The Dragon and the Raven; or, The Days of King Alfred was published by Blackie and Son in 1886. Edmund, a young Saxon thane, fights alongside King Alfred of Wessex against the Great Heathen Army of the Danes. The narrative follows the historical arc of Alfred’s campaigns: the initial Danish conquests that reduced Wessex to a remnant, Alfred’s famous retreat to the marshes of Athelney, his counterattack, and the Treaty of Wedmore that established the Danelaw.
Alfred was one of Henty’s most congenial historical subjects — a warrior-king who combined military prowess with intellectual culture, Christianity with pragmatism. The novel presented Alfred as the prototype of the English national character: courageous, resourceful, and civilized.
Collecting The Dragon and the Raven
First edition (Blackie and Son, London, 1886): Pictorial cloth.
Market values:
- Fine condition: $200–$500
- Very good: $75–$200
- Good: $25–$75
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation.
Alfred the Great
Set during the Viking invasions of England in the ninth century, the novel follows a young Saxon who fights alongside King Alfred against the Danish invaders. Henty’s Alfred is the traditional hero-king: scholar, warrior, and lawgiver, defending Christian civilization against pagan marauders. The siege of Athelney and the Battle of Edington provide the novel’s climactic set pieces, and Henty’s depiction of Dark Age warfare is characteristically vivid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Blackie and Son first edition? Blackie and Son of Glasgow was Henty’s primary publisher from the 1880s onward. Blackie first editions are identified by their decorated cloth bindings (usually pictorial, with gilt-stamped spine and front cover), a frontispiece and several internal illustrations, and the publisher’s catalogue at the rear. The catalogue date is crucial for establishing the first edition.