The Diplomas of King Aethlred 'the Unready' 978-1016 (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought: Third Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)First of, this is a pivotal book in the study of Anglo-Saxon charters. Keynes is a first-rate scholar and his analysis of the materials is always informative and productive--it's superlative work. My only complaint involves the paperback reprint. The original hardcover contained a set of eight tables of charter attestations (important information for following the book's arguments) folded into a pocket on the back cover, but these tables are entirely absent in the paperback version. A prefatory note advises the reader that the tables appear in another publication available through Cambridge's Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic. Unfortunately, this in-house publication is no longer available (at least as of March 2010) so the interested reader is obligated to consult a copy of the original hardcover. This small setback does impact the value of this otherwise welcome reprint of a classic text.

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The reign of 'thelred 'the Unready' (978-1016) is known to us mainly from a series of annals in the Anglo-Saxon Chrolicle, written at or after its close and accordingly conveying an impression of gathering doom as Viking armies ravaged the country and eventually, under the leadership of Swein Forkbeard and Cnut, brought about its conquest. Dr Keynes is here concerned to establish what light the royal diplomas issued in King 'thelred's name throw on this unhappy and notorious period. He first considers the general issues that bear directly on the value of royal diplomas as historical evidence for all periods of Anglo-Saxon history, discussing the circumstances under which these documents have been preserved, the techniques available for their criticism, and the arrangements that existed for their production. He then demonstrates how a detailed analysis of 'thelred's diplomas can transform our understanding of this troubled reign. On a practical level they provide invaluable evidence on the operation of royal government, and on a personal level they afford a remarkable insight into the relations between the king and his councillors, suggesting a picture of political manoeuvring and court intrigue which compensates for the chronicler's emphasis on the struggle against the marauding Vikings. By placing the familiar account of incessant warfare in the context of these domestic affairs it becomes possible for the first time to see the reign in its true perspective.