853. War with Rhodri Mawr, King of Wales 267 855. Ethelwulf with his little son Alfred visits Rome 268 He endows the _Schola Saxonum_ at Rome 270 856. His second marriage to Judith, daughter of Charles the Bald 270 Rebellion of Ethelbald and division of the kingdom 271 Death of Ethelwulf. His testamentary gifts 271 CHAPTER XVI. ETHELWULF’S SONS--DANISH INVASIONS TO THE BAPTISM OF GUTHRUM. 848. Birth of Alfred the Great 272 His childhood: two visits to Rome 273 Episode of the book of ballads 273 858. Ethelbald marries his father’s widow, Judith 274 860. Death of Ethelbald: accession of Ethelbert 275 866. Ethelbert succeeded by Ethelred: Alfred _Secundarius_ 275 Danish invasions. Martyrdom of St. Edmund, King of East Anglia 277 871. “The year of battles” 278 Battle of Aescesdune: the Danes defeated 279 Death of Ethelred: accession of Alfred 280 The Danes harry Mercia 281 875–883. Wanderings of the body of St. Cuthbert 282 876. Danish attacks on Wessex renewed under Guthrum 283 877. Danes at Chippenham: Alfred retires to Athelney 283 878. Ubba slain: Alfred defeats the Danes at Ethandune 284 “Peace of Wedmore.” Baptism of Guthrum 285 CHAPTER XVII. ALFRED AT PEACE. 878–892. Fourteen years of comparative peace 286 _Circa_ 886. _Aelfredes and Guthrumes Frith_: its conditions: boundary between the two nations 287 Family life of Alfred 289 His mysterious sicknesses 290 His exertions to raise the intellectual level of his subjects: foreign scholars invited to his court 291 His translation of Gregory’s _Regula Pastoralis_ 292 His translation of Orosius’s _History_ 293 Narrative of Arctic voyager Ohthere 294 His share in composition of _Saxon Chronicle_ 295