King Alfred the Great
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Description
King Alfred the Great. Alfred the Great, a soldier, statesman, and scholar, was a remarkable and successful king who reigned over Wessex from 871 to 899. He is celebrated for pushing back the Vikings and establishing what is now considered the heart of England. Alfred the Great, a soldier, statesman, and scholar, was a remarkable and successful king who reigned over Wessex from 871 to 899. He is celebrated for pushing back the Vikings and establishing what is now considered the heart of England. In the first major biography of King Alfred since 1902, Alfred P. Smyth offers a radical new interpretation of his life, career, and enduring legacy, challenging many of the assumptions held about this singular monarch. Smyth's portrayal of King Alfred dismisses the traditional image of a neurotic and invalid king who was supposedly a pious illiterate until nearly 40. Instead, Smyth presents Alfred as a man of extraordinary energy and intelligence, who took decisive actions to protect his people from the Norsemen. The biography reveals a king who had been a lifelong scholar, using his vast knowledge to strengthen his kingship. Smyth also scrutinizes the medieval biography of King Alfred, attributed to his tutor Asser, suggesting it may be a late medieval forgery—a revelation with significant implications for our understanding of Anglo-Saxon history. The book delves into major studies on Alfred's writings, the controversial charters of his reign, and the origins of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Smyth argues that this work was more closely linked to King Alfred's court than previously believed and proposes a new date for the completion of the earliest Alfredian section of the Chronicle. "King Alfred the Great" is a monumental and intriguing work of historical scholarship that promises to dramatically alter our perception of this early period in Western civilization. Author : Alfred P. Smyth Genre : Biography & Autobiography Binding : Hardcover Language : English Publication Date : 1996 Edition : 1 Pages : 770 Brand : Oxford University Press, USA
