It would be hard to find uglier, less communicative iconic pages than many of those precariously preserved in british library cotton ms otho a. Life of alfred the great audio book by asser, bishop of sherborne, translated by j. King alfred was the interpreter of this book, and turned it from book latin into english, as it is now done. King alfreds preface to the translation of gregory the great. There are reasons for that and these reasons lie not only in his campaigns against the vikings and the establishing of the navy but also much deeper, in the reforms alfred passed in his lands that enabled the populace to educate themselves. Unlike most translations of assers life of alfred the great, smyth does not. Alfred the great is a wonderful book about the late ninth century king who saved wessex the last standing anglosaxon kingdom in britain from viking rule. He had books translated from latin into english, so people. To ask other readers questions about alfred the great, please sign up.
Alfred is noted for his defence of the anglosaxon kingdoms of southern england against the vikings, becoming the only english king to be accorded the epithet the great. Charles dickens also loved alfred and in his book a childs history of england 185153 he puts forward the viewpoint that he was our greatest king. A life of king alfred of england originally composed in latin. Along with asser s biography of king alfred and an incredibly extensive amount of footnotes there are also translations of religious and philosophical books.
Having great in his name should give you a hint that he was important to their history. Though the ruling class spoke french, alfred translated. Jan 25, 20 life of alfred the great audio book by asser, bishop of sherborne, translated by j. Mar 06, 2017 the arguments for the attribution to alfred concern the language of the prose translations a ninthcentury west saxon dialect as well as a twelfthcentury chronicler recording that alfred was working on a translation of the book of psalms but had not been able to finish it before he died. Alfred is the only english king ever to be called great. It came to be known as sea domboc the law or judgement book, and was cited using that appellation in the lawcodes of alfred s tenthcentury successors. By the 890s, alfred s charters and coinage were referring to him as king of the english. Pastoral care is a treatise written by pope gregory i in which he explained the responsibilities of the church clergy. Many stories were written about alfred that showed his smarts and humanness. The subtitle asser s life of king alfred and other contemporary sources is a great description of this book. In this case the translation was made by alfred s great friend werferth, bishop of worcester, the king merely furnishing. Alfred the great download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
Alfred, also spelled aelfred, byname alfred the great, born 849died 899. Alfred also had translated gregory the great s pastoral theology and sent copies to every diocese in the kingdom. In the 11th century the abbot aelfric translated large portions of the old testament. Alfred the great discenza major reference works wiley online.
He learned latin himself and began to translate latin books into english in 887. Very well written book about alfred the great, a remarkable medieval king. At their fathers behest and by mutual agreement, alfred s elder brothers succeeded to the kingship in turn, rather than endanger the kingdom by passing it to underage children at a time when the country was. That it was a task after the english monarchs own heart we may well believe. Alfred also promoted education and learning and encouraged the production of the anglosaxon chronicle. Oct 23, 2011 pastoral care is a treatise written by pope gregory i in which he explained the responsibilities of the church clergy. As great and good in peace, as he was great and good at war, king alfred never rested from his labours to improve his people. Catherine the great by katherine anthony and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. He personally translated latin books into anglosaxon. Kurtz1 called king alfred the greatest and noblest of all the monarchs england has ever had.
Learn about alfred the great and other famous anglosaxon kings in this bbc bitesize ks2 history guide. Alfred considered learning and literacy to be crucial for the acquisition of wisdom and therefore necessary for men to live in accordance with gods will. Wanting every freeborn englishman to learn to read english, alfred had a plan for the general education of the people and donated half of his personal income to the church and schools. Now he set forth word by word, now sense from sense, as clearly and intelligently as he was able, in the various and manifold worldly cares that oft troubled him both in mind and in body. They then helped alfred translate many of the great works of christendom from latin to english. Giles 1808 1884 a life of king alfred of england originally composed in latin, possibly sometime around 888 a. Alfred the great 1911 encyclopedia britannica bible.
However, i do assume throughout that alfred, king of wessex, is important to our understanding of the past and present. Davids, in ales, who entered king alfreds service and eventually became bishop of sherborne. Composed by a monk of st davids in wales who became bishop of sherborne in alfred s service and worked with him in his efforts to revive religion and learning in his kingdom, this life is among the earliest surviving royal biographies. Follows up on his 1995 biography of alfred and sees the life, allegedly by asser, as a medieval forgery written by byrhtferth of ramsey c. Apr 28, 2010 alfred also had translated gregory the greats pastoral theology and sent copies to every diocese in the kingdom.
Assers life of king alfred, written in 893, is a revealing account of one of the greatest of medieval kings. Nov 22, 2017 the pillow book by sei shonagon, translated by meredith mckinney japan, 990searly s. Alfred the great medieval studies oxford bibliographies. King alfreds translation of boethius online library of liberty. It may be hard to understand how something can be interesting yet boring, but trust me, it is. Alfred the great translated several works from latin into his own language, anglosaxon, known to us as old english, and wrote some works of his own. Several works were translated from latin into old english around this period, and some translations were even credited to alfred himself.
