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 ...
Read More
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.
Read Less
Add this copy of King Alfred the Great to cart. $10.56, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of King Alfred the Great to cart. $10.56, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of King Alfred the Great to cart. $10.56, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Add this copy of King Alfred the Great to cart. $17.03, good condition, Sold by Rothwell & Dunworth Ltd rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dulverton, SOMERSET, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1996 by Oxford University Press, 1995. 0198229895.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
1st edn 1st printing. 8vo. Original gilt lettered blue cloth (light spotting on page edges-otherwise VG), dustwrapper (VG in protective cover, not price clipped). Pp. xxv + 744, illus with b&w plates and maps (no inscriptions).
Add this copy of King Alfred the Great to cart. $19.45, good condition, Sold by TextbookRush rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Grandview Hts, OH, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. All orders ship SAME or NEXT business day. Expedited shipments will be received in 1-5 business days within the United States. We proudly ship to APO/FPO addresses. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!
Add this copy of King Alfred the Great to cart. $21.00, good condition, Sold by Becker's Books rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Houston, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press.
Add this copy of King Alfred the Great to cart. $23.00, fair condition, Sold by Vivarium Books rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from SILVERADO, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press.
Add this copy of King Alfred the Great to cart. $26.19, fair condition, Sold by Anybook rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lincoln, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1995 by Oxford University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside. This book has hardback covers. In fair condition, suitable as a study copy. No dust jacket. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item, 1450grams, ISBN: 0198229895.
Add this copy of King Alfred the Great to cart. $32.00, very good condition, Sold by Chaparral Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Portland, OR, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Oxford University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good in Very Good jacket. Size: 9x6x2; Minor shelf wear to binding. Light wear & foxing on edges of text block. Text and images unmarked. Dj lightly shelf worn with scuffs & creases. Dust jacket in a mylar cover.
