sources!

Question 1

Who is William of Malmesbury?
What did he provide?

Answer 1

A monk and historian, provided the most detailed account we have if Aethelstan’s reign.

Question 2

Why must we approach William of Malmesbury’s writings with caution?

Answer 2

Historian Thomson states William had a specific agenda, he “identified himself as an Englishman with responsibility to perserve his heritage” -Thomson

Question 3

Analyse the source:
“Remember what temporal punishments came upon when we neither loved wisdom ourselves nor allowed it to others” -Pope Gregory the Great.

Answer 3

“temporal punishments” refers to the vikings, they were belived to be a direct punishment for sin>religious is a prevention.
‘wilful ignorance’=bad consequenses
-This is an old testement interpretation
-The author is a famous pope

Question 4

Describe the treaty between King Alfred and Guthrum.

Answer 4

-Provenance: “peace agreement”=’peace of Wedmore’
-“King Alfred and King Guthrum”=being refferred to equally as kings>negotation and diplomat
-In the first point “1.”, Guthrum is being forced into East Anglia in 878, wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for Edington.
-“land boundries”=border of Wessex and Danelaw, which is not controlled by the Anglo-Saxons.
-“date unknown”:
if in 878=Edington
if in 890=Edington IS NOT REVELANT

Question 5

What is a limitation of the anglo-saxon chronicle?

Answer 5

Alfred re-issued this, to make him look good, propaganda.

Question 6

Analyse Asser’s soure on the court of intellectual.

Answer 6

-“across the sea to Gaul” Gaul=Frankia (modern day France), important for Alfred to be sending these messengers as there aren’t many experts in Britain to rely on.
-Grimbald was chosen to help becuase he’s knowledgeable, religious>well educated in Christian doctrine.
-Asser is in position to know about Grimbald’s role in court as he’s part of the court and Alfred’s tutour>reliable source!

Question 7

How does Einhard’s ‘Life of Charlemagne’s’ support the view that Alfred was NOT a great educational reformer?

Answer 7

He copied Charlemagne’s (aka Charles the Great) Programme of Learning:
-well educated in Latin
-learning the art of calculations>he’s a clever man