Mar 22, 2009 the political thought of king alfred the great, by david pratt. During his reign he insisted that freedmen of adequate means learn to read english, and he himself translated latin texts into the vernacular for the benefit of his people. Apart from the lost handboc or encheiridion, which seems to have been merely a commonplace book kept by the king, the earliest work to be translated was the dialogues of gregory, a book enormously popular in the middle ages. Alfred the greats burnt boethius university of kentucky.
A history of the british monarchysaxon rulersalfred the great. But one of many things that struck me about this time was the mix of culture and barbarity. Alfred the great was king of wessex from 871 to 899. The medieval life of king alfred the great a translation and. Many people across the centuries have agreed that alfred was indeed the great, but. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Assers life of king alfred, written in 893, is a revealing accoun. The most famous king of the anglosaxons was alfred the great. While the original text was written in latin in the sixth century, king alfred the great eventually translated the volume to old english nearly three centuries later. The king personally translated pastoral care by gregory the great in which alfred wrote. The anglosaxon chronicle is an account of the early history of britain. Jun 29, 2006 alfred the great is always fascinating and, in places, utterly riveting. The political thought of king alfred the great offers an engaging and comprehensive analysis of political thought and court culture in wessex during the reign of king alfred the great. To do so, alfred had several important literary works translated into english, including certain sections.
A translation and commentary on the text attributed to asser. This translation, attributed to alfred the great himself, is prefaced by a letter from. Life of alfred the great by asser, bishop of sherborne. A very literate king, alfred the great reigned from 871 to 879. Alfred once declared it his intention to live worthily as long as i live and after my life to leave to them that should come after, my memory in good works. No other ruler in englands long and varied history has been honored with the title the great. An old english translation of a latin text dating to ninthcentury wessex recalls the revival of learning instigated by alfred the great d. King alfred the great and our common law the ensign. The law code of king alfred the great is the largest and best preserved piece of legal documentation made prior to the norman conquest of 1066 1, and the first surviving anglosaxon law code since ines, nearly two centuries earlier 2, making it an essential document in the study of late anglosaxon law, culture and society. There are a lot of very readable history for the layman books available these days, which is a great thing. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. There was in mercia, in recent times, a certain valiant king, who was feared by all the kings and neighbouring states around. It was excellently written, although i must say, incredibly boring as well. Click download or read online button to get alfred the great book now.
Sep 27, 20 the 20 best books in translation youve never read. Alfred the great royal family wiki fandom powered by wikia. Alfred the greats preface to pastoral care hubpages. Seven books of histories against the pagans work by orosius. The translation of the pastoral care, called hierdeboc shepherdbook in. For more than seventy years, penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the englishspeaking world. This is a great book to get hold of if you are interested in the anglosaxons or early medieval history.
However, he was also the king who saved england from being entirely overrun by the vikings, and he laid the groundwork for his daughters campaigns which conquered the viking settlements and territory in england. King alfred the great and our common law the ensign message. Although written by monks, the anglosaxon chronicle is relatively unbiased in its portrayal of events. It explains the extraordinary burst of royal learned activity focused on inventive translations from latin into old english attributed to alfred s own authorship. Anglosaxon chronicle by king alfred the great, paperback. Perhaps more important than defending the anglosaxon land against the vikings, alfred encouraged military strength, moral laws for good governance, plus education and spiritual enrichment for his subjects. Compilation of the anglosaxon chronicle began during his reign, circa 890. Alfred, also spelled aelfred, byname alfred the great, born 849died 899, king of wessex 871899, a saxon kingdom in southwestern england. Aldheim 640709 has been credited with a complete translation of psalms and much of the rest of the bible into anglosaxon. King alfred the great 849901 presented the ten commandments and portions of exodus and acts in old english. It changed my notion admittedly based on my ignorance of history that the time in between the romans leaving and the norman invasion was chaotic and lawless.
A life of king alfred of england originally composed in latin, possibly sometime around 888 a. This book chronicles the history of the world from its creation through the founding and history of rome up until ad 417. James ingram london, 1823, with additional readings from the translation of dr. There were many famous anglosaxon kings, but the most famous of all was alfred, one of the only kings in british history to be called great. Barbara yorke published in history today volume 49 issue 10 october 1999 king alfred of wessex r. While medieval manuscripts are filled with beautiful and eloquent iconic pages, some of the most interesting problems of transmission are hidden away in the ugly, silent types. Raymond, seven books of histories against the pagans. This volume excellently investigates how the burst of intellectual. The lost works of king alfred the great tha engliscan gesithas. Since the year 2000 i have been keeping track of what i read, just to see what i gravitate towards etc, and it is about 40 books a year, or so. In it orosius describes the catastrophes that befell mankind before christianity, arguing against the contention that read more. Bishop asser tells the story of how, as a child, alfred won a book of saxon poems, offered as a prize by his. Alfred the great was the monarch of england from 871 to 899. His life of king alfred, written in 893, is a remarkable account of the kings activities in peace and war, and testifies to the admiraction that alfred inspired in those around him.
