France, 26 years older
- Edward the Elder — Alfred's son who won back East Anglia and Mercia from the Danes, 25 years younger
Eastern Europe & Russia
- Oleg the Wise — prince who united Novgorod and Kiev and campaigned against Constantinople, 4 years older
- Rurik — Varangian prince, founder of the Rurik dynasty, 19 years older
- Igor of Kiev — prince of Kiev killed by the Drevlians over a second tribute, 29 years younger
The world in their lifetime
- 859 Fatima al-Fihri founds al-Qarawiyyin — aged 10, Africa
- c. 862 Calling of the Varangians — aged 13, Eastern Europe & Russia
- 868 The Diamond Sutra is printed — aged 19, Asia
- 882 Oleg takes Kiev — aged 33, Eastern Europe & Russia
- c. 895 Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin — aged 46, Eastern Europe & Russia