Alfred the Great, King of the Anglo-Saxons - article: Archaelogists hope to find Alfred the Great in an unmarked grave in Winchester

Can you imagine how cool that would be??

If they were able to extract DNA, we'd know the y-chromosome haplogroup for the Anglo-Saxon kings. I'd bet that it would match thousands and thousands of people living today.

and a facial reconstruction if the skull is intact

Geni says he is my 30th great grandfather, so if they want a sample I'll be happy to send it.

@Alfred the Great King of the Anglo-Saxons is my 31st grt grandfather and DNA would be great Judy Rice

Now I'm your Mom Judy!

What the heck do they keep digging up all the dead Kings for? Gonna try and use their DNA for clones for military or something? Poor guys, I thought Rest In Peace meant exactly that.

You certainly have a point Ian.

dan you have to be a direct male line descendent of alfred for the test

Well shouldn't Prince William be a Royal Blood Decendant Somehow?

yes but he isnt a direct male line descendent of alfred the great.

I don't claim to know much about DNA. Most of what I know I learned from Justin and Dale a couple of weeks ago. Thanks for informing me. Me and then Dad is all before switching to females for several generations. Judy and I have a private joke going, in case you thought I might really be her Mom.

you had me fooled there for a moment...

Prince William may not be related anyway. We are descended from many British monarchs, but were not related to the House of Windsor until Diana, William's mother.

That can't be quite right, Danny. Every English monarch since William the Conqueror has been descended from him. Even the Hanovers and Windsors. George I got the throne because he was the nearest Protestant descendant of James I.

Well gee Justin, did you tell the computer? Maybe I am just not tied in to all the right lines yet. I don't keep track of names but I know paths have been found to Plantagenet, Tudor, William the Conqueror, Richard III, even King Uther Pendragon, and someone known as King of the Druids. So you are saying that William was the last conqueror of the British throne? ...and the German Georges were all descended from the throne of England? Very interesting.

I stand corrected on one point for certain. The Queen is my 11th cousin, once removed.

It all works out nicely because William the Conqueror's son Henry I married a woman who was descended from the earlier Anglo-Saxons kings. So all kings after that are also descended from the kings before William.

If you can tie in to the English royal line anywhere, you're tied to the whole line from Egbert to Elizabeth II.

@The Queen is my 10th cousin we are related through Lawrence Collin Judy Rice and now Dan we are like sister @ brother Judy Rice

Now I'm confused Judy. You're my brother and my Mom?

Justin, I looked up Egbert. I assume from context that he was the first king of a united England. Is that right? If so then the subject of this discussion was only the third, correct?

Yes. Alfred was Egbert's grandson.

The line goes way back, even before Egbert. If you believe the old pagan genealogies, Egbert was a descendant in the direct male line from the Anglo-Saxon god Woden (more or less the same as the Norse god Odin).

If you ever want to have a bit of fun with your friends tell them that science is on the verge of discovering Odin's DNA ;)

I like that they are "digging" up the kings or commoners. Richard the III's body was lost, having been hastily thrown in a makeshift grave. A later foundation almost destroyed his body. What was interesting was that the condition of the body and grave confirmed history exactly. They are reinterring him in a place of honor, since Greyfriars is now a parking lot. Lot's of other new and famous people being found there as well. We learn so much from the excavations. So much has been lost due to the Dissolution of the Monasteries in England, and archaeology can answer so many questions.

Interesting things going on, Alfred is listed as my 28th grandfather. I hope they find what they are looking for and come up with his dna !

He is my 34th great Grandfather! Hello to all my relatives above me in this posting! My DNA available any time!

@Alfred the Great is my 30th Great Grandfather!

He's my 35th great grandfather and it'll be awesome if we can find DNA

Alfred is my 30th Great-Grandfather. The article was interesting. Can't wait for them to find his body. DNA waiting if needed.

Alfred the Great, King of the Anglo-Saxons is your 34th great grandfather.

Alfred the Great, King of the Anglo-Saxons is my 31st great grandfather.