Soldier, statesman, and scholar, Alfred the Great was a fascinating and highly successful king, pushing back the Vikings to command what is now thought of as the heart of England as ruler of Wessex from 871-899. In this, the first major biography of King Alfred since 1902, his life, career and enduring legacy are given a radical new interpretation, putting into question most of our assumptions about this singular monarch. Alfred P. Smyth's portrait of King Alfred rejects the image of a neurotic and invalid king who supposedly remained a pious illiterate until he was almost 40. Instead, we are shown a man of remarkable energy and intelligence who took necessary steps to defend his people from the Norsemen. We see, too, a king who had been a scholar all his life and who used his great knowledge to bolster the powers of his own kingship. Smyth also provides a detailed examination of the much-disputed medieval biography of King Alfred, attributed to the King's tutor, Asser. Alfred Smyth argues that Asser's Life may, in fact, have been a late medieval forgery--a revelation with profound implications for our understanding of the whole of Anglo-Saxon history. Smyth's King Alfred also contains major studies on the writings of this gifted king, on the controversial charters of his reign, and on the origins of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. (Smyth shows this work to have been much more closely connected with the court of King Alfred than previously realized and suggests a new date for the completion of the earliest Alfredian section of the Chronicle.) A monumental and intriguing work of historical scholarship, King Alfred the Great will dramatically change the way we understand this early period of western civilization.

From the author of The Gateway to the Middle Ages, “a fascinating portrait of an enlightened monarch against a background of darkness and ignorance” (Kirkus Reviews). Filled with drama and action, here is the story of the ninth-century life and times of Alfred—warrior, conqueror, lawmaker, scholar, and the only king whom England has ever called “The Great.” Based on up-to-date information on ninth-century history, geography, philosophy, literature, and social life, it vividly presents exciting views of Alfred in every stage of his long career and leaves the reader with a sharply etched picture of the world of the Middle Ages.

Excerpt from The Origin of the English Nation 1587 - 1588. By Alhed II. 1110. By Anne Isabella Thackeray B11de of Landeck. Dr G. L'. R. James. L101'jacoh. - '1'l1e Lifted Veil. By Geo. 1111111 hadow on the Tlneehold. By Mmy Cecil. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

During the early Middle Ages, King Alfred (reigned 871-99) gained fame as the ruler who brought learning back to England after decades of Viking invasion. Although analysis of Alfred's canon typically focuses on his religious and philosophical texts, his relatively overlooked law code, or Domboc, reveals much about his rule, and how he was perceived in subsequent centuries. Joining major voices in the fields of early English law and literature, this exploration of King Alfred's influential text traces its evolution from its 9th century origins to reappearances in the 11th, 12th, and 16th centuries. Alfred's use of the vernacular and representation of secular practices, this work contends, made the Domboc an ideal text for establishing a particularly "English" national identity.

Manuscript is interleaved with typed notes on Besant's sources, which include the bishop Asser, Alfred Bowker, J.R. Green, Dugald Macfadyen, and Reinhold Pauli.

John Peddie expertly examines the scale and intent of the relentless threat of conquest by the Viking sea-raiders, the military and logistical problems that beset both sides, and the strategies devised by King Alfred of Wessex which led to the reconquest of his Wessex homeland and the creation of England itself.

Excerpt from A Book of Cambridge Verse Nevertheless, after all deductions have been made, how much true poetry is yet left! He must be hard to please who cannot find intense enjoyment in the Eclogues of Phineas Fletcher, in Cowley's epitaph on Harvey, in the Miltonic stanzas of Gray's Installation Ode, in a score of other pieces, grave, quaint, or classical in their allusive ness of phrasing. Especially grateful must we be to the number of poets, of exquisite feeling and easy mastery of form, who during the last fifty or sixty years have enriched the language with delicate and elegant verse, from which it has been only too difficult to choose because its quantity is so great and its merit so even. Of this we trust we have given a tolerably adequate selection but it would have been easy to multiply it fourfold. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

A historical novel for young readers set in the time of Alfred the Great, following a young Saxon boy as he learns about loyalty, bravery, and honor in the face of Viking invaders. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Asser was a late ninth century Welsh monk, who is chiefly remembered as the friend, counsellor and biographer of Alfred the Great. Composed in Latin, ‘The Life of King Alfred’ follows his career from birth to accession in 871, describing in detail Alfred’s reign and his wars. It provides a revealing account of one of the greatest medieval kings, who sought to revive religion and learning in his kingdom. Among the earliest surviving royal biographies, it offers an admiring and endearing account of the monarch’s life, chronicling his battles against Viking invaders and his struggles to develop the power and knowledge of the Saxons, uniting his people at a time of grave peril. Delphi’s Medieval Library provides eReaders with rare and precious works of the Middle Ages, with noted English translations and the original texts. This eBook presents multiple translations of Asser’s work, with illustrations, an informative introduction and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Asser’s life and works * Features the complete extant text of Asser’s biography, in both English translation and the original Latin * Two English translations of ‘Vita Ælfredi regis Angul Saxonum’: John Allen Giles Translation, 1848; Albert S. Cook, 1905 * Includes the translators’ original hyperlinked footnotes * Concise introduction to the text * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the sections you want to read with individual contents tables * Provides a special dual English and Latin text, allowing readers to compare the sections paragraph by paragraph — ideal for students * Features two bonus biographies, including Charles Plummer’s seminal study of Alfred the Great CONTENTS: The Translations Brief Introduction to ‘The Life of King Alfred’ John Allen Giles Translation, 1848 Albert S. Cook, Translation, 1905 The Original Text Contents of the Latin Text The Dual Text Dual Latin and English Text The Biographies Asser (1900) The Life and Times of Alfred the Great (1902) by Charles Plummer