12.09.09
The White Horse King – a review
I was intrigued by the description of Benjamin Merkle’s book – The White Horse King – and chose it to review for Thomas Nelson Publishers. I have always been interested in English history, but of a later period.
The White Horse King is the story of the Life of Alfred the Great – the only English king to be known by that designation. Alfred was born in 849 AD, the fifth son of the Anglo-Saxon king Aethelwulf. At the time of his birth, England was a collection of smaller kingdoms. Wessex, Alfred’s domain comprised the area in southern England adjacent to the English channel. It was a nation bisected by rivers, which made it a prime country for invasion by Vikings. Much of Alfred’s early life was spent in fighting against invasion. His experience prompted him to make sweeping changes in the way his land was defended. It caused him to build a navy for coastal defense. It caused him to build fortified cities from which the surrounding country could be defended and to establish a standing army which remained in the field for defense. These were just a few of the innovations which made Alfred a great king.
He also was concerned to establish literacy in his kingdom and provided for the education of his subjects. He translated or oversaw the translation of scripture. Alfred’s greatest accomplishment was that he trained an entire generation of English leaders, “men who understood wisdom, justice, righteouness and the true duties of a ruler”.
The White Horse King is a book of history rather than a historical novel. Yet it was an enjoyable read and I learned much about England prior to the Norman conquest. William the Conqueror is often credited with unifying England. It appears that honor really goes to Alfred the Great.