He translated into English with his own hand "The History of the World," by Orosius; Baeda's "Ecclesiastical History;" Boethius's "De Consolatione," and Gregory's "Regula Pastoralis." At his court, too, if not under his own direction, the English Chronicle was first begun, and many of the sentences quoted from that great document in this work are probably due to AElfred himself.

His devotion to the church was shown by the regular communication which he kept up with Rome, and by the gifts which he sent from his impoverished kingdom, not only to the shrine of St.Peter but even to that of St.Thomas in India.

No doubt his vigorous personality counted for much in the struggle with the Danes; but his death in 901 left the West Saxons as ready as ever to contend against the northern enemy.
One result of the Danish invasion of Wessex must not be passed over.

The common danger seems to have firmly welded together Welshman and Saxon into a single nationality.

The most faithful part of AElfred's dominions were the West Welsh shires of Somerset and Devon, with the half Celtic folk of Dorset and Wilts.