Since he was a boy, Alfred suffered through horrible stomach and gut pain. It is believed he suffered from Crohn’s Disease. This did not stop Alfred in the slightest; it would be the reforms that he laid down in the fields of learning and religion that would propel England to resemble the way see it today. Even in the Netflix Show “The Last Kingdom”, it is referenced, many times, that Alfred admires knowledge and see’s recording history as a must for future generations. His use of writing history is also a portion of, what I believe, makes Alfred “great”. As we all know: he who writes the history books is afforded the controls of the historical narrative; it wouldn’t be very hard to make yourself seem great if it were your people writing the history books.
Alfred The Great 
Very interesting point in that the chroniclers he sponsored may extoll him beyond his true excellence. As Napoleon said “history is a collection of lies agreed upon” perhaps Alfred exists as one of these useful lies?
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Indeed, though I would posit that Alfred was, in fact, great. But, it was his use of the written word, that would be used, ultimately, to extoll him beyond his control. It wasn’t as if Alfred sponsored writers to make him look good, I honestly believe that he made some great strides that the historians, particularly the Monk Asser, would embellish or annunciate through history, that gives Alfred his legendary, almost Arthurian, status in English History.
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