At the time when he arrived at manhood, and was tending his father's flocks and herds like other peasants' sons, the Saxons and the Danes were at war.

It seems that one of Alfred's descendants, named Ethelred, displeased his people by his misgovernment, and was obliged to retire from England.
He went across the Channel, and married there the sister of a Norman chief named Richard.

Her name was Emma.

Ethelred hoped by this alliance to obtain Richard's assistance in enabling him to recover his kingdom.

The Danish population, however, took advantage of his absence to put one of their own princes upon the throne.