So here's how i feel about Asser's "Life of King Alfred"
Asser, a Welsh scholar wrote his Life of King Alfred as king Alfreds biographer. Clearly not an objective biography, Assers Life was written to glorify the Wessex dynasty and in this selected piece does so, through its depiction of Alfreds glorious victories. Perhaps written as an advertisement to those not yet under the rule of king Alfred or just for scholarly record, it was a contemporary of the beginning of the Anglo-Saxon chronicle. The chronicle equally embellishes the merits of king Alfred and the west Saxons as far as 1154 AD in one of its seven manuscripts. Through both of these documents we can discover what attributes Asser (and probably Alfred) constituted a great king, how Assers life and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle coincided and the bias with them despite their recognition as reliable sources.
Assers portrayal of Alfred is one of a brave king who ruled his people with the help of the christian god. Despite mention of massacres at the hands of Alfred. his victories are glorified as divine. Alfred with a close shield-wall fought fiercely against the pagans with a very great slaughter . How accurate a translation the word slaughter may be here or whether its meaning has changed somewhat, his allies are portrayed as having loved him in spite of this. Prior to battle at Edington he was met by allies from Somerset, Wiltshire, and Hampshire when they saw the king, after such great sufferings, almost as one risen from the dead, they were filled with unbounded joy, as it was right they should be. His conversion of Guthrum and the divine aid that is attributed to his military success and indeed attributed to the victories of other christians fighting pagans throughout this section of the Life, illustrates not only Assers apparent admiration for Alfred as a warrior king, but also as a missionary.
As the life and deeds of king Alfred are recorded in both Assers Life and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, it is important to compare both of these documents. I have previously stated that both were written/ started during the reign of king Alfred, 871-899 and were created for similar purposes. A closer look then, will show us just how similar they are. There are passages in Assers Life that not only reflect the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, but are
based on extracts from the latter. King Alfreds genealogy is relatively similar to that of the Chronicle and chapters three to eleven, eighteen to twenty, and thirty to seventy two are based on corresponding episodes in the Chronicle. To suggest that this correspondence of facts a credible view may be considered somewhat of an over-statement, particularly where one body of work is borrowing from the other. According to English Historical Sources vol I as previously cited, we also find discrepancies in Assers Life with a confused account of Alfreds illness and recurring errors in reference to the name of Ethelred, named as Eadred by Asser on more than one occasion. Seven different chronicles within the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle gives rise to self contradiction but despite these discrepancies and obvious bias, both the Life of King Alfred and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as contemporary sources remain invaluable.
Most clear and already stated throughout this essay is the bias that occurs in these writings of propaganda for the Wessex dynasty. Christianity, however also creates a significant bias as can be viewed in this short passage from the life of king Alfred as the pagans constantly fail and flee (except for one small victory) and through the grace of god the christians are constantly delivered to victory. However we chose to view the bias ingrained or embellishments conjured within these documents we must consider ourselves grateful for their survival, for it is thanks to these documents that we know so well, king Alfred the great.
Hinton, David A., Alfreds Kingdom, Wessex and the South 800-1500 (London 1977), p. 29.
Hunter Blair, Peter, An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England (Cambridge 1956), p.354.
Asser, Life of King Alfred, for the year 878 AD.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Sawyer, P. H., From Roman Britain to Norman England (London 1978), p. 121.
Douglas, David C. (Ed.), English Historical Documents c. 500-1052, vol. I (London 1955), p.289.
Asser, a Welsh scholar wrote his Life of King Alfred as king Alfreds biographer. Clearly not an objective biography, Assers Life was written to glorify the Wessex dynasty and in this selected piece does so, through its depiction of Alfreds glorious victories. Perhaps written as an advertisement to those not yet under the rule of king Alfred or just for scholarly record, it was a contemporary of the beginning of the Anglo-Saxon chronicle. The chronicle equally embellishes the merits of king Alfred and the west Saxons as far as 1154 AD in one of its seven manuscripts. Through both of these documents we can discover what attributes Asser (and probably Alfred) constituted a great king, how Assers life and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle coincided and the bias with them despite their recognition as reliable sources.
Assers portrayal of Alfred is one of a brave king who ruled his people with the help of the christian god. Despite mention of massacres at the hands of Alfred. his victories are glorified as divine. Alfred with a close shield-wall fought fiercely against the pagans with a very great slaughter . How accurate a translation the word slaughter may be here or whether its meaning has changed somewhat, his allies are portrayed as having loved him in spite of this. Prior to battle at Edington he was met by allies from Somerset, Wiltshire, and Hampshire when they saw the king, after such great sufferings, almost as one risen from the dead, they were filled with unbounded joy, as it was right they should be. His conversion of Guthrum and the divine aid that is attributed to his military success and indeed attributed to the victories of other christians fighting pagans throughout this section of the Life, illustrates not only Assers apparent admiration for Alfred as a warrior king, but also as a missionary.
As the life and deeds of king Alfred are recorded in both Assers Life and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, it is important to compare both of these documents. I have previously stated that both were written/ started during the reign of king Alfred, 871-899 and were created for similar purposes. A closer look then, will show us just how similar they are. There are passages in Assers Life that not only reflect the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, but are
based on extracts from the latter. King Alfreds genealogy is relatively similar to that of the Chronicle and chapters three to eleven, eighteen to twenty, and thirty to seventy two are based on corresponding episodes in the Chronicle. To suggest that this correspondence of facts a credible view may be considered somewhat of an over-statement, particularly where one body of work is borrowing from the other. According to English Historical Sources vol I as previously cited, we also find discrepancies in Assers Life with a confused account of Alfreds illness and recurring errors in reference to the name of Ethelred, named as Eadred by Asser on more than one occasion. Seven different chronicles within the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle gives rise to self contradiction but despite these discrepancies and obvious bias, both the Life of King Alfred and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as contemporary sources remain invaluable.
Most clear and already stated throughout this essay is the bias that occurs in these writings of propaganda for the Wessex dynasty. Christianity, however also creates a significant bias as can be viewed in this short passage from the life of king Alfred as the pagans constantly fail and flee (except for one small victory) and through the grace of god the christians are constantly delivered to victory. However we chose to view the bias ingrained or embellishments conjured within these documents we must consider ourselves grateful for their survival, for it is thanks to these documents that we know so well, king Alfred the great.
Hinton, David A., Alfreds Kingdom, Wessex and the South 800-1500 (London 1977), p. 29.
Hunter Blair, Peter, An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England (Cambridge 1956), p.354.
Asser, Life of King Alfred, for the year 878 AD.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Sawyer, P. H., From Roman Britain to Norman England (London 1978), p. 121.
Douglas, David C. (Ed.), English Historical Documents c. 500-1052, vol. I (London 1955), p.289.