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THE POLITICAL THOUGHT OF
KING AL FR ED THE GREAT
This boo k is prehensive study of politica l thou ght at the cour t of
King Alfred the G reat (87 –199 ). It explain s the extraordin ary burst of
royal learned act ivity focused on inventi ve tran slations from Lat in into
Old English attribu ted to A lfred’s own auth orship. A full explor ation of
context establishes thes e texts as part of a singl e discou rse which placed
Alfred himsel f at the heart of all rightfu l power and authorit y. A major
theme is the relevan ce of Frankish and other European experie nces, as
sources of e xpertise and shared concer ns, and for impor tant contrast s
with Alfredi an thought and behaviou r. Part I assesses Alfred’s rule agains t
West Saxon str uctures, showi ng th e centra lity of th e royal househol d in
the operatio n of power. Part II offers an intima te analysi s of the royal
texts, developing far-reaching implications for Alfredian kingship,
communication and court culture. Comparative in approach, the book
places Alfred’ s reign at the forefr ont of wider Euro pean trends in
aristocratic life.
david pratt is Fellow and Director of Studies in History, Downing
College, Cambridge.
Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought
Fourth Series
General Editor:
rosamond mckitterick
Professor of Medieval History, University of Cambridge, and Fellow of Sidney Sussex College
Advisory Editors:
christine carpenter
Professor of Medieval English History, University of Cambridge, and Fellow of New Hall
jonathan shepard
The series Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought was inaugurated
by G. G. Coulton in 1921; Professor Rosamond McKitterick now acts as
General Editor of the Fourth Series, with Professor Christine Carpenter and
Dr Jonathan Shepard as Advisory Editors. The series brings together
outstanding work by medieval scholars over a wide range of human endeavour
extending from political economy t