Had alfred translated gentis anglorum as the saxon people and had he talked about translating the book from latin into saxon, he would have slighted bede and, at the same time, emphasized a northsouth divide that would have not have helped his claim to be rex anglorum, king of the english. Filled with drama and action, here is the story of the ninthcentury life and times of alfredwarrior, conqueror, lawmaker, scholar, and the only king whom england. In a preface to one such translation, alfred is said to have lamented that, before everything was ransacked and burned, the churches throughout england stood filled with treasures and books. He fought against the viking invaders and he oversaw a revival of learning and writing in old english. Composed by a monk of st davids in wales who became bishop of sherborne in alfreds service and worked with him in his efforts to revive religion and learning in his kingdom, this life is among the earliest surviving royal biographies. This is a great book to get hold of if you are interested in the anglosaxons or early.
He seems to have been a child of singular attractiveness and promise, and stories of his boyhood were remembered. He loved to talk with clever men, and with travellers from foreign. Alfred is perhaps best of all remembered for his famous law code. This book is a comprehensive study of political thought at the court of king alfred the great 87199. Kurtz 1 called king alfred the greatest and noblest of all the monarchs england has ever had. Bede, caedmon and king alfred the great first bible. King alfreds translation of boethius online library of. Anglosaxon chronicle the history of the anglosaxons compiled on the orders of king alfred the great translation by rev. King alfreds translation of the pastoral care the british library. He prevented england from falling to the danes and promoted learning and literacy. Already, having come across a story that king alfred wrote a book on falconry.
According to the celebrated former british statesman and historian sir winston churchill,2 the roots of king alfred s book of laws or dooms alias his deemings came forth from the as then already longestablished laws of kent, mercia and wessex. He was equally comfortable distributing his translation of gregory the greats pastoral care to his bishops so that they. This dissertation consists of a study volume one, together with an edition and critical. Librivox recording of life of alfred the great by asser, bishop of sherborne, translated by j. Alfred died in october, 899, and was buried in winchester.
I have heard from my lord alfred, king of the anglosaxons, as he also had heard it from many men of truth, who in great part recorded that fact. According to the celebrated former british statesman and historian sir winston churchill,2 the roots of king alfreds book of laws or dooms alias his deemings came forth from the as then already longestablished laws of. King alfreds preface to the translation of gregory the. Alfred himself translated many of the psalms of king david. This particular variant chronicles the events alfred the great, king of wessex, experienced during the viking invasions of the ninth century. Lee in 1892, the famous german church historian rev. Citing precedent in the translation of the hebrew scriptures into greek and then latin, alfred says he will make books most necessary for all. Alfreds translation of gregory the greats regula pastoralis. It was originally compiled on the orders of king alfred the great, approximately a. He then arranged, and himself took part in, the translation of books from latin to anglosaxon. However, he was also the king who saved england from being entirely overrun by the vikings, and he laid the groundwork for his daughters campaigns which conquered the viking settlements and.
Alfred is noted for his defence of the kingdom against the danish vikings, becoming the only english king to be awarded the epithet the great although not english, canute the great was another king of england given this title by the danes. As often as you can, free yourself from worldly affairs so. Assers life of king alfred and other contemporary sources. The lawcode of king alfred the great 871 99 is one of the largest and most ambitious legislative enactments to survive from anglosaxon england. Alfred the great is most popularly known as the king who burned the cakes. Life of alfred the great by asser, bishop of sherborne audio. Gregory i, the great 6thcentury pope, provided a manual for priests in the instruction of their flocks, and a translation by bishop werferth of gregorys dialogues supplied edifying reading on holy men. Alfred, or zelfred, known as the great 848900, king of england, was born in 848 at wantage, and was the fourth son of king iethelwulf and his first wife osburh. Such was the man who wrote the famous book which king alfred set himself to make known to his people. Anglosaxon chronicle by alfred the great, paperback.
He is remembered today chiefly for his success in preventing the danes from conquering england, and for fostering a revival of learning in his kingdom. This comprehensive collection includes assers life of alfred, extracts from the anglosaxon chronicle, and alfred s own writings, laws, and will. Written by the court gentlewoman sei shonagon, ostensibly for her own amusement, the pillow book offers a fascinating exploration of life among the nobility at the height of the heian period. Id put this book in that category its an easy read, and it doesnt delve too deeply into historical uncertainties or points of contention amongst historians. He displayed remarkable administrative flair, reorganizing his army, issuing important laws, protecting the weak, and promoting learning.
The life of alfred the great bishop of sherbourne asser 908909, translated by j. Dont buy this unless youre genuinely and deeply interested in king alfred the great. Bosworth published in 1855 a fine edition of the description of europe and the voyages ofohthere and wulfstan, written in anglosaxon by king alfred the great. King alfred is the only king in english history to be deemed worthy of the title of the great.