Alfred the Great (also known as Ælfred) was a powerful king who ruled the West Saxons from 871 to about 886. Later, he became the King of the Anglo-Saxons until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh. Both of Alfred's parents died when he was young.Before Alfred, three of his older brothers—Æthelbald, Æthelberht, and Æthelred—ruled the kingdom. Alfred made big changes to how his kingdom was run and how its army worked. These changes had a lasting impact on England.When Alfred became king, he spent many years fighting against Viking invaders. He won a very important battle called the Battle of Edington in 878. After this victory, he made a deal with the Vikings. This agreement divided England into two parts: Anglo-Saxon land and the Danelaw, which was ruled by Vikings. The Danelaw included northern England, the northeast Midlands, and East Anglia.Alfred also convinced the Viking leader Guthrum to become a Christian. He successfully defended his kingdom from Viking attacks and became the most important ruler in England.