Alfred the Great

Life

Early years

Alfred was sent at an early age to Rome, where he was " anointed king " of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, according to Pope Leo IV. This was (at least in the Victorian era ) understood as anticipatory coronation as King of Wessex. This coronation would Leo but can not predict, but Alfred had at this time three living elder brothers. A corresponding letter from Leo shows that Alfred was appointed consul, which was later used as royal investiture misunderstood (intentionally or not).

During the reign Aethelbald his oldest brothers and Aethelberht Alfred did not appear, at least the sources report about nothing, which is not unusual but in the context of early medieval historiography. This changed when Æthelred I. ascended the throne. Alfred rose to secundarius, which should have made him a sort of co-regent. An agreement which was probably from the Witan, the Council of the Great desired.

The following years seem to have brought Wessex to the edge of the abyss, while in the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms already ruled by the Danes. It always came back to fighting, with Alfred supposedly almost got himself in captivity. Alfred finally had to flee to Athelney, where he mustered an army and troops collected. 878 he went on the attack and was the Danes at Edington ( Wiltshire) inflict a crushing defeat. His beaten opponent, King Guthrum, was baptized and then retreated into his kingdom of East Anglia. The great period of crisis had been overcome, at least for Wessex.

Developing the rule

Cultural Promotion

Following the example of Charlemagne, Alfred had founded numerous monasteries. Through the creation of new schools, he promoted the cultural and intellectual life of his kingdom. With 36 years he learned Latin and even invited numerous scholars from the Franks to his England one; he translated Boethius ' Consolation of Philosophy. The Franks and Anglo-Saxon lawyers began his reign with the writing of the common law in a collection of laws called Domboc.

Death and aftermath

Soon after his death in 899 Alfred "the Great" was called. He is the only king in English history who has received this nickname. Officially, he was never canonized, but it soon worshiped many people, and a cult of the saints, which has been handed down to this day, was built around his grave lay in the Cathedral of Swithun, since 1110 in the Benedictine Abbey of Hyde in Hyde Head. The Benedictine monastery was dissolved in 1536 by Henry VIII. In 1788, prisoners built at this place a prison, and came across a royal coffin whose content they plundered and whose bones they threw away. 1995-1998 undertook a local archaeologists group an excavation near the former high altar and discovered some bones, which landed in the Museum of Winchester. C14 studies of these bones showed that a third found a pelvic bone 895-1017 should be dated. Anthropological studies have shown that the person concerned male and 26-45 years has been old. Since no burials are known in this area from the Angel - Saxon period, it is believed that this is when the pelvic rest found a bone of Alfred is the Great or his son.

Alfred is one of the few Anglo-Saxon kings, for at least a fragmentary contemporary biography exists: the only manuscript of the life of Alfred remained until 1731. The biographer was a Welshman named Asher, who clearly is oriented with its text to Einhard's biography of Charlemagne.

A memorial plaque to him was taken in in the Walhalla near Regensburg.

Family

  • Wife: Ealhswith (* 852, † 5 in Winchester December 902 ), daughter of Æthelred Gainas and his wife Eadburg.
  • Children: Edmund (* 870, † before 899), co-regent of Wessex.
  • Eduard ( * ca 871, † 17 July 924 ), King Edward the Elder
  • Æthelweard (* 880, † 26 October 920/922 )
  • Aethelflaed ( * approx 869 † in Tamworth June 12 918), Lady of the Mercians; Husband since 886/7, Æthelred, ealdorman of Mercia († 911)
  • Ælfthryd ( * ca 875/7, † Ghent June 7 929 ); Husband since 884/893, Count Baldwin II of Flanders († 918)
  • Æthelgiva († about 896 ), Abbess of Shaftesbury, Dorset.

Reception

(selected)

  • Theodor Fontane: King Alfred

Swell

The two main sources for the life of Alfred are written by Asser 's biography as well as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. In addition, among other things, his book Laws and Alfred 's own writings ( the custom built by him translations).

  • Simon Keynes, Michael Lapidge: Asser 's Life of King Alfred and other contemporary sources. London et al In 1983. [Collection of the most important sources in English translation ]
  • Dorothy Whitelock (ed.): English Historical Documents. Volume 1 London 1955 ( 2nd edition 1979).
Wantage October 26 Roman consul Witenagemot Battle of Reading (871) Battle of Englefield Battle of Ashdown Edington (Wiltshire) Burghal Hidage Fyrd Danelaw Francia Æthelflæd Baldwin II, Count of Flanders House of Wessex Timothy Reuter Lexikon des Mittelalters Bretwalda Integrated Authority File
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