899 King Alfred the Great died in Wessex. The actual year is not certain, but the year 901 as stated in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is suspect. How he died is unknown. He was originally buried temporarily in the Old Minster in Winchester, then moved to the New Minster. When the New Minster moved to Hyde, a little north of the city, in 1110, the monks transferred to Hyde Abbey along with Alfred's body and those of his wife and children. Soon after the dissolution of the abbey in 1539, during the reign of Henry VIII, the church was demolished, leaving the graves intact. The royal graves and many others were probably rediscovered by chance in 1788 when a prison was being constructed by convicts on the site. Coffins were stripped of lead, bones were scattered and lost, and no identifiable remains of Alfred have subsequently been found. Further excavations in 1866 and 1897 were inconclusive.
Alfred successfully defeated the Viking King Guthrum at the Battle of Edington in 878. King Alfred was a visionary King, inspired by the great Charlemagne. He founded universities and seats of learning, promoted justice and founded a code of law; he built up his defenses, established fortified Burhs and military training camps along the Wessex coastline and instituted a well-trained standing army. He also increased the size of his navy and successfully defeated the Northmen at sea.
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